Abandoned Luna: Now Untouchable

His expression darkened.

I blinked, feigning concern. ”But you’re the Vice President. Huh. Maybe she figured you already knew? Or... maybe she just forgot. Either way, you’re in the loop now.”

”Miss Moore,” Wiley said with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes, ”Maybe her reaching out to you means more than you realize. There are... dynamics at play. You’d be wise to tread carefully.”

”Thanks for the unsolicited advice. Anything else you’d like to mansplain today?”

I didn’t bite. I wasn’t about to ask what ”dynamics” he meant. That was the bait--and I had no intention of taking it.

His disappointed little pout almost made me laugh.

The moment I stepped out of his office, my smile dropped like a curtain.

Back upstairs, Sawyer practically ambushed me in the break room.

”I just heard Amara is being transferred back to headquarters!” His voice was a panicked whisper.

”You’re only finding out now?”

Compared to his obvious distress, I remained impassive as a stone.

”You... already knew?” he asked, stunned.

I sat on a high stool, arms crossed. ”Since Sunday night.”

Sawyer’s eyes widened. ”So you knew before the Alpha even did?”

”Maybe,” I answered vaguely, my tone deliberately neutral.

Sawyer fell silent, concern etching lines across his face.

”Cecilia, I know the Alpha likes you, but I’ve told you before--he and Amara go way back. They’ve got history. You saw how she was hanging all over him in Singapore. She’s never really let go. And now that she’s coming back, knowing how he feels about you...”

He shook his head. ”She’s not going to take this lying down. She’s going to stir things up.”

”I couldn’t care less,” I said flatly.

But seeing the look on his face--like I’d just announced I was walking into oncoming traffic--I sighed and softened.

”Don’t look so dramatic. So what if she’s still hung up on him? That’s not my emotional baggage to carry.

Is everyone supposed to tiptoe around her fragile ego just because she can’t handle reality?

If she’s planning to come after me, well--she’s picked the wrong target.”

I patted his arm and slid off the stool, heading for the door.

Behind me, I heard Sawyer mutter something under his breath.

Pretty sure it was something about DEFCON 1.

--

After work, I drove back to the apartment alone.

I’d barely changed into comfortable clothes when the doorbell rang.

Taking a moment to compose my sullen mood, I went to answer it.

Sebastian stood there, looking casually perfect in dark jeans and a fitted henley. ”Why didn’t you wait so we could leave together?”

I stepped aside to let him in. ”My shift ended. You didn’t say anything about working late.”

As I walked toward the kitchen, he followed.

Before I knew it, his arms were around me, his kiss hot and insistent.

My knees weakened as he lifted me onto the counter, his hands roaming possessively over my body.

”I thought we were going to see the kitten,” I gasped, laughing breathlessly as I pushed him back just enough to breathe.

Sebastian grinned, brushing a kiss against my lips before setting me gently on my feet. ”Then let’s go see the kitten.”

We took the elevator up to his floor, still holding hands like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I was still riding the high from his kisses when we reached his door.

Then he opened it--and everything inside me slammed to a halt.

There, lounging like she owned the place, was a woman draped across his living room sofa--legs crossed, lips curved.

And she looked like she’d been waiting.

It was Amara.