Chapter 139

Chapter 0239

“How do know this shit,” Jackson mutters, shaking his head, letting himself be led.

you

“You handle kicking the shit out of the bad guys,” Jesse says, giving Jackson a broad grin. ” I’ll

handle the girls. Besides, Rafe and I reserve the right to yell at Ariel tonight. We’ve known her

longer, we get first dibs. You come to breakfast at our place tomorrow before the train leaves –

really give her a piece of your mind then.‘

“If you say so,” Jackson sighs, his eyes moving upwards to the window he knows is hers or, at

least, the one closest to the nook in which she sleeps. There’s still a light on, which means she’s still

up.

“Trust me, Jacks,” Jesse says, giving him a little squeeze, “I wouldn’t do you dirty. We’re friends

now, after all. Best friends.”

“Don’t push it,” Jackson grumbles. But as the pair walk back into the castle Jackson has to admit…

the whole friendship thing, it does have its perks. Even if it involves a lot more talking than he’d

prefer.

“So, how’d you know?” Ben murmurs, sitting at the other end of the couch while I stretch my legs

between us. He digs into his half–eaten third slice of cake with abandon.

“Benny, my love,” I sigh, lifting another forkful of chocolate icing to my mouth

“You’d better be careful with that word –” Ben says, pointing his fork at me with a wink. ” Men have

been beaten tonight for expressing lesser sentiments – ”

“Oh, shut up,” I murmur, rolling my eyes and kicking him, which just makes him laugh. Ben – he’s

really been an angel over the past hour or so, cajoling and teasing and being sweet to me by turns,

all in the effort to get me back to myself, to make me realize that no permanent damage has been

done. After all, all I did was tell the truth.

In…absolutely the most disastrous way possible.

–

Because I didn’t even tell the truth I was so much of a coward that I couldn’t even tell my mates the

reality of our situation – I had to wait for them to just stumble upon it. God, what the hell is wrong

with me –

“Don’t go

there,” Ben murmurs, leaning back against the arm of the couch now, as Luca so often does, and

tapping my foot with his fork. “You’re betraying the cake, and the insane piece of gossip I just

handed you, if you just…ignore it and delve into your despair. Honestly, Ariel, I gave you my best

distraction. Sooo? How’d you know?”

“Because,” I sigh. “You laugh at all of Rafe’s jokes, Ben, and he’s not that funny.”

Ben goes still and then bursts out laughing. “Yes, he is!”

“No,” I say, smiling and shaking my head at him. “You’re just listening to him with your love earmuffs

on. My mom does it to my dad, from whom Rafe gets his sense of humor.”

“Man,” Ben says, hanging his head back, shaking it. “Both of our greatest secrets, which we thought

we were doing such a good job of keeping to ourselves, revealed by our laughter…

what are the chances of that.”

I grin at him, but then I lean forward and cock my head. “Benny,” I say, and he lifts his head. to

smile at me. “Why did you keep it a secret? I mean, you know that I’d never judge you for it, right?

And I have no idea if Rafe or Jesse knows, but I know they wouldn’t care –”

“Even if they wouldn’t care, Ari,” Ben murmurs, smirking a little as he pushes his cake around with a

fork, “it would…change things, between us.”

“Do

you think so?” I murmur, curious, and pleased to be distracted from my own drama, even if just for a

minute.

“Yeah, I think it would be different,” Ben says, definite. “I mean…Rafe. He’s not interested in

“I don’t know,” I say honestly, raising my eyes to Ben’s face even though he doesn’t look up. “We’ve

never talked about whether or not he swings both ways. Though, Ben, I…I don’t think so. Of course,

I could be wrong, but…”

“Nah,” Ben says, flicking his eyes up to mine with a little smile. “That’s my impression too. Looks like

you got all the luck

huh? Two gorgeous men for you, me…nothing.”

“Benny,” I murmur, leaning forward and rubbing a hand across his knee. “If you…try to pretend

you’re jealous of me right now…I’m going to kill you.”

Ben’s face just lights up with a smirk.