Page 48 of Wedded Witch
“You’re in our apartment,” I say, more gruffly than I intend, shifting on my feet. “It was the closest place to bring you where we could lie you down.”
Her eyes flick back to mine. “I fainted?”
“Yeah, sweetheart, you fainted. Scared the hell out of me.” I don’t mean for the words to come out as soft as they do, but it’s like they slip past my guard before I can stop them.
She’s silent for a second, her gaze sweeping over me, taking in the worry I can’t hide. It’s like she’s trying to figure me out—like she’salwaystrying to figure me out—but I don’t know how to explain the way I feel right now.
I can’t explain it. I barely understand it myself.
“You... called me sweetheart again,” she mutters, her lips twitching just the slightest bit, like she’s amused, but too weak to really show it. “You don’t seem the sort to do pet names.”
“I’m not,” I grumble, pulling back slightly, trying to regain some semblance of composure. “Guess you bring out the worst in me.”
She lets out a small, breathless laugh, but it’s weak, and it makes my chest tighten all over again. I glance over at Sol, who’s been hovering nearby, arms crossed, glaring daggers at me.
His jaw is clenched tight, and he’s clearly biting back whatever insult he wants to throw at me right now.
“You’re lucky she’s okay,” Sol mutters, his voice low and angry.
“Yeah, I know,” I snap back, but my heart’s still pounding too hard for me to really care about Sol’s judgement right now. I turn my attention back to Swyn, who’s still looking at me, her eyes a little clearer now.
“What happened?” she asks again slowly, her brow furrowed, like she’s struggling to put the pieces together. “I remember...you said something, and then...”
I wince. Of course she’d bring that up. I pushed her too hard. Too fast. It wasn’t supposed to go down like this.
“You passed out, Swyn,” Kel chimes in from the other side of the room, his voice surprisingly gentle. “Probably from the shock of everything.” He shoots me a pointed look, and I grit my teeth. “You’ve had a lot thrown at you in a very short time.”
Her hand instinctively goes to her head, fingers rubbing her temples as she processes that. “Right...the triplets. And the...dog…hell thing.” She lets out a small, strained laugh. “This is the weirdest day of my life.”
“You’ll get used to it,” I say, trying to keep my tone light, though the tension in my chest is still there, coiled tight.
She looks back at me, and for a moment, I’m exposed, like she’s seeing past every wall I’ve put up. “Ri, why were you so mad at me earlier?”
The question hits me like a punch to the gut. I hesitate, my jaw working, trying to find a way to explain without admitting too much. “I wasn’t mad at you. Not really.”
She frowns. “Sure seemed like it.”
“Look,” I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck. “I’ve got a lot on my plate, alright? And I said some things I shouldn’t have. But you...you’re not the problem. You never were.”
Her eyes soften, and for the first time, I see something there I wasn’t expecting. Vulnerability. And it twists something inside me I didn’t even know could twist. “Then what is it?”
I swallow hard.Everything.But that’s not a conversation I want to have in front of my two nosey as fuck brothers. How am I meant to tell this woman, this woman who not only probably hates me, but who has clearly formed some sort of relationship with both of my brothers, that she’s fated to be mine?
SWYN
I watchRi as he hesitates, his mouth working as if he’s trying to come up with an answer that won’t break something fragile between us. My mind is still a foggy mess, but one thing is clear—I need answers. As if today wasn’t insane enough already, Ri’s complete and sudden personality transplant is throwing me for a loop.
“Then what is it?” I ask, my voice softer than I intend. I feel vulnerable, raw from everything that’s happened, and I’m not sure how to piece together the insanity of the last hour.
I should be resting, letting my body recover from the fainting spell, not to mention everything Sol put it through last night, but there’s no way in hell I can relax until I know what’s going on.
I slept with Sol. I kissed Kel. I’m attracted to Ri, even though he gives me whiplash. And I’m running from my husband who’s a perfect stranger to me.
What a shit show.
Ri shifts uncomfortably, his eyes darting to Sol and Kel like he’s searching for backup, but neither of them steps in. For once, they’re all silent, tension hanging thick in the room.
“You need to relax, Swyn,” Sol finally says, stepping forward, his voice a soothing contrast to the storm I can see brewing in Ri’s eyes. “You’ve been through a lot. Let’s just get you something to drink, maybe rest a bit?—”