AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Twenty
“There’ssomething else we left out that we need to tell you.” I kept my eyes off the guys, not wanting them to stop me. “The six of us are together.”
CeeCee’s eyebrow rose, but she said nothing. Sean and Aaron shared a look, and Tyson’s mouth dropped wide open. Gwyneth’s reaction stopped me. She stared, not bothering to be discrete, and with so much focus I worried she lied about her ability and could read my mind.
“That’s right.” Luca sucked in a breath. “Our parents and the council know.”
CeeCee was the one to break the silence on their end. “So you’re aware of the Society’s relationships?” It didn’t seem like she expected an answer from me, but I nodded anyway. “And you’re okay with it? Coming from popular culture and raised with monogamy as the norm?”
“Yes,” I said with confidence. “It was shocking at first, but the longer I spent with them, and the more I came to understand about the Society, the more right it felt.”
Gwyneth eyed the guys now. “And you all think it’s okay for five of you to be with her?”
Noah glared back. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You’re hogging resources,” she said as though they were discussing fruits or grain.
“You’re unfathomable,” he shot back. “Just because you believe in your twisted brain that you’re entitled to whatever you want, whenever you want, doesn’t mean you get to order around how any of us feel about each other. What were you thinking was going to happen? One day the eight of us would be divided evenly between you two? How is that any different from the five of us being with Ave just because you didn’t have any say in it?”
Her nose flared and hatred washed over her features. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Noah.”
“I have two dads. Sky has three. I think we have a better understanding than you of what a relationship like this requires.”
She straightened. “It’s not just about you or Avalon. You guys made a huge decision that affects everyone here.”
“Explain then because I’m having trouble understanding how that’s possible,” Gavin said from a few feet away from her.
“Biodiversification,” she replied simply, but when no one spoke, she continued. “This will affect generations. The children the five of you have will share her DNA. That limits the options for them and any children we have.” She waved her arm toward the other half of the group. “Generations, Gavin.”
I nearly fell back at the mention of children. We were sixteen. What did any of this matter?
“The fact that there are only three of you remains static, Gwyneth.” Gavin’s voice was low. “There will only ever be three female genetic donors in this area according to your theory. The number of male donors and who they procreate with is inconsequential. Plus, you’re assuming that the three of you will live and grow your families in the Chicago area forever. Who’s to say that’s true? What if you get assigned somewhere else? What if you go to college and meet someone from a different chapter and move to his hometown?”
Holy shit. We were getting so far ahead of ourselves. Who was to say that six of us would stay together long enough to even think about children? Life was too short and too unpredictable. I wanted to be with them, but life taught me it didn’t care what I wanted. Things would happen as they were meant to.
“We can bring the council in on this if we have to,” she said calmly.
CeeCee shook her head. “We really don’t need to go that far. You have no idea what they would decide. They could throw names in a hat and assign us to relationships for all you know.”
That thought made me sick. Not that Aaron, Sean, and Tyson didn’t seem perfectly nice. I never wanted an arranged relationship—especially not when my heart belonged to my five.
“Why do we have to decide now?” I asked with as much courage as I could muster. I wasn’t sure if they had a legitimate reason, but if they did, we had to know even if I wasn’t sure I wanted to.
All eyes turned to me, and CeeCee gave me a kind smile. “We don’t.”
“My parents didn’t meet until they were thirty. I don’t know what your rush is, Gwyn.” Aaron spoke up.
She glared at each of us, slowly scanning the area. She let out a huff and slammed her hands on the table. “Are you all unaware of what’s happening?”
There was a long stretch of silence while we tried individually to figure out what she was screaming about.
She looked to Noah. “No?”
Then Tyson. “No?”
Finally, her eyes locked on Luca. “Surely, the chancellor’s son knows.”
Everyone, including me, turned to Luca. He closed his eyes and dropped his head. It felt like time suspended while I looked away from him to Sky, Noah, Vince, and Gavin. I couldn’t read their faces. Did they know too? What was Luca keeping from me? My heart began racing, and I knew whatever he said next would change things forever.
