Page 25 of Fractured Constellations
I watch as Chase walks up to the shower, reaching in and turning it on, testing the temperature and adjusting it until he seems satisfied. It makes my chest ache, the care he takes over the simple task, and I find a lump forming in my throat as Blade sets me down, turning me in his arms, keeping his hands on my hips.
“While Blade helps you in the shower, I’m going to take a look at your meds, make sure they’re organized and devise a daily monitoring program, plus a list of non-negotiables for the staff,” Chase tells me softly, coming to stand in front of me and tucking a curl behind my ear.
“Non-negotiables?” I ask, my voice quiet, the noise of the shower a soothing backdrop.
“Mostly infection prevention. No fresh flowers or plants in the house at all, strict handwashing and food safety protocols. No raw foods. Fresh fruit must be thoroughly washed and peeled.” His green eyes trace my features, and for the first time, I notice the gold flecks in his irises that make them sparkle. “Oh, and no sick visitors under any circumstances. Everyone will have their temperature checked before being allowed entry.”
“And the daily monitoring?” I question in a whisper, a little overwhelmed by the thought that he’s already given my care.
“Temperature checks, daily weight monitoring, fluid intake tracking, and medication adherence logs,” he answers, his fingers still playing with my hair, his eyes cataloguing every reaction on my face. Whereas before it felt cold, assessing, and like he found me wanting, now I see the way he’s making notes for future reference. To compare in meticulous detail to ensure my health has not deteriorated.
“Thank you, Chase,” I breathe out, my hands coming up and pressing against the skin of his chest. He’s so warm, so solid that I have to physically stop myself from curling into him.
“Thank you for letting me take care of you, Star,” he replies just as softly, dipping his head and brushing his lips lightly against mine.
A shuddering exhale falls between our mouths, and I don’t know who made it, but then the space between us disappears as he kisses me like I’m the answer to every question he’s ever had. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, desperate for everything he’s currently offering.
Thorn’s kiss was lightness personified, like what I imagine rolling around in a cloud would feel like. Giddy, silly, and so comforting you want to cry.
Chase’s kiss is entirely different. It’s calculated destruction. It’s the precision of a scalpel, of a blade honed to deliver a blow that you don’t feel until your heart stops. I lose myself in it, in the way his tongue caresses mine like no one ever has before. Like I’m beyond precious to him. Like his life would be less if I weren’t there to kiss, to share it with.
And I don’t know how to process that. Well, my head doesn’t. My heart, my soul, tells me this is what we’ve survived this long for, to feel this.
The kiss slows, then stops, and I make a small whimper sound as he pulls away. His kiss-swollen lips lift in a smile that feels so rare it’s blinding, and the gold in his eyes burns so bright it almost hurts to look at.
“I’ll see you soon, Star,” he whispers, not moving for a moment, drinking me in with those gold-flecked eyes before he takes a reluctant step back, my arms falling to my sides, and then he turns and heads back into my bedroom.
“Shower, Goldilocks,” Blade orders, his words a whispered command in my ear that sends shivers over my naked body, because of course they didn’t let me get dressed before we left the den.
“Will you join me?” I ask softly, steam filling the room. A growl vibrates down my back from his chest.
“If I join you, I fuck you,” he states, his grip on my hips becoming punishing. I hope it bruises. I want his marks on my skin to remember him by every time I look in the mirror.
“I thought I agreed to let you all have me when and where you like?” I lick my dry lips, holding my breath as I wait for his answer.
His chest expands with his inhale, then his hands leave my hips before I feel him pushing down his sweatpants, his hot, hard cock practically slapping me on the ass as he frees it.
“Get in.” It’s a command said so low that I feel it more than hear it, and his hands land back on my hips as he all but pushes me the few steps into the shower.
A small sigh falls from my lips as the perfectly hot water hits my skin, easing my muscles, which I hadn’t even realized were tense. An inked-up arm reaches in front of me, grabbing hold of my moonflower shower gel. Keeping his body pressed against mine, Blade squeezes some in the palm of his hand. Setting the shower gel back, I tremble with anticipation as he rubs both large palms together, lathering up until scented bubbles fill his hands.
With a care that belies his size and general grumpiness, he washes me, starting at my arms, working his way up them, massaging all the tension from my muscles. I squeal when he reaches my armpits.
“Ticklish, Princess?” he questions, his deep voice full of laughter as he moves his fingers again, and I giggle.
“I surrender!” I yelp, and he stops, bringing his lips right next to my ear, his front still pressed to my back.
“You already did, Goldilocks,” he purrs, sliding his hands from my armpits to my collarbone.
His fingers trail around my breasts, causing my breath to hitch and my nipples to pebble as he touches me slowly. A deep moan parts my lips, my head falling back onto his shoulder when he finally makes contact with my sensitive buds, teasing and pulling them.
“Could you come from nipple play alone, I wonder,” he muses, his lips trailing a path down the side of my neck.
I gasp when he sucks, the sensation rushing straight to my core as he keeps up his assault on my nipples, like he has a point to prove. He nibbles and sucks at the skin of my neck, whispering the filthiest things in between each brush of his lips, each swipe of his tongue.
“You’re my special, good girl, aren’t you, Princess? So ready and ripe for your brother to ruin. So desperate for my cock that you’ll come just from this, won’t you, baby?”
“Fuck—Yes!” I gasp, hardly registering what I’m saying as my climax hits me from out of nowhere, ruining me just like he promised. I really do seem to have a step-sibling kink, and right now, I don’t give a shit.
