One Two Three(96)

“And if he’s not there, you’re not interested in me either?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“I realize that, Ark. But that’s how you act. When we’re alone together you want to take pictures of me. Or talk about going out on a date. Or you talk about JD. Where’s the part where you get invested in me?”

He lays me down in his lap and places his hand on my belly. It makes me think of families. Of the family I will never have. It makes me feel sad, and he sees this because he stares into my eyes. “I want you to be there after, Blue. When this life I’m living right now is over. When things are normal, and the filth of what I’m doing is finally washed away. I want you to be there after. I want to marry you, and be your best friend, and make love to you so that it’s so much more than fucking. I want to take you out on dates and not have to worry about the people who might take you away from me. I want kids—” My face must crumple, because he leans down to kiss my lips, whispering, “We can adopt, baby. So don’t worry about it. We can adopt.”

I nod as the tears appear.

“I want all those things that couples have, Blue. The trinity is fun, but it’s not sustainable. Not everything should come in threes. And all the shit I’ve done since the moment I met you was to make sure that when this fun runs out and there’s only two of us left, it will be you and me, babe.”

I swallow hard. “And what about JD?”

Ark sighs with a shrug. “I don’t know. Maybe this threesome stuff lasts for years. Maybe tonight is a big misunderstanding. Maybe we’re all gonna go home tomorrow and make up. We’ll fuck till we’re sore and sleep till we’re refreshed, and eat and laugh, and do all the things we’ve been doing these past two months. And maybe we make it for a long time. But one day, Blue, he’s gonna want more. I know him better than anyone alive. And when he does decide he wants more, that he wants you without the us, he will ruin everything. Because he cannot have you. I saw you first.”

I bite my lip and close my eyes. “How can you say he’ll ruin everything because he wants more in one breath, and claim me like property in the next? You’re such a hypocrite.”

“Do you want him?” Ark asks. “Instead of me? Because if you do, say so. I’ll back off. But if you don’t, if you want us, or even just me, then you need to trust me. Because I know him better than anyone. I know all the dark places inside his head. You see the charming smile and the playful side—”

“I see a hell of a lot more than that.”

“Thanks for reminding me, Blue.” Ark snarls that last comment. “What you see is the act. I know the truth.”

“Then tell me what it is.”

But he’s shaking his head before I can finish the sentence. “It’s not mine to tell.”

“Oh, my God. I can’t win with you. You want me to know these bad things about JD, but you don’t want to be the one to tell me. You want the three of us to be together, but only under your conditions. You make no sense to me. I just want us to be perfect. I just want us to be together.”

“We are together, Blue. He’s the one who left.”

“Maybe he calmed down. Maybe he came back. Maybe he’s just angry about your accusations, because you know what, I’m angry about your accusations. You act like we don’t have a say in what’s normal. You act like we’re the sick ones and you’re the only sane person present. You act like there’s only one way to exist in this relationship. And I’d just like to know, Ark, who the fuck made you the expert in ménages à trois?”

“OK,” he says. “I think we need to take a break. Eat dinner. Watch some TV. Or something. Stop this conversation before it gets worse. Because we obviously don’t see things the same way.”

“You’re hiding something from me. I told you why I was here. I gave up my secret. I bared my soul to you. I told you things I will never repeat again. Ever, Ark. When I finally do go home, no one will ever hear that story. You are the only one I told. And yet I know for a fact that you’re keeping secrets. And probably outright lying to me.”

He closes his eyes and lets out a breath of air. “I didn’t really lie.”

“Well, leaving shit out on purpose is the same thing. You’re right. We need to stop talking because I’ve had enough and if we keep this going, I’m going to do something I regret.”

He shoots me a hard look, his eyes narrow and his forehead creased. His jaw clenches like he’s trying to control himself.