Page 106 of Unveil

She pauses. I peer back to make sure she’s okay, and her eyes lock on mine with an emotion that makes my pulse skip.

“Orion saved me.”

The words tug my heart toward hers, right until her father snaps.

“Savedyou? Luna, he kidnapped?—”

“I know,” she cuts in, looking back at the phone. I face the lake again, arms crossed. “Trust me, I’mstillpissed about that. But it’s complicated now.” Her voice softens, and I feel her gaze warm my back. “He’s kind, Dad. Thoughtful. He’s saved my life more than once.”

“Are you serious?”

“Likeyouhave room to talk,” a soft voice interrupts.

“Momma?” Luna’s pitch rises to a childlike hopefulness. “You’re there?”

“I’m here. Your dad put me up in a hotel while he was looking for you. He’s been out all night but came back to check on me.” Luna’s mom huffs, then orders firmly, “Come on, Sol, give me the phone already.”

My brows shoot up, and my grin widens. I’ve never heard the Phantom of the French Quarter get ordered around before, but it makes sense that Luna wouldn’t get all that sass just from her father.

Sol grumbles, and something rustles on the other end before Luna and her mom exchange teary hellos and updates between sniffles. Luna’s voice lightens as she recounts what’s happened, thankfully leaving out some crucial,damningdetails. By the time she’s done, my feisty girl even lets out a wry laugh.

“So, um, yeah. That’s all.”

“Oh, Lu, you’ve been through so much.” Her mom sighs, not letting Luna downplay it. “Tell me, really. You’ve seen your dadand me. You know what good looks like. Is he… is he good to you?”

“Yeah,” I hear Luna’s shy smile as she answers. “I know that’s strange.”

“No, honey… I’ve felt the way you do.” Her voice lowers to that hush only a momma has, the softness hardening a lump in my throat. “Those feelings are confusing. Terrifying even. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like this, not one bit. This life isn’t what I wanted for you.”

“That’s an understatement,” Sol scoffs.

“But don’t feel ashamed for caring for him,” Scarlett insists. “Bordeaux women have a knack for falling for the black knight.”

I pretend to scrub my chin, hiding my smile behind the ruse. Fury wives tend to do the same thing.

Luna chuckles. “Yeah. That’s another understatement.”

Wait.Falling for the black knight is an understatement?

Does that mean…?

My heart soars.

They talk a while longer with snippets about her friends making their way back to me on the light breeze.

Brylie’s pissed, apparently, insisting she should join the search even with her parents telling her to stay put and stay safe. None of that’s a surprise from what Dash has shared about her. Lucy’s anxiety is through the roof. Hopefully Hatch is in the know about that one. Nox is murderous and protective over all the Troisgarde daughters now, something I can respect. And everyone’s worried for Luna, desperate for her to come home.

Not gonna happen.

Eventually, Luna says her goodbyes, but then she calls my name, lifting the phone.

I’m already on the porch steps, stretching up to take it. The second it’s in my hand, I switch off video.

“Yeah?” I ask, walking back to the lake.

“Take care of her. I’m… I’m trusting you with one of the three people I’d burn the world over. If you hurt her?—”

“It’s not even a question.”