Loving His Broken Luna

Chapter 20

Pushing herself to get out of his car didn’t seem so easy. She should have waited to drown him out with her answers in a place she could have bolted from him.

“Renee,” Jason challenged her. “Why do you want to be there if it’s bad?”

… Being here feels worse.

“You’re just being dramatic then?” he asked, his attention on her only seemed to double.

“Yeah, whatever…” she retreated on herself. “Dramatic.”

It seemed that lying this long had overdone her truths. For all she knew Jason was registering everything she said as lies. It wouldn’t even have mattered until… well…

Renee gulped down the building embarrassment. Just last night her parents made her sing with their violence. Hell, even Jason got a bit of her truths with his escapades.

Good thing he didn’t believe her.

Renee’s regret deepened though.

His soft side was what got her. He didn’t have to be there or bring her to Russel’s. He didn’t have to make sure she ate, or tried to. He could have just stayed to the plan. He could have just let her go to swim and then get settled in school.

They would have missed all of this awkwardness and been back in their usual groove.

Leave it to Jason to screw this up for her!

… No… that wasn’t right either.

… She had to stop lying.

Jason’s chuckle was light, no doubt a challenge to get her to try.

There was a warmth to it.

Even the word made her shiver.

… It’s not okay to want this.

Renee couldn’t help but want to follow the itch. He awakened something new within her.

His warmth… it… It made her feel like more than some… thing.

… But she was.

“Can we go now?” she asked, attempting to drown out her feelings.

“Why? You have somewhere better to be?”

“Class, actually.”

Jason furrowed his brow as if he was taking the subject of school into consideration.

“Don’t you want to know what I am first?” he asked, smirking at her.

“If it takes me on some grand adventure, no. No, I don’t.”

Jason tilted his head, confused.

“But you just said you wanted to know.”

“I’ve changed my mind…” she began. “If all I come from is wealth, then is this not how I would treat you?”

… Renee hated the way she sounded.

… The point had to be made.

“I need my path. Not yours.”

“Our paths are entwined,” he replied, haughty.

“Barely,” Renee scoffed.

“Why are you all defensive now?”

“Because of you…” she replied, waving her hands around as if it should be obvious.

“I’m not the reason.”

“Everything you’re doing is another reason. All you do is take and trash. You want honesty? Open your eyes!”

“And what? Label it? What I believe are truths aren’t according to you,” Jason seethed. “You’re impossible!”

“Maybe you should just do what I told you months ago.”

“Sit back? I don’t think so.”

… Insufferable, handsome prick.

“Then have fun returning to high school.”

Renee sat uncomfortably in his car, obediently, waiting for his next move.

“I’m growing tired of this, Renee,” Jason grumbled.

“Welcome to my world,” Renee sighed.

“I’m a d…”

“Don’t care!” Renee warned over his confession.

“You don’t… care?” Jason asked carefully, as if to give her a chance to fix what she claimed.

“I legitimately don’t give one s**t, Jason,” she growled. “You could call yourself a katana, or a slice of bread for all I care.”

In her anger she couldn’t see how stupid she sounded adding her last bit. There was only a slim possibility that he’d understand the reference but still, out if went.

“You don’t care what I am?” Jason asked again.

“Does it really matter?” Renee replied, depleted.

“It absolutely does,” he gaped at her.

“It doesn’t.”

“How can you say that? How do you have any concept of what I can do if you don’t know what I am?”

Renee considered what Jason asked but shook her head.

“Your decisions aren’t based on what you are,” Renee assured him. “All that matters is that I get on with my day, my life.”

… and hope that I get to see tomorrow.

“You said it yourself,” she quickly followed.

Jason finally motioned to turn the ignition on. It seemed that she was able to finally stuff him so full of her side of things that he could stop trying.

“Then you can move on,” she paused for effect. “Those were your words, weren’t they?

“I don’t see how this has to do with my kind,” Jason frowned.

“It doesn’t. That’s the whole point. Your kind doesn’t matter.”

Gods, she hated the way that made her sound like her parents but it was true! His species didn’t matter. Only his intentions.

So far those intentions were in line to help him become a hero at her expense. It meant taking any means necessary to get him to stop.

“Don’t push it on me,” Renee replied with finality.

“You’re either unsure of yourself or live in a bubble. Everyone would want to know if a de—“

“You can’t listen, can you? It’s really simple instructions…”

“Demon,” Jason spoke over her.

“It makes sense why you can’t leave,” Renee ignored him once more. “You’re stuck on…”

“Renee!” Jason turned a bitter note.

“Your successes. And so far,” she paused for effect, “This thing between the both of us isn’t going anywhere.”

Her exhale was quickly replaced with an inhale.

She hadn’t ever practiced the part of her parents, but their emotional barrage came out of every book and cranny of her existence. None of which was freeing.

Every claim made her feel tethered to its meaning.

Each sentence left its regret.

But he wanted in… and could never be afforded a look around.

… It’s not about him.

… He can’t be here.

… Heroes leave; Her world will crumble.

Renee couldn’t see him anymore. Her body began to slump over in exhaustion, screaming that she wasn’t a fighter. Her hand’s caved in on themselves, creating perfect cups to shield her eyes from him in but when she attempted to glance over at him, Renee realized how his attention on her zeroed in.

First he gazed into her eyes and then flicked to her lips. Next to take her by surprise was his hand, another quick entry, diving deeply behind her head to cradle her there. Jason leaned in, his eyes nearly as dark as night, his intentions known, leaned in to kiss her.

His lips slanted awkwardly over hers. Despite how she tried, she couldn’t stop her recoil from happening.

“What are you doing?!” Renee shrieked.

“I’m taking what I need,” Jason murmured softly as if it didn’t mean anything else. “Would you just relax?”

“No!” Renee squeezed out her protest.

Her parents would kill her, she thought. She’s sixteen. She’d be accused of sleeping around over a kiss. Agh! She already was considering her father’s opinions about her whimpers.

“Why can’t you just listen to me?” Jason grunted, pulling her flush against him. Her yelp caught the corner of his mouth just so that he could feel her. His tongue slid languidly against her own as if in an attempt to calm her.

Only it didn’t. Her panic rose. Her heartbeat climbed immediately, pounding a rhythm of concern so loud she could hear it rattle against the glass.

KLUNK, KLUNK, KLUNK!

The extra recoil of someone’s keys rattling against Jason’s window spooked Renee further. In a panic she reached forward for Jason’s shirt, fisting it in both of her hands for anchorage.

Why couldn’t people just leave her alone?!

Renee hid her face under his neck like a scared little child, nuzzling his chest further while she silently begged for his help. Gods, there was so much comfort within his warmth.

… Please don’t ruin this.

… Please tell them to leave.

All the while her grip on his shirt went unchanged. Fear still wrecked its way through her body. The if’s all around her stayed outside of Renee’s mind… All that remained was Jason.

His warmth.

His presence.

His authority.

He could change this.

It’s what scared her most.

… The trouble she’d know for getting this close gripped her throat.

Instead of answering the intruder, Jason gave his attention to Renee. His darkness consumed him. His figure changed. Gone was her golden boy, replaced with his monster.

“Let me in,” he grumbled.

It was a warning and a promise.

With the stranger outside, Renee couldn’t help but listen.

Neither her closeness and grip on his shirt went unchanged. Only the slight tilt of her head and part of her lips met him.

“I’ll change all you wish,” he whispered.

“It’s not your job to…” he swallowed her reply.

But in the moment, where no one could penetrate this ungodly time, life, all of it stood still.

She could feel him searching her like a file, yet, Renee’s life was under lock and key.

Jason hungrily pressed on. He used his warmth to seduce her, to help Renee piece together her broken story but it didn’t work.

He pulled back abruptly, his eyes wild with frustration.

“Why won’t you let go?”

“Safer… this… way,” she slurred.

Jason sat back, affronted.

“How can what you’re doing be safer?”

… It just is.