Page 52 of Friends with Benefits (Club Risqué)

"Trinity!" Micah cautioned, his Dom voice surfacing. "That's not what I mean, and you know it. Don't demean yourself by throwing a tantrum. You're so upset it's making you sick and you're wearing all the emotions you usually keep so contained all over your face for anyone and everyone to see. I know you well enough to understand that's something you'll regret when you're thinking a bit more clearly."

"What? You don't think I deserve to be a bit upset with the situation?" she asked belligerently, pounding her small fist into his muscled chest, knowing it was wrong to take her frustrations out on Micah but unable to help herself. She just needed to vent her frustrations.

"I think you have every right to be upset, Trinity. I just think you'd be more comfortable doing it in the privacy of your own home."

"Being at home won't stop me from being upset," she retorted sarcastically.

Upset!…it was such an inadequate word to describe the agony that was ripping through her heart right now.

"I know, but at least, there, you can lose your shit in private."

His stern words were exactly what she needed. Damn it all, she was better than this. But once the fight and indignation of the situation went out of her, a morose sense of melancholy settled in despite her resolve.

Why the hell did this always happen to her? It seemed like every time she set a tentative toe outside her self-imposed comfort zone, someone was there to trample on it with a giant, crushing boot.

"You're right," she said quietly. "I'll go get my things."

She stood up on wobbly legs, and Micah pulled her into his strong, comforting arms. "I'll have Bianca escorted to my office, so you don't have to interact with her again."

"Thanks." Trinity tried to inject some strength into her voice, but it came out as a defeated whisper all the same.

She would be strong, she told herself sadly as she wandered out to her car. It would just have to be later.

ChapterThirty-Eight

Later that evening, Trinity tossed and turned listlessly in her bed. It was early still…well, early for someone who wasn’t used to sleeping until the early hours of the morning.

She didn't want to think, or pace, or curl up on the sofa and try to find solace in a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

She just wanted to hide. To make it all go away…but that wasn't happening, either.

The dam she’d been trying to keep intact had burst as soon as Trinity walked into the comfort and privacy of her own home, and now her eyes were aching and puffy from the tears she hadn't been able to stop.

She tried to blink away the grittiness, but it just didn't work. She wanted to be annoyed with herself for being so damn weak, but this had hit her where it hurt, right when she was starting to have faith, to truly believe.

You don't know anythingyet. Well, this was a different voice from the one that usually whispered in her ear.There could still be a perfectly good explanation.

Trinity snorted.Yeah, right!Oh—that was more like the voice she was used to. Great, now there weretwolittle voices arguing with each other. As if she didn't have enough to contend with. She'd be a candidate for the nut house at this rate.

He's never lied to you before. Remember that!

Trinity pulled the duvet up over her head.

That damn hope was going to be the death of her!

ChapterThirty-Nine

Christian paced agitatedly around Club Risqué's employee lounge where Logan had asked him to wait while he dealt with Bianca. He couldn't believe she'd had the gall to come here, never mind to call herself his wife… and in front of Trinity, of all people.

The anger, which had never been very far from the surface for the past few days, rose up inside him all over again. It was such a common occurrence he was starting to get used to it, as pathetic as that might be. He didn’t want to be that person, and it infuriated him all the more that Bianca had the ability to evoke such strong emotions in him.

Christian wanted her to mean nothing—less than nothing. He wanted to look upon her with indifference and feel nothing at all… but he wasn't quite there yet.

He gave a cynical laugh and the noise sounded overly loud in the quiet room.

Not quite there? Who was he kidding? He wasn't even in the vicinity. The anger and resentment were still far too fresh, even after four years.

And where the hell was Trinity? He hadn't seen or heard anything from her since he'd arrived with Logan, forty-five minutes ago, and been filled in on the situation by Micah, who'd told him he’d taken matters into his own hands because he didn't want Trinity dealing with it.

---