Cancer: Book 5 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series)

by Rachel Medhurst

  He gritted his teeth as he shrugged. ‘If you were married to someone else, I probably wouldn’t be in love with you.’

  Nodding, I slowly stood from the bed, making sure to wrap myself tightly in the sheet. I didn’t look back as I went over to the door and let myself out. Matt didn’t try to stop me. My blood raced through me. My heart pounded as pain lanced through my chest.

  ‘Oh yeah, you had some fun, then?’ Leo called from the living area as I tried to shoot past.

  That was the only problem with having an open planned villa, there was no way to escape. Everyone knew what was happening.

  I swallowed hard as tears came to my eyes. Blinking, I ignored him and rushed to my bedroom. I heard Virgo swear at him before her rushing footsteps followed me down the hallway. I was about to slam my door closed when her hand stopped the movement. The door jarred open. I backed up, letting her in.

  I had always seen Virgo as fussy. She liked things just the way they were. As long as they were how she liked them.

  ‘Why are you crying?’

  Spinning, I fell face-forward onto the bed and buried my face in the cover. The door clicked shut before the mattress dipped next to me. Virgo hadn’t left me alone. Tears absorbed into the material as I cried. I had never been so confused in my whole life. Why was it not working? Why were we not as happy as the other united couples?

  ‘Did it not go well?’ Virgo asked. ‘It sounded like it did.’

  I couldn’t help the giggle that fell from me. I cringed as I realised that my siblings and bodyguard would have heard us.

  ‘I think he still has feelings for his wife. I thought that all along but he basically admitted it. I don’t know what to do,’ I cried, screaming into the cover.

  Virgo rubbed my back. I jerked away from her as the movement reminded me of Matt only a few moments before. I had given myself to him completely. Why had I given in so easily? Why did I always give in so easily?

  ‘Do you love him, Cancer?’

  Taking a deep breath, I wiped my face before lifting myself off the bed. Grabbing the dressing gown that Virgo had leant me, I made myself decent and sat back on the bed. ‘Yes. I love him but is that really enough? Surely if he was my twin flame, it wouldn’t be this hard?’

  Virgo shrugged as she sat against the wall. Closing my eyes, I relaxed too. An image of an old lady came into my mind. I didn’t recognise her from this lifetime. Who was she?

  ‘I spoke to Derek and Leo tonight. We need to talk about our safety tomorrow. Nick may not be here but his men are. We need a plan of action. Get some rest, it will feel better in the morning.’ Virgo stood, leant over and patted my shoulder.

  We were awkward because we hadn’t spent much time together. It was nice that she had come to Greece just to see me. Maybe I should have made the effort to get to know her better. She was an important part of my journey. They all were.

  When she reached the door, I called out to her. ‘Thank you for coming. I do appreciate it.’

  She looked over her shoulder and nodded. The corners of her lips lifted slightly before she left me on my own.

  Matt was right. There were two people in our relationship. Maybe I hadn’t given him enough credit. Pisces had said that the easiest and quickest way to unite with my soulmate was by taking responsibility for what I did. I found it hard but it was about time I started.

  *

  The siren was loud in my ears as I hurried down the steps and into the underground. My dressing gown was tied tight around me. I had just finished getting changed when the alarms sounded. Swearing, I had hurried down the stairs with my parents. Well, as much as I could hurry on my recovering sore foot.

  ‘Isn’t that John?’ my mother asked.

  Squeezing her arm, I gasped when I spotted the back of a man’s head. He was helping a young family further down the platform. The width of his shoulders were familiar to me. I hadn’t seen my fiancé in six months. I hadn’t even heard from him.

  ‘It is him, dear,’ my father said, about to stride forward.

  I pulled him back. He had always got on well with John. They were almost best friends. My stomach rolled at the thought of seeing my fiancé. Something had changed.

  ‘Hello,’ a man said behind us.

  And there was the change. My bright eyed rescuer. He cradled his baby in his arms, smiling at me when our gazes met. I couldn’t help but return the gesture, transfixed by his beautiful face.

  ‘Oh, yes,’ my father said. ‘I forgot about this young man.’

  My mother pursed her lips before she spun away and marched up to John. My eyes widened as she tapped him on the shoulder and he turned towards her. A grin spread over his face as he embraced her. His gaze went straight over her shoulder, looking directly at me. From the glint in his eyes, I knew that I was going to break his heart.

  ‘Is that a family friend?’ Henry handed me his daughter.

  I hugged the child close to me. She was used to me by now. I had seen her several times over the last six weeks. Henry had brought her to visit while my foot healed. It was quite obvious, not only to myself, but to my parents as well. I had fallen in love with my rescuer. And his daughter.

  My father clicked his tongue. ‘You could say that, son.’ He raised his eyebrows at me.

  I had failed to mention my fiancé to Henry. It wasn’t because I was being malicious, I just couldn’t bring myself to break the magical spell that surrounded us. Unfortunately, that spell was about to be broken.

  ‘It’s so good to see you,’ I could hear John saying as they made their way back over to us.

  My mother had her arm around his waist. John’s uniform was pristine. His hat sat neatly on his head.

  ‘Sir, how wonderful to see you.’ John grasped my father’s hand and shook it.

  My father smiled awkwardly. His gaze darted between the three of us. The child gurgled happily in my arms, drawing John’s attention to her.

  ‘Who’s this, then?’ he asked.

  Stepping forward, he leant down and kissed my cheek. I tried to smile but couldn’t. The intense gaze of the child’s father, Henry, bore into me. In fact, my skin heated as I realised they all stared.

  ‘John…’

  I bit my lip, not able to go on. Surely he would understand? In the last year, we had hardly seen each other. We were no longer in love.

  ‘This is my daughter. Catherine kindly takes care of her for me sometimes.’ Henry reached forward and took the baby out of my arms. ‘Nice to meet you,’ he said, nodding once and walking away.

  I watched him go. My throat threatened to close as his shoulders slumped. He had obviously guessed who John was.

  ‘It’s good to see you.’ John seemed oblivious to what had just happened.

  ‘She’s happy to see you too, aren’t you?’ Mother said.

  She pinched my elbow. I stood in a daze, forcing myself to stop searching for Henry in the crowd of people that now took shelter in the underground.

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  My enthusiasm couldn’t even convince myself. The awkward moment made my skin prickle. I had a choice to make. John or Henry. Even then, Henry may not forgive me. I had lied to him. Not telling him the whole truth. Not that we had arranged anything, but I had let him fall in love with me. And I had fallen in love with him.

  ‘Let’s go and say hello to our neighbours, dear.’ My mother dragged my father off.

  John took a step closer, running his hand down my arm. I was tempted to move away but I stopped myself.

  ‘Why haven’t you sent me anything?’ I couldn’t help myself. He hadn’t written to me for a long time. His base wasn’t that far from London. It wouldn’t have taken him much to make a bit of an effort.

  ‘Sorry, Catherine. You know what it’s like. I’ve been fighting.’

  Unlike Henry, John towered above me. Seeing him hadn’t caused my feelings to return. It was strange not to have that rush of emotion. Looking up at him, I smiled gently.

  ‘John, thi
ngs have changed. We’re not who we used to be. I-’

  ‘Don’t say that.’ John grabbed the top of my arms. ‘I still love you. Don’t you love me?’

  Closing my eyes briefly, I took a deep breath. The old lady had said that things would change. She said that it would be hard. Glancing around, my heart skipped when I spotted Henry watching us from the ground, where he sat cradling his little girl.

  ‘I’m sorry. I can’t do it.’

  John released me but not before squeezing my skin between his fingers. It was as if he had to hurt me as much as I was hurting him.

  ‘Okay. I can’t force you to love me. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you. I really hope… I really hope that you find…’ He couldn’t go on, swallowing as he blinked. I held back the tears as the pressure built behind my eyes.

  ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean for it to happen.’

  He shook his head, not able to say more. Turning, he wandered into the crowd. I watched his high shoulders disappear, not able to look away until he was gone.

  ‘What happened?’ my father ordered as he came back over.

  Looking away from the crowd, I searched for Henry. He had moved from his spot on the floor. They were letting us out. I hadn’t even noticed that the sirens had stopped and the all clear had been sounded. He was gone. The love of my life had just seen a part of me that I wasn’t proud of. I had probably lost him, too.

  ‘I’m no longer engaged to John.’ I started to walk, my feet heavy on the concrete ground.

  An arm came around my shoulders. I stared into my father’s eyes, surprised that he cared enough to show me affection. He was the strong silent type. Rarely would he give me a hug.

  ‘Well, my dear, you have to follow your heart. That’s what I did with your mother. Sometimes I wonder why.’

  I giggled as my mother hurried along next to us. ‘I heard that.’

  ‘I know you did, love. You bloody hear everything, don’t you?’ My father winked at me.

  My parents had been together since they were teenagers. They loved each other dearly. That’s what I wanted. Someone that made my heart sing but also made me feel secure. I hadn’t been that way with John for at least a year.

  ‘You know what you have to do?’ my father asked as we came up into the street.

  Shaking my head, I hugged myself as the wind whipped around me.

  ‘You have to let Henry know how you really feel. It’s not going to be easy. You didn’t tell him the truth. But I think you’ll be alright.’

  My father patted my shoulder before striding off ahead. My mother pretended to snarl at his back but I knew better. He probably showed her his sweet side sometimes, when no one paid attention. I certainly had never heard such wise words from him. He was right, I had to tell Henry that I was in love with him.

  Chapter Fourteen

  ‘I’ve been thinking,’ Matt said. ‘Maybe we rushed into this. I’m not sure I’m ready for a relationship. This whole Nick business, it’s got me questioning. I know you believe that I’m your soulmate but I’m not sure I can give you what you want.’

  ‘My brother said that to Pisces once,’ Derek blurted.

  We sat in the back of the car outside the airport. Matt was about to get on a plane and go back to London. Derek had kindly given us a lift but now he interrupted a very important conversation.

  ‘Derek, can you give us a minute?’

  ‘But it’s my car,’ he said.

  Matt opened the door to get out.

  ‘Okay, I’m going.’ Derek left us to it.

  Matt settled on the back seat again. ‘I can see how much I’m upsetting you. I don’t want to do that.’

  I couldn’t count the amount of times I swallowed, trying my hardest to keep tears from entering my eyes. It didn’t work. We didn’t work. Derek said that Antony had said the same words to Pisces. That meant he was running. Which was fine. Wasn’t that supposed to be part of the whole dynamic?

  ‘I need to let you go.’

  I glanced down at the pale blue varnish on my nails. I couldn’t look him in the eye.

  ‘It’s not that I don’t want to be with you. Well, maybe it is. I don’t know.’

  Meeting his gaze, I leant forward and kissed his cheek. He didn’t say anything. There was no need to.

  ‘I’ll be in contact,’ I said.

  The air rushed out from his lungs before he climbed out of the car. He didn’t look back once as he got his stuff from the boot.

  Tears trickled down my face as he said goodbye to Derek and walked into the terminal. My chest squeezed tighter than I had ever experienced. My stomach cramped. I had to hold my hand against it to ease the pain.

  ‘At least we can have a laugh now he’s gone,’ Derek said as he climbed back in.

  I couldn’t help the cry of pain as it escaped my mouth. Derek froze, turning to look at me. I curled myself into a ball on the seat. The pain ran up and down me. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced. My heart was literally cracking.

  ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  The engine started. I was grateful that Derek ignored me on the journey home. There was nothing he could say. I just had to let it out. My whole body shook as tears poured from me, as noises and snorts escaped me.

  ‘This…hurts… Don’t ever fall in love.’ I managed to get out as the car stopped.

  I tried to calm myself. Pulling back the tears was impossible. Getting up was impossible. Everything was impossible.

  I heard movement but didn’t uncurl myself. A breeze ran over me as my door was opened and two strong arms wrapped around my body, pulling me out of the car. I covered my face as the smell of Derek filtered up my nose. He somehow managed to swing me into his arms. All I could do was feel. The split in my heart, the breeze on my skin. My stomach cramping and the whole of my body shaking.

  ‘What happened?’ someone asked.

  I was moving. Light came through my fingers and touched my eyes. I squeezed them shut.

  ‘He broke her heart.’ Derek’s statement was blunt. Yet, so accurate.

  The light changed. We must had moved into the villa. My body bounced as Derek carried me. Sobs still fell from me. The footsteps of shoes against lino was the only thing I could hear. Other than my own crying.

  My body started to lower until it hit something soft. My bed. I wrapped my arms around myself and buried my head in the pillow. Someone pushed me towards the wall. An arm squeezed under my neck and the other came around my waist. A body wrapped around mine, cradling me against them. I didn’t acknowledge them. I could do nothing but cry.

  *

  My eyes were sticky as I tried to pull them open. Light blinded me when I managed to wrench them wide enough to see. Someone held me close. I smiled gently as I placed my hand over theirs. Their smell was different. Not like Matt’s.

  ‘How are you feeling?’

  Derek. The pain of the day before came rushing through me. I squeezed his fingers in mine, pleased that he didn’t instantly pull away. I didn’t know why; I didn’t really know him.

  ‘Have you ever felt this?’ My voice croaked.

  My back was against Derek’s chest. My head rested on his arm. It probably wasn’t the most comfortable position for him. I was cradled, like a little girl.

  ‘No. I don’t want to ever feel it.’

  His chin rested on the top of my head. I didn’t dare move. The comfort was too much to break.

  ‘I hope you never do,’ I said, stroking his fingers. ‘Thank you.’

  He squeezed me in his arms tightly for a second before letting go. Untangling himself, he stayed silent as he rolled off the bed. I stayed where I was as he moved across the room and left me to it. Why had he helped me so much?

  The door opened again. ‘Do you want me to get a flight over to London and kill him?’

  Only Leo would threaten the love of my life when I laid there, broken. Instead of trying to fix us, he was prepared to break us even more.

  ‘Th
ere’s no point.’ I turned and pulled myself from the bed. I still wore the same clothes from the day before.

  ‘I could just pay him back for the way he treated me. I’m not sure if I’ve ever really forgiven him for stabbing me with a knife.’ Leo leant against the doorframe. Crossing his arms, he rested his hands on his bulging tattooed biceps.

  Shaking my head, I wiped my eyes. They were heavy, puffy and probably bright red. I didn’t want to look in a mirror. ‘You don’t have to do anything. It will work out eventually.’

  Leo grinned.

  ‘Why you smiling?’ I asked.

  Virgo came up behind him, punching him in the side so she could squeeze past. Leo scowled at her but moved anyway.

  ‘I’m smiling because I think it’s about time we went and sampled some of the Greek delights,’ Leo said as Virgo sat next to me.

  ‘I’m not sure Cancer is up for that. She needs to rest. We need to talk about our situation with Nick’s men.’ Virgo stroked my arm for a second before pulling away.

  Leo screwed up his face. ‘Don’t be so prissy. The last thing Cancer needs is to worry about being captured. We need to go out and party. Have some fun.’ Leo clapped his hands, rubbing them together.

  The thought of letting my hair down did appeal. If I had to feel the pain, surely I could try to drown it out?

  ‘Derek!’ Leo shouted. ‘We can go clubbing, can’t we? You’ll take care of us, won’t you?’

  I heard Derek’s shout but couldn’t hear what he said. Leo left us to talk to our bodyguard.

  ‘What happened?’ Virgo didn’t need to explain her question.

  ‘He doesn’t want a relationship.’

  It was what he had told me. For too long I had held onto the thought of him. It was time to let him go. There was no point in blaming him for everything. No point in trying to persuade someone to want me either.

  ‘He really is…’

  I let myself smile. Virgo had managed to stop what she was about to say but I could guess. My sister would always stick up for me. I was sure that my siblings had suspicions about him anyway. No matter how much Matt tried to prove to them that he was no longer on Nick’s side, he would never succeed.