Page 34 of Luna
His eyes fall shut as he inhales, and I wonder what he smells in my scent.
“How are you, Luna?” he asks, his eyes opening to meet mine.
I sigh, knowing there was no way I could avoid this conversation, but part of me was hoping he’d let me off the hook.
“I’m not great,” I admit, linking our fingers together. “I’m sure you have questions. I’ll tell you why I freaked out today, but that requires some backstory. I know I don’t talk about my past much?—”
“At all, you mean.” He levels a crooked grin at me, and I stick my tongue out at him.
“I don’t talk about my past because it’s not pretty,” I continue. “You know what happens with the widows and me.”
He nods, his smile falling away. “With Gideon.”
“That’s the one. Unfortunately, that isn’t where this story begins. I grew up as the only daughter of a Colombian cartel leader. Papa was in charge of the US operations. He grew up in Colombia but moved here to take over and brought his son with him.” I sigh, not wanting to talk about this, but knowing I owethis to Prescott. “My half-brother is seventeen years older than me. He was practically an adult by the time I was born.”
“I didn’t know you had a brother,” he says quietly before shaking his head. “Of course I didn’t. What a stupid thing to say. I’m sorry.”
I wave him off. “I don’t just have a brother—I have three. I also have two younger brothers who are a year and two years younger than me. Our family was close-knit, but my older brother was on the outside of it—because he didn’t want to be part of it. He never liked me or my mama. Honestly, I don’t think he liked any women, but that’s neither here nor there. Papa always told me he’d never force me into an arranged marriage or any of that bullshit. He didn’t believe in it, and neither did his boss back in Colombia. They were very modern men in that sense.
“I was tested as a child and they told me I was a genius. I knew that school was boring for me, and even after skipping two grades, I was still ahead of most of the class. Papa used to take me with him to meetings he had with the other syndicates. That’s where I met Lark, or Aurora Bianchi, as she was known back then.” I narrow my eyes on him. “I don’t think you’re supposed to know that, so don’t repeat that.”
“I would never.” He draws an X over his heart, and it’s so freaking adorable.
“I had a good childhood, even if it wasn’t like most people my age. When I graduated high school at sixteen, I was already engaged.”
Prescott makes a choking sound. “You were what? I thought you said your dad didn’t believe in arranged marriages.”
“He didn’t, and it wasn’t. I met Christian when I was thirteen and he was seventeen. His parents had been killed in Colombia saving the head of the cartel. His dad was Papa’s best friend, so he brought him back to the States to live with us. I was fourteenwhen he first kissed me, and before you say anything about the age gap and my age—I was a lot more mature than most girls my age. Hell, more so than most eighteen-year-olds. It’s not like we were sleeping together or anything.
“Christian got Papa’s permission to propose to me on my sixteenth birthday. I was madly in love with him, so I said yes. Papa’s only caveat was that we wait until I was over eighteen and designated. Christian was an alpha, and Papa didn’t want me to commit to forever before we knew if we’d be compatible. I moved into Christian’s rooms at my family home, and we were blissfully happy.
“Not too long after I turned eighteen but before I designated, my parents were killed. My older brother was taking over the cartel operations, and I knew I wouldn’t survive living under his roof for long. Especially not when I designated as an omega because of the stress of the situation.
“Luckily, Christian and my wedding wasn’t far off. I thought I’d be okay until then. I’d already talked to Christian about getting a place of our own, and he was looking at places.” Dread fills me as I near the worst part of this story—the part I don’t want to relive. “But before the wedding could happen, my brother called us in and told us that the engagement was off. He wanted me to marry some alpha who said he had information on who killed my parents.
“I didn’t take too kindly to that and refused. Christian always had to be careful how he spoke to my brother since, technically, he was his boss. He begged my brother not to do this to us, but my brother has never cared about my feelings. When I refused, he shot Christian right there in front of me.” Memories rise in my head, and I try to push them away.
I don’t want to remember how he looked with blood pouring from his head.
I don’t want to remember how warm the blood on my skin was.
“Shit, Luna.” Prescott pulls me into his lap, holding me close as I realize I started crying at some point, my body shaking. “Shhh, you don’t have to tell me. You don’t have to relive this.”
I snort, swiping at my face. “But I do. I wasn’t always Luna Salazar, Pres. I was born Mariana Vallejo Gomez. My half-brother’s name is Fabian Vallejo Perez.”
His mouth falls open, eyes wide with surprise and recognition. “No.”
“Yes.” I suck in a breath. “The man who has Knight’s sister is my half-brother, who killed the love of my life.”
At this point, I can’t seem to do anything but cry. Prescott holds me close, letting me cry on his chest as he rocks me slowly.
I’m not sure how long we sit like that, but eventually, my tears dry up. I don’t immediately sit up, instead taking comfort in his arms as he continues to rock me.
It takes me a few minutes to realize he’s speaking—more like murmurs. “I’m so sorry, Luna. I’m so sorry.”
I pull back with a frown to meet his gaze. “What are you sorry for?”
“I’m sorry you had to go through that. No one should ever have to lose someone they love like that.”
