Page 42 of Brambles and Bellflowers
My heart raced as everything clicked into place. The signs had been there all along—Bryce’s knowledge of women’s shoes, Colette’s hints about his sexuality, and Finn’s resistance to my subtle flirtations. It made so much sense.
It could be my purpose to help their relationship blossom into something beautiful. Then, I wouldn’t feel sad knowing everyone hated Finn, and Bryce could finally find happiness. Best of all, I’d be freed from this false marriage.
Everyone would win! What a perfect plan.
“I don’t know what the hell she just came up with.” I caught Julian saying from the corner of my vision. “But at least she’s not sad anymore.”
8
It seemedlike no time before Titus pulled into a gravel parking lot surrounded by trees. Nestled in the corner of the property was a log cabin complete with a covered patio and rocking chairs.
The sun was high in the sky, signaling it was past mid-afternoon. But… That couldn’t be right. There was no way we had been driving for hours. After pulling my sleeves over my knuckles and rubbing my eyes, I blinked at the sky again.
The same thing.
What in the world?
“It’s been two hours.” Brayden shifted closer to me. A loose curl fell over dark brows, and his face was pinched with concern. “You’ve been daydreaming this whole time.”
Really?
I blinked up at him—there was no way. Surely my plan to entrap Finn and Bryce together in a scenario where they would be forced to share one teeny tiny bed and a thin blanket had only taken me seconds to pull together.
“Are you all right?” he asked in a low voice, gaze flickering to the front of the vehicle.
My brows furrowed—what a silly question. “Of course.”
“Your…” He paused, lowering his tone even further. “Are you sure your feelings aren’t hurt?”
Myfeelings?
I frowned and looked toward Damen. “Why?”
The onmyoji had been chatting away with Titus, seemingly unaware of the lingering tension, as he pointed toward the log building. His expression was light, and almost excited, while everyone else sat in uncomfortable silence.
Bryce met my eyes and half-twisted in his seat as he joined our huddle. His expression was carefully impassive, but his eyes told a completely different story. “Your point about the bond wasn’t wrong,” he said in a low voice, and my attention strayed to his lips. “There are concerns about why the connection never worked as intended.”
Why was he in my face? Did Damen spill my secret—or was it Anthony? But it was clear that everyone was making more effort to look at me when they spoke.
Finn responded by stiffening in his seat, his head inclining toward the three of us, and his expression darkening.
“I—” My throat felt tight. “I wasn’t trying to cause problems.”
“You didn’t,” Bryce assured me, though his smirk was razor-sharp. “He’s arrogant and has been left unchecked for far too long. Don’t let him push you around.”
I blinked, thrown off by his certainty. Push me around? Damen wasn’t… like that. Was he?
“Okay,” I replied. What did they want me to do? I’d already started improving his terrible ideas. “If I think something is wrong, I’ll say it.”
Bryce smirked evilly as his gaze moved toward Damen, and Brayden snickered under his breath. The whole thing was rather violent, and I might have been able to explain it away as a particularity of the fae.
However, that did not explain Finn’s sudden gleeful smirk or how Julian’s mouth curled in renewed excitement.
Even Titus, far from us as he was, glanced back briefly, his lips quirking.
What in the world was wrong with these men?
But nobody mentioned it again as we exited the vehicle and entered the cabin. Damen headed to the counter, where a blond ranger in a green uniform sat with his feet on the desk and a comic book open in his lap. Titus moved to where I stayed by a display of brochures.
