Page 828 of One More Kiss

Rhys paused and turned to me, his eyes focusing on my hand gliding up and down my wrist. A myriad of emotions crossed over his face as I watched. He sucked in a harsh breath as he mirrored my gesture. Right on his brilliant tattoo.

Now I saw it. The Rhys that Anders told me about. The one who had attempted to kill himself. The all too familiar look in his eyes struck me like an arrow right in the chest.

“I was seventeen.” His voice was so quiet I almost couldn’t hear him. “Our Papa died the year before. We were all still grieving. Then my girlfriend broke up with me. Trust me when I say I did not look like this in high school. Neither of us did. I was the scrawny drama kid. Didn’t have many friends. I swear my high school years could have been a teen drama movie. Girl was only with me to prove a point to her friends that she wasn’t shallow.”

Tears began to form in my eyes at the pain in Rhys’s words. Before I realized what I was doing, I was on my feet and wrapping my arms around his waist. “I’m so sorry.”

Rhys hesitated for a moment before he returned my embrace. I savored the feel of him against me. It had been so long since I’d touched a man.

“My ex was emotionally abusive. I never felt like I could say anything and was always being gaslighted,” I admitted softly. “I was spiraling. Didn’t know what to do or who to trust and it got so bad, I thought my only option was to be gone.”

“I’m very glad you aren’t gone,” Anders whispered and placed a hand on my lower back.

“Me too,” Rhys surprised me with the quiet confession.

This was getting too real. Too personal. I needed space. I needed to breathe.

With a jolt of awareness, I pulled away from Rhys and cleared my throat. “Sorry, that was crossing a line.”

Damn it, Jenika. Why did I have to be such a dolt? Why did I even think I would be able to do this?

The twins both furrowed their brows as they crossed their arms over their chest in almost perfect sync. Freaky twin magic.

Anders spoke first, clearing his throat before trying to talk. “We are the ones that should be apologizing. I’ve been out of line, maybe we should reschedule you with another artist?”

My heart rate plummeted and my face completely drained of color. Another artist? Was that what I wanted? Was that what he wanted?

Spots danced in my vision before I sucked in a much needed breath. My blood rushed hot in my ears, the thump of my heart the only thing I could hear.

I took a step back, my hand reaching out to find something to anchor me. Vaguely, I heard Anders and Rhys say my name and extend their hands.

But the darkness fell over me and I collapsed to the floor.

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