Chapter 9

Dylan

I lumbered into the loft: the open-plan office was where I spent a large portion of time. The Starsmoon kept a complex of buildings here in which to manage our various businesses.

We ran a diverse range of trades, which allowed our community to be autonomous and sustain us. We managed a few farms, a large amount of forestry, and a timber and silage business. All of these things required day- to-day admin tasks.

Yet, I couldn’t focus on the dozen or so tasks that had racked up because all I could think about washer.

Cherry.

And the spectacular mess I’d made of things. I hadn’t thought it could get any worse than playing house and being trapped in a life I didn’t want. Well, it could. And it had. Through drunken sex, and my life had reached the breaking point.

I swept a hand tiredly across my face, still feeling groggy from the party two nights’ ago. I didn’t usually drink much. A beer or two with Bert or the other guys in the pack was usually the limit. Whereas at the party,