Page 10 of Deluge
I almost laugh out loud but manage to hold onto it. Luke Greene and Luna Thompson are theniceneighbors.
“Okay, well…”
My voice trails off as I look at the living room entrance. She takes the hint as she walks out of the room and heads for the front door.
“But, um… leave them alone, okay?”
Is she for real?
I walk over to the hallway and peer around the wall at her. She’s standing inside the open doorway, grinning at me.
“If you look for trouble enough times, you’re bound to find it.”
“Good night, Jessa,” I reply evenly.
I walk forward, grab her by the elbow and give her a gentle but firm shove out the front door before I slam it behind her.
She’ll never fucking understand why I have to do this.
ChapterEight
My thumband forefinger rub my eyelids as I swallow down another yawn.
I managed to find a parking spot directly across from their house tonight, and so far, no sign of Jessa the Crusader.
I’m hoping she’s out of town or perhaps has realized that I won’t heed the advice of some random girl I don’t know.
Besides, I’m not looking for trouble, as she so blatantly said a couple of nights ago.
I’m looking for my father, though one might reason that’s two of the same thing.
“Fine!”
An angry shout startles me enough that I jump in my seat a little. I glance over athishouse and see Luna walk out the front door looking completely frazzled, and decide that I’m going to make her night a little worse.
Pushing the driver’s side door open, I step out and rush across the street, falling into step beside her.
“Long time no see,’ I say cheerfully.
She gasps, her head whipping in my direction before she narrows her red eyes and angrily swats at the tears on her cheeks.
“I see you’re having a good night. Though I imagine that’s to be expected when it comes to him.”
“How the hell wouldyouknow?” she barks at me.
“Because I saw what he did to Hailey,” I snarl as I grab her by the arm and pull her to a stop. “And so did you, but you’re still too stupid to see any of it, aren’t you? What’s he got that’s so goddamn addictive, Luna? Why do all of you Greene monsters stick together?”
A simple enough question that I never knew I would want an answer to, let alone ask.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she snaps back as she attempts to wring her arm out of my grip, but I tighten it to keep her firmly in place. “Let go of me,” she seethes, giving her arm another jerk.
“Not tonight,” I say quietly. “Maybe if you answer my question, I’ll consider it.”
“You’ve never lived under his roof, Dalton. You only know what that bitch of a mother told you, and I bet it wasn’t much. I bet she didn’t even want the two of you because you’re both the reason he left. He didn’t want to have any kids with her, and she was stupid enough to get pregnant, and now look at you. Stalking him, and for what? You think that if he sees you, all will be forgiven, and he’ll decide he wants you in his life? Not a fucking chance. I don’t care what he says. You’re not, nor will you ever be a true Greene. You’re a Chazen or whatever, and that’syourcross to bear. Not his or mine, so why don’t you go back home and leave us alone!” she finishes with a shriek and a final, violent tug of her arm.
It doesn’t faze me.
Nothing she’s said to me in her Luke Greene-induced sadness and anger hits me where she wants it to.