The Luna Choosing Game by Jane Above Story

Chapter 0273
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 corner 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?” Terry asked. “You wouldn’t want to upset my chef.”
“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 Susie and found her alone in the far corner 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.
1/2
+25 BONUS
Nicholas pulled back my chair for me, then pushed me in as I sat. When I was comfortable, he lowered himself in the chair
beside me.
Terry glared at both of us.
A small sense of victory filled me. It lasted only a moment, long enough for Terry to stretch out his arm and wrap it around the
back of Susie’s chair.
Susie instantly paled.
My heart leapt into my throat. Susie was quiet and self–conscious. I didn’t know if she would have the confidence to stand up for
herself against Terry’s flirtatious onslaught.
Terry leaned into her and whispered something into Susie’s ear. Susie tried to lean away, but Terry brought his arm around her
and locked her into place.
Her eyes were wide and panicked. She stared at her empty plate like it might offer help.
I kept my gaze on Terry’s hands. So far they were both visible. If one so much as slipped out of view for a second, I was going to
jump across the table and throttle Terry, standings be damned.
I knew, deep down, that Terry was only flirting with Susie to get to me. This must have been his backup plan all along, if I showed
any kind of resistance. He somehow knew we were friends and plotted to use that knowledge against me.
I hated him deeply, almost as much as I hated myself for getting Susie caught up in all this.

The empty entrée plates were taken away, and in their place, a desert was brought in. It was cheesecake, smothered in a rich–
looking chocolate sauce. If I’d had any appetite at all, I would have gobbled it in a flash. As it was, I was struggling to keep my
lunch down.