Page 43 of Die For Me

Dinner was awkward. Emily and I chatted, trying to drag Michael and Jack into the conversation, but they were quiet. Jack kept playing with his phone, and Michael finished eating quickly then went into the kitchen to start dishes.

Jack looked over at me and smiled once he was gone. “Do I get my hour soon?” he asked almost mockingly.

Emily turned and looked at me.

“Yes.” I nodded.

“I’m sure I don’t want to know.” She laughed to herself.

Jack kept his eyes on me then winked. My heart dropped to my knees. I was so in love with him. I was starting to wonder—but trying my best not to think of it—what if I loved him more than Michael?

* * *

Emily and I took another walk after dinner while the sun was setting. Jack went to turn in the rental car that he drove to Greenwich, so I wasn’t worried about them being alone again. I hugged myself as the air started to get crisp and looked down at the cement as we passed houses on the same route we took before.

“So,” Emily started. She seemed hesitant to speak. “You really think this is going to work out?”

I bit my lip as we continued to walk. I didn’t want to look at her—I wasn’t so certain anymore. How could they evernothate each other? There was so much history, so much resentment.I was also scared of what Michael could do to Jack. Seeing Michael’s angry side frightened me, and I could tell he was holding back a lot of his enmity while we were all together. Would he snap? Would Jack? Jack was so passionate and impulsive—what if he threw another punch?

I sighed before I answered. “I don’t know. I’m hopeful, though.” I shrugged as I looked at her.

Emily eyed me warily. She looked terrified, like she wanted to tell me to run. She was holding back her true emotions as well, something she didn’t usually do.

“Well, you already know this is all fucking crazy,” she started.Ah, there she is. “But I want you to make your own decisions, Han. And please just…please be careful.” Her face was worried and torn.

I nodded. I knew what she meant. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay? We can all go back in the morning.” I was trying to change the subject.

Emily laughed. “Yeah. It’s too fucking awkward being in that house. No offense.” She put her hand to my shoulder.

“As an outsider…I’m sure it is.”

We continued our walk until the stars were twinkling above us. We reminisced about our wild teenage years, roaming the streets of Greenwich, throwing crazy house parties that our parents somehow never found out about. I was laughing and starting to feel more likemeagain. And for the first time in a long time, I was starting to like myself.

Hana

Our Uber arrived the next day, and we all three squeezed into the backseat of the SUV.

“One of you can sit up here if you’d like,” the kind Uber driver suggested as he glanced back at us.

“No,” Jack and Michael answered in unison.

I rolled my eyes to myself. We were off to a good start.

“So…we’re going to mine and Jack’s apartment. And then what?” I asked, as if they were the ones still making decisions.

“We can stay at my apartment. There’s three bedrooms. One for each of us,” Michael answered as he put his hand on my bare thigh, slyly pulling up my dress an inch. It sent an electric jolt throughout my entire body; my desire for him seemed to double ever since he so kindly and forcefully reunited us.

I nodded and put my hand on top of his. I reached for Jack’s thigh and squeezed it, glancing over at him with a smile. I knew he needed constant reassurance with this arrangement.

“Where’s your apartment?” I asked curiously.

Michael sighed a little and put his hand to his beard. “It’s…it’s across the street from yours.”

My eyes bulged. I shouldn’t have been shocked, but I was.

Jack started chuckling to himself. “Why do you attract so many men that stalk you, Hana?” he jested.

I ignored Jack. “So…you knew where we lived this whole time?” I asked Michael quietly.

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