The Luna Choosing Game



Susie, apparently thrilled with the distraction, leaned forward to eat her cheesecake. After the first bite, Terry stopped her by raising his napkin.

"My dear, you have a touch of chocolate syrup right here..." He tabbed the napkin to the comer of her mouth. Susie went still as a statue.

I moved, ready to stand and do something, when Susie looked across the table at me and met my gaze. Subtly, she shook her head no. She was telling me to stop.

But why? To protect me? To protect us both if our standings should suffer?

Terry shouldn't be allowed to treat people this way.

I looked at Nick, and his face was grim. He wasn't eating either, simply glaring at his uncle.

Terry smirked. "Are you enjoying your dessert, dear?" Terry asked Susie in a low, sultry voice that made my skin crawl. "Go ahead and eat more. I'm right here, ready to help clean you up if you make a messy,"

Susie's hand shook as she cut off another portion of cheesecake. She lifted it halfway to her mouth, but then lowered it instead.

"I'm sorry," she said, "I'm not hungry anymore."

"Is it not to your liking?" Temy asked. "You wouldn't want to upset my chef."This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org.

"I'm sorry," Susie said again. She offered no more explanation, even after Terry waited.

Eventually, though he looked disappointed, he said, "Suit yourself."

After dinner, the candidates and guests were brought into a sitting room to socialize. The princes were called in to give more interviews with the camera crews.

Coffee and tea were served, but I declined both.

I sought out Susle and found her alone in the far comer of the room, looking for all the world like she hoped she could disappear.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. "He is vile."

"Did he touch you?"

She shook her head. "No more than you saw."

That, at least, was a small relief.

"Susie, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. He's only going after you to get to me...

"I know that," Susie said. She looked up at me, and though there was fear in her eyes, there was something like conviction too. "He doesn't actually want me. I'm just a ploy. If he keeps his attention on me, then he might leave you alone."

"I will not let you sacrifice yourself-

"He won't actually touch me," Susie said. "It's you he wants."

She seemed certain of that but I was incredibly less so. Susie was shy, but she was beautiful and sweet. Terry might not want her long term, but I highly doubted he wouldn't still try to claim - and ruin - her if the opportunity presented itself.

Especially since he knew it would hurt me.

Yet before I could express any of that to Susie, Terry approached us.

"Susie, my dear," he said, and though he said it so charismatically, words smooth like honey, it absolutely turned my stomach.

It must have done the same for Susie. She visibly flinched.

"I would like to invite you on another tour," Terry said. He was purposefully ignoring me.

"We already went on a tour," I said.

He didn't even glance at me. "This one would be much more private and.. personal. You would have all my attention, Susie. Wouldn't you like that? I'm sure it would improve your standing."

Susie sunk into herself, making herself small. Even so, I could see the cogs behind her eyes tuming. She was actually considering this!

She must have wanted to protect me. She must have actually believed that he would leave her alone.

I knew better. I was half-ready to grab her hand and keep her by my side with force, if necessary.

Finally, Terry slid his gaze to me. "That is, unless Piper would like to go in your stead?"