Chapter 30
Rio
“Luna’s looking good, man,” Niko says.
And fuck me, she is.
We’re in Maeven’s office discussing my next album when she came on TV, doing an interview. That lace white shirt under her blue jacket has my hands itchy and my throat dry. She’s lost weight, and she looks a little tired, but she’s a vision for my eyes, as always.
“Let’s talk about today’s trending topic. That’s why we have Luna Santos with us today,” the anchor says. “Luna, what is happening with our favorite break-up-to-make-up couple?”
“Thanks for having me, Jake. I think, as always, the gossip rags are making too much out of nothing. People who love each other sometimes go through challenging times. Thierry and Adina have a long journey together. They’re young and trying to find their rhythm. Love that serious won’t quit.”
“Wow, coming from you that is high praise, after everything you’ve been through in big part through your association with them.”
She shrugs. “We put all that behind us a long time ago. They’re in a committed relationship, and I represent Thierry now. We know it was a misunderstanding.”
“Well, since you’re talking about putting the past behind, the one that can’t seem to do that is Rio. He was caught fighting online with Noryel DD this weekend. Do you think he’ll go back to his old antics?”
My spine stiffens, but I keep my eyes on her.
The smile doesn’t slip, and her demeanor remains easy.
“I think we need to start paying attention to messy people who provoke others. Rio is human, just like everyone else, but people sometimes only look at one person in a particular situation. When boundaries are crossed and people put their hands on others, they shouldn’t be surprised when they get a response.
Just like when you have keyboard warriors who think they can type anything, and it won’t bring them consequences. ”
“That’s a staunch defense.”
She chuckles. “I think I’m being fair.”
He pretends to think. “Wait, is it uncomfortable for you to talk about Rio? I mean, given your history together?”
The smile stretches on her lips, but the light in her eyes is the same one she had when she blacked out and told me to get the fuck out the other day.
Oh shit.
“Not at all.” Luna chuckles. “That’s also water under the bridge.
Rio and I are besties right now. We went through a lot during our time together.
That bonds two people. We don’t get to talk all that much because he’s on tour, and I’m busy with work, but when we said we support each other all the way, we meant it. He’s family, like one of my cousins.”
My body lurches forward like she kicked me in the balls.
“Ouch,” Maeven says.
Niko puts his hand on my shoulder. “That’s fucking diabolical.”
“I know Sel is somewhere proud as fuck of her,” Tito adds.
Maeven turns around and pins me with her sharp, WTF gaze. “What did you do? Why is she so mad at you?”
I say nothing, but she rolls her eyes and grabs her phone.
“Hey, Luna, I have you on speaker. I just watched your segment on the Jake on 5 Show. Is there something I should know?”
“No,” Luna says, her tone is calm and matter of fact. Meanwhile, the air feels like dragon fire on my skin.
“Why don’t you come to the concert in Central Park with us tonight?” Maeven asks.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she says with laughter in her voice.
“Hot plans?”
“Yes, it’s my birthday weekend, and I’m going out of town. But even if I didn’t have plans, I would just stay home to watch time tick by.”
Esme’s hands fly to her mouth.
Maeven looks at me pointedly. “I think Rio wants to say something to you.”
I open my mouth, but Luna beats me to the punch.
“He can keep it. Love you, M.”
And she hangs up.
She fucking hangs up, leaving me there, seething, with three people staring at me.
* * *
Rio
“Why can’t I know where you are, Sel? Are you two hanging with a bunch of machos or what?” Tito’s eyes close after he says it, like a jackknifing 18-wheeler is coming straight at him.
We both know she’s going to blast him, but I need to know where Luna is.
“I know you’re fucking lying right now. What the hell is this, Tito? I don’t want you to know because…” She pauses for three ticking seconds. “Wait a minute, I know what this is. Tell Rio if he wants to know where Luna is, he can text her. Oh, wait, she blocked him. Has to be for a reason, right?”
“Sel—”
“No,” she interrupts Tito. “And because you want to be in all solidarity with your boy, let me put you where he is. You’re on a time-out now. Don’t fucking call me. I’ll call you when we get back.”
The line goes dead, and Tito gives me that look he gives people who try to come at me when I’m doing a show.
He wants to lay me out.
“I’m sorry, primo.”
“Are you fucking kidding me, Rio? She’s not talking to me now.” He puts his hand in his pocket and brings a box out. “I was planning on proposing to her when she got back.”
I’m stunned. “Fuck. Tito. I’m sorry.”
I feel like shit. My issues always bleed out onto him.
“I deserve this shit. She told me not to get involved, but it’s not right that she won’t tell me. I wouldn’t tell you if she made me swear.”
I grimace. “You would, though.”
He gives me a death stare, and then we both burst out laughing.
“Yeah, you’re my bro. I want you to get your girl.”
* * *
Luna
South Beach, Florida
The sky is blue like the water, and the temperature is a beautiful eighty degrees in South Beach. We escaped the crisp New York winter to come to Florida, where the sun is kissing all over my skin, but Sel is raging like a category-three hurricane in August.
“The fucking nerve. He’s over here letting Rio talk him into shit like a little boy. I cannot fucking believe Tito.” She breathes hard, puffing out her cheeks as she releases. “I’m so hot right now.”
“They’re family. You and I do shit like that for each other. How many times have you told me what Rio is doing during the tour?”
“You’re not wrong, but I’m still pissed off. At least we know how to play the game. You don’t go toxica when I tell you things.”
“Apparently, I only go toxica when I see shit on my screen. That’s why I blocked him, so I’m not tempted to blast him or flip out when all he is doing, is his job.” My skin still heats up thinking about the lap dance he gave that chick in Brazil the other day.
“Yeah, but Rio crashes out every time a man is near you. But you want the truth?”
I roll my eyes at her. “When are you ever not fully truthful?”
She looks away to the water. “When I act like I’m okay that the two of you are not together.
As much as I give him shit, I love what you guys had.
He loves you so hard. He’s different with you too.
There’s so much pain in his eyes when your name gets mentioned.
Tito was so afraid that he would go back to his old ways in the first few weeks after. ..”
My heart sinks. “He didn’t, though. As mad as I am, I’m proud of him for that. It’s easy to give in to the anger.” I shake my head. “It wouldn’t work between us. Sometimes I think it’s bad for you when a relationship is that intense. When you love…” I trail off.
Sel has tears in her eyes, which she wipes quickly.
My throat clogs, and I try to swallow, but I can’t.
My eyes well up, but I finally find my breath.
“I love him too much…like, it’s not normal.
When someone consumes your every thought…
it’s going to be a disaster. I dream about him, and when I’m awake, I’m constantly reliving every moment of our time together.
I’ve been secretly happy he pissed me off.
It’s pushing me to do other shit. I have to get him out of my head and my heart. ”
“How are you going to do that, Luna? He’s going to keep coming after you. He has to. He loves you too much, too.”
“I’m going to give Gio a real chance. If not him, I’m going for the next guy. I’m going to date and have a chilly and cheeky winter.”
She sniffles. “Damn it, Luna. You wait until I’m basically cuffed up to Tito to do this? And you coined it too. Ugh.” She curls her lip at me. “Do you know how fun that could have been if the two primas went on the prowl together?”
I laugh. “Girl, you couldn’t even if you tried. Tito got you hooked.”
She chuckles. “Yeah, he does. It’s really good with him. He takes care of me, and even though I black out constantly, I don’t scare him.”
My heart goes out because I’ve never seen her like this—vulnerable and girly for a man. “I love this for you. He’s a good guy.”
“Thanks, sis. But let me tell you something. I want all the fucking details. I want to live this chill and cheeky winter along with you. I want photos on the gram, because you gotta let them worship that body.” She stands.
“As a matter of fact, let me take a photo for the gram. We can do a countdown to see how long it takes until Rio puts a heart on it.”
We both laugh as she snaps a few photos and then posts them in collab mode.
“Your turn,” I say. “Take that tank top off. Let’s drive Tito crazy.”
“No, no, no.” She plops back on her towel. “I’m on my period, and I’m bloated as fuck. No way I’m putting this belly on the gram.”
I roll my eyes. “You’re crazy. Your body is hot, and…” I drift off because one word echoes in my ear.
Period.
I haven’t had my period in a while. I grab my phone and go to my tracker, and there, in pink hearts, is the last time I had it…almost six weeks ago. My heart drops.
It was supposed to come right after Mami’s wedding.
“What is it?”
Could I be… No, I can’t be.
“Oh shit, Sel.”
“What?” she asks, frowning.
“My period.”
“It’s coming?”
I shake my head. “No. I haven’t had one. It’s been over a month. And I kept forgetting to take my birth control pills, so I stopped them.”
Her eyes go impossibly wide, and her mouth drops open. “Oh shit.”
“Oh shit,” I repeat.
She waves her hand as if trying to slow down. “This doesn’t mean anything. You’ve been upset and under stress, and you just had the flu.” Her shoulders droop. “Oh fuck, Luna. You were barfing all over the place for days.”
“We need to find out.” I spring to my feet and start grabbing all the shit.
“Wait, we can’t go to a pharmacy and risk anyone seeing us. It’s fucking Miami. People know you, and if they don’t know you, they know Rio. All it takes is one photo of you or me in the prego aisle together.”
“Let’s order it online or from a pharmacy and have it delivered, then.”
And she does, while my mind races all over the place.
I marked you.
Now I fucked your home for you like you fucked mine for me. You don’t have a sanctuary like I don’t have mine because of you.
I hope you hear my voice in your ear and see images of us in every corner.
He cursed me, because now I may carry part of him inside my body.