The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0443

“Hi, Piper!” Susie said, suddenly rushing past me. “Bye, Piper!” She took the stairs of the stage.

Bridget’s gaze never left mine. She didn’t say anything more, just winked at me, then turned to follow Susie up the stairs.

I stared after her for a few long moments, shaken inside and out. Just what had Bridget meant by that? A true kiss of passion, she’d said. With Nicholas?

No. I couldn’t believe it. Nicholas had said he won’t kiss anyone he didn’t want to, and I couldn’t let Bridget’s words shake my faith and trust in him.

But what if Bridget was someone he wanted to kiss. The lights of the stage could be intoxicating, and Bridget was a good actress. If anyone could convince a man to kiss her, it would be Bridget.

My stomach twisted into tight knots. Maybe I shouldn’t watch at all. Maybe I should just return to the sitting room with Elva and wait for Susie to tell me what happened.

Yes, that was what I would do. Decided, I turned away from the stairs, only to notice a figure lingering at the other side of the backstage, half in shadow. No one really went to that side, since this side was far more convenient.

Yet I recognized that shadvenient

Julian.

My worries dimmed a little under the wave of determination that rolled over me now. I still needed to talk to him, and here he was. We could speak privately there, and an escape would not be easy for him.

Resolved, I started toward him.

Onstage, the scene began, with Bridget talking to Susie. Susie delivered her one line. Her voice trembled with obvious fear, yet she still managed to say the words. I was proud of her. I would tell her later. But for now…

“Julian, we need to talk,” I said.

Julian didn’t even glance at me. His eyes were glued to the stage.

“Julian,” I said, more forcefully.

he just

his view of the stage. Face blank, he simply

He wanted to watch this scene as much as I wanted to avoid it. Was he some kind of masochist? Liked the pain? Or was this way of dealing with the

wouldn’t stand in his way, if this was what he felt

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and clenched his wrist in a vice grip. If he wanted to escape me, he’d have to break my hold. That would be much harder to do now, since I had a

makeshift window and was sharing romantic words with Bridget. The scene made my stomach clench no matter

beside me. His blank expression had not changed. Suddenly, I began to worry about him even more than before. It wasn’t like him to not

about what happened last night, I would still

“Julian…” I whispered.

said, still not looking at me. “I’m watching the show

my mouth again. He really

meant I had to be tortured

my attention to the stage, it was time for the kiss. Beside me, Julian tensed. I tensed too, holding onto

such pure devotion in her eyes. She was a great actress,

they leaned in toward each

in

Nick. No. Don’t.

his head and kissed

rush of relief pushed through

Nicholas’s face to center him,

So much for being

me, Julian sighed. He gently placed his hand over mine, and I realized how tightly I was holding him. Still, I couldn’t force myself

the length of the kiss. He looked like a statue, unmoving. When Bridget pulled back, smiling, he knocked away her hands then stormed off the

a moment. But then she corrected

in the bedchamber!” she said, adlibbing. “He’s so passionate! I must join him at

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