Unlucky Like Us (Like Us, #12)

by Krista Ritchie

Eliot beelines for me. He catches my wrist and lowers my palm. “Oh, fuck.” More concern rips at his face. “Is it that bad?” Tom cringes. “Your lip is busted.”

Ben tries to look backwards at his ass, and sure enough, there is a four-inch rip right down the middle, showing off his gray boxer-briefs. Eliot stifles a laugh. “You tore the ass of The Ben.” “Way to go,” Tom banters. “Mom will love that bare-assed fashion statement.”

“This is all about her,” Tom says with heat. “And she wouldn’t want you to burn everything to the ground in her name.” “I’m right here,” I remind them. “Right. Here.”

Beckett catches my eyes. “Delete it, Luna.” Delete it? I’ve already deleted enough, haven’t I?

Charlie and Eliot are alike in some ways—it’s the Loki in them, the destructive, mischief-wielding power they cradle and toss like bombs. But they’re also so vastly different.

I might be a Hale, but I’m not slow. I’m not an idiot. I’ve figured it out, okay.

Eliot shakes his head once. “No, they’re too spineless for that.” He glares at the ceiling. “They gave me an ultimatum. Either I leave the company or I stop associating with someone that would do damage to their family-friendly brand.” The fury in his gaze doesn’t subside when he looks to me. “First thing I told them was, you realize my parents have a porn tape out in the world? Apparently, past indiscretions don’t matter as much.” So he quit. For me. Because of me.

“Fuck everyone who thinks you wrote something gross or obscene. Fuck the fans who want me and Tom to stop being your friends.”

Tom crosses his arms over his chest. He looks to me. “We’ll always be your friend, Luna.” I know.

Eliot watches me, his ire almost dissipating into more concern. “It’s not your fault, Luna.” It is my fault. It’ll never not be my fault. I stare at the phone. Delete it, Luna. This time, I pull the trigger and delete the video.

I don’t want that for Eliot. “Oh…shit…” Tom curses, staring at his phone screen. The confounded look on his face only somersaults my stomach. I don’t need another car crash. Another blindside.

Eliot and Tom are staring at Beckett more than me. In their eyes, Beckett has the most history with Donnelly, I guess.

Beckett upturns one of the antique chairs. “You can stop looking at me.” “Just making sure you’re okay,” Tom says. “Seeing as how your favorite bodyguard might not be around for much longer.” Beckett’s frown deepens. “I’ll talk to Uncle Loren. The article might be bullshit anyway.”

“My dad is the inside source, or maybe your dad is. I think Uncle Connor is helping. It’s a whole publicity stunt thing…” I mutter, going quiet under their intense stares.

Beckett seems unphased. To his brothers, he says, “I’m rescheduling to come in with Charlie. I’m not doing this again with you two. I took my lunch break to be here, and I don’t have three hours to waste.”

Beckett barely blinks. “They tried to swing a bat at his skull. O’Malley’s lucky they only broke his ribs and wrist. He barely made it out without permanent head trauma because of Donnelly’s family. And I know you’re Donnelly’s friend, but I think I know him a little better than you, so whatever’s going on, I want to know.”

Like I conjured him from my greatest desires, in walks Paul Donnelly.

“I’m also her friend,” I say loudly enough that Luna can hear. “And my friend is bleeding, so move—”

I whisper, “You let one of the boys hit her?” I frown though, knowing that’s not right. No way would Tom, Eliot, or Beckett lay hands on Luna. I glance back at her best friends.

“It was an elbow to the mouth.” She lowers her hand, her bottom lip swollen and bloodied. “I just got in the way…I was trying to help.” “Consequences of being a ride-or-die, I know it well.”

“Dude, he’s fine,” Tom tells his bodyguard. “They’re friends.” He gestures between Luna and me. That’s all we are.

“Can you wait outside?” Beckett asks SFE as a collective whole. “I know there’s some tension between both firms, but I want to talk to Donnelly in private. You can give me that, can’t you?”

As soon as the door clicks shut, Luna fills me in quickly. “Eliot, Tom, and Beckett know about the fake headline. I told them it’s not real, but they were wondering about the why.”

“What’s going on?” Beckett asks Donnelly directly.

“It’s a lot,” Donnelly says vaguely. Smart. Wise. He is a Ravenclaw after all.

Beckett frowns. “I’d like to know now.” He’s staring straight at Donnelly. “Why do you keep looking over at Luna like that?”

He’s still locked on to Beckett as he says, “It’s always been about her. At least for me, it has been.”

“Luna,” Donnelly confirms, and now my heart pitter-patters like he’s hugging me. “I asked her dad if I could date her. He said not until it’s safe with my family, so that’s what I’m doing. I’m trying to make it safe to be with her.”

“Beckett,” Donnelly says. “What do you want me to say?” Beckett winces, hurt starting to cross his angelic features. “That I thought, in a momentary lapse of judgment or weakness, that you were doing this for me? That you would concoct some dumb, wild fake press story with my father and uncle to keep me safe from your family? Because I did. Because I thought you still cared about me and our friendship the way I care about…you know what, never mind.” He shuts down again and goes over to a chair, grabbing his T-shirt and jacket splayed over it.

Eliot is observing. “Seeing you do that to Luna now with this new context changes everything.” His lips rise. “You know what the most shocking part is?”

“No, deception is strong with you. It’s that you asked for permission first.” His gaze veers over to Donnelly. “From her father. Why?”

“Lo knows I can’t have my family thinking I’m in love with her.”

He told my best friends he’s trying to date me. That he loves me. It’s sinking in, and I feel my smile mushroom. Donnelly shares the grin. “You think I would do all of this just for a girl I sort of like?” “This is beautiful,” Eliot says, “and tragic all at the same time.”

ELIOT Since you’re just friends at the moment with Donnelly, I propose that the friendship trio become a quartet. TOM I second this motion.

“Where are we going?” “Penthouse.” I frown. “But what about Xander?” “He’s not going to the arcade anymore. He’s at home, and Akara said he’s not ready to see me.” I sink in the seat. “I didn’t think he’d take it this badly.” “Hopefully he just needs time.” Hopefully. But I can see it’s also eating at Donnelly.

“I’d still be in South Philly, in the same apartment, never meeting Farrow, never meeting you if I were the real-life cynic,” Donnelly says. “And I don’t believe you’ve been hopeless, sad alien.” His voice lifts my morose gaze, and there it is—light glimmering inside him. “You’ve just been beat down one too many times. Everyone has a breaking point.”

“I’m the hero of your story.” His voice drops to the same hushed sound as mine. “I don’t know if anyone has ever placed me there, but one of the things I’m most scared of is disappointing you.”

“I wanna be your hero—in every story you’ll ever write about me and you. I want that, but the honest truth is that…I’m not built to withstand it all. And I don’t know my exact breaking point yet, ‘cause I don’t really know how much I can take. I just know it’s a lot.”

“You’re right…when I look at you, I do see a hero. Not because I think you’re indestructible, but because you’ve chosen the light side despite growing up in the dark.”

I’m caught in how he’s looking at me now. If he’s my hero, then I’m his queen.

So when I look at you, I see someone who embodies the light side, and maybe I admire you more because you found balance even living among the dark.”

“I don’t have much, but I wanna give you something too.”

“To remind you of our future together,” Donnelly says. “Time is irrelevant when I’m always right here.” He hoists my wrist, the watch secured perfectly.

“Thank you.” He shakes his head like it’s unneeded, but before he says it, I tell him, “You can’t disappointment me, you know.” “If I fail—” “Heroes fail all the time. It won’t change how I see you, Donnelly.”

“You’re human,” I whisper. “You’re my human hero. And there is no one stronger than you.”

It’s the last time we talk about that particular kiss, but selfishly and secretly, I leave hoping there’ll be another.

stop thinking about fucking your friend Luna. (I’m deadass now.)

Wallow. Jk. Wallowing is for weeping willows. I’m a mf-ing oak tree. Sturdy af.

Don’t know what’d hurt worse. This. Or him requesting Gabe to replace me.

Stop thirsting after Luna. Get a fuckin’ grip of your dick. ALSO! Drink actual water.