Stella's words hung in the air for hardly a moment before Luna rushed to my defense.

"She literally knows nothing more than that, mother. She's not involved in this in any way."

"And yet, here she is," her mother countered. "And that means she's involved with you, which is even worse."

Luna bared her teeth, clearly forcing herself to hold back. Stella just kept an easy smile, her gaze yet to move away from me. Even without looking at her, she knew when her daughter was about to speak and interrupted her.

"We're nearly at the manor, so we'll pick this up over dinner. Am I understood?"

Neither Luna nor I answered her, which seemed to be exactly what Stella wanted. We traveled the rest of the way in pregnant silence, but that didn't stop Stella from helping herself to the limousine's mini-bar.

The driver eventually parked at the front of a resplendent mansion, complete with a courtyard, fountain, and gate. It was hard to believe that this estate, which put even Faye's home to great shame, was merely a secondary property of Stella's. It was increasingly difficult to deny that I really was about to have dinner with an infamous crime lord.

Our driver got out and opened the door for his lady, and seemed quite relieved when she didn't acknowledge him in the slightest. Before Luna and I even got out he had returned to the driver's seat, impatient for us to leave. I nearly had to jog to catch up to and keep up with Stella's pace. We turned down one hallway, then another, and arrived at a dining hall, a veritable feast already prepared and waiting. The staff appeared, removing lids and bringing out the more sensitive dishes now that the lady of the house had arrived. This finished she waved them away, then to my great surprise gestured to the seats on either side of her place at the head of the table.

"Come, sit. I don't pay these chefs for nothing; the food is to die for..."

With that dubious invitation, Luna and I sat across from each other, beside her mother. I waited a moment to see if there were any pre-meal rituals, but Stella dug in quickly, packing food away at an alarming rate. Luna hardly touched her plate, but she didn't refrain entirely, so I assumed it wasn't poisoned. In fact, it was incredible. A finely cooked steak, perfectly seasoned vegetables, in house-baked bread, and a dizzying array of appetizers and mid-course meals had me feeling full very quickly. It was such a pleasant experience that I nearly forgot where I was.

"Did you enjoy your meal, Norma?" Stella asked sweetly.

"Y-yes, I did, thank you."

"Wonderful. My driver will take you home, then."

"Huh? But-"

"You asked to have dinner with my daughter. I granted your request, did I not?"

The way she spoke now was eerily similar to the way Luna used to tease me back at school. She knew exactly what she wanted to say - all this preamble to lead me along to the point, it was just a game to her. I had no choice but to play along.

"Well, yes..."

"I'm so happy I was able to facilitate your final moments together. As it happens, that's the only favour I ask in return - more for your sake than my own, because I'm simply that generous: Do not approach or speak to her ever again, and keep everything you learned about our family a secret."

I glanced at Luna. Despite all of her talk of cutting and running for my sake, she seemed oddly hesitant about encouraging me to go along with it now. I smiled.

"I'm afraid I'm unable accept your offer. Luna simply means too much to me to agree to that."

Stella returned my smile, but the malice in her eyes was incredibly unnerving.

Who does this girl think she is? Stella thought. I've negotiated with rival lords with less spine than her! Well, no matter. At the end of the day she's only a child. This ought to be enough to scare her into somebody more agreeable...

In one swift motion Stella unholstered a concealed pistol, training it right between my eyes. I instantly felt cold sweat all over my body. Luna's eyes narrowed to slits.

Just give me a reason, mother. Give me the reason I've always wanted to kill you...

Luna tightened the muscles in her body in exactly the way she'd need for them to move to reach the gun in time, but before she could spring into action, Norma's voice suddenly surprised both of them.

"Put the gun down, Stella. Please."

It was hardly much of a request, made at a perfectly normal volume and lacking in emotion of any kind. For reasons she didn't understand Stella complied, holstering the weapon immediately.

I've had dozens - from sniveling wimps to cold-blooded killers - ask me to do the exact same thing, Stella thought to herself in a daze. To get where I am today I made a vow to myself - I won't take losses. Not financially, not to my men, and least of all to my reputation. I've ended people I had no intention to actually kill just for daring to make such demands of me. So... why...? Why can't I stand the idea of this girl getting hurt...?

Changing targets, Luna used the tension in her body to spring into me, wrapping me in her arms. I was just as stunned as the crime lord was by what had happened and didn't react.

"Norma," Stella said quietly. "I'll ensure Luna stays here, just like she wants. I'll provide everything she needs and do whatever it takes to make amends. I just want one thing from you."

"...what's that?"

"A favour. At the time of my choosing, I will call on you, and you will drop whatever you're doing and accompany me. I will ensure your safety, and no one has to get hurt - that much I promise you. Do we have a deal?"

Luna could hardly believe her ears. What could possibly have her mother offering to turn a complete 180 like this, when she'd been one of the primary sources of fear for her entire life!?

I shook my head a few times to regain my senses, then turned to look Luna in the eyes.

"What should I do...?"

"I don't know!" She cried. "I... I don't know..."

Luna seemed extremely uncertain. We went from having our lives threatened to getting what we wanted offered to us on a silver platter. I couldn't help but be suspicious.

"I don't understand... what could I possibly have to offer someone like you?" I asked incredulously.

Stella struggled to mask her excitement. She doesn't even realize the power she wields... Incredible. I can't believe my luck! No one on the planet can claim to have a trump card like this...!

"I simply want you to act as a negotiator on my behalf. A fresh perspective is just what I need in my organization, but I want to save your insight for when I really need it. As I've already mentioned, I'll be with you every step of the way and no harm will come to you when I come to collect - you have my word as Donna Stella Reclipse."

I thought Luna would scoff at this, but she seemed surprised. Perhaps Stella didn't give her word like this very often.

This is definitely too good to be true. But if agreeing to this proposal can help turn Luna's life around, I'll do it. Even if... No, I'll think about that later.

"Alright, Stella. I agree to your terms."

"Good. Let's shake on it, then..."

With terrible eagerness, Stella took my hand and shook it a single time. She seemed absolutely giddy as she backed away from me, turning to Luna and regarding her properly for the first time today.

"I'm... sorry, Luna. I don't expect you to forgive me, but I can at least try to make your life a little less miserable from now on. What do you say?"

Luna glared at her mother before giving in with a sigh.

"I can't believe you'll change this quickly out of any genuine concern for me, but I won't refuse the olive branch outright."

"Good enough. Then I'll leave you girls to spend some time together."

"Oh... do you need my number, Stella?" I asked, realizing we hadn't exchanged any contact info.

"Huh? Oh, that's cute. I already have everything I need, darling. You can expect to hear from me."

Luna reacted like she'd been slapped in the face at her mother's use of her pet name for me. It was probably a coincidence, but knowing what I did about Stella, it very well might have been calculated. Either way, she sauntered off to the courtyard, probably to get a ride elsewhere for the night.

"You did it! I don't know how, but you did it! Oh, there's nothing stopping us from being together now, my d a r l i n g~!"

She emphasized the word, as if to reclaim it from her mother, and she was borderline euphoric with how our strange little meeting had turned out. But even though Luna and I were now alone in her mansion, having received exactly what we had come here to fight for in the first place, I felt extremely apprehensive.

"Luna... I'm happy too, but didn't that seem a little too easy? What exactly does she want with me?"

Having been asked to actually contend with reality, Luna's 'smile' fell from her face as she was forced to consider.

"I can't even imagine..."

She blushed suddenly.

"Y-you don't think she finds you... attractive!? I mean, I can see why she would, but, ugh, I can't stand the thought of it! W-whatever disgusting plans she has for you don't matter, though! You find her utterly repugnant, don't you, darling?"

Physically, I couldn't say I did. She was slim yet curvy and looked like Luna twenty years from now, if she hadn't had albinism. Going off of that, Luna herself would be even more of a MILF by then.

"In terms of personality? Absolutely."

Luna seemed oddly relieved, as if my running away with her mother had been even remotely possible. This rare side of her was pretty cute.

"Let's put that aside for a moment. What I'm trying to say is, it felt like when I told her to put the gun away, she couldn't resist. I didn't expect it to work - I mean she's a seasoned crime lord for god's sake - but I just acted without thinking, and yet she actually did it, immediately."

"...well, yes, but I don't think she was actually going to shoot. If I did think that, she wouldn't still be alive."

Jesus, Luna! I get that you're wild about me, but just casually mentioning that you'd murder your own mother without hesitation based on a hunch is giving me shivers like crazy!

"She probably wasn't going to pull the trigger, but you and I both know that she would have toyed with me for as long as it took for me to piss my pants and give in to her demands. You don't pull out a gun just to holster it again. There's something weird going on..."

Luna laughed.

"What, like you can telepathically control people? Be serious, Norma."

My mind started racing like mad.

I had always wanted more attention from Mae, and then I suddenly got much more than I bargained for.

I had always wanted to reconnect with Quin, and then I was abducted by her.

I was saved in the cafeteria by Raine, and subconsciously wanted to see her again. Then when I was attacked by that pretty university girl (who I also might have unwittingly influenced to approach me!?), Raine conveniently intervened, as if she had been watching out for me.

And Luna... her mania for me, like a fantasy ripped straight out of my yandere manga, might be nothing more than...

I couldn't help but back away from Luna in fear. Not for my own well being. For hers.

"Why, what's the matter, darling?"

I just shook my head, unable to speak to her right now. With shaky hands I pulled out my phone and called my father.

"Yello?"

"Dad. Come get me. Please."

"Of course, honey. I'm on my way."

The line dropped...

I had never told him the address.