Epilogue
Three Months Later
I can tell something’s wrong as soon as I get home.
It’s the atmosphere, the way the boys are both quiet as we all wind down from the day.
But as soon as Henry is finished making dinner and we’re all sitting down at the dining room table together, Henry takes a deep breath and says, “Mara, we need to talk.”
My stomach turns. It’s only been three months. Three perfect months of sex and intimacy and a life I never could have imagined. Are they ready to end it already?
I don’t know if my heart will be able to handle it.
I clench my hands in my lap and stare down at my plate.
“Classes will be starting soon,” Henry says.
I nod.
“You’ll be on campus a lot,” Jonas continues.
I nod again.
Henry sighs. “We just want you to know that it’s okay if you want to live on campus. I know what we said when you moved in, but we’ll keep paying your tuition, even if you’re not here anymore.”
I lift my eyes to them. They have identical expressions on their faces, sad and hesitant, waiting for me to say something. “You want me to move out?”
Jonas bangs his fist on the table, making me jump. “No. We don’t.”
Henry shoots him a look. “Jonas, we talked about this.”
Jonas stands, shoving his chair back with a loud scraping noise.
“I don’t care. I don’t want you to leave, Mara.
I told Henry I would go along with this because he wants to give you the freedom you fought so hard for, but the thought of you leaving makes me sick.
I–” He cuts off quickly and turns toward the living room, walking away and leaving Henry and me at the table.
Henry reaches across the table and takes my hand. “We would both be sad if you decided to go, princess, but we would be more sad if you stayed just for us. If you’re ready to move on, that’s okay.”
My chin starts to wobble. “And if I…if I moved out. The two of you would…find someone else to…” I can’t finish my sentence. It only makes sense that if I went to live on campus, they would find someone else to keep them satisfied.
No. No, that’s my job. I’m the only one who gets to fuck Henry and Jonas. I’m the only one who gets to sleep wrapped up in them. I’m the only one who gets to greet both of them at the end of a long day by sinking to my knees for them.
“I don’t want to leave.” The words are barely a whisper coming out of my mouth.
“I want to stay with you.” My eyes meet Jonas’s, where he’s sitting on the couch, looking in at us.
“I want to stay with both of you,” I say, a little louder.
“I…” I have to find my resolve. I need to say this.
I’ve been feeling it for over a month now.
It’s time for me to tell them. “I love you. I love both of you. So much.”
At this, Henry’s chin jerks up and his bright eyes find me. “You what?”
I wring my hands in my lap, nervous by his reaction. Is he that surprised because there’s no way he feels the same about me? What about Jonas? Is there no way that either of them is feeling what I am?
“Mara.” My name comes from Jonas’s mouth. I look over at him and he lifts his hand, crooking his fingers at me.
I stand and walk over to the couch, where Jonas immediately pulls me into his lap. He takes my face in his hands, pressing soft kisses to my face and mouth. “Do you mean it?” he whispers in my ear, sending goosebumps down my arms.
I nod, my hands curling into the front of his shirt.
“Oh, pretty girl,” he says, the words more moan than actual words. “I love you, too. I love you so much it feels like it’ll consume me.”
Something like a whimper comes out of my mouth, and I’m leaning in to kiss him when Henry appears in my line of sight, taking a seat on the couch beside Jonas.
“I love you, too, Mara. I just didn’t think there was any way you were feeling the same thing we were.”
I wrap my hand around the back of Henry’s neck and pull him to me.
He kisses me, and when I pull back, he tips his chin to the side and kisses Jonas, too.
Over the past few months, they’ve become increasingly affectionate toward each other, and I think they’re in love with each other, too, even though I’ve never heard them say the words.
“You’ll stay?” Jonas says when they pull apart.
And one last time, I nod.