Page 65 of Fighting the Darkness

Another pause.

“I can’t,” Wilder whispers. “I promised Freyr I would stay away from her.”

He did what now? When did he do that? And why would Freyr do that to me?

Griffin laughs. “How old were you when you made that promise to him?”

“Sixteen,” he mumbles so quietly I almost don’t catch it.

Is this why things changed between us? Is it because my brother didn’t want Wilder near me? I wish Freyr was here so I could ask him.

“Okay, jackass.” Soren snorts. “I highly doubt that he meant for you to make that promise for the rest of your life. He probably just wanted you to keep your fuckboy teenage self away from her.”

Griffin’s voice is gentle when he speaks next. “Don’t you think Freyr would want his sister to be happy… even if it’s with you?”

That makes me smile because, of course, Freyr wanted me to be happy, and I think if I’d gone to him and told him I was in love with his best friend, he would’ve accepted it. Just so long as it’s what I truly wanted.

Silence follows Griffin’s question, and I realize I need to make my presence known even if I don’t want them to know I was listening. I tiptoe back down the hallway, swinging Wilder’s door open and shutting it.

As I start back down the hallway, three heads pop out of the living room. I give them a small smile as Soren and Griffin race toward me.

They scuffle with one another, both wanting to be the first one to reach me.

Griffin shoves Soren into the wall, jumping over him as he hits the floor so he can scoop me into his arms. “I’m so glad you’re okay, little one. I was so worried about you. I’m so sorry for what happened.”

“You’re going to have to be more specific—what are you sorry for?” I cling to him, wrapping my legs around him, but I’m afraid of his answer. Does he regret what happened between us? Because it sounded like he wanted more from me than just that a few moments ago.

“Not what happened between us—never what happened between us. I’m sorry that moment was ruined for us.” Then he’s kissing me, and my head is spinning. He presses my back to the wall as he kisses me like his life depends on it.

Someone clears their throat, and we break apart, both panting as we stare into one another’s eyes.

“C’mon, Griffin. You’re not the only one who wants to see her.” Soren peeks around Griffin’s shoulder, remorse in his eyes. “Hey, sunshine.”

“Hey, Soren.”

Griffin grumbles but sets me on my feet and steps back, leaving me to face Soren. I bite my lip, still unsure even after what I overheard them saying. To say that I’m feeling a little bit off-center is putting things lightly.

“I’m so sorry, Freya.” Soren drops to his knees, wrapping his arms around my legs. It hurts my heart to see this amazing man on his knees before me—at least for the reason he’s down there. If he’d like to be down there for another reason, I’d absolutely consider it at a later date. “I know you have no reason to forgive me or even hear me out, but I wish you would.”

I run a hand over his head, surprised by how soft his buzzed hair is as I glance up, meeting Wilder’s eyes. That’s when I realize I can’t pretend I didn’t overhear their conversation. It just feels wrong to me. “Yeah, we definitely need to talk—all of us—but first I need to apologize because I was standing outside of the living room listening to your conversation.”

Soren pulls away, a wicked look in his eyes as he grins up at me. “Were you snooping, sunshine?”

“Maybe,” I say with a shrug, unwilling to meet any of their eyes.

“And exactly how much of it did you hear?” Griffin asks, stepping closer.

I shrug again. “I think we should talk in the living room. It’s much more comfortable there.”

Saying nothing, both men step back and allow me to pass them. Wilder grabs my hand as I go to move past him, and he leads me into the living room and to the couch. When he goes to release my hand, I cling to it.

“Sit by me? Please?”

I look at him from under my lashes, seeing how torn he is before he lowers himself to sit beside me. As soon as he’s seated, I curl into his side. He tenses for a moment before relaxing and wrapping his arm around me.

“Okay, sunshine, it’s time to fess up,” Soren says as he sits on my other side, with Griffin sitting on the loveseat across from us.

So I do. I tell them everything—repeating my story from the moment I left Griffin’s office until right now. When I’m done, all three of them are staring at me with unreadable looks on their faces.

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