Page 9 of Forgotten Promise

“Do the rules of the society say I have to live with my trinity?”

Devon didn’t say anything.

“Do the rules force me to have sex with him?” She raised a brow.

“No,” Devon said softly.

“Then there’s no problem.” Kailani turned to John. “Would you like to get some dinner?”

“I think we should stay here and talk it out.”

It was killing her that John probably thought she was a bitch. Kailani’s throat was tight, and she was on the verge of angry tears. She had no intention of crying in front of any of these men.

“Gentlemen, if you’ll excuse me?”

Kailani turned and walked away, Benjamin’s words seeming to follow her.

“Devon, I need to lodge a formal request for the Grand Master to dissolve this trinity.”

Chapter Three

Oahu

One month later, and two hours after the Grand Master was kidnapped

* * *

Kailani made her sixth trip across the living room, aware that if she kept this up, she was going to wear a path in the carpet, which would piss her off…because it was fluffy and new and clean. The Hale’ekolu hotel was one of Honolulu’s oldest and most exclusive properties, known for restrained elegance and the ever-important spirit of aloha. Owned by her family for generations, the Hale’ekolu had been undergoing major renovations the past few months, this bank of suites the first to be completed.

She sighed as she glanced out the window of the hotel room, staring at the grounds below. She couldn’t wait until the construction was finished, the view of the beautiful gardens currently marred by scaffolding, small excavators, and building materials. It was the off-season, though in Hawaii, that wasn’t saying much since the hotel was full ninety percent of the time. Still, they’d discounted room rates and were paying extra to have the work completed before summer.

Kailani pressed her forehead against the glass and closed her eyes, warding off the coming headache. She hadn’t had a peaceful night’s sleep since that damn binding ceremony, too many bad feelings she thought she’d managed to overcome crashing down on her again.

Shortly after the binding ceremony, Kailani had caught a flight to L.A. for one night, wanting to apologize to John for her behavior after the binding ceremony. The poor man had been collateral damage, caught in the middle of her battle with Benjamin.

The LAPD detective had been understanding once she’d explained—more calmly—her reasons for not wanting to marry Benjamin. She’d focused primarily on the contentiousness between their families, barely mentioning the summer romance she and Benjamin had shared because she was too afraid of revealing how much their break-up had hurt her at the time.

John had confided that after she’d left headquarters, Benjamin asked Devon about dissolving the trinity. Kailani had heard that much, but John filled her in on the parts she’d missed.

According to Devon, there was no appeal process, no way to dissolve a trinity, but he’d promised to talk to the Grand Master. Of course, Devon had also stressed that if they didn’t hear from the Grand Master before the month was up, the three of them would be expected to return to Boston and get married.

Kailani had been shocked to discover there was even the tiniest bit of hope, and unfortunately, she’d clung too tightly to it, jumping every time the phone rang, praying it was their reprieve.

During her visit to California, she’d gotten the sense John was hoping for the same outcome she and Benjamin were. And she couldn’t blame him. There would be no happily ever after for the three of them if the Grand Master refused to dissolve the trinity.

Since then, she and John had spoken a couple of times on FaceTime. After each conversation, she found herself more and more disappointed the two of them hadn’t been paired up with a different third, anyone besides Benjamin, because she didn’t question for a second that John was someone she could come to care for, even love.

If only the phone would ring.

If only the Grand Master would grant their request.

If only it hadn’t been Benjamin beneath that hood.

If only…

Ugh.

She could hear her grandmother’s powerful, raspy voice, chastising her for working herself into a state over something she had no control of. Tutu, a no-nonsense woman, would simply look at her and say, “Ku’uipo, you’re alive and breathing, so behave like it.”

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