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!”

we’ll see which of us make

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

“It’s my duty as a prince to continue the lineage. But, yes, I’d like to have a

squealed in delight. “He’d make such a

at the camera, and for a moment, it seemed as if he was staring straight through it. I froze in place, like

My heart ached.

glanced off to the side again, looking at the interviewer, and immediately, I felt foolish. Of course, he couldn’t

of me

heart, hoping

be hung up on him. Sure, I hadn’t dated anyone else since, but that didn’t mean anything. I’d been too busy to

wasn’t lonely. I had Elva, and I had Anna. I

dinged in the kitchen, signaling a meal was ready. I went back to retrieve it. When I returned to the dining

royal family is investigating with the utmost seriousness. This illegal trade of wolves and their gifts is dangerous for every

plate of

once, all eyes

weakens

of the other waitresses hissed at me,

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

end of my shift, I was worn down and exhausted. After my accident, I pushed myself as hard as I could, focusing solely on work and

the television again, not even when the table of girls

applied. I wouldn’t be on the list. Why even bother

particularly stubborn clump of food from a plate,

cook had to clean the stove, or prep for tomorrow. Almost always, he was the last to leave at night. But he was

waitresses, who had said they would clean the dining room.

I was alone.

back of my exposed neck. The stench of alcohol

ready to knock Boss over

a moment too late. Boss

knocked the plate onto the floor, where

hard to mine, wedging me

I was trapped.

free hand ripped open the buttons of my shirt, revealing my lacey white

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

have

him smile