The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0264

“Didn’t Julian mention the pendant to you?” I asked.

“No,” Nicholas said curtly.

“He gave me this.” I lifted the pendant higher, for Nicholas to see. “He said that all I have to do is press

down on the moon, and my location would be sent to him. I asked him to include you in on it…”

“Conveniently he failed to mention it to me.” Jealousy dripped like venom from his voice.

“He must have forgotten.”

“Doubtful.” Nicholas accepted the pendant and examined it closely. He flipped it over to look at the back

of it. “I would have felt better if he had told me about this, but… I can’t deny it gives me some measure of

comfort to know you have it.”

“It does?”

Nicholas nodded. “I want you protected, even if I’m not the one doing it. Julian is many things but he is

not on Terry’s side. If he gave you this to protect you from him, that offer was genuine. As is the threat. If

even Julian is worried about you…”

Nicholas and Julian seemed to have skewed ideas of the other. I had seen Julian’s concern before, in albeit fleeting moments. But Julian was not so rambunctious and carefree as Nicholas assumed him to

1. be.

I doubted that defense of Julian would be welcome right at this moment, with Nicholas barely containing his envy, so I withheld it. Julian would probably prefer the misconception anyway, since he so

often sought to cultivate it.

“I will be speaking to Julian about this, however,” Nicholas said, his voice lowering with dark promise.

I didn’t get Julian in too much trouble. Though, knowing him, he could

blissful moments, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his warmth and closeness. But then, too soon, he pulled

we risk being so late that it will affect your standing,” he said with

regret.

even one more rank, so I leaned back as well.

to the street. Then he moved the gear

we continued on.

from where we had been, a mile or two at most. We were the last car to pull into the driveway, though

you very much,” I said

kept his eyes down and did not engage me at all, not even

seriously. I wouldn’t hold it against him. I

the car.

me, and I laced mine around

the doorway, a pair of servants opened the door for us. “Thank you very much,” I said to them both. Both ignored me, eyes low, as if they had been instructed not

their gazes from

at Nicholas

say Terry treats his staff kindly and pays well. Neither of those things are true. His cruelty knows no bounds, and I suspect, though I have no proof, that many

I suspect

something about it by now,”

not hear me. His cruelty breeds loyalty, unfortunately. The

their gazes were on the floor, their bodies still as statues. I

to bring

the mansion, Into a greeting room at the base of a grand staircase. Gold adorned nearly every surface from the banisters of the staircase to the

the room.

lights and sometimes cases. I had

with the bottom of my shoes.

Servants, their downcast gazes in place, walked around the room carrying trays of champagne and hors

he spots us, waves Nicholas and me closer. Nicholas holds tightly to my hand as

approach.

down to my lips, and his eyes narrowed. “Why, Piper. It seems you

lipstick.”

handkerchief from his pocket and passes it over to me. I hesitate a

and dap at the