Unbound (Unbound, Book 1) ~Formerly Casting Power~

Chapter Sixty-Two

The next night, I went back to Celestial Java alone, waiting until I thought it would be empty. Luna had been friends with Zach, so I assumed that she would be a trusted person to talk to. There was no one at the Manor, Maible was obviously bi-polar and in need of a neurological exam, and I'd told Calin we couldn't be friends.

The bell jingled as I entered, and I sat at a table near the front counter. From my perch, I could see that there was one group of stragglers. They sat at the back table, cloaked in shadows, though I could tell it was teenagers who likely didn't even like coffee and were unscrewing the condiment lids.

"Double-double?" Luna asked, interrupting my thoughts.

I shook my head and looked up to see her gaze sharpen momentarily before resuming her smiling, I-am-so-happy-with-the-world façade. "Water? Or Iced Tea?"

She moved behind the counter to set down the coffee pot and turn off the burner, then returned with a cold glass of Iced Tea with a red-and-white striped straw.

"Thank you."

"So, what's going on?"

I shrugged and looked at the occupied table, then slowly brought my gaze back to Luna. "I thought we could talk, but I'd rather wait."

Luna watched me for a few moments, her gaze clear and studious, completely at odds with her white bell bottoms and fluorescent orange, navel-baring halter top. Her hair flung over her shoulder from its high ponytail, nearly as white as her jeans, as she swung around to look behind her.

"Okay, kids, the store's closing!" Luna started walking back to their table, winking at me before turning to face them as she clapped. "Let's go, let's go, let's go!"

The kids at the table all stopped laughing and the shakers they'd been playing with were hastily shoved back to their rightful spots. Everyone stopped to stare at Luna as she approached, not out of respect for the woman who owned the shop, but hostility for the interruption.

I narrowed my gaze and stared at the one person ignoring their surroundings because they were too busy chatting on their cell phone to pay attention. Their back was turned to me so I couldn't see them clearly, but it didn't matter. I knew the glossy black hair, the dainty finger held in the air demanding silence so she could talk—even the slight tilt of the body as she ignorantly leaned away from the interruption to continue her conversation.

"I said"—Luna leaned over and flicked a switch to flood the room with fluorescent overhead lighting— "it's time to go. Shop's closing."

I sipped my drink, holding my glass with one hand as I watched Duvessa end her conversation and slowly slide her purse over to place her phone inside. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and clasped her purse, pushing up from the table to stand and face Luna, full of attitude.

"We are paying customers," Duvessa snarled, one hand on her hip and the other curled so her purse could hang on the crook of her arm as she swiped her hair off her face. "You can't just tell us to leave."

Luna rolled her eyes and I snorted, unable to control the laugh from escaping. Duvessa jerked her head around and glared at me. I smiled in return and took a leisurely sip of my drink, which just seemed to anger her even further.

"I'm sorry, but the café is closing." Luna smiled.

"Why aren't you telling her that?" Duvessa pointed at me but kept her gaze on Luna. She was angry now, defensive.

"She's here because I've asked her to stay." Luna smiled more broadly, and her eyes sharpened. "She's not here as a customer."

"What? Are you going to work for her?" Duvessa laughed, looking back at me. "Daddy won't give his little bastard an allowance?"