Page 15 of Twisted Ties
“No, I’m saying, once you do, this entire situation will get easier. It won’t be as intense.”
“Really?” I say, because sleeping with the man in black sounds like the very definition of intense.
6
Rhi
Winnie and Pipstay for another hour, the man in black, to his credit, waiting outside the door the entire time, giving me the space I requested. By the time she leaves, hugging me and battling with a struggling Pip who clearly wants to stay, I know a hell of a lot more about fated mates than I did. Okay, maybe not all of it is accurate, but it’s a start.
There’s one question I have unanswered though. One I’m far too embarrassed to ask Winnie. One I most definitely won’t be asking the man in black either.
I don’t know if it’s even something I need to worry about. Whether it’s something I’ve imagined. Whether I’m just confused right now.
Because that pull in my gut, that tug, the one everyone says is the sign. The sign you’ve met your fated mate. It isn’t only Azlan I’ve felt it with.
But that can’t be right, can it? I must be confused. Mistaking butterflies in my stomach for something more powerful.
I’m still mulling it over, when the doctor comes in on her evening round.
She’s tall, slim and elegant; her hair carefully styled, her lips painted scarlet red and her suit designer. She looks more like a classic film-star than a doctor and I’m suddenly conscious about my most-probably scruffy appearance.
She spends several long minutes inspecting my leg, asking me to bend my knee and wiggle my toes.
“Is her leg healed?” Azlan asks, watching the doctor’s every move intently.
“Yes, and there seems to be no damage. I was very careful to preserve the nerves. Wouldn’t want her walking with a limp now, would we?”
“Thank you, Lucinda,” Azlan says, resting his hand on the woman’s shoulder. She leans ever so slightly into his touch in a manner that has my insides spinning.
“Anything to help, Azlan. You know I’m always here for you if ever you need me.” She covers his hand with her own and I have the urge to kick her with my newly healed leg.
The man in black’s phone buzzes in his pocket and he pulls his hand from hers to examine the screen.
“I have to take this,” he says, strolling straight out of the room and slamming the door behind him.
Pain spirals instantly through my gut and I scrunch up my eyes against it, wincing. Is sleeping with him really going to solve this problem?
“Painful?” the doctor asks.
“Yes,” I say, biting down on my lip, my body trembling.
“Well, what exactly did you think would happen?”
I open my eyes. She’s frowning at me, any mask ofprofessionalism that had been hovering on her face, gone. Now I see something like hatred in her eyes.
“Excuse me?” I say. Is the pain twisting my mind?
“You tricked him into bonding with you, and now you have the audacity to bitch about the consequences.”
“Tricked him? I didn’t trick him.” I stare at her with incredulity. “Look, I don’t know what he told you–”
She scoffs. “You expect me to believe that Azlan would choose agirllike you for his life partner?” She spits out the word ‘girl’ like I’m some diseased creature and I wonder if she actually is related to my arch nemesis, Summer Clutton-Brock.
“He didn’tchooseme.”
“Exactly,” she says darkly.
“Fate did,” I finish. “And I had as much choice in it as he did.”
