Chasing His Kickass Luna Back by Jane Above Story

#Chapter 62: Too Much To Ask
The door to Abby’s office swings shut behind me, and my mind races as I walk back into the kitchen.

First, she asks me to make nice with Chloe, and now this? Apprenticing under John, of all people? A

guy I can’t even stand to be in the same room with?

“Karl, grab the veal from the fridge. Now.” John’s voice snaps me back to reality, jarring and grating as

ever.

I grab the veal and set it on the counter, taking a moment to steel myself. I’m doing this for Abby, I

remind myself. As if sensing my inner turmoil, Abby glances over at me from across the kitchen.

Our eyes meet for just a second, but it’s enough. I nod subtly. I can do this.

The dinner rush starts, and the kitchen turns into a whirlwind of flying knives and sizzling pans. John

wastes no time in laying into me.

“Come on, Karl, chop those onions faster! We don’t have all day!”

My knuckles whiten around the knife handle, but I force a smile. “Sure, John, whatever you say.”

Dinner service rushes on like a torrential river, and I’m just trying to keep my head above water. Each

critique from John feels like another weight pulling me down, but I keep reminding myself why I’m here,

who I’m here for.

The clock ticks past nine, and the last orders are finally up. John looks at me, a satisfied smirk

spreading across his face. “Not a complete disaster, I suppose.”

My jaw clenches, my fists curl, but I refuse to let the torrent out. Abby’s eyes catch mine again, her

gaze searching. I look away. I can’t let her see how much this is getting to me.

And that’s when it happens. One small, insignificant straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back.

“Karl, you idiot! These steaks are overcooked! Do you even know what medium-rare looks like?” John

spits the words out, his face

All the pent-up frustration,

pride—it all comes rushing

That’s it.

barely contained fury. I

was standing before, only to realize that she’s

now met with nothing but a

deep, ragged breath, I throw my apron down onto the counter. “Cook the

growl, more to myself than anyone else, and storm

the back door into the alley, my chest heaving. The cold night air

cigarette and light it, drawing the smoke deep into my lungs as if

gaping void

my mind reeling. What the hell am I doing? All of this,

John’s relentless cr ap—it’s all for her. For Abby.

it all, I want her back

exhaling slowly as I stare up at the sliver of night

feel,

I want to break free, to tell John to shove it, to tell Abby that this is

Because deep down, as much as it galls me to

right, to prove that I’m not the same guy

back against the cold, unforgiving wall of the

from within, not from my human

shares my consciousness.

is it now?” I murmur under my breath,

a ss, Karl,” my wolf’s voice echoes in my head, clear as day. “This John

your buttons on purpose. You just have to push

know, I know,” I reply silently, a conversation taking place entirely within the confines of my

prove I can be part of her world. But

do. It’ll just be for a while longer,

though?” I ask. “It

question I’ve been asking myself ever since I walked out of Abby’s office earlier

neck out, be the bigger man and tolerate John for Abby’s sake.

that I’m trying, really trying,

see,” my wolf reassures me, as if reading my thoughts. “She’ll realize you’re making

you’re putting her needs

worming its way into

my old mistakes? What if I’m

who broke her heart?