The Luna Choosing Game

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.

said, more forcefully.

just shush me?

the stage. Face blank, he simply leaned over

got it. 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 potential rejection? Did he need to see Bridget and Nicholas interact like some kind of proof? Even if it

his way, if this was what

+15 BONUS

his wrist in a vice grip. If he wanted to escape me, he’d have to break my hold. That would be much

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

His blank expression had not changed. Suddenly, I began to worry about him even more than before. It wasn’t like him to not be quick with a grin and a quip. Something was definitely going on with

but I would want to anyway. Even if I didn’t want the truth about what happened last night, I would still want to talk to him, to find out why he looked so

“Julian…” I whispered.

looking at me. “I’m watching the show

my mouth again. He really did want to

had to

for the kiss. Beside me, Julian tensed.

couldn’t see Nicholas’s face from here, only Bridget’s. She looked up at him with such pure devotion in her eyes. She was a

leaned in toward each

caught in my throat.

No.

Nicholas turned his head and

of relief pushed through

Bridget, apparently having expected this, grabbed Nicholas’s face to center him,

to wildly cheer. So much

me, Julian sighed. He gently placed his hand over mine, and I realized how tightly

the kiss. He looked like a statue, unmoving. When Bridget pulled back, smiling,

surprised for a moment. But then she corrected herself. She smiled as she turned toward the confused