Kaden's Luna

It is 10.45 p.m. and I’m on my way back home, walking through the utterly quiet neighbourhoods of Berlin. Occasionally, cars will pass by and illuminate me with their headlights before I would be immersed in darkness once more.

There is a thin film of sweat on my forehead as I walk on, a heavy backpack on my shoulders and two bags of groceries in both hands. I huff out an exhausted breath, wishing I had a car for situations like these. But hey, at least the moon and stars are out to play tonight. There’s something about staring up at that silver circle in the sky that calms me down instantly. Ironic since my name means moon.

My bicycle that I use to get around everywhere in Berlin is gone for repair and no bus travels anywhere near where I live at this hour either. So, my last resort is to walk the hour-long journey back home from university. Sometimes it isn’t so bad when my schedule for the day isn’t jam packed with classes but days like today hit home to how much a method of transportation is necessary for late nights.

But right now, there are three drunk men that have followed me from a bar I had passed on my way out of the city and hadn’t stopped yet. My heart is hammering away inside my chest and I’m trying not to panic. The fact that my body itself is physically exhausted has me freaking out even more because if they were to start harassing me then I will be too tired to put up a good fight.

I continue in silence and my racing heart seems to return to a normal pace when I manage to put more distance between us. However, that all turns out to be in vain when I hear them start to cat call. I quicken my pace to get away from them but my legs burn in protest and the men catch up to me.

“Hey baby, where you going?” One man slurs, draping his arm across my shoulders.

I stop and shrug him off me before walking away. “Leave me alone!”

No sooner have I said that, they pull me back by my backpack and I stumble, dropping my grocery bags. A dark-haired man grabs hold of my jaw and steps closer, telling me to shut up while another takes my backpack off. I scream loudly, kicking at them and punching the man in front of me.

They cry out and stumble and I make a run for it, but I’m grabbed and thrown to the ground. I’m sobbing now and fighting with all my might but my energy was diminishing quickly and my punches and kicks were becoming sloppy.

Just as they tore the cloth of my tights and the sleeve of my dress, a deadly looking muscle car turns the corner and I scream with all my might, the sound echoing in the quiet street. I hear the squeal of tyres before a door opens, the sound of rushed footsteps meeting the pavement before the man is pulled off me.

It’s him. It’s the stranger from the night at the hospital and I can’t express how glad I am to see him.

Two men still hold onto me and I punch one in the cheek, kicking the other one repeatedly before he let go of me with a pained groan. The stranger came over to help me up before he starts beating up the two men, the man he pulled off me first now laying still on the grass. I can see his bloody face from here which makes my eyes widen before I turn to grab the stranger’s arm.

“Stop!” I yell, pulling him towards me and away from the men who now lay unconscious on the pavement.

He turns towards me, chest heaving in anger as his icy blue eyes scan me for any injuries. “Are you alright - Luna?!”

I had just stepped into the light when he spoke. Smiling shakily, I nod before looking at the man who groans suddenly. The stranger holds up his finger as if telling me to wait before he kicks the man so hard I fear a bone or two broke.

I cry out and pull him back just as he was going to kick him once more. He growls lowly before leading me away. I grab a bag and start putting my groceries in, sniffles escaping me as I wipe away a few tears that escape.

“Thank you.” I whisper gratefully as he helps me pick up my dropped groceries and placing them back in the other bag.

“God, I’m so sorry Luna.”

“It’s okay, at least you stopped to help. Sometimes people don’t even care.” I smile, picking up the grocery bags again. Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“What do you mean? This has happened more than once?!” A dark and inhumane sound escapes him, fury burning in his eyes.

I shrug half-heartedly before nodding. “Only once before. But I managed to get away in time.”

He remains quiet and packs up the groceries in the bag before grabbing my backpack. I thank him and swing it onto my shoulders before taking the second grocery bag from him. “How is your wound by the way? Are you feeling better?”

“Much better now...” His icy blue eyes darken as he stares at me and nods before clearing his throat and looking away. “Uh yeah, thank you for helping me that night.”

“No problem!” I smile widely. “Well, I better get going. It’s getting late so um... I’ll see you around.”

His eyes noticeably widen before they narrow down at me, looking around the area as if someone could jump out any minute. “You’re walking home?”

I nod tiredly, mentally groaning at the thought of how I was going to reach home even later than I originally thought.

“I’ll give you a ride. Come on.” He states, grabbing my grocery bags before stalking off to his car.

I stand frozen on the spot for a few seconds before letting out a sound of protest and rushing forward to grab the bags. “No! Please don’t, I-I don’t live too far away.”

He doesn’t listen to any of my protests, not one bit. Instead, he places my bags in the car and takes my backpack off my shoulder, putting it down with them before opening the passenger door wider, waiting for me to get in.

I open my mouth to protest but am effectively cut off by his demanding tone. “Get in the car, parum luna.” (Little moon.)

“You don’t have to -” I mumble, nervously fidgeting with the hem of my sweater.

I hear him sigh before he walks up to me, invading my personal bubble to the point where I could get dizzy off his masculine scent. His eyes are dangerously dark as they assess me, crossing his arms and squaring his shoulders making me curse mentally because I know he won’t back down without a fight. Maybe he didn’t mean anything by his actions, but they seem to intimidate me even more than he already does.

“Just...come with me. You’ll reach home safe and besides you’re shivering from the cold!”

I look down and notice that my hands are in fact shaking along with my teeth chattering from the icy cold breeze that blew past from time to time. I uselessly pull at my torn sleeve as Kaden takes off his leather jacket and drapes it around my shoulders. I stutter out a “thank you” before clutching the material tighter to my body, the lingering warmth from his jacket helping to heat up my cold skin.

“Look, you helped me the other night and now I want to help you. I will drop you home safe and sound and that’s it. I promise Luna.” He holds up both his hands, palms facing outwards as if to say he didn’t mean any harm.

I sigh and nod, allowing him to guide me towards the passenger seat and close the door once I’m strapped in. Once I’m in the car, I almost moan in content over how warm it is. I silently marvel at the interior of the gorgeous vehicle. Everything is kept in good condition and the car smells just like him.

While I’m having my little moment, he had rounded the front of the car and is now taking a seat and strapping himself in. I’m so lost in admiring the car that I fail to notice how he sat there staring at me with an amused smile on his lips. I grin widely and look up only for it to fade when I notice his stare. I cough, feeling my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

“Do you like it?” He smirks, bright eyes alight with mischief as he started the engine.

“Yes.” I meant to speak casually, but hearing the loud growl of the exhaust causes my voice to come out as an excited squeal.

He laughs loudly and shakes his head while I stare at him in a daze, committing the sound to memory. It’s rich and husky, making me wish I could hear it every day.

“This is much more beautiful up close! I can’t believe I’m in a Ford Mustang Boss 492 Fastback!” I ramble excitedly, mesmerised by the interior.

“Woah! Looks like someone’s done their research.” He muses, our eyes meeting for a second before I nod my head.

“I have an older brother who is crazy about cars. I guess I picked up a few names.” I shrug, turning back to look out the window again.

“You might just pass out if I let you drive this thing then!” He teases, making me chuckle quietly and shake my head.

We sat in comfortable silence after I told him my address, only the purr of the engine surrounding us. I relax in my seat with a low sigh, my eyes flitting from the window to the mysterious man who I have yet to discover the name of.

I finally stop staring at him like a creep and turn my head to stare out of the window, watching as the trees blur into a mass of green. A small smile pulls at my lips when I look up at the sky, the sight of twinkling stars gracing me, the moon and I in a race to see who will reach home first. I always used to stare out the rear windshield, my gaze fixated on the moon that I assumed would be following us back home.

Speaking of the moon…

I remember mystery man’s words from the night I tended to his wound at the hospital: “Someday when the moon has risen and you find yourself bathed in silver, wait for me then and I will fulfil your wish. Until then, think of me Luna.” I remember his words by heart because of the impact they left on me.

My gaze slid over to him once more and I find myself biting my lip out of nervousness. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t ask him…but then he knows my name, I should know his also, right?’ I thought to myself, nodding absentmindedly.

I’m brought out of my thoughts when he chuckles lowly whilst turning a corner. “What’s on your mind, Luna?”

I shake my head only to receive a flat look from him. Sighing, I tuck a strand of my dark brown hair behind one ear before deciding to just go for it.

“The moon is out tonight…” I trail off, my hands playing with the hem of my pink sweater nervously.

He chuckles deeply, the sound causing butterflies to flutter in my tummy. “And the sky is dark, the street lights are on, the animals have gone to sleep…your point is?”

“Uh…um nothing I…I just -”

He cut off my painful stammering with one word. “Kaden.”

A long silence ensues in the car, apart from the sound of the engine running and the soft music playing in the background. The name fits him so perfectly – he is perfect. I love how stormy his eyes look right now, a stark contrast from the breath-taking icy blues. Right now, they are intense, right now they are swirling with something so dark and dangerous, it has my breath faltering.

The post lamps would illuminate his sharp features for a quick second before we would be plunged into darkness again. Even in the dark confines of the car, I can still make out that he looks devilishly handsome. Although he is only wearing a white t-shirt with black jeans and shoes.

I still find him insanely attractive because those clothes do not do anything to hide the muscles underneath, the very same ones I had touched while tending to his wounds the other night in the hospital. His midnight hair is tousled as if he had run his fingers through it a thousand times, jaw clenched and knuckles turning white as snow because of clenching the steering wheel too tight.

“Kaden.” I murmur softly, testing out the name on my tongue.

I hear him inhale sharply, our eyes connecting for a mere second before he focuses back on the road again. His whole form has become tense, coiled tightly like a spring. I could cut through the tense air in the car with a knife, it feels like the air is electric and like our gazes have a deeper meaning. The only thing that soothes me is his scent as it wraps around me like an embrace and I am more than happy to welcome it.

But, the night has other plans and sadly, as Kaden turns off the major road and into the familiar neighbourhood, I can’t help the feeling of longing rise within me; a wish to spend more time with him. Although he is just a man I met days ago, I feel drawn to him like a moth to a flame. It isn’t just his looks that attracted me to him, yes, they are a factor, but it’s the yearning to learn more about him. There is something about him and I know, if we meet again I will keep coming back for more. And that is not good.

Snapping out of it, I point to the house I live in and tell him to park there. Only the hallway light is on and I know Maddox and Eva have gone to bed already, after they bombarded me with texts on when I was coming back home. Late nights like these happen a lot so I make sure to wake one of them up just so that they know I have reached home safe and sound.

“You live here?” Kaden asks as he parks the car outside the house, his lips curving up at the edges and into a small smile as he stares directly at the forest surrounding the couple of apartments.

“Yes. It’s a nice area.”

“It is indeed – I mean, it seems to be. Very clean and quiet, not too far away from the city.” He hurriedly corrects himself once he sees my confused gaze.

I nod slowly before grabbing my bags and opening the car door, the cool wind instantly greeting me. I hear another door open and close which makes me look at Kaden as he rounds the car to stand beside me, a bit too close. We seem to get lost in each other, unaware of our surroundings. My breath hitches when the wind blows my hair wildly, caressing his skin in a teasing manner and causing his eyes to close.

As if snapping back to his senses, his eyes shoot open and he inhales deeply, putting space between us that has my heart aching for some reason. I calm myself down before hooking my bag around my shoulder and grabbing the grocery bags that I had set down, preparing to bid goodbye when he speaks up again.

“You cannot be out walking at this hour again.” He states firmly, crossing his arms over his chest in an intimidating manner.

I shake my head, causing his eyes to blaze in a warning. “I have to, I don’t have a car and no bus runs at this hour. It’s just until my bicycle gets repaired.”

There is a moment of silence between him and I, the only sound of an owl hooting in the distance. I shuffle my feet awkwardly, not knowing what to do as he stares at me with a faraway look in his eyes. Finally, he clears his throat and looks at me with determination.

“I’ll pick you up from now on.”

My eyes widen in shock and I stare at him with my mouth agape before I come to my senses. “N-No, that isn’t necessary. Please don’t -”

“Yes, it is. It’s dangerous out there Luna, what if something like tonight happens to you again and I’m not there?” He growls inhumanely, making me reel back in surprise.

Eyes apologetic, a heavy sigh escapes him as he pulls me close by my forearm. Our lips are just a breath away and I’m finding it extremely difficult to focus. His masculine cologne rubs off onto my clothes, wrapping my body in it’s addictive scent.

I want to reach out and touch him, but I know I can’t. He can’t possibly feel what I feel for him. A god-like creature being attracted to an ordinary girl like me, it’s just not possible. I don’t consider myself pretty like other girls but, I do think I’m above average…just a tiny bit.

“I’ll be fine, I’ve walked home many times before.” I protest weakly, knowing I wasn’t going to win when his eyes burned with determination.

“No.”

“Kaden -”

“What did I just say?” He fumes, pulling me even closer so that I smash against his body. He pays no mind to the action but it has elephants stomping in my stomach, forget the butterflies!

“No.” I lamely admit, pouting slightly when his lips quirk in amusement.

“Good.” He murmurs huskily, edging closer to my ear. “Now, when do you have work again?”

“Friday.”

“And when should I pick you up?”

“Eight o’clock…I think.” My brows furrow before I nod uncertainly.

“What do you mean you think?” He arches a brow, daring me to lie to him with his eyes.

“Um…sometimes Henry, my supervisor at the hospital, keeps me till late to tidy up the place and -”

“That’s not your job, parum luna.” He interrupts me, pulling away to cross his arms over his chest making me almost groan in displeasure at the loss of contact. (Little moon.)

“I-I know b-but he threatens to give me a bad report a-and I can’t fail, so I do it.” My voice turns into a whisper at the end, hating how just because of a grade I am forced to obey every wish of that horrid man’s.

Kaden steps up to me, stormy blue eyes now darkening like thunder clouds and I’m suddenly afraid of what he might do. He pinches the bridge of his nose and looks away, clenching his jaw tightly.

“Does he mistreat you in any other way?”

“No.” I blurt, cursing myself when I speak too fast. I shut my eyes before hesitantly opening them again, only to be met with an angry expression.

He lets out a sigh before taking my grocery bags and setting them on the ground. Leaning against the hood of the car, he gently grabs my wrist and pulls me close so that I stand in between his legs. I bite my lip harshly when his warm hands rest lazily on my hips, a moan threatening to escape my lips at the pleasurable tingles that are currently dancing across my skin.

“I’m not letting you leave until you tell me what else he does Luna, so you better start talking.” He stubbornly states, daring me with his eyes to argue.

I huff and cross my arms over my chest. “H-He makes me work extra hours than I should be doing and I have to tidy his office every day before I leave and he watches until I finish, which is really uncomfortable. He also tells me to grab his lunch, coffee and snacks throughout the day which doesn’t allow me to learn about practicing nursing as much as I can. I have to pick up his dry-cleaning sometimes and he spills things on purpose I feel just so he can tell me to clean up and -”

“Goddammit Luna! Why haven’t you reported this?” Kaden demands, his grip tightening on my hips which I don’t think he is aware of.

“Because…if I get a bad report I won’t pass this part of my course. I tried talking to my placement co-ordinator and switching but all of them were taken and it was too late by then.”

“You should talk to your supervisor. Running his errands and cleaning up after his shit is not part of your job.”

I gulp, looking up at him with wide eyes before shaking my head vehemently. “I tried…once…but he threatened me. I find him very scary, like he’ll follow me home at night and murder me before throwing me in a ditch kind of scary.”

Kaden stares at me, his dark eyes taking in my features before he relents with a sigh. Nodding he stands up, making me back away with a slight blush at how close we had been a few seconds ago.

“Alright. You should head inside now, I’m sure you’re tired.” He murmurs, nodding his head at the house.

“Okay…thank you for helping me tonight. I’ll see you around.” I reply, grabbing the grocery bags from the ground before stepping towards the house.

“Tomorrow.” He states, making me turn around to shoot him a confused look. “I’m picking you up tomorrow Luna.”

Sighing, I nod before bidding goodbye and making my way towards the door, longing to be in my cosy bed already. I have just reached the door and fished out my keys from my pocket when he calls my name, making me turn slightly to face him.

“Things will look up soon…I promise you.”

I smile slightly before nodding, even though I don’t know what he is referring to. Maybe it’s because I’m so tired…yeah, let’s go with that. I open the door and step inside, placing my backpack and grocery bags down on the hardwood floor, relief coursing through me as my back was finally free from the weight.

I look up to see that he has rounded the car to stand at the driver’s side with the door open, his alluring eyes fixated on my figure. Smiling in appreciation of how he waited until I was inside, I wave goodbye, watching a small smile grace his lips before he waves back.

“Goodnight, Kaden.” I whisper into the quiet night, knowing he couldn’t hear me.

However, when his eyes close and a peaceful expression crosses his features, I damn near thought he did.