Page 19 of Forgotten Sacrifice

“Yes, Luna?” I prompt her.

She cocks her head, her wild strawberry blonde hair rioting around her face, which is fuller now that she isn’t starving. It makes me want to dig up her father and kill the piece of shit all over again. “How is it that my old man racked up such a huge debt?” Luna asks as if she can read my mind. “And I’m not talking about your outrageous interest rate; I get why the debt keeps increasing. What I don’t get is why you loaned him money to begin with?”

“That’s how gambling on credit works.”

“But why keep extending him credit?” she presses. “He was a deadbeat. No steady source of income. It makes zero business sense.”

“Please continue educating me onmybusiness.” I wave my hand.

“The way I see it, I shouldn’t have to pay for your risky loan practices. It’s not fair.”

Iclickmy tongue. “And we’re back indelululand, where Luna believes life should be fair.”

“How did you lose your eye?” She twirls the knife in her hand. “Lemmie guess. You served a woman an angry emoji waffle, and she stabbed you with a butter knife?”

“Put the knife down before I turn you over my knee.” As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I wish I could take them back, because the unbidden image of Luna splayed over my lap pops into my mind.

Her emerald eyes go wide. “Don’t you fucking dare.” She grips the knife so tight her knuckles blanch.

“I don’t want to, so don’t make me,” I lie, my hand itching to connect with the fleshy part of Luna’s ass.

Christ, what is wrong with me?

The doorbell rings, snapping me back to reality. “That’sthe tutor. Go get ready. I’m not paying the woman to sit with her thumb up her ass,” I bark.

Luna

I hurry to my room, leaning against the door as I catch my breath.

Vince threatened to spank me.

What. The. Fuck.

I strip and toss my damp panties in the hamper, refusing to examine the damning evidence as I angrily step into a fresh pair. Fastening my bra, I ignore my hard nipples as I pull a hoodie over my head and my favorite skirt.

First, that feeling between my legs when Vince had his hand wrapped around my throat, and now this? What the fuck has been upgraded to what theactualfuck.

Maybe it’s lingering sexual frustration from hooking up with Kevin. I started something, and it wasn’t finished because I didn’t orgasm.That has to be it.

Marching to the bathroom, I squeeze toothpaste on my hairbrush, cursing when I realize my mistake. “Get your shit together, Luna,” I tell my wild reflection in the mirror as I grip the vanity.

After brushing my teeth with mytoothbrush, I rinse out my hair brush and run it through my tangled hair—which now smells faintly of peppermint.

Exiting my room, I follow the sound of laughter to find an attractive woman in her forties batting her eyes at Vince. “Oh, Mr. Vincenzo. You are too funny.”

“He’s a comedian, that Mr. Vincenzo,” I pipe up.

“Here’s Luna,” Vince says, giving me a warning look.

“Hi, Luna!” The tutor addresses me in a sing-song voice. “I’m so excited to help you prepare for your high school equivalency exam!”

“Can’t say we share the same level of enthusiasm,” I reply in the same sing-song voice, “but let’s get to it. Nobody’s getting paid to sit with her thumb up her ass on Vince’s dime.”

I plop down on the rug next to the coffee table, flipping through a study guide.

“I’ll leave you ladies to it. You have my cell if there’s a problem,” he tells the tutor, but I know the last part was directed at me.

“Bye, Mr. Vincenzo,” she calls after him. She turns to me, with a far less cheerful demeanor. “So, Luna?—”