We all move to the living room. I sit on the couch. Callum sits next to me. Jax and Zephyr sit across from us.
The tension is so thick I can barely breathe.
“This isn’t sustainable,” Jax says finally. When I look at him, his face is tight. Fuck, it’s so obvious he knows. I hate that he knows I slept with Callum. Jax wipes his face. “Someone’s going to get hurt.”
“Why?” Callum asks. “Why does someone have to get hurt?”
Zephyr snaps, and I hear the edge in his voice, “Because three guys with one girl? This is going to be a fucking disaster.”
“Why not?” I ask quietly.
Jax looks at me. “Because it just isn’t how relationships work, Tiger.”
I’m shaking, trembling in my bones, but the conversation with Callum makes me realize that he’s right.Fuck everyone. Fuck society.Right now, Jax and Zephyr are going to make me choose only one of them, and I don’t want to. Fuck, I really don’t want to.
“But what if I don’t want normal?” My voice is soft, but at least I’m speaking my truth. “What if I want this? Want all of you?”
Zephyr leans forward. “Tiger, we’re worried about what people will think. What they’ll say.”
“Since when do you care what people think?” Callum asks.
“Since it affects Tiger,” he says. “It could hurt her. She’s already got enough going on.”
“The only thing hurting me right now is the thought of losing any of you,” I add, swallowing the lump in my throat. I hate how ridiculous it sounds, but I don’t want to lose any of them. I haven’t even slept with Jax yet. The thought makes my chest burn. I wonder what he’s like, and I’d hate to never find out.
I look at Jax as he runs his hand through his hair. He stands and starts pacing. “I can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what?” I ask immediately, scared I’m going to lose him. Does he think I’m a slut?
Jax looks at me. “Share you. Watch you be with them and pretend I’m okay with it.”
“Then don’t pretend,” Callum says. “Be honest.”
“I am being honest.”
Cal calls back, “Then tell us how you feel.”
“This is killing me,” Jax snaps.
“Why?” I stand up and walk toward him. “Why is it killing you?”
“Because I’m fucking jealous. Because I hate knowing that Zephyr had you two nights ago. That Callum had you last night. And I know you’re not even mine. I know I’m supposed to be okay with that, but I’m fucking not.”
His honesty cracks something open in my chest.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I whisper.
“I know. That’s what makes it worse.” He looks at me and inhales. “I want you to be happy. I want you to do whatever you want to do, Tiger, but I also want you to be mine.”
“What if I can be both?”
“What?”
My bottom lip trembles. He’s going to pull away. I can feel it. I’m going to lose him. “Can we try?” Tears pool in my eyes. “Don’t make me choose, Jax. I can’t choose.”
Zephyr stands up. “We have to really talk about this, Tiger. It’s more than just jealousy.”
We all look at him.
