HIS SCENT IS A MOON LIT LIE

Chapter Twenty

Elara's POV

In his arms, everything felt safe again.

I did not move, I could not. His touch was warm, firm and filled with some sense of urgency, one I had not expected from him.

Not after the way he reacted the last time we spoke .

You’re okay,” he murmured, close enough for me to feel his breath under my ear.

His words echoed loud and clear in my chest, stirring a flutter deep in my belly.

Ethan's loud and perhaps deliberate clearing of throat snapped us out of our fantasies and back to reality.

Jordan stepped away, his eyes fell right to the floor.

My cheeks burned under the stares I was getting from my friends.

Maya's mouth was parted open in surprise while Ethan looked like he had just swallowed something bitter. His nose was scrunched up and he would not stop shooting dagger glares at Jordan.

"Well..." Ethan paused to clap, breaking the awkward silence between us. He folded his arms and raised a brow. "That was unexpected, what is he even doing here?" He said slowly.

I opened my mouth to explain every single detail to him but I cut myself short, I did not owe him an explanation, at least not now. "Can you guys just spare us some minutes to talk?" I gazed at my friends.

Ethan looked hesitant. "I do not think it is such a good idea that you both are left alone." He said firmly.

I scoffed and choked out a hysteric laughter. "Relax Ethan. Jordan is a friend and a neighbour.." I paused to point at Maya. "Maya knows him. Right Maya?" I flashed her pleading eyes. Anything to convince Ethan to give I and Jordan some space.

"Me?" Maya gulped a lump down her throat. She sighed heavily and snatched Ethan by the wrist. "Come on."

Ethan gazed at me with concern. "I will be in the kitchen." He paused to glance between me and Jordan. "Making something comforting for Elara, obviously." He muttered.

"Sure and I will just get lost!" Maya said, giving me a playful wink as she trailed after Ethan.

As soon as the door shut close behind them, Jordan narrowed his eyes at my direction in suspicion.

"What?" I asked with a small frown plastered on my face.

"So.. that guy is your mundane boyfriend?"

I blinked at him in shock. "What? Excuse me?"

Jordan shrugged, there was something different about him today. He seemed less colder. "The guy practically melted when he saw you hug me." He pointed out in a dry tone.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him. "Ethan is my best friend." I said, crossing my arms. "And that hug? You initiated it! You hugged me first!"

Jordan's expression softened. He tucked his hands into his pockets and mumbled. "I was worried about you."

I almost fell for his words but then I remembered how he had pushed me away and embarrassed me in the hallways at school. "You almost fooled me. Last we talked, I clearly remember you asking me to vanish and never return." I c****d my head to the right.

Jordan exhaled sharply, he averted his gaze elsewhere and said. "That was before...everything."

"Everything like what Jordan?" I pushed further.

As expected, Jordan did not answer. He just gave me that unreadable stare again and it made me sigh in exhaustion. "You have seen me, I'm okay. Are you ready to leave?" I asked, even though deep down inside of me, I wanted him to stay. I hated how I could never get a grip of myself around him. It made me feel so pathetic.

"I want to know what happened, I just want to help." Jordan said.

I was unsure if I could trust him again. But at the same time I needed all the help I could get and Jordan looked like the only person who had an idea on what was going on.

"Fine." I said, my tone softer.

I began to tell him about everything. My dream about the abandoned house and how it matched my grandfather's wrecked home. About the dead dog, the mess, the eerie feeling in my gut that it was not a burglary.

I told him about mum too, how she had suddenly grown secretive and then most importantly, about the knife abd the map.

I fetched my phone out of my pockets and showed him the picture.

Jordan leaned in, his eyes scanned the screen, slowly accessing it. I watched his brows draw together as he murmured. "That is a map of Blackwater falls."

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "What about the knife?"

Jordan hesitated. I could see the flicker in his eyes, he knew something about the knife but he was keeping it to himself.

I cleared my throat and rose to my feet in anger. "If you are going to continue keeping secrets, then I suggest you stay in your own. Simple." I said, narrowing my gaze at him.

Jordan gazed at me for a long moment, then muttered under his breath. "It looks like a hunter's blade."

A what?

My heart dropped and I shook my head slowly in disbelief. "No, my mum is not a hunter. She works a normal job." I protested.

Surprisingly, Jordan did not argue. He just sighed heavily. "I'm not sure about the knife Elara so let's just forget it and focus on your grandfather's case." It looked like he was trying to change the subject.

"We could go back to my grandfather's place together. There could be something the police missed." I shrugged.

Jordan opened his mouth to respond but he got interrupted by the loud slamming of my door.

It opened wide and we both jumped, startled by the sight in front of us.

Gabriel Cross was standing there, his sharp gaze landed on Jordan.

I watched Jordan straighten immediately.

This sudden heat and tension filled the air between them.

Something like history, their gazes locked for a moment and neither of them blinked.

Something told me these two knew each other and whatever that history was....

It was not friendly.