“No, he was in there. He was standing right next to you. How can you guys not recognize one another?” I ask as I drag my hand over my face. This is ridiculous.
I hear a girl pleading, but I can’t bring myself to look. I don’t want to know what Simon is doing to Twenty, I’d rather be able to plead the fifth.
“I don’t know. Although, how can you tell us apart? The whole point of tonight was that no one would be able to, not even us. L…”
He doesn’t continue to speak as we make it outside and he lowers me to my feet. Emmet and Thallon stand over Tom, his face is covered in blood and he keeps wincing. I want to go to him, but Aeron pulls me back into the shadows, and covers my mouth with his hand.
He pulls out his phone, his fingers fly across the screen before he shows me what he wrote.
Dickhead E: we’re here, get him to admit it. She has the right to know. No more secrets, not when they’re not needed.
I watch as Emmet pulls his phone out, before he slides it back into his pocket and drives his foot into Tom’s ribs.
“We know, Tom. You fucked up. Told my father the wrong secret. What do you have to say for yourself?”
“You’re delusional! Why would I betray you? I have nothing to gain or lose,” he laughs but it sounds so pain filled, it makes my heart ache.
“I know you’ve been feeding information to Arthur, he knows too much. About how Luna used to spend nights with other guys when she was claimed by Aeron. She didn’t have permission, but how would Arthur know that unless you told him? Although, the best one is how he knows that you were the guy she fucked, and where it happened.” Thallon spreads his hands out as my heart splinters.
It doesn’t mean anything, he could have figured it out after what Rachel said at the wedding.
“That doesn’t prove anything, keep trying, boys. I’ve got all night.” He struggles to his feet, but he doesn't try to get away from them.
“You want more? How about video footage of that night you took Luna to a club? With a voice recording of a conversation you had with her in the car. How many conversations did you record, Tom? How much of what Luna told you in confidence, what we told you, did you feed to my father?” Emmet pushes him and he stumbles back into Thallon.
“It’s not true,” I whisper, as Aeron stares down at me with pity in his eyes.
“Everything that he would want to know,” his voice comes out cold as his smile falls flat.
I stumble out of Aeron’s arms and lean against the wall, as I stare down on them. No, Sunbeam. Please, tell me you’re lying, please.
“Every time a girl acted out of line, or Luna would say something that would reveal more of who she is. Every secret, whisper, and hope. If she got angry, I would tell him what she did or what caused it. Mainly, he wanted to know what transpired between you two. If you were getting any closer to winning her over? If you actually had feelings for her?” he laughs at that part before he sobers up. “Honestly, it was easy. It was never about Luna, it was always about you. His golden boy, and how believable you two would be as a couple. Poor little Emmet. You know your father will only ever let you marry an Academy girl if she’s a legacy, I guess that’s the real reason you want her. I mean, sure, I wasn’t supposed to fuck her seeing as she was yours for the taking, but we all deserve a bonus now and then.” He’s so cold, and detached, not like the Tom who I fell in love with, the guy who bought me a recipe book just because he asked someone else what I would want.
Thallon drives his foot into the back of his knees until he sends him down to the ground.
“Did you ever care about her?” My head swims as Tucker appears, and I stare at Aeron. Yep, I told you so.
“I started to. At first, it was just a job, to get what I wanted out of Sir. I wanted to be higher up on the food chain. He said it wouldn’t be an issue, as long as I told him everything and did as I was told. It got harder, especially when she told me she loved me. But… it didn’t change anything. I still did it. Or at least, I tried to. She made it hard to win her back over, but it was working. Luna is naive, she listens to her heart and not her head. If she did, she never would have fallen for me, and she wouldn’t fall for any of you. Maybe I could have loved her, but she isn’t worth risking the power Arthur can give me.” He spits into the ground as I slide down the wall.
My heart is a pile of ash on the floor as my soul shatters at my feet, I don’t even notice Aeron stalking over to them.
“Tell Tucker the reason why I fucking hate you.” He slams his fist into his Tom’s stomach, as Tucker looks on.
“Because I fucked Rachel first, even though she said she would wait for him. Funny how I got to have both the girls you loved first.” He may as well be cackling as I get back to my feet.
“No, tell him what you did after he found out she was pregnant and proposed,” Aeron shouts, as Tucker goes ramrod straight as he drags Tom up by his shirt.
“I didn’t stop going after her. Even on the night you got engaged, while you were shaking hands with the guests, I had her legs wrapped around my waist. I even thought Isabelle could have been mine for a moment. But Rachel said she needed a guy who would make her life better, I was too low for her. She’d still fuck me, but she would marry you and raise her child with you. How does that feel? Knowing your daughter could be mine?”
No one speaks as Tucker drives his head into Tom’s. I cross the distance until there is no doubt I have arrived. Only Tom and Tucker are oblivious.
“That’s for all the shit you put Luna through. I don’t care that you fucked Rachel, you can have her. But Isabelle is mine, and I have the test results to prove it. You are fucking scum, and as far as I’m concerned, you’re fucking dead to me.” He headbutts him one more time before he pushes him away.
“Moonbeam.” His name for me cuts me deep, as I move close to him.
“Two,” Thallon barks out, but Tucker stands in his way.
“I loved you, I know you heard me, you threw it in my face the first chance you got. It didn’t make it go away though, just like I can’t just switch it off because of what you said. I heard it all, Tom, every last word.” I place my hand on his face and I laugh bitterly as he leans into my touch. “Oh, Tom, thank you for your truths, now here are a few of mine. You are selfish, cruel, and you've broken my heart. Thank you though, because now I know what I deserve, and what I can hope for when I leave here. I may love you, but it will fade. You want power and people that will answer to you, well, congratulations because you just took the first step. Those with true power, can’t really do love. Because you’d easily throw it away if it would give you something better. Look at all of the powerful people you know and ask yourself if they’re truly happy, if they wake up every day and never once feel loneliness. I hope it haunts you and what people say about there being a thin line between love and hate is true. Because, honey, I fucking hate you.” His head whips to the side as my hand strikes him hard enough to leave my hand stinging and a red handprint on his face.
“Tell Sir that. I’ll stand up with pride as I tell him yes, I did slap you. But how I’m filled with regret that I didn’t do more.” I spin around and move towards the doors. I’m not going to rush, even if I feel broken inside.