I Am The Luna

| Am The Luna by Moonlight Muse Chapter 32 A Motel Room ZAIA. “Alright, keep your head down. There are no cameras, but still. I'll go ask for a room.” We had finally found a dingy motel after driving around for a bit, but it was better than nothing. If it wasn’t for Sebastian's keen sense of direction, we would still be out in the storm.

“Rooms.” | correct. “Room with twin beds. Besides from the lights on in the windows, | think they are already pretty packed.” I roll my eyes. “Mhmm, this isn’t a cliché romance where they will be out of rooms,” | whisper. “Two rooms.” He givesa pointed look before he walks off to the desk.

He speaks quietly to the half-asleep man behind the counter before he is given a key.

Wait what? Key? I'm about to open my mouth when he approaches, but he places his finger on my lips. “They have only one room, it's that or the car with no shower.” He says, looking down. at me. “So, what will it be, feisty pants? Because I'm definitely not taking the car.” | clench my jaw. This is not possible! “You only asked for one room,” | mutter. Being alone in a room with Sebastian is not wise. Not in any way. “I didn’t but feel free to go ask him yourself ... but it’s obvious you don’t trust yourself to be in a room alone with me.” He whispers. mockingly, as he bends down and smirks.” Correctif I'm wrong, Ms. Toussaint.” “Oh please, it is your snoring that gets to me, actually,” | mutter as | glance at the key in his hand. Room 19, second floor...

We make our way up the navy-carpeted stairs and Bo * to room 19. We unlock the door and step inside.

I flip the switch on and, to my relief; the room is far better than | was thinking it would be.

Especially with the stains on the walls in the foyer, and the worn-out battered carpet, but it was pretty clean or at least looked it. Right now, I'm grateful for anything. My eyes fall on the narrow double bed that takes up most of the room and Sebastian almost bumps into me.

“Do you plan to move, or are you waiting forto carry you to the bed?” He asks mockingly. | frown and move forward as he enters and shuts the door. Suddenly, he looks too big in the small room.

“There's one bed,” | state the obvious. He cocks a brow, tossing the bag onto the small dresser that sits near one wall and begins to undress. 1 “Sebastian!” | say, my heart skipping a beat, when his body comes into view, and | realise the tattoo covers his back too. It’s... s3xy...

He's about to reply when we hear sounds, and it’s louder than the violent storm outside. “Ah! Harder!” The sounds of faint moans and thudding makesfreeze.

I look up at Sebastian sharply, and by the look on his face, he heard it tob. We both turn, glancing at the wall behind the bed.

Oh Goddess... don’t tellthe neighbours are getting it on. The tension in the room thickens, and neither of us speaks for a second, but the moaning simply gets louder.

“Oh baby, fuck my pu$$y!” “I'm going to take a shower, at this rate, we're going to get ill and since you are too worried about the one bed, I'll go first,” he replies curtly, brushing past me.

The door slams shut and I sigh heavily.

How mortifying! Feeling cold and sticky, | look down at myself. Wearing wet clothes and being stuck in the car for a few hours in said wet clothes was not a good idea.

The moaning and banging continue and | pat my cheeks. Shaking my head, | walk over to the wall, tempted to knock on it and tell them to keep it down, but | hesitate.

“Don’t be jealous just because you haven't had any action in ages, Zaia...” | mutter. Trying to drown them out, | take my phone out and dial Mom's number again. My heart skips a beat when the phone starts ringing! I have connection! “Zaia!” Mom's voice comes in a hushed, worried tone. “Hey Mom, I'm so sorry, but the weather. has forcedto stop at a hotel for the night.” Well, not really a hotel...

“Oh, thank the goddess, at least you are alright. The little ones have been asking about you.” Mom says quietly.

Her voice isn’t great, and the connection kept breaking.

Guilt rushes through me, and | tilt my head. “Tell them I'm sorry. Are they awake?” | glance at the time, but | don’t think they will be, it's way past their bedtime.

“Oh, they're asleep now, but don’t worry, | told them you are working. | am glad you called Zaia. | was close to alerting the guards and your father. | thought something may have gone wrong.” My stomach twists at the thought. “No Mom, don’t tell anyone. Even if you can’t reach me, don’t tell anyone.” “I know, | know, | was worried. How is Valerie?” My heart squeezes and | sigh. “I have a lot to tell you when | get back,” | say quietly.

“Understood. Do you want to see the children on video call?” she asks, her voice breaking up with static. “The connection isn’t great, Mom, but senda picture?” | say as the howling wind batters against the window.

“I will do that now. Take care of yourself, Zaia.” We end the call and | hold on to it as | wait for Mom's picture, but | lose the connection, the small ‘no signal’ sign at the top glaring back at me.

Sighing, | place my phone down and take my charge out to plug it in. My stomach rumbles and | place a hand on it. | haven't eaten all day. And we don’t have any spare clothes. Just great.

| walk over to the closet and open it. There are a few mix-matched hangers and a few clean towels which | am truly grateful for, but that’s it.

What do | sleep in?! Fuck! I'm soaked through! I'm stressing out when the bathroom door opens, and a waft of steam and warmth fills the room that reveals Sebastian in nothing but a towel. Looking damn fine. Damn! If | don’t have clothes, neither does | sigh, turning away and run my fingers through my hair.

“I need clothes,” | say, “I don’t really have any, but I've hung my clothes out to dry,” He says as he opens his bag, taking out his clothes from earlier. Oh, how | wish one of us thought about backup clothes! “Here, it's the best | have, and it’s partially dry,” he says, holding out the rumpled white shirt he had worn earlier. | want to refuse but | have nothing to wear...

| take it hesitantly, my heart thuds as a stabbing brain rushes through me... 1 He used to always givehis shirt after s3x. The neighbours are still at it, and I quickly look away. My breath hitches and | exhale slowly, watching as he takes out his pants and jacket and hangs them on the hangers in the closet. “Go shower, Zaia, you're going to catch a cold.” Our eyes meet, and the concern in his eyes throwsoff. | turn away when my stomach rumbles and | feel my cheeks burn. Grabbing a towel, | power walk to the bathroom, slamming the door shut behindand locking it.

| hear him chuckle and hate how my stomach flip-flops. Closing my eyes for a second before | look around the small steamed-up bathroom. | place the towel down, examining the shirt.

It is pretty dry... | hang it on the broken hook behind the door, before | strip out of my clothes, glancing over at Sebastian's, which were still dripping water even though he had spread them out. That won't do anything if the water isn’t drained...

Sighing, | grab them and run swater in the tiny tub before rinsing the clothes with a bit of shampoo.

Once | was satisfied, | wrung them out until | couldn't squeeze any more water out and hung them over the sink and the shower rail to try, hoping that by tomorrow they'll be wearable.

| look at my brown lace thong and bra and wondered why | chose to wear this tiny skimpy set today of all days....

| give them a good rub between my towel before hanging them behind the door. There is no way I’m going to go out there without them.

| get into the bath, drawing the worn-out shower curtain and switch it on, letting the hot water run through my hair and over my body. Never has a shower felt so damn good...

| stay under there for far too long. I've washed already but | refuse to step out. My fingers have wrinkled, and the entire bathroom is full of steam. I'm going to have to go out there and face him...

He's only in a towel...

| close my eyes, leaning against the tiled wall and thinking of that small room Where will we sleep? | mean, the only other place is the narrow entrance in front of the door. | could put two towels on the floor...

My stomach rumbles again when there's a knock on the door. “Yeah!” | shout, flinching at my own loud voice.

“You have been in there a while, are you ok?” “Yes,” | reply. Turning the tap off, | step out and wrap my towel around myself.

“Alright.” | sigh softly, knowing I'm going to have to face this one way or another. Drying myself, | slip my damp lingerie back on and his shirt on top.

It smells like him...

| lift the fabric and raise it to my nose, inhaling softly. My favourite scent. | glance at the door, still hesitating to get out there.

| wipe the steam away from the small mirror that hangs above the sink and run my fingers through my hair.

Alright, get out there...

Taking one final breath, | re-enter the bedroom, towelling my hair as I try to act as normal as possible, but the sight beforeis not one | was expecting...

Sebastian is leaning against the headboard, sprawled across the bed, one leg raised, yet the towel is covering anything from showing, with his phone in hand.

The room suddenly feels too hot as my eyes snap to him. He sawlooking. Fuck.

“You can have the bed,” | state, as | walk to the closet and grab another towel, tossing it on the floor quickly before | grab a pillow.

This shirt isn’t long enough, and | want to quickly cover up. He's silent for far too long. | glance over at him, to see his eyes are pure silver and they're fixed on me...

Raking overas if he’s mentally undressing me. | tug at the hem of the shirt, pressing my thighs together.

“What's in that bag?” | ask, looking anywhere but at him. Spotting the white paper bags that sit on the bedside table. “I managed to get sfood for us.” He says as he sits up. “Con over. Let's dine.” His choice of words unsettles me, and as much as | don't trust us on the sbed, | can’t say no to food.

On the plus side at least, the neighbours have stopped their nighttactivities! I sit down gingerly, making sure my shirt keepscovered and begin opening the bag.

My stomach rumbles and takes out the deli wraps, the smell inviting. “Oh, | am starving.” | moan as | pass him one packet and tear into the second. | bite into it without waiting for him.

He's oddly quiet, but | really don’t mind. | pick up my phone and my heart skips a beat when | see the notification that Mom has sent two images.

“My babies...” | whisper as | unlock the phone and look down at the pictures. Zion is asleep, his mouth hanging open, with the bedding a mess, whilst Sia is sleeping with her hand tucked under her face, her other arm around her teddy.

| can feel him watching me, and | slowly look up and then back down at my phone.

“Can | see?” He asks quietly, his eyes now blue. | nod slowly and hold my phone out. “Zion and Sia,” | whisper, feeling my eyes sting with tears, watching him carefully. “Our babies.” His heart is racing as he stares down at the picture of Zion.

“You named him Zion...” He murmurs.

I don’t reply, there's no excuse. That was the nhe had chosen for our future son... and there was no other nthat suited our little boy. He scrolls to Sia’s image, and his grip on the phone tightens.

“Sia... theyre beautiful names... Z and S... just like us,” he says quietly. We could have been a perfect family...

“I ruined everything. I'm so fucking sorry, Zaia.” But it's not his words that hithard, but the emotions in his eyes when he finally looks up and meets my gaze. Emotions of a man who truly regrets his actions.