Page 43 of Tripp

As if whatever had just transpired in the past hour hadn’t been enough, I noticed two missed calls from the alarm company when I pulled my phone from my pocket.

Tripp

Rushing inside the house, I shoved past the officer standing in front of Reece and pulled her close. “Are you okay? What happened?” I looked between the both of them, impatiently waiting for one of them to answer me.

“I’m fine.” She tried to pull away but I wouldn’t let her.

“Do you live here?” the officer asked, flashing me a stern look before glancing back toward Reece. The guy was young, a rookie maybe?

“Yeah,” I lied, deeming him unworthy of a full explanation. “What happened?” I repeated.

“Apparently the front door was opened, setting off the alarm.” Nothing further from him before he jotted something down in a notepad.

“How the hell did that happen?” I finally let go of Reece and neared the doorframe, searching for any sign of foul play but not readily finding any. “Did you check the house?” I wasn’t sure who I directed that specific question to.

“Yes,” they both answered, Reece dipping her head for a moment before looking back at me. I had a suspicion she was hiding something from me.

“And?”

Reece spoke first that time. “I checked the house after the alarm went off, and thankfully didn’t find anyone. Officer Bauer did another check when he arrived. Just in case.” She gave the cop a thankful smile, and I didn’t like it. I saw the way he kept checking her out, right in fuckin’ front of me. Brazen little shit.

Needing him to leave, I threw my arm around her shoulder and leaned down to kiss her. “Well, it looks like maybe a faulty door. I’ll have it checked out. No need for you to stay here.” My tone left no room for misunderstanding. Or argument.

He gave me a final once-over before smiling at Reece. “Miss.” He nodded before leaving, still writing something down on that damn notebook of his.

After I’d shut the door, I asked, “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. Just a bit frightened. But that alarm probably scared me more than anything.” Putting her finger in her ear and wriggling, she said, “It’s really loud.”

“That’s the point. A deterrent.” I took some time before blurting out my next statement, figuring it was as good a time as any to let her in on my plans. Plans that had formed on my way over. “You’re gonna stay with me at my place.”

I expected some sort of argument, some sort of refusal, but she had none. A simple nod from her and I’d been put right back on edge when I should have been relieved.

She was definitely hiding something from me.

Reece

Despite the fright I’d endured two days back, I never imagined my life could turn out normal. Well, as normal as it was working in a strip club and being involved with a biker. I was smart enough not to put too many hopes and dreams on a new relationship, if that was even what this was, but I couldn’t help but picture myself with Tripp for the long haul.

His incessant need to make sure I was safe was sweet. Something I certainly wasn’t used to. He’d increased security even more at the club after the mysterious issue with the front door. Not sure why, seeing as how it had happened at the house and not at Indulge, but I couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief either way.

What I failed to tell Trip was that I’d been a little more than freaked out, and while I tried not to show my vast relief at his suggestion to stay with him at his house, a calm had descended over me when he uttered the words.

“You wanna go dancing after work?” Carla asked, giving me a quick smile while she poured a beer for a customer. “I know a place that’s open late.”

She busied herself wiping off the counter and taking orders while I contemplated her offer. After the hang-up I’d been worried. Then when the door at the house had been mysteriously opened, thankfully setting off the alarm, I’d been rattled to my core. For as much as I wanted to relieve some of my anxiety about both incidents, I knew I shouldn’t go anywhere Tripp wasn’t able to accompany me, and I highly doubted he was the dancing kind.

“I don’t think I should,” I finally answered.

“Oh come on,” she prodded.

I gave her my most apologetic smile. “Maybe another time.”

“Does this have anything to do with Tripp? Is he keeping you under lock and key?” Her question wasn’t meant to be a serious one, but when she saw the fleeting widening of my eyes, she changed her tune. “Are you serious, Reece? Did he tell you that you can’t go anywhere without him? I’ve noticed how the two of you have been attached at the hip recently. The man is relentless, and while I think Tripp is a good guy, don’t let him push you around. You do what you want, when you want. Do you hear me?” Her hands found their way to her hips, her brow arched in wait.

“It’s not like that.” She looked at me skeptically. “Honestly. He just wants to keep me safe.” Carla had no idea what I’d been through in the past. If she did then she’d fully understand my need to relent to Tripp’s slightly overbearing tendencies.

“Fine, but if I think he’s being too possessive over you, I’m gonna say something to him.”

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