The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story novel Chapter 293

Chapter 0293
Beside me,
Nicholas grunted.
+15 BONUS
We both ignored him now.
Julian smiled at me. “Thank you, Piper.”
As day turned into evening, and evening into night, I could not stop thinking about Jane’s knife and how closely I had come to being skewered.
If Nicholas had moved a half-second slower, and I could be dead.
If I had died..
I dreaded the thoughts, but I still forced myself to face them.
If I had died, I would have died as someone who held themselves back from the things they wanted. I had my reasons, and they were good ones. My needs had always been secondary to Elva’s. They always would be.
But, while we were here in the palace, keeping Elva safe, fed, and happy did not require my sacrifice. While we were here, I had the chance to pursue my own happiness, however briefly.
And I was squandering it.
I waited until Elva was asleep, then sunk out of the room. The guards saw me leave, of course, ever watchful, but other than a passing glance, they did nothing to indicate interest in where I was going. No questions were asked, no answers were given.
I hurried down the halls, moving down a now-familiar path to the royal family’s
rooms.
s personal
Life was too short. How many regrets I would have died with had that knife met its mark. And while I couldn’t resolve every single regret I’ve accumulated over the years, one at least felt within my power to change.
Nicholas had offered to replace the memories that Terry had tainted with happier ones.
I hadn’t been ready when he first offered, or I’d been holding myself back for the sake of my wounded, lonely heart.
But now I knew better. I didn’t want someone like Terry to steal my virginity from me. It wanted to give it willingly to someone that I admire. Someone I knew would be gentle with me, and treat me like a queen, even if only for the one night.
Someone who would still respect me in the morning, when we had to go our separate ways.
So I walked straight to Nichola s’s door, lifted my hand, and knocked.
+15 BONUS
Then, with my breath in my throat, I waited. And waited. And waited.
Was he asleep?
I leaned closer to the door.
No, I definitely heard voices within. It almost sounded like he was arguing with someone, but in a more gentle than forceful kind of way.
Odd.
I knocked again, a little louder. Some of my desire ebbed. Maybe Nicholas just actually needed help.
Footsteps came closer to the door from inside the room, and then it pulled open, revealing Nicholas.
Nichola s’s clothes were slightly disheveled. His suit coat was missing. The buttons of his shirt had been undone down to the ribs. His hair was mussed like someone had run their fingers through it.
And worst of all, the thing my gaze zeroed into and could not look away from: he had lipstick on his collar.
“Nick?” I asked in disbelief. He wouldn’t be as intimate with others girls as he would have with me… would he? Yes, we were in a competition, and yes, someday he would have to marry one of these other girls and start a family, but.
What we shared felt bigger than all this. Whatever was between us could only be temporary, but that didn’t make it less special.
“Piper…” His voice was strained.
Behind him, a woman moved into sight. It was Lilliana, and she was wearing only a sheer nightgown and panties. Her bare breasts were on full display behind a thin veil of white.
The hurt started before I even recognized what it was, a sharp pain that sliced me between my ribs, plunging straight into my heart.
I had hoped to be with Nicholas.
Nicholas, it seemed, already had plans for tonight.