Chapter 3 - Fates, Fins, and Fangs

BY THE NEXT MORNING, I had mostly convinced myself that everything I thought I'd seen or experienced the previous day was nothing more than the result of extreme stress. It was getting close to end of term and I had been worried about my exam and my clinical rotation, and it had just finally gotten the best of me.

These things happen, right?

Even I knew I was in complete denial, but I went with it.

I had the day off, so I didn't bother with real clothes. I dragged a brush through my hair, leaving it wavy and puffed up around my face, then I padded into the kitchen in a pair of old sweats, a stretchy sports bra, and a tank. I thought I would have the house to myself, since my other roommates were probably working. So, I was a bit surprised when I entered the kitchen to find Rhys fiddling with the stove.

He turned and flashed me a warm, welcoming smile. "Troy! I was just making some breakfast. Would you like to join me?"

I blinked, blinded for a minute by his beaming smile and his perfect, all-American good looks. As always. I'd never forget the day he waltzed into the bookstore where I'd been hiding out reading occult books. He was like a ray of sunshine, and I'd been stunned when he turned that easygoing manner and blinding smile my way. He had been new to town then, and desperate to fit in. Even though he was a few years older than me, we'd bonded, and we'd been friends ever since. It was impossible not to get drawn into Rhys's orbit. The guy just exuded this aura of warmth and charisma....

I gave myself a mental shake and forced myself to focus on something other than golden blond hair and green eyes so light they were almost a clear citrine. "Breakfast sounds great, thanks."

I went to the fridge to get orange juice, but I froze when Rhys spoke from right behind me, his deep voice rumbling through my awareness like a caress. He smoothed the wild pouf of hair away from my ear and leaned in close, his warm breath making me shiver. "You can tell me all about your date last night while we eat," he purred.

I gulped in a deep breath, not realizing I'd stopped breathing until he snagged the butter out of the fridge door and stepped away.

Fuck me, I was a mess today. My mind was still reeling from the idea that Chike might actually be interested in me, and now I was all aflutter because Rhys was being his usual sizzling hot self? I needed to get a grip.

Straightening my spine, I got out the eggs and started cracking them into a bowl while Rhys heated up the griddle for the pancakes he'd already whipped up. We worked in companionable silence. The man might be a walking wet dream, but there was more to my attraction to him. He was...comfortable, somehow. He had a way of making everyone around him feel at ease. Where Chike was often cold and dismissive, Rhys had the kind of energy that just drew people in. And I wasn't immune.

I got out my phone and opened a music app and before long we were dancing and telling bad jokes while we made breakfast.

Once upon a time, orphaned and grieving, I'd felt adrift and alone. But ever since moving to Ontonagon, I'd slowly found a place, and a new kind of family besides the harried aunt who had reluctantly taken me in. Rhys and Chike were both a big part of that. Chike had always had trouble fitting in, and he was an orphan too. Rhys was new in town and, although he never talked about it much, I got the impression he had left behind a bad situation of some kind, that made him eager to find people he could trust. When my close friend, who was also Chike's adoptive mother, and her partners decided to move out of the apartment and upgrade to a bigger space, the timing had been perfect. My aunt was downsizing to help pay for cancer treatments. And it was time for me to have my own place. I never would have guessed that sharing the apartment with Rhys and Chike would turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me.

We fit somehow. Even though we were all so different—the sulky diva, the sunny art teacher, and the chubby book-nerd-turned-nursing-student.

After stuffing ourselves with fluffy pancakes and scrambled eggs, I helped Rhys clean up, then topped off my coffee. The warm buzz of contentment I always felt around Rhys had helped to take my mind off all the weirdness in my life, and I was almost feeling normal again.

I turned to find Rhys standing close. The man moved without a sound, and without triggering that sense you'd usually get when someone was watching you. I focused on not spilling my coffee while my heart stuttered and resumed its usual rhythm.

Big, hands wrapped around mine, slightly cool in contrast to the warmth of the coffee mug. Rhys took the cup from me and set it aside, then took both my hands in his. His oddly colored eyes were framed by thick blond lashes, and the suddenly serious look in them made me feel like I was looking at a stranger, at someone different than the carefree blond Adonis I was used to seeing.

"I meant what I said last night," Rhys said softly, his eyes never leaving mine. He lifted one of my hands and pressed his lips to my knuckles, while he looked up at me through those thick lashes. "I've kept to myself because we agreed you were off limits." He gave me a crooked smile that did wicked things to my insides. "But I couldn't stand it if I didn't speak up and that little mermaid stole you away and kept you all to himself."

I huffed a laugh at his words. Chike might be pretty, and he loved his work at the aquarium, but if he heard Rhys call him a mermaid, he'd probably shank the guy in his sleep.

"This is crazy," I muttered. I wasn't one to feel sorry for myself, but the truth was, I was a little stunned that not one, but both of my hot roommates were interested in me this way. I wasn't a blushing virgin, but I wasn't some deadly femme fatale either. For Frigg's sake, they were both amazing, stunningly beautiful men and I was...me.

Rhys smiled at me and brushed his lips over my skin again, this time at the underside of my wrist. "What's crazy?"

I let out a breath. "This. You and Chike. I can't...I don't...for fuck's sake, why now?"

Rhys laughed, then ran a hand through his blond waves, stepping back to give me some space, his good-boy mannerisms falling back into place. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable, Troy. I just wanted you to know how I felt. No pressure."

He went from sensual stranger to easy-going roommate like flipping a switch. I had the strangest, most jarring sense that the Rhys I saw every day wasn't the real Rhys. It was a weird sensation, like that second of terror you get on a roller coaster when you're almost at the top, but not quite, and you can't see the fall you're about to take, but you can feel it in your gut.

It was intense.

And confusing.

I sighed and ran a hand through my messy hair. "I don't know what to say," I said truthfully. "I don't want to sound like a complete bitch, but...I like you both." I felt my face turn bright red, but pushed on anyway. Not being a mouse was something I had to work hard at. But I tried. "I need to think about this."

Rhys smiled, easy and confident as always. "You don't have to sound so apologetic, love. My manhood will survive if you aren't interested."

I believed that. It wasn't like Rhys would have trouble finding a girlfriend, or a casual hook-up, if that's what he wanted. So, it was all on me to take his words at face value, like an adult, and not be all weird about it.

I laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. "Okay, well. Thanks. I should go get dressed. I've got some errands to run."

I almost made it to the hallway when Rhys's deep voice stopped me. "And Troya?"

I turned back to find him lounging against the countertop with his arms crossed over his broad chest, and a sly smile on that too-handsome face. His eyes almost seemed to glow with simmering heat. "I never said you had to choose between us."

I swallowed hard and turned away, his deep chuckle following me down the hall. Did he mean what I thought he meant? Holy fucking hell.

I had been mostly making up excuses when I said I needed to run errands. But now...I needed to talk to Gesa, immediately. Because this was just too weird for me to handle on my own.