The Three Who Chose Me
Chapter 18: Sparks of Fiction

Chapter 18: Sparks of Fiction

Josie

I woke up the next morning, panic and dread threatening to claw its way out my throat.

I’d slept half-hearted the previous night, drowned in the pain of the realization that I was stuck with these men that seemed like they would only ruin my life even more.

After last night, it hit me hard in the gut that everything I’d felt for the triplets stood for a complete, bullshit lie.

The image of Kiel turning his back on me, going after Michelle, flashed through my mind again. Unprovoked.

Why the fuck do I have to go through this torment?

Even my mind kept betraying me, replaying their faces unprovoked.

Thorne with the agitating, perpetual frown but somehow insanely intimidating regal visage.

Varen with the glint of mischief sparkling in his electric blue eyes.

Kiel...with his quiet, irresistible, undeniable charm.

They tormented me. Even my fucking dreams.

I sighed, running a hand over my face in agitation.

I didn’t wish to see their faces. But I also didn’t want to remain in this room all day, trapped like a fucking butterfly with clipped wings.

Throwing the sheets off, I swung my legs over the bed and dragged my feet to the bathroom.

The shower pelted down my back, warm and soothing. But even as I shut my eyes, wrapping my arms around my body, I fleetingly remembered the way Kiel had tasted.

"Ugh," I let out a grunt that depicted just how agitated I was, peeling my eyes open.

I needed to purge my mind of these men.

I threw a towel around my body moments later, trudging to the closet.

I quickly moisturized my body and donned a large, yellow polo that blended strikingly with the coffee chocolate of my irises.

I crept out of the room before the maids could arrive for their freaking, annoying daily routine, making my way to the garden.

I needed some peace and quiet. Especially in my head. Maybe the sounds of crickets chirping nonstop would do the trick.

Pushing every thought of the triplets away from her head—with great difficulty, anyway—I focused on the poor plant I’d withered yesterday.

Probably lying weak and defeated right now. Like me.

A new, pressing urge to rejuvenate the plant throbbed in my chest, pumping speed to my legs.

I got to the garden and immediately crossed over to the plant, scooting down next to it as I shielded my face from the sharp reflection of the sun, with a palm splayed above my head.

I spread my other palm atop the plant as I examined it, forgetting for a split second that it actually needed the sunlight if it was going to bounce back strong.

I didn’t hear the shuffle on the soil next to me. But the voice—it jolted me.

"What are you doing?"

I jumped, pulling my palm back as Thorne’s deep voice sent shivers down my spine—in that annoyingly insane way that made me squirm all the way down to my toes.

I was also...irritated. That I still had it in me to react that way to his voice.

I was also irritated that he was standing there behind me, so imposing.

And of course, with his guards behind him. Six in total.

Never a private fucking moment.

I’d seen them a minute too late, though. The guards. Just as I opened my mouth to blast off the imposing, green-eyed Thorne.

Who glared at me with his blazing eyes.

"I asked a question," his voice rang out again. Cold and impatient.

"And what makes you think I have to answer your question?" I blasted back, not minding the guards that stood only a few feet away.

He cocked a brow, annoyingly proud and arrogant. "Because I fucking asked?"

I scoffed, shaking my head. "Delusional, huh? You think I’m going to answer your questions, when you’ve been everything but nice to me?"

I leaned closer, my eyes flashing. "You know, there’s a limit to how much I can take, Thorne."

His face remained impassive, like I hadn’t just poured out my fucking heart to me.

Then.

"Listen," he took a step towards me, "what happened the other night...with.." the words trailed off on his lips. "Don’t give it much thought. It’s in the past now."

I knew exactly what he meant, because the dark look mixed with a confusing warmth in his eyes gave it away.

"Whatever you’re scared of isn’t gonna happen, so relax."

I scoffed in disbelief, squinting my eyes at him.

The nerve of this man...

Is he...trying to gaslight me? Me?

"Look, Thorne, I don’t have the time to listen to this nonsense. If you’d let me be, I have to tend to this plant that actually matters more to me right now."

Something flashed in his eyes. Unmistakable and menacing. Rage.

But it quickly dissolved as soon as it appeared.

"Josie, we need to make things work—"

I rose to my full height and pushed past him just then, unwilling to hear whatever else was going to spill from that mouth of his.

I need to get a hold of my emotions. Be in charge.

But he couldn’t just let me be.

"Josie? You can’t walk out on me while I’m talking to you."

I ignored him, annoyed by the fact that he followed on my heels, draining the life out of me with his annoying voice.

I stepped through the front doors of the packhouse, and he still followed.

"Josie—"

"Can’t you just take the fucking hint and let me be, Thorne?" I queried in an aggravated tone as I whirled around, meeting his gaze. "Even for a minute?"

"No!"

Kiel strode in lazily from the side door just then, his hands casually shoved in his pockets, his eyes low and droopy. Nonchalant.

Catching him from my peripheral vision, my breath caught in my throat, my heart picking up a painful race.

"You don’t always have to shout, Thorne," Kiel drawled as he strode towards us, not even slipping me a single glance.

Looking at his face framed with wavy red hair,

I felt tears sting painfully behind my eyes.

I blinked hard, twice, willing the tears back.

I wasn’t going to humiliate myself in front of these two.

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I turned around to leave. But Thorne’s strong arm stopped me, pulling me gently to his side.

"From now on, Josie," his voice rang out low and gruff close to my ear, bristling the hairs on my skin, "you don’t go anywhere without me."

I gave him a flat look, the corners of my lips tilted in a half, humorless smile. "Really? So what happens to your work as the Alpha?"

His jaw ticked in agitation as he ran a hand through his hair, grunting.

"Just let the girl be, Thorne," Kiel chipped in again, "don’t be such an ass—"

"I don’t need you speaking for me, Kiel," I cut in bluntly, the sound of his voice irritating me this time. "I’m very much capable of speaking for myself."

Kiel looked at me then, like really looked at me. His eyes penetrating me. "Josie, please, can we talk? Alone, prefer—"

"Hell no, Kiel." Thorne stepped in here, his tone gruff and snappy. "You’ve lost the right to be that close to her. There wouldn’t be any talking to her, let alone, ALONE."

Kiel turned his gaze on his brother, his eyes blazing like coals of green fire. His jaw clenched hard, like it would snap in half.

This was the closest I’d seen to Kiel losing control of his emotions. Even for a split second.

"Back off, Thorne," he growled in a low, menacing voice. "I’m talking to Josie here."

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