Page 35 of Die For Me

“You both know me in different ways. And you’ll get to know me in different ways too. Please…let’s not get petty right now.” I turned to Jack.

I could still see the anger on his face. I turned to Michael who continued to glare at Jack, seemingly not hearing a word I had said.

“You two just fucked me.Together. Did you ever think you’d be able to do that…toshareme? You both are more open-minded than you think.” My hands were on my hips, and I felt like I was giving a lecture.

“No, we’re both just fucking obsessed with you,” Jack muttered, finally looking at me with his famous blue doe eyes.

“To a fucking fault.” I raised my eyebrows at them, unable to contain my smile at how ironic this all was.

Jack flashed his dimples at me. I turned to Michael, and his eyes were soft again. I had put out this fire for now.

“I’m gonna shower.Alone. I need Hana time too.” I eyed them as I slowly walked upstairs, almost afraid to leave them alone.

I took my time in the hot shower, trying to gather my thoughts as best as I could. We needed more ground rules because it seemed like they could easily fly off the rails. Hell,theyneeded their own safe word. And what the fuck was I even doing? Was this really going to work out long term if they still hated each other? Michael’s questions got to me: How are we going to go about in the real world? Where would we live, since I demanded they both stay under the same roof with me? I hadto make this work, otherwise someone would get hurt…not only emotionally, but physically.

I threw on some leggings and a T-shirt and had my hair wrapped in a towel when Jack barged into the bedroom. He handed me his phone with a concerned look on his face. I looked down at his phone and it was a text from Emily:Fucking call me or I’m filing a missing persons report on you too!!!!

“We need to tell her everything is fine,” Jack said sternly.

I looked up at him with confusion. “Everythingisfine.” I nodded my head at him.

“Is it? I haven’t gotten any alone time with you, Hana. How the fuck are we going to do this? I can’t fucking lose you. I don’t want to live without you.” His eyes were wide and afraid.

I shook my head and put my hands to his face. “I’m not going anywhere, Jack. You have me. I’m your wife. Till the day we die.”

He shook his head, and his eyes started to well with tears. “I feel like I’m going to lose you again. Michael always seems to get his way with you. I’m fucking scared, Hana. That’s why I kept you to myself before. That’s why I did what I did. I’ve always feared you leaving me.”

I bit my lip and started to cry as well. My sweet Jack was returning more and more. “I promise I’m not going anywhere. The past doesn’t matter anymore. All that matters is that I’m in love with you. I’m so fucking in love with you. How many times have I forgiven you for such terrible shit? It’s because I love you so goddamn much that I don’t want to live without you either.”

Jack’s tears fell down his cheeks as he grabbed me and kissed me, luring me onto the bed and starting to take off my leggings.

“Wait. Wait,” I breathed out. “Emily.”

Jack looked at me like I had grown two heads.

“The text,” I reminded him. “I need to call her.”

Emily

It had been almost two days since I had heard anything from anyone. Michael wasn’t answering his phone, nor was Jack. Hell, I even tried Hana, but that went straight to voicemail. I finally sent an urgent text to Jack:Fucking call me or I’m filing a missing persons report on you too!!!!

I had sort of looped Adam into what was going on—he just thought Hana was being Hana again, unable to choose between Jack and Michael. I didn’t want him to know that his best friend had potentially just put himself in grave danger. He didn’t even bat an eyelid when I shot up while we ate brunch at home, telling him I had to take Hana’s call; I almost had a heart attack when I saw that it was actually Hana’s number calling.

“Hana!” I answered, out of breath while I stood in our tiny bathroom.

“Em,” she breathed out.

The relief of finally hearing her voice made me sob. I fully believed that they were all dead in some fucking townhouse in Cos Cob.

“Where the fuck are you? Are you okay?” I asked between my tears.

“Yes, Em. I’m okay. I’m with Jack right now. And Michael,” she explained calmly.

My heart dropped again. “Both of them?”

Hana laughed. “Yeah. Both of them. Things are…they’re good now, Em,” she said with a smile in her voice.

I was rendered speechless. “What?”