37. Luna
Lucy
“Shall we?”
I took his hand and let him lead me out of the house and downstairs. The car we were taking had a driver. Tony helped me into the back seat and climbed in after me. He checked his watch.
“We should make it in good time,” he said. “There are drinks if you want them. It’s a bit of a drive.”
“Thanks,” I said and grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge.
Tony poured himself a drink and pulled me towards him across the seats. He wrapped his arm around me as I drank from my water bottle and hummed as he rested his head on mine.
“You’re much better company than Matt is.” He sipped his drink. “He’d be talking my ear off with his complaints the entire way there.”
“Oh.”
“That’s if I could get him to go,” he said. “It’ll be nice to have a night with you without him.”
I took another sip of water.
“You’re not going to ask where we’re going?” Tony asked.
“It doesn’t matter,” I said.
He frowned, then he smiled. “No, I guess not since we’re together.”
He twined our hands together and rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand.
“It might not be what you’re used to, but it’s nothing fancy. Have a few drinks, eat some food, talk to some people. It’s a business thing, but mostly, I want you to get used to events like this…”
I swallowed. “Why?”
“You’re half human,” he said. “Events in the human world should be good places for you to get used to schmoozing. It’ll help prepare you to deal with the other lunas.”
I looked down. “Are they… mean?”
“They can be, but honestly, I’m not expecting you to do much on that front. It’s more of a show-up kind of thing.”
“If I don’t have to do anything, why do I have to go?”
“Because you’re our luna. It’s tradition. You’ll understand.”
Somehow, I knew I never would, and I found that I didn’t really care either.
We got to the place a while later. I’m pretty sure I dozed off in the silence. It was a hotel, I think. It didn’t matter. All I had to do was do whatever Tony wanted. He helped me out of the car and led me inside. Everyone inside was dressed nicely. They talked amongst themselves.
“Mingle,” he said, nudging me forward. “They’re all human, so don’t worry about it. Those ladies seem nice.”
“Mr. Chance!” someone called. He lifted his hand in the voice’s direction.
“Have some fun,” Tony said and left me.
I felt oddly relieved to see him go. I glanced at the group of women who were all dressed nicely with a face full of make-up. Some of them glanced at me with curious gazes, but I walked on. I retreated from the party to a quiet corner.
“Something to drink, miss?” A waiter asked, offering me drinks from the tray.
I took a glass and thanked him. I didn’t know what was in the glass, and it didn’t matter.
I watched the bubbles rise in the glass for a few moments before I looked across the room. Tony was shaking hands with a group of men. Women stood in little pockets around the room. It was just like what I imagined a high school party to be like, except for the music.
Tony glanced across the room at me, and I walked around the edge of the room, toward the buffet table. He looked away, and I changed course to the small collection of couches tucked away on the other side of a wall. I sank into one of them and set my glass down with a sigh. My head was starting to hurt. My ears were throbbing, and my feet hurt from the shoes.
“I thought I recognized you,” a woman’s voice came from above me. I looked up at her.
She was one of the women who had been standing in the circle earlier, but she looked at me as if she knew me. I went tense.
“Linda? Luca—Lucy, right?” She asked.
“Yes,” I said slowly. “I’m sorry I don’t recognize you.”
She laughed and sat beside me. “Well, you wouldn’t. I was two years above you and a brunette the last time we saw each other.”
She laughed again as if she’d told a joke.
“How are you? I never expected to run into anyone from back then here.”
I blinked at her. “Back… when?”
“School?” She said. “I go by Tina now, but my actual name is Karlie.”
I blinked at her and stared at her face. Then, it came to me. Karlie had been in eighth grade when I was in sixth. The school would make everyone eat lunch together, and her class’ table was next to mine. I remember hearing that she had moved because she was sick.
“Hi,” I said. “You seem…better.”
She blinked and smiled. “I am. A lot better.”
“It’s funny. You had Ms. Macken, right?”
I winced. “I really didn’t like her.”
“That old witch always said we were only ever going to be prostitutes,” she laughed again. “Doubt she I ever thought we’d make it this far. What company do you work for?”
I frowned. “Company?”
“Your escort company,” she said. “I’m with Diamond Dates. They’re a good company unless…”
Her eyes widened, and she leaned close to me. Her eyes were filled with concern. “You’re not working solo, are you?”
I shook my head. She blew out a breath, then froze again and narrowed her eyes.
“How are you here, then?”
I blinked and told her the truth.
“They bought me from an auction.”
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
