Page 31 of Die For Me

It felt odd walking back into the house with MichaelandJack behind me. Would I ever get used to them both being in my presence and being civil?

“Let’s talk some more,” I announced as I set down my purse; luckily Jack had brought it back to me the night before.

I turned around, and they both stared at the ground, looking uneasy.

“What?” I looked between the two of them.

“Don’t you want to talk about how you’re feeling? About what just happened?” Jack asked me carefully.

Michael had the same concerned look on his face.

“No. I don’t want to talk about it. I’m glad it’s been dealt with,” I answered, tears welling up in my eyes.

Jack shook his head and walked to me slowly, wrapping his arms around me tightly. I couldn’t help it—I started to bawl. Ifelt Michael’s hand on my back, rubbing circles. I felt Jack crying too, his chest heaving up and down. My poor, sweet, sensitive Jack.

“I love you, Hana,” he said into my ear.

“I love you too, Jack,” I responded into his shoulder.

I let go of him and turned around to face Michael. His face was sullen, his dark-gray eyes wide and mournful. I took his hand and sighed.

“Let’s figure everything else out,” I finally said quietly.

We needed to lay down some ground rules. We needed to figure out how this would work. I let go of Michael and sat on the couch, putting my knees up to my chest. Jack sat down first and Michael followed.

“I want alone time with each of you. You both get me alone, at least once a day. For an hour,” I muttered; I was making shit up as I went.

“An hour? That’s it?!” Jack exclaimed.

“I mean, yeah.At leastare the key words here. We can negotiate.” I looked between the two of them.

Michael didn’t say anything; Jack pouted next to me.

“Do we have to all sleep together in the same bed every night? Or do we get to take turns or what?” Michael asked, already exasperated.

I knew he was having a hard time with this. They both were. I put my hand atop his and gave him a small, crooked smile; I knew he loved that smile.

“We can take turns. I do like sleeping with both of you, though. I feel safe,” I explained.

I feltsafe? Sleeping between two men who kidnapped me, fucked me, threatened violence against me, and had me scared for my life? How fucked up in the head was I? Speaking of my fucked-up head…

“And I get to manage my own medication. I have no idea when I last took my meds.” I looked at Jack, eyeing him warily.

He put his hands up with a devilish smile.

“So we’re staying here till when? And then what, where will we live?” Michael pressed on, removing his hand from mine to stand. “We each get date nights? What about holidays? We’re all going to show up at your parents’ house as a big happy family?”

He was pacing now.

“We’ll figure that out, Michael,” I answered calmly. Michael’s eyes darted to me. “Sir.”

“And she always has to call you fucking ‘sir’? Or else what? You get to go punish her, just the two of you?” Jack stood now too. They were both spiraling.

“Hey!” I shouted.

Their eyes darted to me.

“All that matters is that youbothget me. You’re either all in, or nothing.” I looked between the two of them, standing between their angry glares.

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