It All Started With The Kidnapping

Chapter 16 - Changed and Unbreakable

Luna's pov

When we walked into the living room, I noticed Elijah lounging on the couch, absorbed in his phone. He set it aside as soon as he saw us. Theo and I took a seat, and then he turned to me with a serious expression and asked, "So, when did you come back to town? Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're back, but why did you decide to return?"

He smirked, "I knew there was something familiar about you, but I just couldn't figure it out. I'm glad you're back."

We all started to laugh, but the mood shifted when Elijah asked, "How are you really doing? You look so much better now than the last time we saw you."

I was about to respond when a girl with purple hair walked in, someone I recognized from three years ago. She asked, "Hey, bro, do you know where Dakota is?"

Theo rolled his eyes and replied, "No clue, maybe she's hiding from you." I couldn't help but smile at that.

She shot him a look and said, "Hilarious, jerk. She loves me too much to hide."

She turned to face me, and suddenly something clicked in my mind. "Wait, she's your sister?" I asked, looking at both of them. Now that I was really looking, I could see the resemblance. I couldn't believe I hadn't noticed it before, but then again, that night had been so chaotic, I wasn't exactly focused on details.

Theo looked puzzled and asked, "Yeah, do you know her or something?" The girl and I exchanged glances, and after a moment, she smiled, seeming to recognize me as well.

I turned back to Theo and said, "Yeah, I know her. The night you told me to run when Mason came after me, I fled to the nearest town and decided to change my appearance so Mason and James wouldn't recognize me. I ended up at a clothing store, and your sister was there. She helped me out, and I'm really grateful for that." I smiled at her as I spoke.

He stared at me, wide-eyed, and said, "She works far from where we were. You must have run at least 3 miles." I just nodded, remembering how exhausted I was by the time I reached the store.

Then his sister chimed in, "You're the girl who came into my store, scared and bloody, aren't you?"

I smiled sheepishly and said, "Yeah, sorry about that. It was a long night. I'm Luna, by the way." I stood up, extending my hand.

She beamed at me, walking over to give me a hug instead. "Well, it's nice to officially meet you, Luna. I'm Renee, and this guy here," she pointed to Theo, "is my brother."

Just as Renee finished speaking, the doors burst open, and in walked another girl with brown hair. She was juggling a milkshake in one hand and several bags of food in the other. "Who are we meeting?" she asked, nearly tripping over the rug.

She looks at me and smiles just as Theo says, "This is Luna."

Taking a sip of her milkshake, she says, "I remember you. I did your hair two years ago, I could never forget you."

I laughed, "And you wouldn't let me pay." We both burst out laughing, and when we finally stopped, we looked over at Theo.

He looked utterly confused and asked, "How is it that you know both my sisters, yet I barely know anything about you?"

I smiled and said, "Well, you never asked much about me. Besides, I only met them once, and it's not like we sat down for tea and talked about the weather."

Dakota set her food down, and as soon as Elijah and Theo reached for it, their hands were swiftly slapped away. They slowly pulled back, looking a bit sheepish.

Dakota glared at them and said, "Don't. Even. Think. About. Touching. My. Food." They both raised their hands in surrender and backed away cautiously.

I couldn't help but smile at the three of them, thinking about how I'd always wondered what it would be like to have siblings.

When the boys sat back down, I said, "I have a question for Elijah." That immediately got his attention, and he looked at me like he was about to get scolded by his mother.

I turned serious and asked, "Does Sara know that you're in the mafia?" I needed to know because I don't want to lie to my friend, and it could be dangerous for her if she's unaware.

Everyone's eyes went wide, and they all turned to look at me. Elijah answered, "No, she doesn't know." I just nodded in response.

Theo, scratching the back of his neck, asked, "You still remember that?" Typical clueless boys.

I laughed and said, "Of course, I remember. Why would I forget? When you've been on the run for years, you tend to remember a lot of things."

Theo's expression shifted to one of concern as he asked, "Did you tell anyone?"

I couldn't help but think he was acting like a nervous kid rather than a big, bad mafia leader. It was almost endearing, but seriously, come on.

I frowned slightly and said, "No, of course not. It's your secret, not mine to share. Why would I tell anyone?" Theo let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," he replied, then added, "So, how have you been? You never really answered."

All eyes were on me, and I just sighed. "I'm good, just tired. Probably just the jet lag catching up with me," I said, though in reality, I was getting tired of that question.

Theo's expression suddenly grew serious as he asked, "Did anyone mess with you while you were gone?" I smiled faintly. Oh, if only they knew the kind of trouble I got myself into.

I hesitated for a moment before saying, "Yeah, but I can take care of myself." Elijah and Theo both looked upset, but I knew there was nothing they could have done.

Theo asked, "What happened?"

I sighed, glancing between the boys before saying, "I don't want to talk about it. It's in the past, and I'm over it. Can we please change the subject?"

Their concern was clear, but Theo eventually nodded and said, "Okay, you don't have to if you're not ready." I smiled, lost in a memory, and suddenly let out a giggle. Wait, did I just giggle? That's not like me. This is weird.

I smiled and said, "Besides, you wouldn't be able to find the guy." They all looked puzzled, but Dakota was the first to speak up.

"Why is that?" she asked, concern evident on her face, which I couldn't blame her for.

I simply smiled and replied, "Because I killed him."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock. It took a few minutes for anyone to react, but Elijah was the first to snap out of it. "Wait, hold on, did you just say you killed someone?" he asked, as if he hadn't heard me the first time.

I laughed and nodded, "I sure did." Their jaws practically hit the floor.

Elijah looked at me, bewildered. "Where did our quiet and innocent Luna go?"

I chuckled and replied, "She grew up. She saw how cruel the world can be and decided to fight back."

Out of nowhere, Dakota asked, "How did you kill him?" I just smiled and shook my head, declining to answer. Why are they so curious about that? Just because I was innocent before doesn't mean I was going to stay that way forever.

I looked at them and said, "I've changed a lot in the past two years. I'm not the same person I was back then. I can fight, use guns, knives—I met people who helped me grow into who I am today. I hated feeling weak, but with their help, I feel strong, confident, and happy." Their eyes went wide again, and I couldn't blame them.

Theo, still processing, asked, "You can?" I just nodded

My phone buzzed, cutting off the conversation. I stood up, grabbed my bag, and said, "Maybe we can continue this another time. I just got my old job back at the bar, so I need to head out." Theo and Elijah got up, and we all walked outside together.

As Theo walked me to my motorcycle, he said, "It was really nice seeing you today. I'm glad you got the help you needed in Italy and that you decided to come back. Elijah and I will probably meet you at the bar later."

I smiled and said, "It was really nice seeing you again, and I'm glad we had a chance to catch up. I had to come back to thank you—if it weren't for you, I would've never escaped in the first place. I'll see you later." With that, I got on my motorcycle and drove away, letting my thoughts race as freely as the wind.