Page 25 of One Forbidden Moment

Jillian sensed somethingwas wrong.Moe never stepped away from his routine.He wasn't sitting in his chair like he usually did after work with his boots off and his eyes half-closed from exhaustion.

He paced.

Back and forth across the living room, jaw tight, hands flexing at his sides like he was trying to find some use for them.The floorboards creaked under his weight.His breath came too fast.His eyes kept flicking toward the window, toward the sky outside, toward something she couldn't see.

She sat on the couch, her knees pulled up, watching him with a knot forming in her stomach.Moe rarely showed his emotions.In fact, she'd call him an emotionless asshole.

"What's wrong?"she asked quietly.

He stopped mid-stride.Turned toward her.The look on his face made her heart stutter.She sat up straighter.

He walked to her.Crouched down in front of the couch until he was eye level with her.

"You need to listen."He bowed his head a moment and then met her gaze."Listen to everything I have to say and trust that I know what's best.Don't interrupt.Don't run off.Don't shut down.You hear me?"

Her pulse accelerated."Moe—?"

"No."He shook his head sharply."You have one chance, and I need to tell you everything before the storm arrives."

A chill slid down her spine."What storm?"

He reached out, taking her hands in his, holding them to keep her quiet.His palms were warm.His grip was firm.But she could feel the tremor beneath it that was never there at night when he held her hand.

"I'm going to help you go home," he said.

Her breath caught.That shut her up.

Her chest tightened.She stared at him, unable to speak.A million questions flooded her thoughts, but she wasn't going to screw up her one chance to get back to her mom.

"But I'm going with you," he said.

That added blow stole her excitement.She blinked, trying to make sense of it."You...what?"

He swallowed hard, his eyes never leaving hers."I'm not letting you go alone.Not through the veil.Not into your world.Not with what's coming."

She shook her head, confusion and fear tangling in her chest."Moe, you can't—"

"I can," he said."And I will."

He lifted one of her hands, pressing it against his chest, right over his heartbeat.It thudded fast beneath her palm, too fast for the calm, controlled man she'd come to know.

"You told me about your mom," he said quietly."You told me what you lost, what you're losing.I don't understand all of it.I don't understand how someone can love that hard.But I heard you."

Her throat tightened painfully.

"And I'm not letting you face that alone," he said."Not again."

She stared at him, her breath trembling.She didn't know what to say.Didn't know how to process the shift happening right in front of her.Moe was her captor.Her jailer.Her shadow.And now—

Now he was choosing to follow her into a world he didn't belong in.

"Moe..."she whispered.

He shook his head again, firmer this time."There's more.A lot more.And you're not going to like any of it.But you need to know before the storm hits."

She swallowed hard."What storm?"

He finally looked toward the window, toward the darkening sky."The kind that opens the veil.The kind that takes people back."