The Three Who Chose Me
Chapter 19: Trapped in a Storm of Green

Chapter 19: Trapped in a Storm of Green

Josie

I watched the growing tension between Thorne and Kiel, as they faced each other off, breathing down each other’s faces.

It was a sight to behold, because I’ve never seen Kiel so...worked up.

Red-faced and all.

"I’m not backing off, Kiel." Thorne lashed out in a cold voice. "You had your chance with Josie, and you messed it up. I’m not letting you hurt her again."

"What the hell is your problem?" Kiel returned in a voice filled with cold efficiency. "You forget that this is between Josie and I. Why do you think you can butt into my relationship with her?"

Thorne scoffed, his eyes cold and lacking humor. "Relationship?" He repeated. "Don’t be delusional, Kiel. There’s no such between you and Josie. This is between us three—four, rather. Like it or not."

I clenched and unclenched my fists at my sides, my heart growing hot with rage and agitation that these two might get in another fight.

Seeing their faces was hard enough, then seeing them tear at each other’s throat? Over me?

Nah. They could do that for Michelle. Not me.

"...piss me off, Thorne. You wouldn’t want to be reminded what—"

"That’s enough, Kiel," I interrupted Kiel in a clear, sharp voice, stepping between him and Thorne.

"Thorne’s right." I said this, stepping backwards and pulling Thorne by his arm. "I don’t have anything to say to you."

I’d decided to take advantage of Thorne’s possessiveness, knowing he would protect me from Kiel.

Kiel’s eyes turned ice cold, the usual nonchalance in them vanished. "You know, I thought you were different, Josie," he snapped, tilting his head to the side. "But it turns out you’re just like every other girl. Pouting and throwing fucking tantrums."

My jaw clenched, my eyes burning.

Kiel was really talking to me this way? Wow.

I scoffed, holding his gaze unflinching. "Oh, well," I spat, a sarcastic ring to my tone, "it wasn’t me who went running back to their ex, was it?"

Something cold and dark, maybe regret, flashed in his eyes, and before he could say a word in response, I spun on my heels and walked away from them.

"Stay away from her, Kiel," Thorne wanted behind me. "This would be the last time I ask nicely."

I heard his footsteps, heavy behind me as he caught up to me.

Ignoring his very presence, I walked as fast as my lanky legs could carry me, only stopping when I got to the library in the packhouse.

As I stepped through the doors, Thorne groaned behind me. "Ugh, not fucking libraries. I hate the way it crowds you in, all these books."

I frowned, sliding him a glance as I crossed to my shelf of interest—the session filled with books that made you fall in love with fictional men.

"I didn’t ask you to insert yourself in my life as my bodyguard, Thorne." I gestured at him.

"You have yourself to blame for that."

He said nothing in response, his eyes burning into me in mixed curiosity and annoyance.

Something else too...subtle, yet visible.

Knots twisted in my stomach, toes curling in my flip-flops, as the silence between us stretched, the air in the library thick and tense, charged to the highest fucking jolts.

Clearing my throat quietly, I turned around and lifted myself on my tiptoes, reaching up to grab a book from the topmost shelf.

In one fluid moment, I felt a prickling heat on the back of my neck. Thorne was suddenly behind me, towering large and smelling like fresh mint and aftershave.

"You forget you have me for things like this, Josie," he mumbled, easily lifting a hand and spilling out the book.

He stepped back, and I was only able to breathe then, heat crawling up my cheeks and staining crimson.

But he didn’t hand me the book, like a gentleman should—not like he was one.

He flipped the front cover instead, snicking as his eyes roamed over it. "Romance, huh?"

Cheeks flaring, breath shorter, I leaned forward and snatched the book from between his fingers, ignoring his mischievous smirk.

"You know, you need to cut it out if you know you’re going to be here with me. In this library."

He nodded, shrugging. "Sure, okay, but I didn’t know if you were into that kind of..er, romance?"

He chuckled, his tone a deep baritone laced with a slight tease that tugged at my heart.

My cheeks only kept growing hotter, my heart racing, tingles dancing across my skin.

I felt a pull to him like none other, my body acutely aware of his heavy, imposing presence only a foot away, my taut nipples jutting through the fabric of my polo.

Dragging my gaze away from his face, I glanced down to where he pointed at the book.

I gasped when I saw the title, a fresh wave of heat flushing my face.

Oh. my. fucking. days.

A reverse harem exposition book?

The silence in the library was crippling, every page-turn loud as I flipped the book open. My burning vision took in the images of naked characters portraying all the different ways to have sex... or should I say, fuck?

The images were too explicit, intensely perverse.

I swallowed hard, slapping the pages closed.

Then with a frustrated groan, seeing as he wouldn’t stop looking at me, I reached up and replaced the book on the shelf.

But he took it just immediately afterwards, his fingers brushing mine just a second before I pulled them away, the sounds of our breathing mingling, his eyes never leaving my face.

"I could read it to you, you know," he mumbled, his voice thick and gravelly, "but you’d be upset by my choice of words."

I edged further away from him, trying to run from the strong pull of his voice, my back hitting the book shelf.

My breath was hot and heavy, my pulse and heartbeat quickening. The way he looked at me did something to me...

Something that stole my breath away.

I swallowed hard, rubbing my sweaty palms against my polo, and Thorne’s gaze dropped to the book in his hand.

I had just released a breath of relief, leaning into the shelf and panting, when Thorne suddenly gripped by the waist. Without warning.

He’d only had to put his foot out and close me in, his scent tickling my nostrils and leaving me weak.

He towered above me, his green eyes burning into mine with an intensity that burned me to my bones.

Butterflies, and I mean real butterflies, fluttered deep in my stomach, my lips parting slightly.

Thorne had never looked so...handsome.

Green eyes that contrasted sharply with his red waves.

His lips twitched as his gaze burned into mine, hot and smoldering.

This was it. I was about to make another mistake. One I’d obviously end up regretting.

I did an unconscious thing. Stuck out my tongue and licked my bottom lip.

I was so ready, my heart racing up a storm, ready to—

"You’re not waiting for a kiss, are you?" Thorne’s voice snapped my eyes open, my lashes batting in confusion.

"H-huh?"

Fuck. I was just realizing I’d shut my eyes too. Waiting for Thorne Whistle-down to kiss me.

Ugh! Josie.

He smirked, his arms tightening around my waist.

I flustered even hotter. "Look—"

The door to the library opened and Varen breezed in, his face a mask of rage.

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