My Dearly Beloved Luna

Chapter 17

“Stop touching me.” My voice comes out thinner than I intended, and I hate that he notices.

“Why?” Elias asks, leaning closer and forcing me to tilt my head back if I want to keep looking at him. His eyes flicker, the dark colour giving way to that unsettling gold. “Does it bother you?”

“Yes, it bothers me, God, yes, just not for the reason he thinks.” The problem is that I don’t want him to move away. I want to stay right here, trapped between him and the car, even though every sensible part of me is screaming that I should leave. I want to understand why his touch makes my skin burn and why being this close to him makes something inside me ache for more, but I can’t make sense of any of it.

I can barely breathe properly. The rest of the world seems to disappear until there’s nothing left but his face, his scent, and the unbearable tension stretched between us. Something stirs deep inside my chest, not quite a thought and not quite a feeling, but more like a restless presence pressing against a door that has been locked for so long I’ve forgotten what’s behind it.

I force it back down because whatever it is, I don’t want it, and I refuse to let it control me.

I pull my gaze away from his eyes and force a cruel smile onto my lips. “Your scent makes me sick.”

The words leave my mouth before I can reconsider them.

For a fraction of a second, something raw crosses his face. Pain. Real pain. Then it disappears, replaced by the same guarded expression he’s been wearing since I returned. Good. Let him feel something. I’ve spent enough time hurting.

He starts to speak, but I don’t give him the chance. I twist my wrist inside his grip, using the movement I learned years ago to break someone’s hold. His fingers loosen for half a second, and that’s all I need. I turn my arm, press against the weak point, and pull free.

His eyebrows lift, surprise flashing across his face as I step away from the SUV and put several feet between us.

“Stay out of my way,” I tell him, keeping my voice cold. “And I’ll stay out of yours.”

Then I turn toward the gate, my heart hammering so violently that I can feel every beat in my throat. The bag trembles in my hand, while my legs feel less steady with every step, but I refuse to slow down.

Don’t look back. I repeat the words in my head as I keep walking, forcing myself to focus on the gate ahead instead of the man behind me.

That strange ache follows me anyway. It pulls at me with every step, urging me to turn around and return to the man I just pushed away. It feels ridiculous, almost painful enough to make me stop, but I keep walking.

I’m not that frightened girl anymore. My time away taught me how to survive without anyone holding my hand. I learned how to swallow insults, stand on my own, and protect the parts of myself nobody else bothered protecting.

I built those walls for a reason, and I’m not going to let Elias tear them down. Not after everything. Not even if walking away from him feels like I’m leaving something important behind.

I reach the gate without looking over my shoulder. The same scarred guard from yesterday notices me and straightens immediately, and the difference in his expression isn’t lost on me.

“Miss Sylvia,” he says, far more respectfully than he did the day before. “Would you like me to arrange transportation?”

“Yes, please.” I keep my voice steady as I adjust my grip on the breakfast bag. “I need a car to Headquarters.”

He nods and reaches for his radio. “Of course, miss. I’ll have one brought around.”

Behind me, an engine comes to life and I know exactly whose vehicle it is.

Elias.

I keep my eyes fixed ahead as the SUV rolls toward the gate, slowing when it passes me. I can feel his attention on me through the window, waiting for me to change my mind.

But I don’t.

The tyres crunch over the gravel as the vehicle moves beyond the gate and disappears down the road. Only then do I finally release the breath I’ve been holding.

I look down at the bag in my hand and tighten my fingers around it. Today is my first day at Headquarters, and I intend to get through it without needing Elias for anything.