The Unclaimed Human Luna
Chapter 22

El POV

Four days of glorious freedom she got, though only three of them were with Cordi and her friends. The first one had been her driving. They’d gone shopping more than once, that cheque from Logan she’d banked had actually cleared. It was a freaking miracle; she’d not actually expected it to at all.

Her phone did ring a lot, though she just let all calls go to the message bank, she didn’t want to talk to her mother at this point, or Logan for that matter, and she recognised his number now. She was finally starting to feel normal once again, though a couple of texts came through that caused pain to touch her, hadn’t known who they were from till she’d read that first one.

“Eliza, where are you? I need to talk to you. Conner.” The first one had read. She had sat and stared at that text message. What he wanted to talk to her about, she didn’t know he’d made himself plainly clear to her twice now, how she’d stupidly let him touch her that second time she still didn’t understand.

The second one had come hours later and had read “Please Eliza, where are you? I’m worried about you.” she did not believe that for a single second. She’d not answered either of them, Cordi had looked at them and raised an eyebrow at her.

“Do you believe that?” she asked her.

“No,” Eliza shook her head. “It’s likely he’s been sent to look for me and is trying to get me to tell him where I am. So, he can collect me and take me back is all.” She’d not told anyone at this point, not even her mother where she actually was. Her grandma knew she was back in California, had told her last night, but not where. She just said it would be a few days still before she came that way.

The only person she was talking to back there in the Gated community was Marlo. She knew he did actually like her as a person, and when he’d text her, just to get her to say she was okay, she’d responded to him “I’m alright Marlo, sorry I left. I just don’t feel like I fit in there.”

“You do El,” he’d replied, “I miss you, please come home.”

She’d let that one go, he’d only known her a few days and that place was not her home, here in Santa Ana, California with her friends, was her home. He’d started texting her a lot after that, had tried to call her but she’d declined it till last night, that was.

He’d begged her to answer the phone, told her he just wanted to hear her voice and make sure she was alright, told her he wasn’t going to stop calling until she answered, and he hadn’t and, after the sixth consecutive call, both Collin and Cordi had g*****d “El, just talk to the boy for two seconds so he’ll stop calling.”

So, she’d picked up the call, the next time it had rang “Hey El, I told you I wouldn’t stop calling.” He’d chuckled.

“Hi Marlo, I’m fine really.”

“Are you sure, you’ve been gone three days El, and no one knows where you are, not at your grandma’s like you said you would be.”

“No,” she’d admitted, “not yet anyway, I will get there.”

“El, please just come home.”

“That is not my home, Marlo.” She told him and it was the truth.

“Who are you with…I just want to know you really are safe.”

“I’m not going to tell you Marlo, you’ll just tell Logan.”

“I won’t, I promise you.”

She thought about that for a long, quiet moment, and had sighed, she didn’t know if it was the truth or not, “I’m with some friends, that’s all you need to know, Marlo.”

“El…”

“What is it, Marlo?”

“Conner and Adam are out looking for you. Logan sent them to find you and bring you home.”

“Yay.” She muttered and heard him actually chuckle.

“Why would you tell me that?”

“Because I’m your friend El, is why. A heads up. They will find you. It’s kind of part of what they do around here.”

“Good luck to them.” She’d sighed and clicked the line closed.

Her days were numbered, and she knew it. Had always known it, is why she had been working on a way out for later on, though it was likely to be much harder now after running away. Wasn’t likely going to be allowed out of that gated community of his, or Cult or whatever the hell it was for a long while.

Was going to have to play at being ‘the good daughter’ and gain some trust, knew she could count on Cordi and Collin to help her out in a pinch. They were still on summer vacation, and it was only a full day’s drive out to where she was going to be. If she let them know the day before she made her bid for freedom, they could meet her somewhere. They’d already told her that.

Did know she had to go back, needed to get her passport and birth certificate, she had her whole college fund now, there was nearly twenty thousand dollars in there, she’d always planned on getting a job and working while studying to help pay her tuition and her parents had been going to help as well.

Now it was just her, she was really going to need a plan now, even just trying to get back into her university of choice was going to be hard. She had written them an email this morning to explain her current situation and that she did not want to withdraw from her degree. That it had been her new stepfather that had done that without her permission, and she still wanted to attend. To please reinstate her application.

She had no idea if it would work or not. But she could only try it and see. She had no idea what strings Logan had pulled to get her withdrawn from that place, it should not have been allowed due to it having nothing to do with her at all. She’d not written them or signed anything with her name on it. How they just let someone else pull her from their university she didn’t know.

She was in the backyard with Collin and Cordi, actually having a nice time. Xavier had turned up and hugged her all tight and told her he’d missed her. She’d leaned away from the k**s he’d tried to plant on her, couldn’t do it. Not after being with Conner. It wasn’t right.

He’d frowned down at her and then let her go and asked what the matter was. “It’s nothing.” She’d shaken her head. “Just got a lot going on is all. I’m sorry.” She’d not sext him once since that first night with Conner it had felt very wrong, was still talking to him but had shut that down quickly. He’d been a little shocked by it. But had apparently let it go.

“Where’ve you been?” she asked him, he’d not been here all weekend.

“Ah, my dad had me at some stupid function, for the weekend. Collin only just let me know you were back. So here I am to spend time with you.”

She’d smiled up at him, his soft brown eyes always smiled back at her, they’d sat around and had a barbeque and were just hanging out, she’d snatched his bottle of beer off him and told him he was too young to drink it. Run off with it and he’d just grinned at her. It was something they’d always done, none of them were old enough to drink, but Collin always managed to get beer for them.

It was just like old times, and she was actually having fun and had managed to forget about her worries for now. Collin was yelling at Xavier to get her, she wasn’t that fast ‘Just grab the girl already.” He yelled after she swiped the six pack that was next to Collin.

It was their normal, sometimes it was her. Other times it was Cordi, though that usually ended in Cordi and Collin getting a little hot and heavy. Though sometimes it had led to her and Xavier, getting hot and heavy as well, back before she’d been made to leave.

She ran from him, as she always did. Screamed when he jumped in front of her, turned and shot the other way, only to have Collin jump up and bar her way, looked from one to the other smiling at them, “You won’t get away from me Eliza.” Xavier taunted her all deep and trying to be scary she thought. Saw him move, tossed the beer at him and bolted away. “Don’t let her get away.” Collin yelled after him as she ran round the pool away from him.

Saw him stop in front of her and was just about to grab her when he was suddenly down on the ground, “Don’t you f*****g touch her.” a deadly warning filled the air around her, and she saw Conner pinning Xavier down to the ground, found both Collin and Cordi right in front of her and she was shoved backwards.

“Get her out of here Adam.” She heard Conner yell and turned to see him coming up behind her, and got yanked between Cordi and Collin.

Saw Adam stop and look right at Cordi as she stood between her and him. She also didn’t expect her friends to just jump between her and them like that “Adam.” She heard Conner grate out. Though his eyes were on Collin now, was still holding Xavier down to the ground, she could see he had a hand on the back of his neck and a knee between his shoulder blades.

“I don’t think it’s wise, Conner.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Eliza shot at him. “Let him up, what is wrong with you?” she pushed past Collin and tried to shove at him to get him off Xavier, only to have Collin snap an arm around her waist and step backwards with her.

Watched as Conner got up slowly “You don’t want to do that,” He grated out and yanked Xavier off the ground by his neck. Was gripping it tightly she could see how white his knuckles were.

“Let him go.” Collin grated right back.

She did not understand what was going on. “Wait,” it was Cordi. “Everyone just stop, El. Who exactly are these two?”

“That’s my stepbrother Conner and his friend Adam.”

Heard Collin snort “Well now, ain’t that an interesting turn of events!”

“Let her go.”

“I’ll let go when you let my friend go.” Collin stated right back.

“How about everyone just let go.” Eliza muttered herself “What is wrong with all of you?”

“Nothing at all.” Collin murmured and released her. Saw Conner shove Xavier away from him quite violently at that. The man stumbled a little and she reached out to help him, only to have Conner latch right on to her and pull her away from him.

Glared right up at him as he pulled her towards him and backed away from everyone, “Are you alright Eliza?”

“Of course, I bloody am.” She shot at him, trying to shake herself free of him, couldn’t, he wouldn’t let go. “What is wrong with you? They’re my friends.”

She saw his eyes move right towards her. “Really, this lot, are your friends?” saw his eyes move right round them. “Sounded like they were trying to take you.”

“We were just playing around. It’s what we do.”

“Conner, is it?” Xavier stated, “You might want to let my girlfriend go.”

“Not your girlfriend.” Conner shot right back, and she was suddenly handed off to Adam. “Put her in the car Adam.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Eliza snapped at him, annoyed with all the man handling that was going on. Struggled against Adam, who shushed her and told her to just wait, his voice was soft and his grip wasn’t all that tight. Looked at him and he smiled at her, “A bit of a turf war going on I think.”

“What?” she was more than confused.

“Are you sure about that? I’ve known El for a very long time, we’ve been dating for a while now.”

Eliza frowned at that, no they weren’t, just dry hump the hell out of each other occasionally, they were not dating.

“Not anymore you won’t be.” Conner grated right back.

“Do I not get a say in anything?” She yelled at them all.

“No.” both Conner and Xavier stated at the same time,

“Do you really want to fight me?” Conner asked him, and she heard the amusement in his voice. He was a lot bigger than Xavier, though she did know both Collin and Xavier trained in martial arts, nearly every day Cordi went on about how she loved watching Collin, he trained shirtless.

“I think everyone should just calm the hell, down.” It was Cordi and she walked over and put herself between both Conner and Xavier. “I think a proper introduction is needed.”

“Conner Graystone, Heir of the Wandering Moons Corporation. This here is Adam Blakely, my right-hand man.” She heard Conner introduce himself and Adam.

“Collin Chatswood, second heir to the Lake Valley Corporation. That is Xavier, my right-hand man.”

“I’m Cordelia Blackwood, Collins’ fiancé.” Cordi introduced herself. “Now that the formalities are done let’s all just take a breath and relax.” Saw Cordi look right at her and sigh “You confirm they are known to you.”

She just nodded, Cordi and Collin both knew about Conner and her, Cordi had more details but they both knew his name. Knew that Conner and Adam were the ones looking for her to take her back. They’d been there for her conversation with Marlo.

Watched as Conner turned and walked away from them over to where she was, slid his eyes over her “Are you injured, in anyway?”

“Why do you care?” she shot at him.

“Enough with the attitude Eliza, just answer the question for once, please.” He sighed, looked angry but also concerned at the same time.

“I’m not injured, in any way.” She answered him.

“Good. Let’s get your things and go then.”

“What, you can’t just tell me what to do.”

“Alright, alright, alright.” It was Cordi. “Some courtesy would be nice on your part Conner, don’t you think. How about you ask El nicely to go with you.”

“Doesn’t know how to be nice.” Eliza muttered as Adam finally let her go.

El walked inside the house with Cordi, dodged Conners hand when he tried to grab onto her, heard his frustrated huff of annoyance with her. Heard Cordi chuckle at it herself. “Got yourself in a bit of a pickle I see. He’s a big bastard ain’t he.”

“There ain’t no pickle, and yes he is, they all bloody are out there.” She muttered “Do they know each other?”

“Not that I know of, but corporations like their fathers could well be rivals in business. It’s why I insist on the introduction. I kind of figured, with the way you describe that place and how wealthy your stepfather is, there was likely to be a corporation behind him.”

“A large one.” She heard Adam state and turned to see him following them. “I will go where you go for the moment.”

“Why?”

“Because that is what Logan’s orders would be.”

“I don’t care what Logan wants.”

“I don’t know these people, El, please just bare with it for the moment.”

“I have known Cordi since I was like 5. We went to the same school our entire lives.”

That raised his eyebrows, and she heard Cordi chuckle softly as she looked at Adam. Found something amusing, it seemed. She sat on the lounge next to Cordi, who offered Adam a chair.

“I see you’re not so hot-headed as your friend.”

“I am not. I see you’ve got excellent communication skills.” He smiled at her.

“What is going on?” Eliza asked. She was very confused, only understood why Conner and Adam were here, to collect her and take her back.

“Negotiations.” Adam told her as he leaned back in his chair.

“I’m not something to be negotiated.” She shot at him and got up, saw him stand as well. “I’m going to my room, you don’t need to come.”

“I go where you go El, I can help you pack for our trip home.”

“If I don’t want to go?” she shot at him, knew she had to, but that didn’t mean she had to go without a fight.

“Conner is likely to pick you up and put you in his car whether you like it or not. He’s under orders to bring you back.”

“I don’t give a crap, what Conner wants.” She snapped at him and walked off to her room, and found Cordi in there with her a moment later.

“El, I don’t think Conner is going to take no for an answer.”

“I know, he’s an a*****e who does what his daddy tells him to.” She muttered.

Heard Cordi chuckle, they both knew she was going to go back, had to, to retrieve her passport. Saw her sit on the side of the bed and look right at her, “I want to ask you some questions, but now is not the right time.” She sighed, “Call me when you get to the Wandering Moon Corporation, from the privacy of your room, preferably.”

“I hate my life sometimes, Cordi.”

“I know, it’s not fun right now.” She nodded.

Saw her bedroom door open sometime later and Conner was standing right there. His eyes were on Cordi for a long minute, narrowed right on her, then those blue eyes of his moved right to her. “When you’re ready, Eliza, we will take our leave.”

“I’m not ready Conner, could take me hours to pack.” She shot at him.

Saw his jaw tighten “Please don’t make this difficult Eliza, come with me. Your mother is worried about you.”

“That does not mean I want to go anywhere with you.”

“I understand my last words to you were severely harsh. I apologise for them. Now please can we pack and go.”

“What’s the rush?”

Saw him take a deep breath in, and stare right at her for a long moment. “Fine, when you are ready, Eliza. I will be out the front waiting for you.” he stated, and then just turned and walked away from the doorway. Probably the nicest thing he’d ever said to her, no sarcasm or tone in that sentence at all.

Sighed and flopped down on the bed, “I hate having to go back. Knowing he’s there.” She muttered and found Cordi’s hand snapped over her mouth, frowned at her and pulled her hand away “what?”

“You shouldn’t say things like that, some people have good hearing.”

“It’s not like he cares, Cordi.” She stared up at the ceiling as that familiar pain inside her chest welled up once more, stared up at the ceiling for a long time, didn’t say anything at all, found Cordi right there next to her, hugged her and murmured softly, barely above a whisper “If s**t gets really bad just call, Collin and I will come get you.”