Page 6 of Forgotten Promise

A legacy of the Trinity Masters, Kailani had looked forward to the day when she would be called to this altar and introduced to her future spouses.

The day Kailani had received her invitation to join had been one of the happiest days of her life because being a legacy—the child of Trinity Masters members—didn’t guarantee her own inclusion. She was essentially fast-tracked thanks to her name, moving to the top of the list, but she had to earn her place, prove herself worthy.

Unlike her own plain robe, the Grand Master’s had a chain of gold disks across the chest, draped from shoulder to shoulder.

The Grand Master was the reason she was here today. The leader of the society arranged each of the trinity marriages, selecting trios and binding them together with a purpose. Sometimes it was to protect one of the members or to ensure a brilliant scholar or artist was supported. Sometimes it was in an effort to spur scientific advancement. Other times it was to solidify alliances that were necessary to maintain the strength of the union.

“When you joined the Trinity Masters, you made a vow. You pledged your lives to our cause and our way. The time has come for you to meet your partners, your lovers, your spouses. When I call your name, stand and lower your hood,” the Grand Master said.

The voice was feminine. Several years ago, the position of Grand Master had changed hands, and though no one knew the identity of the society’s leader, the shift from a man to a woman, as evidenced by the voice, had been a topic of much gossip and speculation.

Kailani’s tutu had said “about damn time” when she’d heard it was a woman.

“John Wilson.”

Kailani gripped the arms of her chair, leaning forward slightly as one of the robed figures stood. Members had choices when it came to the ceremony—they arrived robed and were meant to reveal themselves when their name was called. Some people just took down the hood, some stripped the robe off, revealing underwear or lingerie, while others stripped off the robe and were naked underneath, showing that they came to the marriage open and vulnerable.

John Wilson shrugged off the robe, and Kailani got her first good look at her future husband.

He was white, with brown hair and a close-cropped beard. He was taller than her, which wasn’t saying much, and he wasn’t completely naked. He wore a pair of solid black boxer briefs that hugged his muscled thighs. He glanced at her, and though she knew he couldn’t see her face, thanks to the lights and the hood, she smiled.

He looked slightly uncomfortable—he tried to put his hands in his pockets, but there weren’t any, so dropped them to his sides—but his gaze was sharp, assessing.

John Wilson. Good name. Good-looking man.

Some of Kailani’s nerves settled.

The Grand Master shifted, the movement barely visible since they stood on the edge of the cone of light. Still, it was enough to attract her attention, and when Kailani looked over, the Grand Master’s hood was turned toward her. Kailani froze, waiting for her name to be called, but it wasn’t her name the Grand Master said.

“Benjamin Dara.”

The Grand Master was looking right at her as she said the name. That look was a warning…a threat.

Because the Grand Master had to know that the last person on earth Kailani would ever marry was Benjamin Dara.

Benjamin—always “Benjamin,” never “Ben,” or God forbid “Benny”—stood and shrugged off his robe.

Tall with lean muscles, Benjamin was black, with close-cut hair and a goatee. He was also a grade-A asshole.

Kailani stared at the Grand Master, wishing she could see into the darkness of the hood. Why would the Grand Master do this to her? She had to know about her and Benjamin’s history…

“Kailani Iona.”

Kailani sprang to her feet. She’d bought beautiful lingerie specifically for this, but there was no way she was taking off her robe now. She shoved back her hood and met Benjamin’s gaze. The shock she felt was reflected in his expression.

Kailani turned to the Grand Master. “Grand Master, with all due respect, we can’t be married because—”

“You can.”

Those two words fell like a hammer. Kailani rocked back on her heels.

The rest of the ceremony passed in a blur. Kailani went through with it because there was nothing else she could do. When she’d joined, she’d pledged to obey the Grand Master. She knew the penalties for betraying the society.

Finally, the Grand Master said, “A trinity marriage isn’t easy, but if you love and trust one another, you will never be alone.”

When it was over, Kailani raced back to her dressing room.

She had her clothes on and was out in the corridor in under ten minutes. Her plan was to get out before she had to see Benjamin. She needed time to regroup and think, and she certainly wasn’t going to go to the hotel with her fiancés. Ordinarily, newly bound trinities stayed in a special suite at the Park Plaza for a few days, as the first part of their month-long get-to-know-you period. They also started making decisions about merging their lives together.

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