Page 100 of Forgotten Promise

“We’re not a couple. We’re a trio.”

She smiled sadly, wishing that was true. She didn’t tell him about Selene’s refusal to reinstate their trinity because it would be a moot point if they couldn’t convince John to forgive them, to take them back.

“Where is John?” Benjamin asked.

Just like that, the tears that had been joyful changed to sorrow and her throat clogged, so that when she answered him, her words sounded thick and rough.

“He was angry when he found out the trinity had been dissolved.”

“At Selene?” Benjamin asked, though Kailani could tell he already knew where John’s anger lay.

She shook her head. “At us. For not speaking up, for not fighting for our trinity.”

Benjamin swallowed heavily, taking the words hard. “I wanted to. I swear to God, I wanted to.”

Kailani gripped his hand, squeezing it tightly. “I wanted to say something too. I keep trying to tell myself if I hadn’t been so damn tired, maybe…I’d like to hope…”

“We were all exhausted, which I’m sure didn’t work in our favor. None of us was operating at one hundred percent. I flew directly here from Hawaii and slept the sleep of the dead for close to ten hours.”

“I did the same, but I’m not sure that’s a good enough excuse. Not where John is concerned. He was just as tired, yet he knew…he would have done the right thing. Would have swallowed his pride and fought for us.”

“He would have. We need John, Kailani,” Benjamin said sadly. “I know it’s only been a few days, but he’s…”

“The part of us that we were missing,” she replied. “Do you think he’ll forgive us? Throughout all of this, he’s been the one always working toward creating something lasting. He never gave up when I’m sure anyone else would have been running—not walking—to the nearest exit to get away from us. We didn’t make any of this easy for him. He deserved so much better.”

“He did.” Benjamin crossed his arms, his gaze focused in the middle distance before it sharpened as he focused on her. “So we’re going to make it up to him. Going to find a way to fix all the things we screwed up.”

“That’s what I was hoping you’d say.” Kailani smiled, but doubt crept in. “You really think we can?”

“There’s no other choice. We have to get him back, Kailani. There’s no us without him.”

She smiled, relieved Benjamin felt the same way she did. “I agree.”

Benjamin took her hand and led her into his apartment. She was amused when she realized they’d worked out ten years of misery and anger while standing in the foyer by the front door.

She gasped when she looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows of the living room. She’d been right. His view was breathtaking as she looked out across the bright sunshine gleaming off the bay.

He gestured to the couch. She sat down and he joined her, their sides pressed tight. Apparently, she wasn’t the only one who felt the need to keep touching him, afraid of him disappearing if she didn’t keep him close.

“Despite our behavior the past few days, I think we’re both intelligent and creative,” Benjamin said, and Kailani caught a gleam in his eye. “Not to mention, we’re both filthy rich with unlimited resources.”

“You already have a plan,” she said. “I have one, or at least the start of one too, but I want to hear your ideas.”

He nodded and smiled, rubbing his hands together like some villain out of an old Bond movie. “I have the perfect plan. You and I are going to get our husband back.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

“Wilson.”

John looked up at the sound of his name, spotting his captain standing in the open doorway of his office. “Yes, sir?”

“My office. Now.” The chief beckoned him with a quick flick of his hand before reentering his office.

John glanced at his computer, sighing heavily at the report he’d started working on an hour earlier. He’d made zero progress on it, the form still empty, except for the case number and date. It wasn’t even really his case, which was part of the problem. He was assisting a detective over in automotive, which meant no one was relying solely on him to find justice, so if his attention wandered and his heart wasn’t in it…

It was his first day back to work since returning from Hawaii the day before yesterday. As such, he was in work limbo, wrapping up the loose ends he never seemed to find time for when in the thick of a homicide investigation.

All that meant was, he was left with too little to occupy his mind.

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