Twisted desire

Chapter 3

Luna did not like the feeling sitting in her

chest as she walked back inside.

It was not fear.

Not exactly.

It was something quieter.

Something heavier.

The kind of feeling that stayed with you even

when nothing was happening.

Hamilton’s words repeated in her mind.

Stay away from him.

The way he said it had not been casual.

It had been serious.

She stepped into the hallway, the air cooler

than before. Too still. Too quiet.

“You’re overthinking,” she whispered.

But she knew she was not.

She followed the direction Richard had gone,

her steps slower now.

Careful.

At the end of the hallway, she found a door

slightly open.

She hesitated.

Then knocked.

“Come in.”

His voice was calm.

Too calm.

Luna pushed the door open and stepped

inside.

The room was darker than the rest of the

house. Curtains partly drawn. Shadows

stretching across the walls. Shelves filled with

books arranged too perfectly.

Richard stood near his desk.

Waiting.

“You wanted to see me,” Luna said.

“Yes.”

His eyes settled on her immediately.

That look again.

“Close the door.”

Her hand paused.

Then she did it.

The sound felt louder than it should have.

“Sit.”

She sat, keeping her back straight.

“Am I in trouble?” she asked lightly.

He smiled.

“No.”

But he did not sit.

He stayed standing.

Watching.

“I only wanted to talk,” he said. “We have not

spent much time alone.”

Something about that felt wrong.

“I guess not.”

He stepped closer.

Not too close.

But enough.

“I hope you are adjusting,” he said. “This is a

big change.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I know you will.”

His voice softened.

“But you should understand something.”

Luna’s fingers tightened.

“You are part of this family now.”

She nodded.

“And that means you are under my care.”

The words settled heavily.

“I understand.”

“Do you?”

The question was quiet.

But not simple.

“I think so.”

He watched her.

Carefully.

“You don’t have to hold yourself back here,”

he said. “If you need anything, you can come

to me.”

His eyes stayed on hers.

“Anything.”

The word lingered.

Luna forced a smile.

“Thank you.”

But something about the moment felt wrong.

“I should go,” she said.

For a second, she thought he might stop her.

But he stepped back.

“Of course.”

She stood quickly and walked toward the

door.

“Luna.”

She froze.

Then turned.

“Yes?”

“You should be careful in this house.”

Her brows pulled together.

“Careful?”

A small smile appeared.

“Not everything is as simple as it seems.”

A pause.

Then,

“Especially Hamilton.”

That did not feel right.

Luna nodded slowly.

“I’ll remember that.”

She stepped out and closed the door.

The moment she was in the hallway again, she

exhaled.

“That was not normal.”

No.

It was not.

Hamilton said stay away from him.

Richard said be careful of Hamilton.

Both warnings.

Different directions.

Luna leaned against the wall, her heart still

racing.

Two warnings.

Two different people.

Two completely different truths.

And somehow…

She had the feeling only one of them was real.

She just did not know which one.