Page 87 of Lie With Me

“I can’t let Emily marry him. She’s pregnant, for Christ’s sake,” he murmurs against the top of my head.

Alarm threads through my nerves, fraying the ends as they unravel into a heavy ball in my stomach. “You can’t out him, Tripp. If he complains, Jackson’s hands will be tied. There’s majorly large fines to pay. You’ll get kicked out, not to mention it outs me, too. How else would you know he was a member?”

Tripp releases me and gets off the bed before spinning back around. His nostrils flare as his lips flatten in a grimace. “Are you suggesting I say nothing and let Emily marry an abusive psycho?”

My first reaction is to argue that Neil’s tastes, while questionable, aren’t something to treat condescendingly. I understand where Tripp is coming from, but a large part of me doesn’t agree with this decision. “Can you justwait?”

“No! They are supposed to be getting married tomorrow, Valentina! Honestly, I can’t believe you’d subject a woman to that sort of treatment.” He startstoward the door, looking at me like he doesn’t know me at all.

“Tripp!” I bolt after him, but he puts his hands up.

“Don’t worry, I won’t out you. I’ll take the heat. But I can’t let Emily marry him. I’m sorry, Valentina, but I can’t. She may be awful, but she doesn’t deserve that. Stay here. I’ll be back.”

He leaves without another word, not bothering to wait and see if I have anything else to say. My limbs tingle with the urgency to run after him, but I stay like he told me to, knowing he’s just doing whathedoes. Tripp would never be able to live with himself if something happened to Emily. He’d feel responsible if he knew what kind of man Neil was, and he still let her walk down the aisle and attach her life to his.

I can’t fault him for that.

His patronizing attitude toward the news about Neil and me, though,thatI can fault him for. As soon as he gets back, he’s going to get a piece of my mind. Spinning, my eyes dart around the room, looking for my phone. Even if he doesn’t give me away, he’ll be giving himself and Neil away and if anyone else finds out, this could turn into a disaster.

Carmela should be the person I call. It isherclub. But there’s only one man involved that will know how to deal with this particular group of people.

“Aren’t you supposed to be enjoying the weekend in Connecticut? Why are you calling me?” Jackson’svoice drawls on the other end of the line after two rings.

“We have a problem.”

“What kind of a problem?” He snaps into business mode, his voice sharper when he hears the panic in mine.

“I don’t have time to explain everything right now. But Tripp is about to out himself and Emily’s fiancé as members of Désirer.”

Jackson doesn’t say a word, but there’s a sound like he may have hit something. “I’ll call him,” he says finally.

“He may not pick up right now. But I wanted you to know so you’re ready to do some major damage control.”

He sighs. “Thanks for giving me a heads-up, Lenni.”

Jackson has beenkinderfor lack of a better word. I mean, he’s always been kind—he did gift me a rather extravagant dress for no reason at all last year—but there’s always been this edge to him when it comes to me. I always thought it was because I’ve never taken his shit, then because he thought I’d hurt Tripp. But I’ve learned these last two weeks that it’s just his way of being. He’s not used to having a lot of genuine friends, and he guards himself with his charm, money, and quick wit. It’s nice to finally have him treat me like a friend, instead of a problem that’s always lurking beneath the surface, ready to drown something he cares about.

“You’re welcome, bossman.”

Tripp

Ifucked up.

I know I fucked up, and I owe Valentina a million apologies for the way I just treated her. There’s no excuse for my behavior. When I saw Neil follow her, I got curious. But knowing he’s touched her—that he knows what she looks like naked.

That he’s been inside her.

I saw red.

And her face when I called him abusive—I knew exactly what she was thinking at that moment. I feel like there’s a giant knot in my chest where Lenni is pulling on one end, and Emily is on the other, and it’s just getting tighter and tighter.

She has to understand, though. How could she not after everything I’ve told her about Emily? My ex is as strait-laced as they come. I’d never be able to forgive myself if something happened to her, and Neil is the type to do whatever he wants to a woman becauseshe’s his wife, and it’s his right.

Everything is a blur as I storm back downstairs, searching for Emily. By now, the commotion over Neil’s nose has dispersed. A housekeeper is cleaning up the mess as I pass by, heading to the spa where my ex was before the spectacle.

“Tripp!” Emily shouts my name as I pass an open sitting room. She’s been crying, her nose and eyes are puffy and red, while she sits on a sofa with her parents. Her dad glares at me while her mom looks relieved.

“Hey, Emily. I’m sorry about earlier. How are you?” I step inside the room but don’t move closer, wondering if Neil will pop out of somewhere and try to return the blow I landed on him.

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