The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

It had been three days since Boss made his proposition: either I sleep with him or I get fired.

I needed one more day’s pay to cover Elva’s most recent bill. Once I had that, I could resign and hopefully find something else.

Boss trailed his eyes down the length of my body. Staring openly at my breasts, he licked his lips. “Don’t think I won’t, Piper. I’ll be waiting for you.”

In the restaurant, all of the female patrons talked excitedly about the selection. To cater to them, Boss turned all of the televisions on the walls to the royal consort ceremony broadcast.

“Which one do you think is the most handsome?” asked one patron to her friends.

They’d ordered a plate of loaded nachos to share. I carefully placed it in the center of their table.

Another girl spoke quickly. “Are you kidding? The others are cute, sure, but Nicholas is obviously the hottest.”

The other girls quickly agreed.

Startled, I hovered at their table. They were right, of course. Nicholas was the most objectively attractive, but to hear people talk about him so casually still surprised me.

For three days, I’d tried to reconcile in my mind that the Nicholas I had known was also the eldest prince of the kingdom. But I still couldn’t quite manage it.

Nicholas had always been proper. But a prince?

“Piper, is it?” one of the girls at the table asked me. I jumped, realizing I was still standing there. Yet before I could apologize, she asked me, “Which one do you think is the most handsome?”

“Nicholas,” came my automatic answer. “Excuse me.”

Embarrassed at having been caught daydreaming, I forced myself to focus on work. And I succeeded – until I heard Nicholas’ voice come from the speakers.

“The kind of woman I’d prefer?” Nicholas said. “Someone loyal. Strong. Even tempered. And she has to like to children.”

“Check, check, and check,” came a voice from the table of girls. “He’s describing me! It’s meant to be.”

“Dream on. He’s clearly describing me.”

“You don’t even like kids!”

make it through the preliminary selection. Then

“Children, hm? Does that mean we can expect you to

Nicholas. He gave a small smile, but his eyes were guarded. “It’s my duty as a prince to continue the lineage. But, yes, I’d like to

in delight. “He’d make

camera, and for a moment, it seemed as if he was staring straight through it. I froze

My heart ached.

at the interviewer, and

probably hadn’t thought of me at all since

heart, hoping to soothe away the touch

hung up on him. Sure,

I had Anna. I didn’t need romance

meal was ready. I went back to retrieve it. When I returned to the dining room, Nicholas was still on the screen, but speaking on an entirely different

investigating with the utmost seriousness. This illegal trade of wolves and

of

once,

continued, “The weakening of any one wolf, weakens the whole

the other waitresses hissed

food. “I’m sorry.” I quickly set to cleaning it. As I did,

down and exhausted. After my accident, I pushed myself as hard as I

again, not even

I wouldn’t be on the list. Why even

a particularly stubborn

to clean the stove, or prep for tomorrow. Almost always, he was

clean the dining room. The lights in the dining room

I was alone.

puff of hot air brushed the back of my exposed neck. The stench of alcohol permeated

immediately swung around, ready to knock Boss

moment too late.

plate onto the floor, where it

pressed his hips hard to mine, wedging me against the lip

I was trapped.

free hand ripped open the buttons of my shirt, revealing

swelling within me, I struggled against him. He only held tighter, rougher, fingers biting

have the strength

cheek. I felt him smile against my jaw. “You have a child, after