Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 190

“You both need to listen to me,” I begin, and instantly, Chloe’s eyes flash.

“No one is going to listen to you,” Chloe hisses. “You need to leave.”

“Let her talk, Chloe,” Leah interjects, her voice softer than I expected.

Shooting Leah a thankful look, I take a deep breath and steel myself. “Guys, you need to give Karl another chance. He’s helped me so much lately, and I’m tired of pretending that he’s still just some jerk with no feelings.”

Leah raises an eyebrow. “Helped you? Abby, the guy’s trouble. He’s toxic. He’s—”

“He’s also put his life on the line for me,” I cut in, my voice urgent. “He almost got himself shot, multiple times, over some stupid truffles I needed for the competition. He’s been here through it all, putting aside his own needs—”

Chloe’s eyes flicker, but her voice is unyielding. “That doesn’t even begin to excuse everything he’s done. He divorced you over bullshit, Abby. And he bribed Adam into breaking up with you. Hell if Adam was gay! Karl would have done it either way!”

“Yes, maybe he would have,” I agree. “And yes, maybe it doesn’t excuse everything. But it adds layers, Chloe. Layers to a person you’ve filed away as a simple problem. We all have our baggage, our bad decisions. Lord knows I’ve made mine, and you’ve made yours.”

The room goes quiet, the tension so palpable I could cut it with a knife. Then Leah speaks, cautiously, as if testing the water. “So, you’re saying we should just accept Karl because you think he’s changed?”

I shake my head. “No, Leah, I’m saying that it’s my choice to spend time with him, to see if he’s really trying to change or not. What I can’t accept is an ultimatum from my best friends because they disagree with my life. That’s not friendship. That’s control.”

Chloe’s face is unreadable. “And if your choices put you at risk? What then, Abby? Do we just stand by and watch?”

Finally, almost imperceptibly, Chloe nods.

“Maybe you’re right,” she says quietly. “We’ve all made mistakes, and it’s not fair to pin everything on one decision, one person.”

“So, we’re good?” I ask cautiously, hardly daring to breathe.

Leah looks at Chloe, then back at me, her eyes bright but cautious. “Maybe not just yet,” she murmurs. “But we’ll try.”

And just like that, the tension breaks. I step forward, my eyes meeting theirs in silent understanding, before we all move at once, colliding in a tangle of arms and tears and relief.