I didn’t correct him because it was no use. To the world, that’s what were.
I snuggled Moonshine close when we returned to the visitation room. Ivy told me how Moonshine was the sweetest dog she’d ever met.
Smiling into Moonshine’s fur, I nodded.
I left them to put Moonshine back in her cage where she whimpered. “You’re fine, little girl. No one’s going to hurt you here. It’s your home and I’ll find you the perfect one just as good as your comfy bed too.”
She turned on her bed twice before plopping down. I blew out the candle at the window and led my fiancé and his little family outside.
As I locked up, Bastian stood next to me. “When you go here to lock up in the future, I need to be with you, okay?”
I stared up at him, cloaked in darkness, hovering over me like a guard.
The idea that I couldn’t do this on my own is just a little stifling. I’ve done this for years, Bastian.”
“You did the food truck for years too. I’m not risking it.”
I hummed and didn’t answer one way or the other. There would most likely be nights he wasn’t home. I’d have to go if they needed me to close.
“Say you’ll listen,piccola ragazza,” he murmured. His voice combed through my body, leaving heat in its wake. Just a few words and he almost hypnotized me into agreeing.
I bit my lip as I stared at him. “I’ll let you know if I have to go. Is that fair?”
He stared at me like he was contemplating a million things before he touched my hair. “Fair enough.”
18
Bastian
Morina was the one person I wanted to actually force to do something. She needed someone with her in the middle of a dark night and I would force that if I had to.
She didn’t make any sense.
The way she wanted to do everything on her own and keep everyone at arm’s length told me she was smart enough to be scared of something that could emotionally hurt her. I’d watched her with that little Moonshine puppy. She’d frowned and at one point even turned toward the door to wipe her eyes. She loved that little dog even if she was avoiding taking it home. Yet she’d go in the dark of the night to close up a building on her own, not at all caring about her physical well-being.
She’d almost gone by herself but Ivy, thankfully, had brought us all here and shown me just how dangerous Morina going out on her own was.
She didn’t look around or protect her back while she locked up.
Reckless.
And naive.
That’s what I was marrying and if I didn’t take care of her soon, she’d be dead.
As we watched the movie, she twisted her wavy hair around her fingers, and when that wasn’t enough, she moved to playing with her beaded bracelets. Did she really feel like those crystals in her pocket had some effect?
Was she more tranquil now?
“Our tent needs to be much bigger for us to fall asleep,” Ivy announced as we stared at some princess singing about a magical house.
“We’re all going to sleep in beds, Ivy.” I told her.
“What about we sleep here for a little bit after the movie and then we go to our bedrooms?” Ivy tried compromising.
Cade chuckled probably because he knew my appreciation for negotiation.
Morina watched me with those piercing eyes of hers, waiting for a response. When I nodded sure, her mouth dropped.