The Moon And The Stars

CHAPTER 29

"I promise," I whisper, linking our pinkies together, pressing another kiss onto Adelyn's lips.

She smiles against my lips and her lips linger against mine for a moment. "Everything alright baby?" I ask, our faces barely inches apart. She hums in response and snuggles back into my lap and I rest my chin on her head, wrapping my arms back around her small body.

She lets out a hiss of pain as more hot water goes into the cruel cuts on her wrist and I see her bite her lip, trying not to cry at the pain. I rub her back and reach up to turn off the shower, "Let's get that fixed hey?" I ask her gently, standing up and taking me with her.

She nods as she cradles her wrist and I open the shower door wrapping her quivering body in a towel. I wrap it around her before getting a towel for myself. Adelyn sits herself down on the toilet lid and leans back, closing her eyes in pain. I take this time to quickly strip out of my soaking boxers and pat myself dry, before hurriedly putting on a new pair and some grey sweats. I take the bag of clothes sent over by Val into the bathroom and find Adelyn sitting with her knees against her chest, rocking back and forth as her eyes are squeezed closed in pain.

I crouch down in front of her and slowly bring her knees down, "Talk to me baby, what's wrong?" I ask softly, lifting her face to meet my eyes. She opens her eyes and I feel my heart shatter when I see they're full of tears, "It hurts Luca, everything hurts," she whispers, her voice so small it makes me want to cry myself. I pick her up and kiss her forehead, "I know Adelyn, but I'm going to help you ok?" I say gently, standing her up and carefully drying her body. She lets out a small cry of pain when I pat her stomach dry and I wince as I'm the one causing her this much pain, "I'm sorry mi amour," I whisper, setting the towel aside.

She grips onto my shoulder as her body sways, "It's not your fault," she rasps. I don't bother telling her everything about this situation is my fault before I pick up her naked body and carry her out to my bed, deciding to change and dress her wounds there as it's the comfiest option. She puts on a pair of underwear and a simple black bralette and I sit down in front of her with my First Aid bag. I gently apply cream to the cut on her cheek as she leans her body against me for support, I apply the same cream to her wrists and she turns her head away, trying to hide her tears from me. "You're allowed to cry," I murmur, securely bandaging her wrists up, and she rests her head back on my shoulder, her hot tears trickling down my body now. I take her and place her in my lap again and gently rock her back and forth, comforting her in the only way I know how to as I wipe away her tears with a gentle finger. "Luca make it stop hurting," she begs, her voice barely a whisper as she looks up at me with desperate eyes. Her simple words are so childish, like a toddler who doesn't fully understand how pain works, and it makes me wonder if she's actually fully here.

I don't how to tell her that I would make it stop hurting if I could. That if it was possible I would take all of her pain and sadness and bare it myself, take everything on myself to spare her from this suffering she doesn't deserve to go through. I don't know how to tell her it's all my fault and I know that it is, that it's me who deserves this pain and not her, never her. So I settle with a simple hum as I lay her down and apply cream to her stomach, trying to soothe her of the pain I've caused her. Her body relaxes as the cool cream comes into contact with her bruised stomach and she smiles at the relief she's suddenly been given. This brings me some comfort as she climbs under the blankets, I tuck her under the covers and kiss her forehead.

I wash my hands in the bathroom and head into the kitchen to heat up the dinner which Val brought us. Usually I would never trust a heat up dinner but Dad made this especially for Adelyn so I'll allow it just this time. After it's an adequate temperature I take the bowls to my room and smile when I see her cuddled into the soft blankets. I make myself comfortable beside her and prop myself up on the pillows. I smile as Adelyn leans against me, snuggling into my side as I wrap an arm around her shoulder. I place a bowl of food on her lap and she immediately starts gulping it down as if she hasn't even in months.

"Woah there," I laugh, taking the bowl away from her, "I'm fucking starving so you better give it back right now you asshole," she snaps indignantly.

"You're going to be sick if you keep shovelling it into your mouth that fast, you haven't eaten in days, give your stomach time to adjust," I explain, putting her bowl back into her lap.

"Fine," she glares at me, watching as I eat my own dinner, her watching me angrily as she lets her stomach settle like I suggested.

After a few minutes she continues eating, thankfully at a more human pace now. We both finish our dinner before she snuggles back into me, stealing all my body warmth as she does. "My body doesn't hurt so much anymore," she whispers sleepily, wrapping an arm around my torso. I smile and scatter kisses onto her peaceful face, "That's good," I say back.

She rests her head on my chest and her eyes flutter shut, I run my hands through her silky hair and plant a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight mi amour," I whisper, I don't even get a response as her breathing evens, giving me the comfort of knowing she's sleeping safe for perhaps the first time in days.

I reach up and turn off the overhead light and lie down beside her, hugging her to my body, keeping my promise of both never leaving her and never letting her go.

I let my hands fall into her hair as I rest my chin on the top of my head. One of my hands can't help but fall to her upper thigh, brushing over the scars I've become too familiar with over the past few hours. The sadness is overwhelming as I try to imagine what she must have been feeling to go through with this, over and over again. But perhaps what hurts even more is the fact that she was scared to show me. Scared that I'd hate her, that I'd be fucking disgusted by them. The idea of me being disgusted at her almost makes me laugh, amusing that she thinks I could ever find her disgusting. Something that will never happen, ever, she's my pretty girl. Forever and always. With and without all her scars. And I promise to protect and shield her from every blemish in the world til the day I die, to ensure she never feels that way again. I meant it when I said I'd take on all the darkness to save her from it, and I don't think she understands that.

I don't think Adelyn De Santis understands that every day I'm falling further and further in love with her.

//

I'm not sure how I feel abt this chapter but at least now u get Luca's POV on all this, but is it too soon for him to say he's falling in love? I hope not bc I want to get them officially together soon, not just be 2 ppl who are married (that was a strange sentence to write)

Also I got over eager and accidentally planned out the other 4 books in this series and I've created all the main characters for them 💀

But anyways, I should be studying for my SAC which is in two fucking days but I wanted to write another chapter for u guys bc I'm nice like that (I promise I'm not actually a narcissist)

Anyways, I'll update sometime during the next few days since I have a shit tonne of work and assessments due this week, so have a good day/night and remember don't be a quiet reader!! (and vote bc that helps)

Abi <3