Chapter 8 For Me

• Luna POV
• I walk around the store with Lucy, browsing through the racks of lingerie, holding up different outfits to show her. Every time I slip into something new, I step out of the dressing room to get her opinion. I’ve also been taking pictures and sending them to Justin, partly as a tease and partly to make sure he knows I want him to come over tonight. Alone. That’s the hope, anyway.
• I step out of the dressing room in a particularly daring piece—a black bra with cutouts, perfectly framing my nipples, leaving nothing to the imagination. Lucy’s eyes light up.
• “That one! Hell yes, but ditch the thong. Get peephole ones instead—trust me, it’ll drive him crazy,” she says with a mischievous grin.
• I laugh and nod, heading back into the changing room. I switch out the regular thong for a more scandalous one, and when I’m done, we finally leave the store. The adrenaline of planning something exciting with Justin still buzzes through me, and I feel a spark of hope. Maybe this will change things between us.
• “So, are you ready for tonight?” Lucy asks, walking beside me as we make our way back to the cars.
• “Yeah, I think so,” I reply, a little less sure than I want to sound. “If he goes too quick again, I’ll say something this time. I’ll tell him to slow down, or at least make him aware that I need more. Even if it’s just playing with myself after. I can’t keep letting him brush me off.”
• Lucy gives me a quick hug before we part ways, encouraging me with a bright smile. I feel better, more confident, as I drive home. But when I reach my front door, my heart skips a beat. There’s a box sitting on my doorstep, neatly wrapped with a large red bow. Shit.
• Do I even want to open this? I don’t know if I can handle another weird gift from my stalker. I lift the box and carry it inside, more because I don’t want to linger outside if he’s watching. Locking the door behind me, I place the box on the table, the tension in my chest rising. Please don’t be something awful... like a dead animal. I stare at the box, hesitating, but eventually reach for the note attached to it.
• Happy Birthday. I hope this cheers you up. You looked rather frustrated this morning.
• I feel a chill crawl down my spine. He saw me this morning? I untie the bow with shaky hands, pulling open the lid. My eyes widen in shock. Inside the box, curled up on a small blanket, is a puppy. A real, live puppy. I reach in cautiously, and the tiny creature stirs, blinking up at me. Relief washes over me—it’s alive.
• Damn this man. My emotions are a mess. Part of me wants to smile and melt at the sight of the little thing, but the other part of me screams that this is so wrong. I can’t enjoy a gift from my stalker, even if it’s an adorable puppy. But as I hold the small bundle of fur, I can’t help but soften.
• I lift the collar and check the tag. Little Bear. He named it Little Bear? I let out a short, surprised laugh despite myself. “So, Little Bear, any chance you can talk and tell me who my stalker is?” I murmur, cradling the puppy as it wriggles in my arms.
• The reality of the situation hits me. I have nothing for the puppy—no food, no bed, no toys. Sighing, I set Little Bear down and walk to the kitchen, grabbing a small bowl and filling it with water. Has it even been fed today? The thought makes my stomach turn.
• “Alright, Little Bear,” I say, scooping it back up, “I guess we’re going shopping.”
• I head back out, locking the door behind me, the puppy perched on my lap as I drive to the pet store. Inside, I wander aimlessly, unsure of where to even begin.
• “Can I help you?” A store employee smiles at me, handing me a basket.
• “Yeah, actually, do you know what kind of dog this is?” I ask, holding up Little Bear.
• She takes a closer look. “Looks like a Papillon. Didn’t the person who gave him to you tell you?”
• “Uh, no... she was a gift,” I reply awkwardly.
• “He, not she,” the woman corrects me with a laugh. “Looks like you weren’t expecting him.”
• I smile weakly. “Nope, no warning at all. I don’t have anything for him.”
• “Don’t worry, I’ll help you get everything you need,” she says kindly, guiding me through the store. Before I know it, my cart is filled with more items for the puppy than I’ve bought for myself all year. I guess that’s what happens when you don’t expect a new pet.
• Once home, I set everything up for Little Bear, my mind racing as I try to figure out how to explain this to Justin. I snap a picture of the puppy and type out a message:
• Warning... When you come over tonight, there’s a puppy. Courtesy of my totally not creepy stalker.
• I hit send and feel the weight of it settle in. This is too much, even for me. I make myself some food, eat quickly, and then hop in the shower. Afterward, I slip into the lingerie I bought earlier, snap a picture, and send it to Justin with a caption:
• Waiting for you to arrive!
• He’d confirmed earlier that he’d come over right after work, but now it’s been a while, and there’s still no reply. Trying to shake off the unease creeping in, I grab a drink and sit down with Little Bear, opening my book to distract myself.
• A buzz from my phone sends a jolt of excitement through me, but when I open the message, my stomach drops.
• You brought it in? Leave it outside. Don’t accept gifts from him.
• My brows furrow in confusion. What? He ignored my nearly-naked picture to complain about the puppy?
• It’s a puppy, Justin! I can’t just leave it outside. It’ll die.
• I wait for his response, but when my phone buzzes again, I feel a pit growing in my stomach.
• Then enjoy the company of your stalker’s pet. I’m not coming.
• I stare at the screen in disbelief. Is he serious? I feel my hands shaking as I pour the rest of my drink down my throat, fighting the sudden tears welling up in my eyes. How could he be so cold about this? It’s a puppy, for God’s sake.
• Feeling utterly deflated, I grab another drink and sink into the chair, Little Bear curling up in my lap. The day has taken a strange, unsettling turn, and now I’m left alone with a puppy and a deep sense of disappointment. My body feels heavy, and before I know it, I’ve fallen asleep, cradling the puppy in my arms.