A Death to Seek (Thornes & Roses 3)

I wait for the click.

I watch for him to disappear.

But he doesn’t.

The small space he leaves has a smile tilting my lips. He’s left the door ajar. I’m not sure what he expects to happen, but the fact that he’s seen past the veneer I’ve perfected is a reflection on just how perceptive he is.

I’m no longer alone.

I have him.

I just need to figure out how to break down his defenses.

I never expected to want to hold him. To want to make sure he is happy. Emotions weren’t meant to come into this, but seeing Finn so vulnerable has twisted my perception of him. There was fear in his eyes, in those soulful dark eyes that made my chest tighten.

When we first met, I was convinced he was nothing more than a playboy, but that’s what he wants people to see. I do the same. I show off a smile, a fake laugh, but deep down, the darkness that resides in my soul matches his.

Him and Jarred.

I’m still wrapping my head around it when there’s a knock at my bedroom door. When I pull it open, I find Jarred, sheepishly grinning at me with that mischievous smile that’s lured me in. I’ve connected with him easily, quickly, more so than I have with Finn. Until moments ago when I saw my fiancé for who he is—a scared boy, wanting the approval of his father, not wanting to disappoint anyone.

“Hey,” Jarred says as he saunters into my bedroom when I step aside. “I wanted to talk about—”

“There’s no need to, I won’t tell anyone. I already let Finn know that your secret is safe with me.”

He turns to me then. He’s handsome. Breathtakingly so. Just like Finn. Both men are going to be the death of me. And with them, I think I’d go willingly.

“It’s not that,” he tells me then. “I…” Jarred runs his fingers through his hair, the nervous energy radiating off him is palpable. “I wanted… I mean… There are things…”

I move toward him, stopping inches from his tall, toned body. “You can tell me anything.”

The corner of his mouth quirks. “We’re both enamored with you. Finn doesn’t like admitting his feelings,” he tells me. “He’s… stubborn.”

“I don’t think he’s interested in me.” I’m shaking my head, but the look in Jarred’s eyes tells me there’s more to the story.

“He’s scared, angry, and yeah, a little bit of a pain in the ass,” he says on a chuckle. “But there is depth to him.”

“I don’t doubt there is.” Our gazes lock for a moment. “But he will need to talk to me. Like you are.”

“Do you see yourself with him?” The question stuns me. Not because he asked it, but because I don’t have to consider my answer. I don’t have to think about it. There’s no doubt about it, I want Finn. And yes, I do see myself with him.

“I do.”

He grins. “Then don’t give up on him yet, he’ll come around and he’ll allow you in.” The honesty in his words, and the affection he holds for Finn makes my heart ache. “And you, I know you’ll fit into this family perfectly.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re strong,” he whispers while reaching for my face. His thumb swipes along my lower lip, and for a long moment, I want him to lean in and kiss me. But he doesn’t. “You’ll be fine.”

He doesn’t say anything more, he steps back and leaves me wondering what just happened. Both men have come in here, leaving me breathless in their wake. They’re both hurting because they have to hide their emotions, their feelings for each other, and their feelings for me.

I sit on the bed with my mind whirring with possibilities of how I feel. Seeing them together was a shock, but not as much as them both seeming to want me.

Can I do that?

I’m not sure, but I do know that I feel something for them. The emotions that are slowly stemming from my interactions with both men have left me wanting more.

I should hate this place.

I should want to leave and never return.

But the dark magic of Thorne Haven and Thorne manor is weaving itself around me, and I find myself wanting the complete opposite. I want to be with Finn. And subsequently, Jarred too.

13

FINN

The plane waits for us on the tarmac as we pull up to the hangar. After my interaction with Zaria last night, she seems less afraid around me. I know it’s partly because I figured her out and made it known that I see her; the parts that no one else seems to find. And now that she knows I’ve seen through her veneer and sussed out her pain, we understand each other more so than when we originally met. But even though she’s slowly burrowing her way into my life, learning about who I really am, I have to make sure that she’s not here to fuck with my family. My father may trust the Abadis, especially Zaria’s mother, but I’m more wary of the woman because I don’t know her at all.