Moonlight's Dark Secret

Chapter 6

The four of us ended up talking for almost two hours at Ken. The time slipped by so quickly I almost forgot I had anywhere else to be. The little shop’s warm hum of conversation, the clinking of mugs, and the faint smell of espresso and cinnamon made the whole place feel like a pocket of safety I hadn’t known I needed.

Cooper was in rare form, or maybe that was just who he always was. He had this mischievous sparkle in his eyes, and the more he talked, the more I realized how much he loved pulling pranks. According to him, Axel had been his favorite victim. He proudly retold the story of the time he dyed Axel’s hair pink in his sleep.

“And not just any pink,” Cooper said, laughing so hard he had to pause to breathe. “Neon pink. Like, blindingly bright. I’m talking highlighter-on-steroids pink.”

Axel groaned and rubbed his temples. “Do you know how many hats I had to wear that week?”

“Not enough,” Cooper shot back, grinning like the devil himself. “And the best part? He didn’t even notice until after breakfast. We were halfway through eggs and bacon before Stefan here pointed it out.”

I blinked. “Wait, you’re saying this happened in public?”

“Oh, yeah,” Cooper said, proud as ever. “Packhouse dining hall. Sixty-five witnesses.”

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt, and even Stefan cracked a small grin, though he tried to hide it behind his coffee cup.

Somewhere between Cooper’s wild stories and Axel’s quiet muttering about revenge, I pulled out my phone just to check the time, and froze. Two missed calls from my mom. Five texts.

“Crap,” I muttered under my breath.

Stefan’s head snapped toward me instantly, his gaze sharp, like he’d been waiting for the smallest excuse to tune into me. “What’s wrong?” His voice was low, concerned, and just a little too intense for a simple question.

I held up my phone. “My mom’s been trying to reach me. One second, okay?” I stood quickly, not wanting to interrupt the flow of their conversation.

Cooper was still laughing, halfway through retelling another prank, as I stepped into the corner by the pastry case and hit “call back.”

The line barely rang before Mom picked up. “Tamara?” Her voice was sharp with worry.

“Hey, Mom. Sorry, I didn’t answer. I’m at Ken with—”

“Where are you?!” she cut me off. “I’ve been calling for hours. Your class ended at three! You should’ve been home by now.”

Guilt stabbed me right in the stomach. “Mom, I told you, I’m at Ken. With some friends I made.”

There was a pause, and then a long sigh. “Okay. You didn’t tell me, so I got worried. And I have to leave in an hour for work. You’ll need to watch Cindy tonight. Can you come home now?”

I winced. “Crap, I forgot you were working. Yeah, I’ll head back right away. Sorry.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. I’m glad you’re making new friends. Just keep me updated next time, alright? That way we always know who has Cindy.”

“Sounds good.” I nodded instinctively, even though she couldn’t see me. “Love you.”

“Love you too, honey.”

The call clicked off. I exhaled, shoulders sagging, and forced myself to walk back to the table.

When I got there, Stefan was staring at me again. Honestly, it felt like he’d been doing it the entire time we’d been here. Not that I minded, if I were him, I’d probably stare too, just for a different reason. He was literally the most attractive person I had ever seen in real life. Every girl in Ken, and at least a couple of guys, had been sneaking glances at him all afternoon. He commanded attention effortlessly, without saying a word.

And then there was me. Just Tammie. Tiny, shy, average. Nothing special.

“Hey,” I said, clearing my throat. “So… I’ve got to head home now.” I grabbed my backpack from the floor and swung it over my shoulder. “Thanks for inviting me, Cooper. I really had fun. And it was nice meeting you, Axel, Stefan.”

I gave them each a small nod and waved shyly at Stefan before turning toward the door. I almost made it. Almost. But then a warm hand wrapped around mine, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned. Stefan hadn’t let go. His gaze locked on mine, steady and unyielding. “How are you getting home?”

“Oh. I live close, so I was just going to walk,” I said, trying to sound casual.

His grip didn’t loosen. “Nonsense. I’ll drive you.” He stood, grabbing his cup like it was second nature, as if the decision had already been made.

“You really don’t have to,” I protested. “It’s not far. And what about Cooper and Axel?”

“I’ll come back for them,” he said, his tone firm, almost like an order.

“But what if they don’t want to wait—”

“Tammie.”

Just my name. But the way he said it, like a command wrapped in velvet, cut through every excuse I had. His eyes searched mine, and then, slowly, his free hand came up to my cheek. His thumb brushed across my skin, feather-light. The touch sent a wave of tingles racing down my spine.

“Okay,” I whispered. It came out more breathy than I meant, but it wasn’t like I had any real control around him.

His smile spread wide, genuine, almost boyish in its warmth. He placed his hand on the small of my back, guiding me gently toward the door. “See you in a bit,” he said to Axel and Cooper.

“Bye, Tammie! Now I’ve got Axel all to myself!” Cooper crowed, immediately jumping onto Axel’s lap. Axel let out an “oomph,” glaring but not really mad.

I giggled as Stefan led me outside, his palm steady and warm against the chill in the air. With him so close, the cold didn’t even register.

We walked across the lot. For a split second, I prayed he didn’t own a motorcycle. Those things terrified me, even if, deep down, I admitted it would be thrilling to ride one. Still, not today. Please not today.

Stefan reached into his pocket, pulled out a key fob, and pressed the button. A sleek matte-black Tesla blinked its lights.

Wow.

“That car looks… expensive,” I blurted before I could stop myself.

A low rumble came from his chest, and it took me a moment to realize he was trying not to laugh.

“What?” I asked, horrified. “Did I say something stupid?”

“You’re cute. What else would I be driving?”

My stomach dropped. Oh no. Had I said that last part out loud? I scrambled. “I just meant, I’m glad it’s not a motorcycle. You seem like the type who would drive one. You know, tall, strong, ridiculously attractive. But not that you have a type. Or that I think about your type. I mean—you’re just...you seem like you’d…”

I trailed off, cheeks blazing.

Stefan burst out laughing, head tilted back.

Great. Now he thought I was a total freak.

But then he leaned closer and said, “You’re adorable. And motorcycles? Death traps. I’d never let you ride one.”

My breath caught. Never let me. The way he said it, protective and absolute, melted through me.

He led me to the passenger door, opened it like a gentleman, and waited until I slid inside. I whispered a quiet “thank you,” too shy to meet his eyes.

The drive was short, filled mostly with silence, but not the awkward kind. It was comfortable, like the space between us didn’t need words. I gave him directions, and in just a few minutes, we pulled up to my house.

“Thank you for the ride,” I said, smiling as I reached for the door handle.

But Stefan got out too.

I frowned. “Um… what are you doing?”

“Relax, love. I’m not staying. Just walking you to the door.”

Love.

The word hit me like a physical blow. My cheeks burned, my knees weak.

I tried to look down, to hide my embarrassment, but his hands gently cupped my face and tilted me back up. His eyes were endless, steady, unrelenting. “Don’t hide from me. You never have to be embarrassed with me.”

His touch should’ve been too much. Too fast. But instead, it felt… right. Like it was supposed to be this way all along.

“Why do I feel this way around you?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.

His gaze softened, but his voice was sure. “So you feel it too?”

My heart stopped. He felt it. The same pull, the same insane connection I couldn’t explain. It wasn’t just me.

The door creaked open.

“There you are! Oh—” My mom’s voice cut through the moment. She stood in the doorway, dressed in her flight attendant uniform. And just like that, I realized how it looked... me and Stefan, inches apart, his hands still on my cheeks. Like he was about to kiss me.

I jolted back, cheeks flaming. “Hey, Mom. Uh, this is Stefan.”

Mom’s eyes flickered between us, amusement tugging at her lips. “Well, Stefan, it’s very nice to meet you. Do you go to school with Tamara?”

“No, ma’am,” Stefan said smoothly. “I graduated last year. I’m friends with one of her classmates.”

My brain hiccupped. Graduated? So he was older. He didn’t look more than twenty-three, but still, it surprised me.

Mom nodded politely, but before she could ask anything else, the screen door banged open and a little whirlwind launched itself at me.

“Tammieeee!” Cindy squealed, throwing her arms around my neck.

I staggered but caught her just in time. “Hey, squirt. Did you have a good day?”

“The best day ever! Today at daycare we made—” She cut herself off mid-sentence, noticing Stefan for the first time. Her eyes went wide, and she squeezed me tighter.

“Tammie,” she whispered loudly, which really just meant she spoke in a raspy half-yell, “who is that big man?”

I chuckled, shifting her weight in my arms. “Cindy, this is my new friend, Stefan. He’s nice. You can talk to him.”

She peeked over my shoulder, her shyness showing. “Hi, Stefan,” she said, barely above a whisper.

“Hi, Cindy. It’s nice to meet you. I like your outfit,” Stefan replied, his voice warm.

Cindy giggled. “Thanks! Mommy got me this sparkly skirt from Justice.”

“Well, you look adorable in it,” he said.

My stomach flipped. The word... adorable. He’d said it about me too, more than once. Did he mean it the same way? Or was I just like Cindy in his eyes, someone little and harmless to be nice to?

“Stefan?” Cindy said suddenly, a mischievous lilt in her voice.

“Yes?” He leaned forward slightly.

“Are you dating Tammie?”

I almost choked. “Cindy!”

But Stefan didn’t even flinch. He just smiled, eyes on me, and said, “Hopefully one day.”