“Has anyone thought to ask Luna what she wants? I know we don’t ask the girls, but since when have we treated her like one?” Tom asks as he and Aeron get to their feet until they’re all standing in front of me, their stares weighing me down and making me feel small.
“I d-d-don’t k-k-know. I can’t choose one over the other, I… I have…” I drag my hand through my hair as I try to collect my composure. “I’m attracted to all of you, I don’t want to decide who can and can’t be allowed to spend time with me.”
“Oh great, let’s all have you then. Be our own little harem,” Emmet scoffs before he picks up a glass and throws it at the wall, laughing sardonically.
“I’ve heard worse ideas.” Tom strokes at his chin as I gape at him.
“I wasn’t being fucking serious.”
“So what? Aww, what’s the matter, Emmet? Scared she won’t like you as much if you have us along for the ride?” Why is Tucker taunting him so much, what does he hope to gain from it all?
“This is fucked up, I’m not having any part of it.” Aeron walks over to the door, and my heart lurches at the thought of him walking away.
“Grow up, Aeron. This whole fucking place is about sharing girls. How many have you screwed knowing that I or one of the others probably did it the day before, or maybe even only an hour before you did?” Tom, the voice of reason. Not that I really want to hear any of this.
“That was different,” he shouts.
“How is it different?” Tucker leans to the side slightly, as he purses his lips just a little.
“I didn’t love them,” he screams, his chest heaving as his fist flies into the wall before he yanks the door open, and walks away. Leaving us all to stare after him with our jaws on the floor.
“Luna.” I look up at Tucker, choking at the emotions clogging in my throat. “I can tell by your face that you want to go after him, and I think you should. I’ll give you a pass, in case anyone catches you in this wing. You can try his room, but if he isn’t there, then he’ll probably be in the maze.” He’s so matter of fact about it all, as though Aeron didn’t just drop a huge bomb at our feet, I guess I’m still waiting for the explosion.
“Take Darius with you, don’t go in there alone,” comes from Tom, and Emmet isn’t saying a damn word.
“O-okay.” I get to my feet, barely processing anything as I stumble over to the door and go after the one guy I never expected that kind of declaration from.
“Aeron’s in love with her. Who would have seen that coming?” Tom says as I move away from the door, and Darius reaches to close it.
“I did.” That’s the last thing I hear as the door clicks in place. How could Emmet have ever been able to guess that this would happen?
“I need to find him.” Darius looks pensive before he gently grasps my elbow and leads me out of their wing. I guess I’m going to the maze after all.
Why can’t Sir just destroy it? Clearly, it’s nothing but a hazard when you have a crazed strangler on the loose.
We walk through together, heading for the middle, when voices meet my ears.
“For the last time, fuck off,” Aeron growls, and I’m relieved to know he’s here, but I wonder if I should turn back and leave him to it.
“Oh, come on, Aeron baby. You know we’re good together. I’ll have you moaning my name in no time,” One says in a sultry voice, and maybe I should turn around and just let him be. So, why aren’t my feet listening to me? Instead of helping me to flee, they’re leading me right to him.
“I’m not interested, you two-bit whore. Go find someone who buys the bullshit you sell, I’m not falling for it again. So run along, before I stop being such a nice guy.”
“Just go in there, Miss Carter. I’m sure he’ll appreciate the reprieve.” Darius steers me by my lower back until I’m standing in the hedgerow, and my eyes meet Aeron’s.
“Seriously, how many times do I have to tell you that you can have all the guys you want, except from Aeron, Emmet, and Tucker?” She flicks her hair over her shoulder and it shimmers in the light.
“It’s not my fault they don’t like you. I think it says more about you than it does me.” I square my shoulders and keep my head held high. I won’t let this bitch get to me, not anymore.
“Shut your mouth before I shut it for you.” She looks back at Aeron before she says, “seriously, her? What, do you have some weird fantasy about getting it on with the dead or something?”
Aeron flies to his feet before he grips her arms and sends her flying through the maze. “Darius, take out the trash for me, man. I’ll keep an eye on Luna until you get back.” His smile is gone, and his eyes are as hard as flint.
“My pleasure,” Darius sneers at her as she cowers before taking a step toward Aeron, and Darius grabs her by the waist. He lifts her off the ground and carries her away like she’s nothing more than a sack of potatoes.
“Well, you may as well take a seat. At least until Darius gets back.” He picks up a handful of stones, and starts throwing them one by one.
“I was worried about you, Aeron, I didn’t…” His finger presses against my lips, cutting me off mid-sentence.
“Of course, you didn’t know. I didn’t exactly show it, did I? I just wish I’d realized before I let you go, I guess I need to work a little harder on my timing,” he laughs coldly as he throws the last of the stones in the air.
“Would it really be so terrible to share me with Tucker?” Now there’s a sentence I never thought I’d say. He grazes my cheek and my breath comes out staggered, the things he can do to me with a single touch.
“It wouldn’t just be him though, would it? Tom won’t say no. I mean, isn’t Tucker already sharing you with him?” I don’t need to respond, but doesn’t he see that he’s been doing the same? “Then there’s Emmet. No way is he going to be okay with this, believe me, Luna. If he agrees, you can’t trust it. He’ll find a way to keep you to himself and then what happens if you fall for one of us? We’re supposed to just stand aside so you can be happy together? Fuck that. I’d rather lose you now, rather than later.”
I place my hand on his cheek and even when he tries to shrug me off; I refuse to let go.
“Aeron, I may not be where you are right now, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care, or that I don’t have feelings for you. Because I do, you were the first guy out of all of you I wanted to be around. I get it if you don’t want to share and maybe it’s some sick irony, seeing as we’re not allowed to get jealous, and we have to accept that sharing is inevitable, but that doesn’t mean I want to hurt you.” I release a breath through my teeth as his hands fall on my waist and he pulls me closer, dropping onto the bench. I hook my leg over his until I’m straddling his lap. I cup his face as I stare into his beautiful eyes. “If you don’t want to be a part of it, neither do I. I’ll ask Tucker not to give anyone permission, whatever I can do to make things a little easier for you.”
He pulls me against him as our lips meet, a long, slow, torturous kiss that makes my heart ache. It feels like a goodbye, and I’m already mourning his loss.