The Luna Choosing Game

Terry slowly trailed his hand up the length of my thigh. He stopped at the meatiest point, just beneath my hip and squeezed.

I wanted to bolt from the table. I wanted to elbow him in the ribs or kick at his shins.

All I could actually do was sit very still and try not to draw attention from the cameras or the guests, while simultaneously trying to only get Julian to notice.

However, every time Julian glanced at me, his attention was immediately claimed again by Joyce sitting beside me. It was strange to hear him talk so much, especially when the topics. seemed to be entirely superfluous.

“Did you watch that television show the other night?” Joyce asked.

“I don’t watch a lot of TV,” Julian replied.

“It was such a good episode.”

Julian nodded, and glanced back at me.

I widened my eyes.

“Did you hear what happened to Aunt Ruby?” Joyce said.

Julian’s eyes went to Joyce again. “No, what?”

“She bought another dog.”

Julian huffed a laugh. “Don’t word it like that, then, Joyce. You made it sound like it was something serious.”

“A new dog is a serious commitment,” Joyce said.

“Yeah, but…”

Their argument progressed, Julian totally focused on proving Joyce wrong, that he did not look at me again for a long moment. When he did, it was only for a second, before returning his gaze to Joyce, as he brought up yet another point of contention.

Meanwhile Terry was rubbing his hand on my thigh, back and forth. His fingers were moving gradually toward the inside.

I tried to shift away from him, but he simply moved his hand right along with me, keeping it affixed to my leg like he had glued it there.

Before long, he had coaxed his hand between my thighs, undoubtedly wrinkling my dress. Though my dress was the very last of my worries at the moment, because ever so slowly, he

“Piper, this steak is to die for.” He speared a piece of the meat and held his fork out for me to taste.

I froze. It eat something off of his fork felt overly intimate. It had even garnered the attention of several nearby candidates and the cameras. The candidates gave me pitying looks. The cameramen moved in closer.

If I accepted, it was akin to accepting his advances. If I rejected, it would be like a slap in the face. I might as well show myself out now for how much standing I would lose, being rude to the host.

I clenched my stomach, ignoring the way disgust swirled within it, violent and angry.

I leaned forward, closed my eyes, and accepted the bite of meat from Terry’s fork.

“There’s a good girl,” Terry said, and I wanted to spit the food in his face.NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

Instead, a glass shattered.

My eyes shot opened.

Nicholas had clutched his water glass so tightly it shattered. Blood dripped down from his fist.

“Why, nephew. Don’t know your own strength perhaps?” Terry was absolutely delighted by the display and made no attempts to hide it. “You should go clean yourself up before you stain the tablecloth.”

Nicholas frowned harder, but, after casting a glance at Julian, who nodded in return, Nicholas excused himself from the table.

Servants immediately cleared away the glass shards and replaced the broken cup with a fresh one.

Terry looked at me. He leaned in and whispered, “Now that we’re alone…”

He placed a hand on my upper knee.

I tried pushing him away by his wrist, but that only made him grab me tighter. His fingers bit into my skin, likely leaving bruises.

I felt trapped, a cornered animal with nowhere to go. No one was coming for the rescue.

Julian continued to argue with Joyce. Nicholas hadn’t returned from the bathroom. The other candidates occasionally gave me pitying glances, like they knew what was happening under the table, but none made a move against it.

I didn’t blame them. Terry held all the power here. To speak against him would very well cost them their spots in the competition. Just like if I spoke up, I too might lose my spot.

I turned toward him. “Please stop,” I whispered so no one but Terry could hear me.

“Request denied,” he replied, smirking.

I wanted to scream.

When his bold pinky finger pressed against my core, I jumped from the chair as if it had been lit on fire. His hand subtly fell away. He looked up at me with fake innocence and surprise.

“Is something the matter, Piper?” he asked. He knew very well what he had done and that I hadn’t liked it. And that didn’t seem to matter to him in the slightest.

I wanted to throw my drink in his face, or to cuss him out like he deserved. Everyone should

know what a cad he is.

But then I thought of Elva, of her sickness, of what being cast into the street would mean for her.

I huffed a breath, trying to control my anger and fear.

“Someone should check on Nicholas. He’s been gone a while,” I said.

“The servants can,” Terry said.

“I’m worried about him,” I admitted. I didn’t think there was any harm in it.

The cameras moved closer, catching this moment on film.

Julian finally came to my rescue. “Better to let her check, uncle. It won’t do any harm, but if you keep her here, worried, she might not eat at all.”