Chasing His Kickass Luna Back novel Chapter 212

“I’m just so tired of it, Karl,” I murmur into his chest, a sob quaking my body.

Karl holds me for a few long moments, his hand rubbing my back as I sob into his chest. But when the sobs finally subside, and I slowly lift my head to look up at him, his gaze is fixed sternly on the wall behind us.

“I’ll handle this,” he says, his eyes narrowed and jaw set in a way that sends a jolt of worry through me.

“No, Karl, don’t—” But it’s too late. Extricating himself from me, he tugs his mask back over his face. Then he’s out the door, the bouquet of flowers still lying forgotten on the floor.

My heart pounds in my chest as I race after him, my feet barely touching the carpet. I round the corner to see him already confronting Daniel, who’s standing near the food table in the main room where the other contestants, their friends and families, and various staff are milling about.

There’s a plastic smile frozen on his face, but it fades as Karl storms up to her.

“What gives you the right to badmouth Abby?” Karl’s voice cuts through the air like a knife, and everyone, contestants and crew alike, turns to look.

“Excuse me? And who might you be?” Daniel sneers, taking in Karl’s surgical mask and casual clothes.

“This isn’t about who I am; this is about you and how you treat others,” Karl says, his voice laced with disapproval.

Daniel laughs, a hollow sound that does nothing to hide the edge in his voice. “I think everyone would like to know who's hiding behind the mask before we can take him seriously.”

“And frankly,” she says, staring pointedly at Daniel, “you’re lucky I don’t give you a formal warning for gossipy behavior.”

For a moment, nobody says anything. It’s as if Vanessa’s words have sucked all the air out of the room. Finally, Daniel tilts his chin up defiantly, his eyes meeting mine for a fleeting second before turning away.

“Hmph,” he mutters, his shoes clicking against the floor as he stalks away, his exit as dramatic as everything else about him.

Finally, with Daniel gone, the focus shifts again. Now it’s on me, standing in the doorway, with my tear-streaked makeup and a stray flower petal stuck to the side of my shoe.

And I have no idea what to say.