The Luna Choosing Game

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 fl*pped 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 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 laughed a little, nervously, hoping I didn’t get Julian in too much trouble. Though, knowing him, he could handle himself just fine against his brother.

again. For a few more blissful moments, I closed my eyes and enjoyed his warmth and

to delay, we risk being so late that it will affect your

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

reverse and returned us to the street. Then

to pull into the driveway, though several servants were still outside as if expecting

much,” I said as

kept his eyes down and did not engage me at

I thought at once, though perhaps this particular gentleman took his position as a servant very seriously. I wouldn’t hold it against him. I simply stepped away

arm out for me, and I laced mine

Both ignored me, eyes low, as if they had been instructed not to look at me. No, it wasn’t just me. They deferred their gazes from

at Nicholas

staff kindly and pays well. Neither of those things are true. His cruelty knows no bounds, and I suspect, though

family would have done something about it by now,”

has turned a blind eye. I’ve broached the topic with my parents before, but they will not hear me. His cruelty breeds loyalty, unfortunately. The servants won’t speak

the floor, their bodies still as statues. I doubted

to bring Terry

further into the bulk of 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 molding across

sometimes cases. I had little doubt that over them, let‘ I dirty them with the bottom of my

other guests were scattered throughout the room, with Terry standing in the center of the room. Servants, their downcast gazes in place, walked around the room carrying trays of champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Camera

and me closer. Nicholas holds tightly to

and his eyes narrowed. “Why,

l*pstick.”