Read Online Promised at the Moon by Rebekah R. Ganiere - Free Book Online Page A

she sported a new bruise or cut or black eye. The overconfident smile that said everything was okay when on the inside everything was turning to crap.
    He fought the overwhelming urge to hop on his bike and chase her down and explain about Deena, but in the back of his mind he told himself that it was better this way. Asha was a girl with a future. A future filled with big dreams and a better man than he was. It was selfish to try and keep her here. She’d been through enough lately without him dragging her into his solitary, packless life.
    He turned back to the pizza joint and fastened the bracelet around his wrist.
    She’d bought him a gift.

Chapter Eight
    That night when Cara arrived home, Natasha pretended to be asleep. The lingering scent of pizza clung to Cara’s clothes from all the way down the hall. Natasha pressed her pillow over her head in an effort to stave off both the smell and the images of beautiful Deena and handsome Liam together, out on a date. But it didn’t work.
    Liam was the kind of guy any female would die to be with. Strong and protective, yet with a gentle and caring heart. There weren’t many guys out there who would help shifters and then actually give them the money he made off of it. Despite what was in his past, he was good. A guy who deserved to be happy. Happy with a beautiful model like Deena, not a recently assaulted, screwed-in-the-head, insecure nut-job like herself. It’d been a month since she’d run for her freedom and still she checked her phone obsessively, thinking her parents would call. Liam deserved better than someone who was always looking to the past. He deserved a woman who wanted to look to the future. Specifically, a future with him.
    * * * * *
    By the time Natasha’s brain quieted down enough for her to fall asleep, it was four in the morning. She dragged herself from her bed the next day to get to class.
    True to his word, Clint asked her if she was coming to the beach party every time he saw her. He never pressured her, just asked. And the closer it got to the full moon, the more the desire to say yes tugged at her.
    On Friday afternoon she finally agreed. She thought about texting Liam to give him a heads-up, but he had other things to do and better people to do them with.
    At nine, Cara knocked on her door, a bowl of popcorn in one hand, a DVD case in the other.
    “I thought maybe we’d watch a movie.” Cara shook the DVD.
    “I’d love to, but I’m going out.” Natasha turned from her mirror, doing the clasp on her necklace.
    Cara’s gaze raked up and down Natasha’s body, making her look down at her off-the-shoulder maxi-dress. She’d never worn a maxi dress before, but they were popular in California. “Is it okay?”
    “Uhm…yeah, it’s great.”
    She rubbed her shoulder where the scars still marred her skin. “Maybe I’ll grab a sweater.”
    “Really, you don’t need it. You’re beautiful. Where are you going?”
    “A beach party. Clint invited me.”
    “Clint?”
    Natasha put her dangly blue earrings in and then slipped on her sandals. “Do you want to come?”
    “Did you talk to Liam about Clint?” Cara’s eyes were conflicted.
    “Yup.”
    Cara stood motionless and stared. Natasha’s smile slipped.
    “Look, I have to get out of here, just for a bit. Before I came to California, I hadn’t been out of my house for a month. I need to feel the wind on my face. Run down the beach. You understand, right?”
    “It’s almost a full moon,” Cara said. “I understand.”
    Natasha rubbed her wrist.
    “Come with me,” she urged. “We can run on the beach together.”
    “No…I…I don’t…I—” Cara turned away and shook her head. “Have fun.”
    “Cara?” Natasha watched her friend leave. “Cara?”
    Cara disappeared into her room. Natasha went to the door and listened for a moment. “I’ll be home soon and we can watch the movie, okay?”
    No sounds came from inside.
    After a minute, Natasha returned to her room,