Chasing His Kickass Luna Back

Chapter 0173

Abby

Karl and I burst into the restaurant, a gust of fresh air sweeping in with us as the door swings shut

behind.

Our clothes are still wet, covered in mud, and clinging uncomfortably to our skin, but the euphoria

coursing through my veins easily overcomes any discomfort that I might be feeling. The kitchen,

already in full swing for the day, is a cacophony of noise.

John looks up from behind the line, his knife poised mid-air over a bunch of fresh herbs. His brows knit

together as he takes in our disheveled state.

“Where the hell have you both been?”

Without uttering a word, I slide my satchel off my shoulder and set it onto the counter with a triumphant

grin. My heart pounds in my chest as I untie the flap, feeling a surge of triumph course through my

veins.

Turning the bag upside-down, I silently let the truffles tumble out in a glorious cascade.

John’s eyes go wide, giving him a comical look. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him this shocked, except for

the one time that one of the waitresses dropped his prized braised lamb all over the floor before the

plate even made it out of the kitchen.

He rushes around the counter, hands trembling slightly as he picks one of the mushrooms up, bringing

it closer to inspect it carefully. “Is this... a black truffle?”

Tears spring into my eyes as I nod. “Yes, John. Black truffles.”

He’s still holding the truffle, but now he's also holding his breath and staring at us, clearly waiting for an

explanation.

“We, uh… had to go off the beaten path,” Karl starts, a tremor in his voice from the lingering adrenaline

of our escape. I can tell he’s reliving it all, just like me. “Through poacher territory, believe it or not.”

“We found a waterfall, and behind it... a cave,” I continue, feeling a chill run up my spine as I recount

the experience. I’ll probably be reliving it for a long time to come. “A cave full of these bad boys.

Artificial lights, the whole setup.”

John’s eyes grow wider with each passing second that I tell the fragments of our story.

“So you… stole from poachers?” he asks once we’ve finished.

I nod, maybe a little more excitedly than I mean to. “Look, I know it’s bad,” I begin, “but—”

“Bad?” John interrupts, his voice incredulous. “You guys could’ve been caught! Or worse!”

Karl nods with a grave expression on his face. “And we almost were. They had guards. With guns. And

dogs. We had to run like our lives depended on it.” Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Because our lives did depend on it,” I add, the words heavy but true. “We ran up the ravine, through

the woods, across clearings, through thickets. We were followed, we heard the dogs. I thought we were

gonna die, honestly. But we made it. We got to the car and drove away.”

Silence envelops the kitchen for a few moments as John absorbs the gravity of what we’ve just told

him. Then, finally, he exhales. His voice is shaky.

“I can’t believe you two idiots did that. But I’m just glad you’re okay,” he says, setting the truffle down

like it’s a rare artifact, and I guess it sort of is.

I feel a warm sensation spreading through me, mingling with lingering feelings of adrenaline. I glance at

Karl. His eyes meet mine, and through the exhaustion and the dirt coating his face, I can see

something else there. Something softer, something that makes me soften a little, too.

“I… I couldn’t have done it without Karl,” I find myself murmuring.

Karl stares at me for a moment in shock, but then, a soft smile tugs at the corners of his lips. He

doesn’t need to utter the words, because I already know what he’s saying.

We did it. Together.

…

We’re in the kitchen after hours again. It’s been a long and exhausting day, but I’m far too wired to go

home and sleep right now, and it seems that neither are Karl or John.

I look at over John, his eyes locked in concentration as he lays out the ingredients on the counter. Karl

is perched on a stool off to the side, arms crossed, watching us intently.