I got roped into a game of Cards Against Humanity, but I can’t stop thinking about Hawk and Liam.

Liam’s been gone for a suspiciously long time to just be grabbing bottles of wine, and I haven’t see Hawk since he went back up the stairs and wouldn’t talk to me.

Everyone is nice and easy to talk to, but I’m getting anxious. I’d rather be curled up in bed right now lamenting why I couldn’t just have a simple life.

I still can’t believe Hawk is here. I didn’t think I’d see him anytime soon and even that small glimpse of him filled me with something dangerous.

But Liam is so much more than even I thought, and I’m ready to just end it all.

I’d rather be alone than hurt either of them by even trying to choose the other.

So imagine my surprise when they both come around the corner, just chatting it up with Tara. My mouth drops open from that alone, then they get closer and I notice their faces.

“Did you…did you do that to each other?” I stand, knocking over the deck of cards and scrambling to them. Tara slides away as I touch the massive bruise starting on Hawk’s cheek and then jerk my gaze to Liam’s swollen lip that’s obviously busted and, the cut near his eye. “Are you fucking kidding me? Are you teenage boys?”

“I—,”

“We—,”

I put a hand up and shake my head. “No, see this is why I…no. I can’t do this.”

Hawk looks at Liam, “You called it. “

“She’s so predictable,” Liam tsks, and I look between them, incredulous.

“What the fuck is going on right now?”

“No, go ahead and storm away. Tell us you can’t be with either of us because you feel guilty.” Liam crosses his arms, his familiar smirk pulling at his lips.

“This is better than reality TV.” One of the girls says from behind me.

I frown, suspicious. “Maybe we should talk in private.”

“Awww,” The group groans and laughs as I throw my middle finger up, heading down the hallway towards the room that Liam and I’s stuff is in. I turn around when I hear the door close behind me and look between both of them.

Seeing them side-by-side is as painful as it is exhilarating.

Liam, blue-eyed and lightly tanned skin with that messy blonde hair that always seems to be falling over his forehead no matter what you do to it. The slightest bit of vulnerability.

Hawk, with his dark stubble and hair, and grey eyes that say so much more than his words. Strong and patient. Steady.

Both of them more than I ever expected. Both of them with the power to light my mind and body on fire.

“Why are you two suddenly okay with each other?” I ask, scared to hear the answer. Maybe they’ve decided to let me go so there’s no rift between them.

It feels like I’ve eaten a bag of stones, the thought makes me so sick.

“Do you love me, Michaela?” Hawk asks, eyes intense.

I glance at Liam, whose face is neutral, then back at Hawk.

“Don’t ask me to hurt Liam that way.”

“I won’t be hurt, Mickey. You can answer him.” Liam assures me, “It’s a foregone conclusion that you love me, I’m irresistible.” His words say complete confidence but his eyes are shadowed like he’s hoping it’s true rather than knowing like he says.

“Do you love me?” Hawk asks again, walking towards me.

“Yes,” I whisper, feeling somehow ashamed. It was one thing to have sex with more than one person, but feelings…feelings are different.

“Don’t look so heartbroken, baby.” Liam comes over too, and both of them being so near me is not good for my sanity.

“Are you both about to leave me?” I force the words out because I need to know. I can’t wonder a second longer.

“What?” Hawk frowns, “Why would you think that?”

“You’re suddenly all okay with each other, which you’d only be if neither of you wants to be with me o—.” I stop.

No way.

“Or what?” Liam grins.

“Don’t fuck with me.” I shuffle back a little so I can see both of their faces.

“We’re not. Yet.”

“We talked about it, and we called a truce.” The bruise on Hawk’s face is really starting to show. I can’t imagine what they’re both going to look like in the morning.

“A truce,” I repeat skeptically.

“But it’s really your decision.” Liam pushes me down gently so I’m sitting on the bed and both of them are standing in front of me.

Similar heights, similar builds, but two very different men.

“We want you to pick both of us.” Hawk glances at Liam. “If you’re okay with not choosing between us, we don’t want you to.”

I blink at them, feeling incredibly slow.

“Don’t choose?”

Liam shakes his head slowly. “Nope. Two for the price of one.”

“I date both of you? Separately?”

“Separately…together…Whatever works?” Liam looks at Hawk for confirmation and he nods.

“It’s not like we’ve done this before, so we just have to make sure we keep talking to each other and take it day by day.”

“So you two are some sort of friends now?” I ask.

“Hawk’s a pretty chill guy.” Liam crosses his arms, his forearms looking especially delectable.

“Yeah, I think Liam’s good people.”

I can’t believe what I’m watching right now. I’m scared to say the words out loud because I want it to be real so badly.

“And…sex. Is that…separate too?”

“At this point, it feels like I’m the only one behind this threesome curve.” Hawk rubs a hand over the back of his neck, a small blush coming to his cheeks. “I usually don’t feel inexperienced much.”

“We don’t have to do that immediately though. We can just keep that separate…I don’t know, make a calendar?” Liam suggests and Hawk shakes his head.

“That sounds worse. What do you want Michaela?”

“Me?” I croak.

I want to say it, lord, I want to say it but it still feels like some sort of trap. This can’t be real life.

But they seem so genuine about it, and they really look like they’re serious about being okay with each other.

They’re being completely honest with me, how could I give them anything less?

“I want…,” I swallow hard, pulling at the fabric of my jeans out of habit. “I want both of you. Together. At the same time.”

It feels like all the air’s been sucked out of the room.

What did I just do?

I jolt out of my thoughts when there’s a rapid knock at the door.

“Hey, pause the soap opera and get your asses downstairs, dinner’s ready.”

“After dinner?” Liam looks at me and I nod at him, then he gives me the most heated look I’ve ever seen.

“We have a lot more to discuss.”