Chapter 14
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“HOSTAGE” BY BILLIE EILISH
BLADE
About twenty minutes after Lorelei returns to the table, Luna and Chase stroll in, Luna looking a little flushed and Chase with an uncharacteristic smirk playing around his lips. Fucker clearly had sex with her while we waited to start lunch—at Lorelei’s request.
“Ah, now that everyone is finally here, we can finally begin,” Dad says, his tone admonishing, and my jaw clenches when Luna flinches, looking at the ground as her face flames.
I want to snap at him for making her feel bad for getting the sleep her body so clearly needs, but we’ve not talked about how we address the issue of our parents finding out about us.
And I won’t take that choice away from her, even if I don’t give a single shit what either of them thinks.
She’s ours, in all ways, and I couldn’t care less what anyone thinks about it, unconventional though it may be.
Chase brushes his fingers along the back of her hand as she walks past him and comes to sit next to me.
Dad is at the head of the table, as he always is, me on his left and Chase in his usual place on Dad’s right.
Thorn is next to Chase, and Lorelei is at the opposite end of the table, which for family meals, is smaller but can be extended when Dad has guests over.
“Apologies, Father. I was up late and slept in. Luna was tired from her treatment yesterday, so also needed rest,” Chase says, no emotion in his tone, but I don’t miss the way his jaw looks tight or his disapproving glance at our father.
“Of course. Did it go well, Luna?” Dad asks, and Luna’s head snaps up, her blue eyes wide.
“Um, as good as can be expected,” she answers, licking her lips nervously, and I reach for her hands, which are tangled in her lap, taking one in mine and giving it a squeeze.
She takes a breath, her shoulders lowering slightly, and something in my solar plexus squeezes, because knowing I can help relax her has warmth filling my insides.
“Excellent. Well, do keep me updated, won’t you?” he says, not bothering to wait for her response when he looks away from her and down at some papers. “Now that you’re here, Chase, I wanted to go over some things with you—”
“Actually, Father, we wanted to ask about Luna’s condition and why we were not informed?
Especially given the fact that we can help get her the best treatment possible, maybe even use Banks Industries to explore treatment options,” Chase states, and our father’s lips press together, the skin on his face tightening.
“I considered it handled, what with her treatment plan already in place and started. There was no need to inform you.” His voice is cutting, and it shouldn’t surprise me, shouldn’t hurt considering the way he’s withdrawn from us ever since Mom died, but it still stings like needles on my skin.
Chase’s nostrils flare, and a part of me wants to intervene, but I know that I’d just rage at Dad and make the situation worse.
It can take a while for my fuse to blow, but with something like this, the fact that he didn’t even tell us she was ill, and so we treated her the way we did… it would be explosive.
“Still, my brothers and I will be taking over her care from here on, ensuring she gets what she needs to get better.” Chase’s voice is cold, and if you didn’t know him, you might think devoid of all emotion, but I know him like I know myself, and he’s pissed and will take no prisoners.
I can feel how Luna tenses up at Chase’s words, seeing her brows dip like she still doubts our intentions, which is not surprising. We have a fuck ton to make up for, but we will prove to her that she’s our priority now and that we intend to help her get better.
Dad stares at Chase, his eyes narrowing, clearly gauging how serious my brother is.
They’ve spent a lot of time in boardrooms for the company, Dad showing Chase the ropes, because one day Chase will be CEO, as he’s built for the role.
I’ve devoted my time to studying ways to improve the lives of others in a practical way, trying to understand the science behind diseases and their treatments, such as researching experimental cancer treatments, which I am grateful for now, given Luna’s situation.
“Fine,” Dad relents, huffing out a breath. “Keep me updated.”
I blink as he starts discussing some merger with Chase, as if nothing important just happened.
Thorn is beaming across from me, Chase listening to Dad, but there’s the smallest of smiles on his lips, one I’ve not seen much of before.
Perhaps not since before Mom died, and warmth spreads inside my chest, a lump in my throat at the realization that Luna is bringing us all back to life.
The staff brings in our lunch, which consists of platters filled with cured meats, freshly baked bread, roasted vegetables drizzled in olive oil, several quiches, and platters of fruit.
One of the maids sets a cup of steaming tea in front of Luna, along with a teapot, and the smell of ginger wafts over to me.
“Organic ginger tea,” Thorn whispers across the table, and Luna gives a small smile. “It’ll help with the nausea.”
She reaches for the cup, but I stop her, feeling the outside and the fact it’s still piping hot. Grabbing the bottle of spring water, I pour a little in to cool the liquid, then give her a nod.
“Thank you,” she murmurs, taking the cup in her fingers and bringing it to her lips. She blows on it, then takes a sip, giving a relieved sigh before taking a bigger swallow.
“So, the chemo went well, love?” Lorelei asks, and Luna turns her attention to her as we serve ourselves from the plates on the table.
“I was pretty wiped, which wasn’t a surprise,” Luna replies, her hands wrapped around the teacup. “But the guys helped me home and took care of me.”
Lorelei’s face softens into a smile, which looks a little forced.
“I’m glad your new brothers took such good care of you.
” Luna chokes a little on her sip of tea, and I can see Thorn’s lips twitching as he tries to hide his laugh.
I guess it is amusing how clueless Lorelei is with how well we took care of her daughter.
“Thank you, boys, and for offering to help. It means the world to me to know that Luna has you this time.”
I feel the slight flinch Luna makes, tea spilling over her hand, but Lorelei is unaware, smiling in a more relaxed way as she begins to eat.
“Here, Goldilocks,” I say, handing Luna a napkin to dry her hand.
“Thanks,” she replies, her voice too small for my liking. I inhale through my nose, the amusement from moments ago replaced with the ever simmering anger at the world wanting to bubble over at the way Lorelei is so blind.
Lorelei isn’t a bad mom, shit, it sounds like she’s been through every treatment with Luna up to this point, getting into debt to help pay for them.
She clearly loves Luna, has sacrificed a lot for her, but she's also pretty young—in her late thirties, I think—and maybe she’s had enough of putting Luna first?
Or perhaps my father is keeping her so busy she’s just swept up in it all—the lavish lifestyle and the duties of a wife to someone who is as rich as Dad.
I frown when I notice that although we’ve all filled our plates, Luna’s is still empty. Maybe she’s feeling too nauseous to eat, but she still needs to, otherwise she won’t have the energy she needs to fight.
Taking her plate in my hand, I fill it with a little of everything, not sure what she likes yet.
“Has the fruit been washed?” I ask aloud, looking up at Jerry, who is standing with his back against the wall near the door. The conversation around the table stops as I feel all eyes turn to me, but I’ve never worried about attention, so don’t give it a second’s thought.
“Yes, Master Blade. As per Master Chase’s instructions,” he answers, and I give him a nod, taking a small selection and placing it on my Goldilocks’ plate.
Satisfied when the food covers the china, I place it in front of Luna.
“DIE WITH A SMILE” BY LADY GAGA, brUNO MARS
LUNA
“You need to eat this,” Blade says in that harsh, commanding way of his, placing a very full plate in front of me.
“Thanks, but I’m not hungry,” I reply, my stomach clenching at the sight of all the food in front of me. I keep having to swallow back the bile that wants to surface, and although I know that actually eating may help the nausea, I can’t seem to make myself do it this morning.
His jaw tightens. “That wasn’t a suggestion.”
My nostrils flare at his tone, and just because I can and partly because I know it will annoy him, I push the plate away. “Neither was my response.”
He pushes it back, his fingers brushing mine, sending electricity racing up my spine, and my poor pussy clenches even though I’m definitely sore this morning. “Please.”
That single word, so foreign from his lips, stops my next retort. I briefly close my eyes, feeling his hand landing on my thigh and the warmth through my leggings. He’s insisting because he cares, because he wants me to get better. Not to be an asshole.
“I’ll try,” I whisper, opening my eyes to look into his, the green that is usually dark brightening as he flashes me a small smile.
“Thank you, Goldilocks,” he replies, giving my leg another squeeze before he removes his hand and continues eating.
Picking up a slice of the freshly baked bread, which Blade even buttered for me, I take a small bite, breathing through the initial wave of sickness as the taste hits my mouth.
I usually love buttered bread, especially fresh bread like this, but this is just another way cancer fucks me over—changing my appetite, sucking the joy out of eating until it all tastes like shit.
“You’re doing so well, Princess,” Blade murmurs into my ear, leaning close until his scent of smokey vanilla washes over me and somehow helps to calm the nausea. “I’m so fucking proud of you.”
I swallow hard, my eyes pricking at his words. It’s stupid, but no one before has recognized the small things that become so hard, like eating, getting dressed, or even getting out of bed. So to have him not only see my struggle but encourage me when it feels impossible means more than I could say.
We spend the rest of the meal like this, his soft, whispered words of encouragement helping me to eat more than I would have managed on my own.
He pours me the ginger tea Thorn ordered, which also helps to settle my stomach.
Although I don’t get close to clearing my plate, I eat about half of what he gave me, and my nausea has eased by the end of the meal.
Having such a full stomach makes my eyelids droop, and he even notices that straight away.
“I’m going to help Luna to her room,” he states to the others, pushing his chair back and standing, offering his hand out for me to take.
A part of me worries that our parents will read too much into the gesture, seeing what our relationship has become, and I’m just not ready for that yet.
I don’t have the energy to deal with the fallout.
But the bigger part, the part that needs the comfort of Blade’s hand in mine right now when I feel so vulnerable, doesn’t care, and so I reach out, letting him wrap his large palm around mine and help me to my feet.
He tucks me under his arm, wrapping it around my waist and basically taking all my weight as exhaustion sweeps over me in a dizzy rush as we leave the room.
“I’ve got you, Goldilocks,” he rumbles in my ear, my feet being swept off the ground as he picks me up in his arms.
“I can walk, Blade,” I mumble, though once again, my body betrays me as my arms lift and wrap around his neck and I sink into his embrace.
“Sure,” he replies in a droll tone, not even attempting to set me down as he carries me.
I blink eyes open I didn’t know I’d closed to find we’re in the hallway, heading towards the stairs. He carries me like it’s no big deal, like I’m weightless, and I snuggle closer into his large, warm body, closing my eyes once more as we ascend.
“Stay with me,” I plead as he walks, because as much as I want my independence, my mind is already slipping into the darkness of sleep, and the idea of being alone again scares me.
“Always, Goldilocks.”