Page 21 of On The Edge
“You don’t think it’s weird?” she whispers.
“What’s weird?” I ask her, now completely and totally confused. “You giving me the fucking delight of my life and making my dreams come true? No. I don’t think that’s weird at all.”
Markus chuckles, jealousy coloring his tone as he mutters, “Lucky bastard.”
“No, no.” Mel cracks a soft smile and then bites the inside of her cheek. “I meant, you don’t think it’s weird, or that it might be wrong, that I want you both?”
Oh.
Oh.
So that’s what’s bothering her?
“Melody,” Markus steps in, more serious than I’ve ever seen him, as he holds her face in his hands. “Is that why you never…why we never… Why you let us leave? Why you never said anything about wanting us as more than friends?”
Mel looks down like she’s ashamed and pulls her shirt down.
“Melody, answer me.” He steps closer, his voice quiet but strong. I so badly want to know the answer; know if this is the real reason why everything got so messed up between us all.
“Yes, Markus,” she snaps at him with heavy sarcasm lacing her tone, turning around to face us with fire in her eyes. “BecauseIwas the one who just gave up andleftwithout even a goodbye.Iwas the one that told you guys to ignore me and leave me.” Melody’s eyes fill with tears, and it physically hurts me to see her like this. Reaching for her, my freshly-mended heart breaks when she shifts away from me to avoid my touch.
“Sure, spin that story. That this all happened becauseIwas upset and so Iabandonedyou all. Yeah, fucking right. If you think all that, then you’re fucking deluded. Get out of my way, I’m leaving. This was a horrible idea.” Melody charges forward, pushing the both of us out of her way to leave the bathroom.
The best thing that’s ever happened to me quickly turns into the worst thing as I watch her walk away from me. From us.
“No!” My voice booms, echoing through the tiled bathroom and I surge forward to grab her arm, whipping her around to face us. “No, you have it wrong.”
“Oh do I? Which part?”
“The part where you think you’re weird or somehow wrong for wanting us both. Wanting us all.” Markus steps forward, wrapping his hand around her waist tightly. “It doesn’t make you anything butours. Do you understand?”
Melody scoffs, disbelief clear in her eyes. “You say that now.”
“I say that always.” Markus smiles softly. “I’ve never had a problem with sharing. Especially if it means I haveyoufor more than just a night.” He turns to me with raised eyebrows and I know this is a make-or-break moment. The moment I get the girl I’ve always wanted, or the moment she leaves for good. “Do you mind sharing?” Markus asks me.
Melody turns, looking at me skeptically. Like she doesn’t believe either of us.
I know in my heart I’ll do whatever it takes to have Melody. If that means sharing her with my best friends, then I’ll do it—gladly.
SEVEN
“Absolutely not,”Adam insists strongly, never breaking eye contact with me. The truth is clear in his blue eyes.
My heart skips a beat, and the tears threatening to fall are different now.
I always thought if any of them found out I wanted tolovethem all–and have them love me in return–they’d run for the hills and call me all the names I was called in high school. It was a fucking nightmare to hear that shit from people I didn’t care about, but the chance of hearing it from the people I loved? Yeah, no chance I was going to let that happen.
I couldn’t bear the thought that my closest friends would turn on me if they found out. Loving four guys equally? Wanting to be shared by them?
I knew what everyone would say if they found out, especially in the Bible Belt.
So I kept my feelings hidden deep down, but every so often a girl would try to get close and they’d be able to see underneath my façade I tried to put on–that the guys and I weresimplysuper close friends and that’s all I wanted them to be–and call me out. I was always able to handle that shit in private so theguys didn’t find out. I was always able to make it go away with a few well-told lies.
And now…
Now, I have half of the guys telling me that what I’m feeling is okay? That they…want it too?
Honestly, I’m not prepared for this.
