Unlucky Like Us (Like Us, #12)

by Krista Ritchie

need to speak to two people. Lo and Donnelly.”

“He was the last person who spoke to Luna before she became unresponsive. He has information we need.”

“I didn’t wait. We didn’t…I slept with her this morning. Or…” What’s the time? “The morning before Lily picked her up. It probably hasn’t been twenty-four hours yet.” Lo grinds his teeth, his gaze lethal on me. “I don’t know if I want to hug you or strangle you.” I can barely breathe. “I’ve got that effect on people.” I nod to him. “I’m not really into strangling though. I vote hug.”

He is light. He is harmony. He is love. The Force is within him. I saw it. I knew it. I’ve just forgotten it somehow.

She thinks I’m no one. The girl I’ve given my heart and soul to doesn’t know she even has my heart and soul. But she’s alive. She’s awake. Can I really ask for more?

“He’s not leaving!” Luna shouts in distress. “I want him to stay, Farrow. Please! Get her out!”

“I know you don’t know anything about me,” I tell her, watching her gulp more air. Talking seems to help, so I continue, “But I’ve traveled to your planet and back again countless times.”

“I promise I’m not leaving you if I can help it,” I tell her more strongly this time. “And I know how promises are made on your planet.”

“That’s ‘cause I’m from Earth, space babe.” She takes a bigger breath, smiling back, but the slam of the

to his colleague. “I don’t give a flying shit who thinks it’s a conflict of interest. I’m not pulling strings because of security or because he’s my friend. All I care about is that girl while I’m her doctor—”

Farrow sees the needle marks along the crease of my elbow and forearm. The bandage only hides the main puncture. Pure rage flashes across his face, and he catches my elbow for a better look, but I jerk out of his grip.

Gotta say that I’m glad I still have some positive effect on her. If she completely feared me, I don’t know what I’d even do. Go sob on a deserted island for a solid millennium. Befriend a volleyball.

Farrow’s brows rise. “She’s really watching you.” Yeah, she’s not being shy about it. “Don’t know why,” I whisper to Farrow. “She doesn’t know me.” “She knows you meant something to her. Clearly, that’s enough.”

“She fell in love with you for you,” Farrow says with the tilt of his head. “You don’t believe she could fall for you again?”

That never-giving-up attitude has saved my ass more than once, and I won’t give up on us now.

“Your family could be locked up for months. The hearing has no date yet. We don’t know when it’ll take place, so if you go back, the police will try to keep you there.”

“You’re not going back in,” Farrow forces out. “And this isn’t even me trying to shake you. She needs you.” He motions with his head towards Luna. “She’s more important than whatever you’ll find sitting in jail. Which could be nothing.”

“When he was really small, he used to cry a lot, except when he was in my arms. So I think they remind him of me.”

So he could show love and loyalty to our dad and give a middle finger to the “Ryke is Moffy’s real father” rumors.

My parents—their souls were intertwined. In my life, their love had always been one-of-a-kind.

“It’s not you,” he said with his whole heart. “She’d love to see you, Luna. Trust me.” Trust him. He was my dad, of course I did. Of course I do.

I kept looking over at Donnelly in the corner. He’d give me a thumbs up. There was no Past Donnelly to gauge Present Donnelly. I just had this one Donnelly before me, and unlike with my family, it made things easier.

“She’s only letting Dad, plus aunts and uncles,” Kinney explained. “We overheard them talking. I think she doesn’t want to scare us.”

I’ll find them. I have to. They haven’t been gone for that long.

So I have roommates now. Moffy and Farrow, plus their son. Jane and Thatcher. Weird. Plus their newborn daughter. Still weird but cute.

For the most part, everything is somewhat familiar. It relaxes me. Maybe I haven’t personally changed so much in the last three years that I’d be perceived as a stranger. Maybe I am still me.

“Because I know how I saw you, but I couldn’t tell you how you saw me. Do I think we grew apart? No. Even after my marriage and a baby, I believe we’re close. But I also have no damn idea why you would’ve hidden a goldfish from me.” He makes a face at the bowl. “I should’ve seen it. It was probably here this whole time, and I just didn’t see.”

It pummels me again. Two of the most important, influential people in my whole life cosmically collided together—and I can’t even reminisce with him. Because I never saw them fall in love.

I lift the paper and a hidden sketch steals my breath. Stars and planets swirl around two figures: a girl, a guy. Is that us? Why did I hide it?

Moffy stops at the door, hesitating. Glancing back, he says, “I’m not bothered at all if you need anything. I’m seriously one phone call and Bat signal away.” He’s earnest. “I’m still your big brother who’d fuck up anyone if they fucked with you.”

“I’m the same.” He touches his chest. “I still love my face plastered to Celebrity Crush. I’m a headline whore, and I tear up far too easily. I’m practically a waterfall.” His brand of sarcasm is 100% the Moffy I know, and I try to smile. “Ask Farrow, I’ve drowned him a billion times.” Quickly, he adds, “Metaphorically.” I try to ease. “Still speed on freeways?” “All the damn time.” He’s rigid though.

“Whoever the girl is, you made her look out-of-this-world extraordinary.” His lips begin to rise. “You are, Luna.”

“Was your Luna a cynic too?” “Cynical, yeah. Pessimistic, sometimes. But you wanted so fucking badly to believe. Mostly in aliens.” I smile a little. “And yourself,” he adds, “and in us.” He tips his head, catching my gaze. “You were still adamant that the world was shit and people sucked.”

“Welcome to Earth, space babe.”

“Can I do anything?” “For what?” He blows smoke over his shoulder, away from me. “For you.” I shrug. “You’ve been doing a whole lot for me.” “This is enough,” he breathes. I frown. “But I’m not really doing anything.”

“You’re alive, Luna.” He holds my gaze. “And I get to look at you and talk to you and go on dates with you. What more could I want? That’s everything to me.”

I confided in him. And I’m starting to wonder if Original Luna more than just “liked” Donnelly. Did she really love him?

Something about Donnelly makes me feel like I’ve known him my whole life, as if we’ve been together millenniums already.

“I can’t believe she let you read our smut.” Her smile widens. “I kinda love her for it.”

“I’ve promised your brother I’d stay with him—and I’ve been shit at keeping promises that matter to your family. I wanna make sure I don’t break this one. I’m trying to be a Better Donnelly.”

And with everything inside him, he tells me, “You are my family.” Tears gather in both our eyes, tears I don’t think we’ve ever shared like this. “That’s never changing.”

I look up at my best friend. The closest thing I’ll ever have to a brother. And I know I’m gonna be okay, even if it takes some time. Bagel. Friends. Easier nights. Better tomorrows. He clasps my hand, and I rise.

Coming out of the booth, I step forward like it’s the most natural thing to do, and then we collide into a tight hug. I fist the back of his leather jacket, the familiarity overwhelming. He still smells like Tom—like sage and apricot, the fragrance of some expensive cologne Beckett got him into when he was fourteen. Eliot joins us, his long arms wrapping around me and Tom. He encases our three-person hug, as though protecting what we are. Tears prick the edges of my eyes. It feels like no time has passed—but I know it’s all an illusion. How much has really changed?

“Cool as a cucumber,” Tom says with a big nod. “The four of us are like the Four Musketeers. Unbreakable. Unstoppable.” “Thick as thieves,” Eliot chimes in. Behind them, Donnelly’s brows rise in disbelief. “This happen when I was asleep or what?”

Eliot gives him a hard look. “We were on our way to becoming a four-pod, ride-or-die friendship group. Right on the cusp,” he says dramatically, then waves to his brother. “Tom and I just decided to fast forward the awkward beginning, so we can solidify the inevitable.”

“Like I said, you were just beginning to bring Donnelly into the fold.”

“Yeah, well I’m fucking tired of Luna getting the shittiest hand,” Tom decrees and points Stormbreaker at his brother now. “And this isn’t a fucking Shakespearean play. Fuck you for spouting Brainy Quotes at me.”

I ask her, “You didn’t wanna come to me?” I frown. “I would’ve given you a friend’s discount.” Frog wiggles her straw. “You’ve been busy. I didn’t want to take you away from what’s going on with…” Luna. “She needs you, and you better be there for her.” The heat in her eyes makes me smile.

Banks grumbles something about the “fucking Yale boys” and maybe this is the wrong time, wrong place to crack a joke, but no one is a bigger Kitsulletti supporter than me, myself, and I. Except maybe Beckett.

“Because I made a promise to her brother to be on his detail. Not hers. Because everything I’ve ever done for security regarding my family has been so I can be with Luna and not as her bodyguard—and I know I haven’t told you all that, but I’m telling you now. It’s about her.” It’s always been about her. I love her. I’m in love with her,