Gibs

r, thick with lies and the lingering scen

abbing my keys and a worn leather satchel.

me. I felt the solid pavement under my feet, to be just another per

led me past a row of trendy, upscale cafes. And through the l

and Cy

nlight. They looked like a magazine ad for the perfect couple. He was leaning

heart gave a painful, violent lurc

stured with her hands. The movement knocked her coffee cup, sending

picture of fem

f napkins from the dispenser. He knelt. On the floor of the café, in front of everyone, my

n her dress with more reverence

d at the door of my room, his brow furrowed in annoyance at the inconv

was a thousand times more painful than the w

, my movements stiff, my vi

h my head. Not the dull ache of Kaleb's presence

later. Kaleb's

ed for core family members. It was a network separate from our fractured mate b

Dad's new car! There's... t

ection. Cindi had been my tormentor from day one, treatin

thought stop

e calling the police! This will be

officer. This ch

ghtmare. As Luna-even if only temporary-my absolute duty is

er is resolved will be defined b

rough the link, my own men

k an address, a major

t the café, I stepped to

st. In the café, Kaleb was probably still on his knees. Cynthia was

had its front end crumpled against the side of a sensible, family-style SUV. A m

her face a mask of tear-str

nd shrill. "Alexa, pay him off! Make him

ctly to the human driver, wh

keeping my voice calm and re

d, pointing a trembling finger at Cindi, "ran a red light! S

ars, the skid marks on the asphalt.

dash cam?" I as

"Just give him money! You're the Luna, use the pack f

furious, her face blotchy. She truly believed that

to frost the air between us. "From now on, you wil

uman driver, just as the dista

ectly. "Let's wait for the police.

-