Chapter Sixteen :Elena
533 Words
Something was wrong with both of them.
That became painfully obvious over the next week.
Luca grew quieter.
More possessive.
Like he was constantly afraid I’d disappear if he looked away for too long.
And Rowan—
Rowan stopped pretending he didn’t want me.
The tension between all three of us became impossible to ignore.
At parties, I’d catch Rowan staring at me from across crowded rooms while Luca’s hand tightened around my waist possessively.
At games, Luca watched Rowan watch me.
And somehow the jealousy between them stopped feeling like hatred.
It became something darker.
Something dangerous.
Like neither man knew how to walk away anymore.
Which was exactly why I panicked when I walked into Luca’s apartment Friday night and found Rowan sitting on the couch.
I froze immediately.
“What is he doing here?”
Rowan leaned back casually, dark eyes fixed on me.
“Nice to see you too.”
Luca stood near the kitchen island looking exhausted.
“Elena,” he said carefully, “sit down.”
My pulse sped up instantly.
“No.”
“Elena.”
The seriousness in his voice made me stop moving.
Slowly, I set my bag down.
“What’s going on?”
Silence stretched heavily.
Then Rowan spoke first.
“We’re trying not to destroy each other.”
I blinked.
“What?”
Luca exhaled roughly and rubbed the back of his neck.
“This situation is getting worse.”
“You think?” I snapped.
Neither reacted.
Because both of them looked too tense.
Too serious.
Then Luca looked directly at me.
“You said once that you hated secrets.”
My stomach tightened.
“Yes…”
“So no more lying.”
The room suddenly felt too warm.
Rowan stood slowly from the couch, eyes never leaving mine.
“We both want you.”
The bluntness knocked the air from my lungs.
“Rowan—”
“And you want both of us.”
Silence.
I should’ve denied it immediately.
Instead…
I hesitated.
And that hesitation changed everything.
Luca closed his eyes briefly like it physically hurt.
“There it is,” he murmured.
My chest tightened painfully.
“This is insane.”
“Probably,” Rowan admitted.
“But true,” Luca added quietly.
I looked between them in disbelief.
My loyal, intense boyfriend standing in the same room as the man who constantly tempted me into chaos.
Neither walking away.
Neither willing to let me go.
“You talked about this?” I whispered.
Luca laughed bitterly.
“Unfortunately.”
Heat flooded my face instantly.
“You can’t seriously think—”
“We’re not asking you to choose tonight,” Luca interrupted gently.
That surprised me.
Because beneath all the jealousy and possessiveness…
He still looked terrified of hurting me.
Rowan stepped closer carefully, like approaching something fragile.
“We just got tired of pretending this thing between us doesn’t exist.”
The honesty in his voice made my pulse jump.
Everything about this was reckless.
Messy.
Complicated.
But standing there between them, feeling both their attention fixed entirely on me…
I couldn’t deny the truth anymore either.
And somehow—
That scared me most of all.
- Writer
