Luna's lids lower and she exhales long and low as if the breath she's expelling can carry with it all the stress she's holding inside.
I do the exact same thing when I'm under pressure.
When her eyes open, they flick from Connor, to me, to Elijah who's standing behind me.
"No medic," she says softly. "And from now on, I'll leave you to deal with everything."
"Deal," I say, before Connor has a chance to disagree. If there's one thing that I'm sure of, it’s that Luna needs to know she can trust us, and part of that is us having some faith in the fact that she knows what's good for her.
We're all exhausted by the time we get back to the hotel and Luna disappears to shower off the exertion of the day. By the time we're ready to eat, it's late. Luna's ravenous though, and she polishes off a huge bowl of a delicious German stew with a name that I can't pronounce. I have the same, but the others all go for different options. Conversation is subdued and even Jax can't raise much more than a fleeting smile from the group.
Hudson probes for stories from the day, but Luna isn't up for sharing. She leaves the table first, heading to her room and closing the door.
When she's out of earshot, Asher updates Hudson on the post-concert drama. He's going to be working the stadium tomorrow, so he needs to be in the know.
"This shit is escalating," he says. "What did the police say?"
"They were going to dust it all for prints. They'll let us know if they come up with anything. One of Luna’s bras is missing too. It’s like they wanted to freak her out and take a memento."
"Do you think this is a German psycho or one that's traveled from home?" Elijah asks.
Connor shrugs. "Who the fuck knows? What we do know is that they got through into the secure backstage areas unchallenged. It doesn't fit with an inexperienced super fan with a fixation. It feels more deliberate…more skillful."
Mo shakes he head. "When someone really wants something, they will move a mountain to get it."
Connor nods thoughtfully. "Maybe. We need to get some sleep. Jax is taking tonight’s shift. Better drink some coffee."
Jax grins and nods. "Don't worry about me. I've heard the German pay-per-view porn is worth staying up all night for."
"Now, I know you're joking, right?" Connor's eyebrows practically disappear beneath his hairline.
"Of course I'm joking."
As we're heading to bed, Luna's door clicks, the handle turning slowly. She doesn't appear, but instead pads back to her bed, switching off the light. My eyes meet Connor's, a knowing look passing between us. She feels safer with her door ajar.
Now that's trust, for sure.
8
HUDSON
Luna sleeps late into the morning, and we're careful not to wake her. She must be shattered from her first performance, and, as she's not required to do much before the show today, we figure she should make the most of it. Jax retires to sleep as soon as I emerge from the bathroom dressed in a neatly-pressed white shirt and gray slacks. I'm making coffee when Luna appears, fully dressed in tight leather-look leggings and a black shirt emblazoned with Girls in a pink neon font. Her hair is scrapped into a messy bun, and shiny chestnut tendrils surround her pretty fresh face. If she's wearing makeup, it's so natural that I can't tell, but then what do I know about women’s things?
"Please tell me that's something with caffeine," she says. "I feel like I need it injected into my veins this morning."
"It's good strong coffee," I tell her, pouring a cup and handing it to her carefully. Angelica can take a hike if I’m supporting the no caffeine policy when Luna has so much on her plate.
She sips it tentatively, her eyes rolling when it makes contact with her tongue. "Now that is the drink of the gods," she says.
"Didn't you sleep well?" I ask.
She shakes her head. "Nah…I tossed and turned a lot, thinking in that horrible way where everything seems overwhelming and extreme."
"You know that there is always one of us awake. It was Jax last night. He would have cheered you up."
"I didn't want to disturb him."
"He would have been grateful. It's boring being the only one awake while everyone else is dreaming."
"I'll bear that mind." Luna smiles in a way that doesn't quite meet her eyes, then she wanders to the window, gazing at the city spread beneath our feet. "I want to go see some stuff today," she says. "What's the point of traveling the world if all you get to see is the inside of generic hotel rooms?"
Gazing around the room, she straightens her shoulders, taking another sip of hot coffee. "I shouldn't say this place is generic. It's so nice. Nicer than I need."