Page 41 of Friends with Benefits (Club Risqué)

Micah switched gears and tried to put a few stray puzzle pieces together. "So where's his wife?"

"Apparently, the marriage lasted less than a year." Trinity laughed without humour. "Seems she was actually more interested in his money than his lifestyle."

Micah cast his mind back over Christian Knightley's membership form and remembered there was an addendum regarding a woman by the name of Bianca James and the sanction, by none other than top lawyer and co-owner, Logan Thornton, that the woman was never to be allowed access to any of his clubs since she was considered to be a lifestyle predator.

"So let me guess," he ventured. "You agreed to continue with the contract for whatever reasons, but now, because your present and previous feelings for Christian are all mixed up, you feel torn at the idea of having sex with me?"

Trinity sighed and rolled away from him and onto her back, staring at the ceiling as if it, once again, held the answers to all the things she didn't know.

"It isn't fair!" she said, bitterness creeping into her tone. "He'll be gone again in a few more weeks and I don't want him disrupting the life I lead now, but somehow, the idea of continuing what we usually share makes me feel like I'm cheating."

"That's because your deeper emotions are involved," Micah excused.

"It's still not fair," she spat vehemently. "You've been there for me for the past five years, helping me, supporting me. And you'll be the one who's there long after he's gone again, so that makes me feel guilty that I'm not providing what you need. Shouldn't I feel like being with him is cheating on you?"

Micah leaned over her again and his face split into a cheeky smile, that little boy grin evident once again as he playfully kissed the end of her nose.

"But you don't love me, so you're never going to feel that way," he said matter of factly.

Was that the problem? Trinity wondered. Was she still in love with Christian?

Another knock on the door precluded either of them dissecting that possibility.

"Expecting someone?" Micah asked as he rolled off the bed and sauntered through her lounge.

"No." Trinity frowned as she fumbled for a robe and tied the sash as she followed him to where he was checking her peephole.

He looked back at her with amusement. "Well, this could be the answer to some of your dilemmas," he told her with a shit eating grin before he threw open the door to reveal Christian, himself, standing on the other side.

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Dear God! Trinity wondered as her cheeks heated all over again. How much embarrassment did she have to suffer in the duration of a single day? Was it possible to die of mortification?

Christian looked somewhere between uncomfortable and disapproving at finding Micah answering her door, sans shirt, and his eyes narrowed when he took in her own attire.

"Sorry,” he said stiffly. "I'm obviously interrupting."

It was Micah who stopped him from leaving, while Trinity's stomach just did that horrible falling away thing.

"Actually, I was just leaving, so come on in." He swept his arm out, gesturing into the room.

Christian looked her up and down, his eyes narrowing, and Trinity flushed with an even deeper embarrassment. She knew how it looked, and he wouldn't even be too far wrong in his assumptions. God, she felt so cheap right at this second.

Christian's gaze swung back to Micah, and it looked like he was about to reply with some cutting retort.

Trinity's face paled as she watched the silent byplay between the two men. Two Doms. Micah's eyes hardened, while Christian's sparked indignation and a touch of anger as his jaw flexed as if he'd clenched his teeth together.

Micah raised his eyebrows and said, so quietly that Trinity barely heard him, "Don't say it, Night! Don't say what you can't take back."

Christian's chest expanded, but that was the only thing that gave away the deep silent breath he took.

And that was that. Micah nodded just once then took a step back, pulling his discarded tee shirt over his head. He pulled Trinity into his arms, but she couldn't bear to look at him. She could feel Christian bristling with resentment across the room.

Micah kissed her on the forehead. "Call me if you need me," he murmured quietly, before he gave Christian another hard look and let himself out of the door.

Trinity felt sick as well as humiliated. She felt like she had let down both Christian and Micah now, and she could feel the condemnation rolling off of Christian in waves. She closed her eyes and shoved her trembling hands into the pockets of her short satin robe. It didn't help that she was acutely underdressed as well.

"Tell me that wasn't what it looked like, Tara," Christian demanded with just a slight edge of accusation to his voice.

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