The Human Luna

Chapter 4

Layla’s Point of View

Even as we walked through the house again, Jordan’s palm firmly pressed against the small of my back, I couldn’t get those burning red eyes out of my head.

I could still feel them on me. Consuming me wholly. Fully. And I had never before felt as exposed as then. Never thought I could feel so seen by someone.

From Jordan’s labored breathing, though, he was unnerved. Upset, even. His silence only confirmed it more.

Once we were in the kitchen, which was close to a million miles away from where we had been, Jordan finally loosened a breath. Although his hand remained firmly on the small of my back.

Somehow, it felt a tad wrong. Like he shouldn’t be touching me at all.

Odd.

“I take it that was Caden,” I barely got out.

Jordan hummed and finally let go of me. Moved over to the fridge and popped it open. Rummaged through the contents before handing me a water bottle.

An industrial-sized f*****g fridge filled with nothing but drinks. How rich of them.

“Are you okay? I know me coming here was a bit of an intrusion and I know my parents should have called and asked first but-” I carried on, feeling the tension between us growing thicker by the second.

Jordan’s jaws clicked against each other, reminding me so much of the horrid sound I so often heard. Teeth flashed in my direction and for a second I could have sworn his canines were longer than they were supposed to be.

Unbearably sharp.

“Your parents asked me if you could come. I told them yes. But I would have liked it more if you had asked instead. You have my number, you know,” He snapped, veins popping out on the side of his neck.

The sudden burst of hostility made my throat clamp shut. Dried out my mouth instantly.

Whatever I had done to deserve his wrath, I at least had the right to know.

Opening my mouth, I tried to speak but the man was on a roll and refused to let up. Carried on talking without so much as a second glance my way.

“Not that it matters now. You’re his,” He said the last part softly. Bitterly. The thought pained him somehow.

All it did was confuse me.

I blinked slowly at him. Twisted the bottle in my hands this way and that.

“What do you mean I’m his, Jordan? I’m no one’s. f**k, I’m barely my own at the moment.” I replied, a bit of fury in my voice.

At the tone, his head snapped up to look at me. Pain etched itself onto his features. Brutal lines that I wanted to sweep away with a thumb. End this internal suffering of his once and for all.

He looked at me for a long second before he shook his head. “I’m sorry for snapping at you. I didn’t mean it. There is just so much you don’t-”

A throat cleared behind me. When I glanced over my shoulder, Jenny was there. All flashing yellow eyes and malice. Her arms were crossed over her chest.

A disdainful look crossed her face the moment she looked at me. Worse than when you stepped in something foul and it now lined your shoe.

But her eyes moved over to Jordan. The look gave way to one of pity as she beheld him. “You can’t do that and you know it. Besides, Caden wants to see her.” Her tone was flat as she spoke, yet her face held so much sympathy in them when she looked at Jordan.

Sighing, Jordan nodded, making Jenny turn on her heel to leave.

“What can’t you do, Jor? What the hell is going on? Why the f**k would he want to see me? I came here to spend the day with you, no one else. Just tell me what’s going on.”

The muscles in his jaw feathered as my voice grew into a plea. Eyes became like two steel orbs just floating in his skull.

“You know what? f**k him. Bastard hates your kind, anyway.”

Still confused, I took a step closer to him. Placed my hand on his upper arm.

Everything in me told me to go to Caden. Hear him out for reasons my mind might never comprehend. But the solid feel of Jordan’s arm beneath my palm quelled any such notions.

“Any plans then for the day? I heard there is a killer new cafe in the town over?”

Sure, he might miss work but from the look on Jordan’s face, I doubted he would mind. Something was happening beneath the surface of all of this. Something I wasn’t entitled to know just yet.

Hopefully, with enough time, he would open up to me more. Tell me about himself more than I told him about me.

A roughish grin spread out across his face. Handsome and furious all at once.

Fuck the weird vibe right now. f**k the man who had sent someone to summon me for him like I was one of his employees. Like he owned me.

“Want to take one of the vintage cars?” Jordan asked, mischief dancing in his eyes.

I narrowed my eyes at him in question. “I didn’t know you collected vintage cars.”

He shrugged, still beaming at me. An inch or two closer than we had been before as if the space between us had melted away all on its own. “I don’t but Caden does.”

Maybe stealing his boss’ car was taking it a step too far. Just leaving for the day would already get him into a world of s**t, no doubt. Then there was the fact that I refused to go to him when he asked for me.

This was a bad idea.

“Won’t you get in trouble?” I bleated, feeling anxiety pool in my stomach.

The longer I thought about it, the less appealing it became. I didn’t want to be the reason he lost his job. Or the reason he got arrested for stealing someone else’s car.

“Right now, trouble is my middle name. If I’m ditching work for the day, I might as well do it in style.”

My heart slowly picked up the pace inside my chest. Formed a lump in my throat.

“Jordan. Maybe coming here was a bad idea. I mean, whatever stuff you are going through with him, that’s your business and all but I don’t want to add to it.” I backtracked hastily, palms already sweaty.

Beautiful chocolate locks fell onto his face as he shook his head at me. Smiled even brighter than before. “Whatever is going on between me and Caden can live and die there. For now, I just want to see the wind in your hair.” He whispered the last part.

Tenderly Jordan raised his hand to my face. Pushed back the hair around the edges.

Knots tightened my stomach. Heart leaped out of my chest.

In the end, all I could do was nod in agreement because the sheer beauty of this man knocked all other rational thoughts right out of my mind.