BASH
"Trinity, you will not resign," I say in a forbidding tone.
"I just did, Mr. Hughes." She walks away toward her office adjacent to mine.
I stride to follow her, grabbing her arm. "You are not fired, Trinity. I am not accepting your resignation. Technically, I am still your boss, and you will do as I say."
She pulls her arm from my grasp, glaring at me. "I am not working for you anymore. Technically, I'm working for your Dad. So expect my resignation on your desk tomorrow."
She's definitely not the Trinity that cowers. She's now the strongest woman I've ever met, and I'm so proud of what she has become. I'm not surprised why Dad chose her to be on my team. She has proven herself, indeed.
"You will not accept that!"
She enters her office, ignoring me, and I still follow her.
"Stop! Just stop, Trinity!" My breathing catches. I am more pissed and terrified of losing her at the same time.
She stops abruptly. "What?"
"That's not what I mean."
"I don't care, Mr. Hughes."
"Say that again." I hiss.
She faces me. Her eyes filled with anger. "Or what?"
Jesus! This woman is infuriatingly sexy when she's mad. Her hands are on her hips, a mocking sneer in place.
I want to grab her head and kiss her like crazy. My eyes fall to her succulent lips, and she suddenly blinks and swallows hard when she notices where my eyes are transfixed.
"Don't test me, Trinity. I might do something you might not like," I say calmly, although the rage is boiling in my veins.
"You just did," she replies. Anger flashes across her beautiful face, and I hate the feeling that I just make her angry.
"I just got you back, Tri." I take a deep breath, trying to shake off my anger and the urge to do something terribly satisfying.
"Forget it!" She yells.
"Don't shout at me," I demand respect. I am still her boss and her best friend.
She grabs her bag, tosses her phone in, and walks past me.
"Where do you think you're going?" Panic grows in the pit of my stomach.
She doesn't answer me and just walks away.
"Trinity!" The last thing I hear is the door slamming a moment later.
"Fuck!" My fist hits the wall before I even realize it. What have I done?
My heart aches more than the pain in my knuckles. I bump my forehead against the wall at Trinity's office.
I'm going to lose her again. This time, I might not get her back for good.
I take a deep breath to calm my nerves, but it does not work that way. I need to talk to her.
My phone vibrates, catching my attention. It's Lizzy.
"What do you- what?"
"What did you do, Sebastian Hughes IV?" My sister's angry voice is deafening my ear.
"What did I do?" I ask back, still pissed off. "Yeah. What did I do?"
"I just received a text from K, Bash. Explain to me why she texted me this; I need a recommendation letter from Uncle Seb. Explain, or I swear to God you will not get our help this time."
I bite my lip while shaking my head and feel a huge defeat. "I-I don't know, Lizzy."
I walk out of her office, looking back once again before closing the door behind me.
"What do you mean you don't know?" she's still yelling into my ear.
"Lizzy, calm the freaking down. You are damaging my eardrum."
I hear a beep. When I check my phone screen, she just hangs up on me. Unbelievable. Seconds later, my office door swings open.
Dad walks in first. Mom follows, and then my sister.
I sit on my desk, cross my arms over my chest, and prepare myself for the inevitable. I'm ruining everything I started. I know it.
"Talk!" Dad's deep voice startles me.
I look down. What should I say anyway? I am guilty as fuck.
"What did you do, Bash?" My sister's angry voice has me scratching my head.
"It just happened so fast, okay? She didn't give me a chance to explain." I take a shaky breath.
Everything really happened so fast that even my family turned against me. I can't blame them. They love Trinity like their blood.
"Get out of this office and solve your problem, Sebastian! I don't wanna lose a good employee because of your personal issue."
I look at Dad. He's glaring at me, and that never happened before. He looks angrier than ever.
"Baby, didn't Daddy tell you that you would thank him later? You should've listened to him." Mom walks closer to me and rubs my arms. She kisses my cheek and whispers, "She will go to see her fiancé."
I nod slowly.
"I'm so disappointed with you, brother," Lizzy continues.
"I know. I know, and you can stop now." I grab my keys from my desk, stomping my feet closer to them.
"Wish me luck." I grit my teeth.
I have hope, and a part of me believes in a fairytale. When I left back to the U.K, the pain I felt that night was worse, and the cut was so deep than the day I left four years ago.
Damn it.
I'm so fucking emotional when it comes to her, but I will do everything to take her back to my team no matter how much pain I will endure and no matter how hard I should try.
I won't give her up this time.
***
"Are you sure this is her apartment?" I ask Edmund before stepping out of the car.
I button my suit and look up at her apartment building. The six-story brownstone apartment building looks decent and in a safe neighborhood.
"Yes, Bash. Follow me."
"I am your boss, Edmund," I remind him, eyes rolling behind him.
"I know, but as a precaution, I have to check the area first to know that you are safe in a place like this."
"Fine." I know he's just doing his job. And I shouldn't just throw my anger at him.
Earlier, I received a text from Lizzy that Trinity had come back to her apartment from a visit to her fiancé.
Lizzy advised me not to text or call Trinity, which I'm doing. I am such an idiot, and I made her furious again.
"Bash, I have to lie to the guard that you are Ms. Mallory's new boyfriend." He smiles and winks at me.
I roll my eyes. One can hope. "Thanks, I guess."
My heart thunders in my chest when I reach her apartment door. It's now or never.
I have to take a few deep breaths to calm my heartbeat.
"Just relax, boss."
I scowl at him. "Why won't you go to the car and wait there? I can't see any danger here. Go back and listen to your crappy music."
"I'm just trying to help, you know." He shrugs and looks amused.
"Well, you are not helping. You are annoying me."
"Fine, but if she punches your face, don't call for help." He grins, and I want to punch it off his face.
"Get the fuck down to the car, and wait for me there, Edmund."
"Fine, fine. Just knock already," Edmund says as he marches away, but his eyes are still on me, and I know he won't go far.
"Get your ass away from here," I growl.
The door unlocks, and I glued in my place. When the door swings open wide, I see a sweaty and half-naked man at her door.
Who the fuck is this guy? Many images flash into my head, and most of them are inappropriate, making my blood boil in a second.
My nose flares. "Who are you?"