Letting You Go (Stone Lake 1)

“No worries. You’re always talking about leaving this place. You should just leave now. No one wants you around.”

I ignore him. Instead of smarting off, I close my eyes and immediately Luna’s smiling face comes to mind. Memories of the last kiss we shared, of touching her, hearing her moan my name. It’s all right there, and she fills me as nothing else has in my life. I love her. I haven’t told her, but the feelings are there. She has to know she’s special. I hate not letting the world see that this beautiful woman cares about me, that she belongs to me. I want to shout it from the rooftops. I want the world to know that she chose me and that she thinks I’m worthy of her, even if no one else does.

It’s hard to keep it a secret, so that’s coming soon. Especially with all the boys circling around Luna. She shoots them down, but that doesn’t mean I like sitting back and watching.

Things will change, though. I look over at Atticus, as if by instinct. I worry what will happen when they do. I can’t help but worry because inside I know that my own brother will do everything that he can to destroy this for me. I think I can contain him, because I’m prepared for his lies now. I wasn’t expecting them before, and he blindsided me. He won’t get that chance again. So, yeah, I think I can handle him.

I’m not so sure about Luna’s parents…

Chapter Twenty One

Atticus

“Let’s go out.”

I’m so damn nervous. My palms are sweating. I hope I don’t sound desperate, but I feel like I am—Luna’s forcing me to be. She keeps ignoring me, treating me as a buddy. It’s driving me crazy. I can get any girl in this school and the one I want insists on seeing me as a friend. Sometimes I think she may pet me on the head and whisper, “Good boy.”

This is Gavin’s fault, of course. If he hadn’t gotten Luna’s hopes up things would have been different. I was making progress until then. He doesn’t even like her. He just spent the night with her because he knew it would hurt me. I spied on them all night. Spending the night in the dark and listening to them. I always knew my brother was lame, but the fact that he could have fucked Luna and didn’t proved it. I’m glad though. It would have changed everything. I don’t want my brother’s leftovers. I knew Luna was still a virgin. I knew exactly what happened between her and my brother, but I still spread the rumors at school about them. I still made sure it sounded like Gavin was the one who told me. I thought once Luna saw what a jerk my brother truly was, the realization would make her turn to me. It hasn’t. It appears I’m going to have to do something drastic to get Luna’s attention.

Why can’t anything ever be easy?

“What?”

The surprise and almost panic in Luna’s voice pisses me off, but I do my best to hide it.

“Go out with me. We could go watch the new scary movie.”

“What movie?”

“The Hills Have Eyes.”

“Ew. No, Attie. That movie looks gross. I don’t like horror movies,” Luna says, shaking her head. Frustration doesn’t begin to describe what I’m feeling.

“What about scary movies?”

I look up as Jules walks over to us. Great, just great. I can’t even get time alone with Luna. Something is going to have to change and soon.

“Attie wants us all to go watch that creepy movie that’s coming out. Remember we saw it advertised the other night?”

“Oh, that one about the people that are stalked by monsters living in the desert? Uber creepy, Atticus. I don’t need any more creepiness in my life. I’ve got too much as it is.”

I bite back the retort that I didn’t actually invite her to the movies. That would probably upset Luna.

Jules.

She grates on my nerves like a fly buzzing around that won’t leave you alone. I don’t know why Luna insists on being her friend.

“It doesn’t have to be that movie,” I mumble.

“I think I’m done with scary movies in general. They lose something after you get weird notes in your locker,” Jules responds.

“Oh man, did you get another one?” Luna questions.

“Not a note this time, but a flower.”

“I thought girls liked flowers?” I argue, figuring the rest of our lunch hour will be all about Jules and her stalker that’s been putting notes and things in her locker. If you ask me, the bitch should be glad some guy is interested in her.

“Not like this,” she mutters and reaches into the backpack she’s carrying and pulls out a black rose.

Luna gasps.

I didn’t think it was that bad, but I make a note never to buy her black roses.