like that when I’m drunk. Really mean. I’m so sorry…so sorry…”
I crawled into his embrace, prying his hands from his face. He wasn’t crying, but his eyes were red.
“I’ll never do it again. It was a fucked-up thing to do and a screwed-up thing to say. I didn’t mean anything by it. I know we can’t have a baby now. And trust me, I’m totally on board with that. We’ll have lots of babies. When we’re old and shit.”
My heart stirred wildly behind my ribs. I tried to ignore it.
“About that other thing…” I cleared my throat.
“What other thing?”
“When you put your dick in my mouth, Knight.”
“You asked me.” He frowned, confused. “You said you wanted it there.”
“What?”
“You signed it to me, Luna. You signed I want this dick in my mouth. I just assumed you meant literally, because you dropped to your knees, looked at it, and licked your lips.”
Oh my God.
I’d signed it. I had. Jesus Christ. Tears began to pool in my eyes. Relieved tears, with a dash of horror for believing, even for one moment, that Knight could ever do something so cruel to me. I knew his normal self never would. Hell, I’d let him sleep in the same bed as me since we were kids. But this was different. He was different now. But nonetheless, he’d done it because he thought I was into it and ready for it.
Now it was my time to lather his gorgeous, Greek god body with soap. I kept my eyes on every organ I cleaned.
“Knight.”
“Yes?”
“Do you care for me?”
I hated to play that card when his mother was dying, but I had to. I’d made a promise to her, and I was going to fulfill the hell out of it.
He stared at me seriously, his thick brows furrowed. “More than anyone in the world, save for one person. You two are a tie,” he said.
My pulse began to thump in the back of my throat. “In that case, I need you to do something for me.”
“A-ny-thing,” he enunciated, in the same way I’d told Rosie I would do anything for her.
“You need to stop drinking. Stop with the pills. I saw you taking them at the diner when I went to the bathroom and you thought I wasn’t looking. And I know that wasn’t a one-off. I mean it, Knight. I can handle anything life throws at us. But not this. You need to stay the same Knight I…” I fell in love with. “…I know and care for.”
I couldn’t bring myself to tell him I loved him, and not because of my ego or because I didn’t believe it. But because he was drunk. He was always drunk when we were together, and I wanted to say it for the first time when he was sober.
If he was ever going to be sober. I was seriously starting to doubt that.
He pulled away, staring at me blankly. He looked so tired, so miserable, I wanted to swallow the words back and just let him be.
“Vaughn talked to you?” He squinted.
“No.” Did Vaughn know we were together?
He got up, thoroughly soaped. “I don’t know what to say. I drink occasionally. Who doesn’t?”
“Many people.” I stood up, too. “Me, for instance.”
“As far as I recall, you lost your virginity to someone while completely smashed. I kept mine. For you. So maybe you really shouldn’t be drinking. Me, I’m no lightweight. I can handle my shit pretty good.”
It was like a slap in the face, and he knew it. I took a step back, turning off the water and wrapping myself in a towel. I wasn’t that girl—the chick who was going to stick around in an abusive relationship, even if the guy was the love of my life. I’d seen firsthand what bad relationships could do to you. Valenciana, AKA mommy dearest, had bounced from one millionaire to the other. They’d all abused her—excluding my dad, of course.
“Moonshine.” His voice softened again. He touched my shoulder.
I shook him off. He was mean and hateful, and he was going to stay that way—periodically, of course—until he was sober.
“Get dressed. I’m taking you back to the hospital.” My voice had hardened.
“Baby.”
“Don’t baby me. I’m not your home. People don’t ruin their homes; they build them. They cherish them.”
The ride back to the hospital reminded me of how I used to be before Boon.
Completely silent.
Lev was still at the Followhills’ when Luna dropped me off in front of Mom’s hospital room. She’d rushed