Page 49 of Fractured Constellations
Blade’s truck is waiting, a valet handing Chase the keys as Blade strides down the steps. I rush ahead, whooping, which makes Luna laugh that wonderful sound again that I will treasure always.
I open the door for Blade, and he carefully climbs in, placing Luna in the middle as I rush around to the other side and climb in.
“Bastards,” Chase utters, and I just laugh, giving him one of my shit-eating grins.
“Snooze, you lose, bro,” I quip back as I shut the door and buckle in before Chase starts the truck.
Luna’s head finds my shoulder as we drive away, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. My hand grasps hers, tangling our fingers together.
“First battle down, Moonbeam. We’ve got your back for all the rest.”
“I know,” she says sleepily, her head getting heavy as exhaustion washes over her and she falls asleep.
We drive in silence, and I memorize the weight of her against me, knowing with absolute certainty that I will carry her through anything that comes next. She’s the missing part of me, part of us all. Our world was incomplete without her, and I won’t go back to that.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“HOME - LIVE AT ST PANCRAS OLD CHURCH” BY FREYA RIDINGS
LUNA
The triplets take care of me for the next week, one or all of them by my side as I go through the dreadful side effects of the chemo. Being home is a vast improvement compared to being at the hospital, because everything is familiar and comforting here. We spend the time watching movies or lounging by the pool, me under a shade and covered up, them in swim shorts that leave all of their delicious bodies exposed for my viewing pleasure.
Mom was home when we returned, but only stayed the one night before Richard whisked them away on another business trip. She gave me an apologetic smile as they left, but I can’t deny the sting of being abandoned again.
The only saving grace is it means the triplets and I don’t have to hide our relationship, Blade assuring me the staff won’t tattle. Which is handy because even though we haven’t had sexsince the bathroom at the hospital, there has been no shortage of kisses and soft caresses, driving me insane as they give me time to recover.
Today, we’re outside, the heat wonderful against my always chilled skin. My phone dings, and I pick it up to find a new message from Dr. Harrison. Sitting up a little, I open my patient portal to discover a new prescription, with medication that says it’s made by Banks Pharmaceuticals.
“What’s that?” Chase asks from the lounger beside mine, leaning over because the man has no concept of personal space.
“Just some new medication, one your dad’s company makes actually,” I tell him, shrugging.
“May I?” he asks, which to be honest, is somewhat surprising, because I kind of expected him to take my phone out of my hand, given that’s what they do in regards to my care.
“Sure,” I reply, handing over the phone and leaning back against the pillow that Thorn found for me. I turn to look at Chase, the sun highlighting all the gorgeous muscles of his abs, covered in that stunning ink of his. His brows dip. “What is it?”
“I’m not sure, but last I checked, this medication was still at trial stage, and I don’t remember Harrison discussing it with me back when we spoke about your treatment plan going forward.”
My forehead wrinkles. “Maybe your dad thought it might help?”
“Maybe,” he says, placing my phone next to him, his fingers flying across the keyboard of his laptop that never leaves his side. “I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, Star. I’ll do some research, maybe get Blade on the case too.”
“Okay.” I turn back, picking up my journal, something Thorn bought for me and has the most beautiful cover of a galaxy with the constellations in shiny silver foil.
“Treatment cycle 2, day 8. White blood count: 1.2. Hemoglobin: 8.4. Platelets: 67. Statistics that define myexistence now. Numbers that determine whether I can leave my room, whether I need another transfusion, whether I'm winning or losing this war inside my cells.”
I sigh as I read over my entry from this morning while a thought keeps circling my mind, one that I can’t seem to get rid of, no matter how much I try. Do I embrace the present like I want to, like I crave to? Or should I protect the triplets, the other parts of my soul, from the potential loss?
“What’s got you thinking so hard, Moonbeam?” Thorns asks, and I look up to find him in the pool, his arms crossed on the side, water droplets covering his colorful skin.
“Oh, nothing,” I say, shutting the journal and setting it back on the table next to me.
“Tsk, tsk, pretty stepsis,” Thorn chides, placing his palms on the side and pushing himself up and out of the water. My breath stills in my chest as I watch the water cascade down his skin, flowing down each and every muscle as he stalks towards me like a jungle cat. “Now I’m going to have to punish you for lying to me.”
“Huh?” I ask in a daze as he doesn’t stop when he reaches the lounger, but climbs on it instead, dripping water all over my legs. “Thorn!”
He doesn’t stop, just climbs over me until his wet body is resting between my legs and he’s up on his elbows, dripping all over my white, cotton, long-sleeved cover-up that Chase insisted I wear even though I’m under a massive umbrella too.
