The Luna Cure

THIRTY-SEVEN

If I went out there, there was a good chance Dante would manage to persuade me to do this, just like he had with me seeing Max.

"I'm fine in here."

"Please."

With a huff, I slid off the counter, groaning at the pinch of the jeans. I walked over to the door and opened it a crack.

"This is the best you're going to get."

He rolled his gorgeous eyes, capturing me in their depths. They weren't even very light, but they were so contrasted against his dark hair, and tan skin.

I almost shook my head. Snap out of it.

"I think you should do this. Last night, you did, too." He scanned what he could see of me through the crack in the doorway. "And you look beautiful. Please don't back out of this."

My hand clenched the door a little lighter, and my heart went up in my throat. I did think this was the right thing last night. Batilda made it clear that me not going home would help her, so I had to go, right? I couldn't surrender to her anymore than I already had.

But knowing I had to go and actually bringing myself to do it were two very different things.

My eyes cast down to the floor. "They don't know me. I don't think I should do this."

"Let them get to know you."

"It's Christmas. I'll be crashing the good moods and fun."

"I'm pretty sure Christmas is a time to celebrate family. You should be there."

A loud sigh escaped me, and I deflated. So many more worries buzzed around my mind, but I had to do this. I had to, or else I'd be giving Batilda what she wanted.

Opening the door fully, I stepped out. "I'll go." And I'll regret every second of it. Goddess, this was going to be so bad. My eyes drifted up to meet his. He's so tall. "Don't you have a lot of stuff to do with your pack in Georgia? You shouldn't waste your time with this." With me, and my infinite problems.

"Georgia can wait. This can't."

I wrapped my arms around myself.  His eyes followed my action. "We can always do this another time."

Stepping away from me to the coatrack, he grabbed a long black coat and handed it to me. "You won't agree to another time like you are now." Seeing that I made no move to do anything with the jacket, he added, "It's going to be freezing outside."

I thought about fighting him, but eventually decided that I didn't want to freeze, and slid on the coat. It went down to my knees, and there were three large buttons. The collar was folded down, but immense.

He gestured a hand towards the door. "After you."

I glanced back into the bathroom. I can't believe he managed to lure me out of my hiding place. The blue duffel sat fully packed on the counter, and everything else was untouched.

"This isn't going to go well." I told him, finally making a move and leaving the suite.

Dante followed me across the granite floors and out the large front doors. There were guards all across the hallway, and their eyes trailed us as we walked down the simple hotel hallways. "You don't know that."

I pressed the elevator button before glancing back. He looked really nice today. He looked really nice all the time, but today he just looked so casual. Under that brown coat, I noticed dark jeans and a blue and red plaid long sleeve jacket on top of a white dress shirt. He looked like any other very, very handsome man. You wouldn't even be able to tell he was a prince.