by LR Potter
“By all means,” she said with a wave of her hand.
As her father sat, Trinity took in the stylish cut of his silver hair and the expensive cut of his coat. While he’d always been a nice-looking man, today, he really looked his age. Like her, he ordered tea from the waiter. He sat for a long time without speaking. Instead he looked up and down the street as she’d done.
Finally, he said without looking at her, “How have you been?”
“Fine.”
He cleared his throat. “I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I’ve… been busy,” she replied.
He glanced at her before shifting his eyes away. “I wanted to talk about your last visit to my office,” he said quietly.
Her face flamed at the memory of her rant about her mother still being alive. This time is was she who looked away. “You don’t have to say anything. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have accused you… I just wanted… I just needed… I don’t know what I was thinking,” she tried to explain.
“Trinity, I want you to know that there was never anyone I loved more than your mother. There is not a day that goes by that I don’t miss her.”
Trinity’s spine stiffened at his words. “How can you sit there and say that to my face?”
He glanced down at his hand wrapped around his tea glass. “I heard through my ‘resources’ what happened to Marlena in Mexico,” he said softly.
She sat back and stared at him, wondering where her father was going with this. Was he going to blame her for Marlena’s death? “So, you know it was her who sent me the package?” As another thought occurred to her, she leaned forward and rasped, “Did you know? Did you know she was setting me up to be kidnapped again?” she asked incredulously. “Me and my two-month-old son?”
He jerked forward towards her and grabbed her wrists. “No,” he rasped. “I would have stopped it had I known. I’ve tried to protect you from her. You just don’t understand what it’s been like. What I’ve gone through…”
“What you’ve been through?” she said with mirth.
“Trinity, please listen to me…”
She pulled her hands away from him sharply and folded her arms in front of her chest defensively. “Why should I?”
“Things aren’t always what they seem. You, of all people should know that,” he said with a sad smile.
“You’re right,” with disdain dripping from her words, she said, “By all means tell me what you’ve been through.”
Her father folded his hands together and studied them for a long time before speaking. In tones so quiet, she had to strain to hear, he said. “Years ago, when Martin Lord came to me about the Embassy Fund, I was outraged. I would never put my family in harm’s way like that. I loved you and your mother so much… we were happy.” When Trinity moved to speak, he laid a hand over hers. “Please let me speak, then I’ll hear you out. Okay?”
She moved her hands out from underneath his, but otherwise didn’t speak, but just looked at him expectantly.
“Once I refused Martin, he went to Jim with this crazy scheme, and he agreed. I originally had no part in it, other than I knew what they were planning. The original plan was for Marlena to be kidnapped.” He paused in his story and sipped his tea. Looking away from her, he said, “A long time ago… long before your mother, I was involved with Marlena, but once I met your mother, that was over. I’ve never wanted anyone like I wanted your mother. Marlena never accepted that.”
He paused and looked far away from where they were sitting, maybe even into a different time and place. “The night the kidnapping was to have occurred, I was working late, as I always did, and you and your mother were going to see some new Disney film. Your mother begged me to go, but I was too busy... always so damned busy. I’ve wished every day since then that I’d taken one stupid night off and had gone with you guys… maybe I could have stopped them… maybe I could have saved your mother… saved you… but I didn’t… I didn’t,” he ended softly.
Trinity wiped a hand across her eyes as she remembered they were sitting outside a café with people milling around them. “Why didn’t you tell me this before…. when it all came out?” she asked.
He inhaled deeply, then sighed. “After your mother… died, Marlena thought we could just pick up where we’d left off. But I hated her for what she’d done to your mother. If you’re wondering if she purposely had your mother killed… I believe so.” He rubbed a hand over his face, which seemed to have aged just in the time he’d begun to speak. “She told me if I refused her, bad things could happen to what was left of my family. I had no choice. I was forced to be with her. I tried to contain the situation for years, but then Drayton began digging around, dragging up all that stuff from before and Jim started to lose it. Marlena didn’t help, she continually fed into his insanity until he just… snapped,” he stopped speaking, and seemed to melt into his chair as if he was now completely used up.
Trinity sat with tears streaming down her face. She leaned forward and laid her hand gently against her father’s. She choked back the tears which clogged her throat. “Daddy, I’m so sorry. I’m so very sorry. I…”
The words she was preparing to say died on her lips when from out of nowhere, a motorcycle came barreling down the street. It skidded to a stop in front of the café. The rider, wearing a shielded helmet, lifted a handgun and fired twice. Before Trinity could react, the motorcycle sped off. Screams and chaos erupted. In one second, she was sitting holding her father’s hand, and in the next, the motorcycle was screeching off.
She turned to her father, shock keeping her in her seat for a frozen moment. Her father was slumped down in his chair, blood streaming from a hole in his forehead, and blooming red against the white of his shirt. On shaky legs she went to him and pulled his lifeless body against hers as she cried. Around her she knew people were running and screaming and tables were crashing as people moved swiftly away. But the sounds seemed muted somehow. The comings and goings of the rest of the world seemed so unimportant.
It wasn’t until the police came and made her let him go that she released her grip on him. She shut down after that. She was numb… she was frozen. The police sat her in their car and drove her to the police station. She tried to focus on them, but they were faceless to her. They sat her in an office and handed her a cup of coffee. She set the cup down on the table and wrapped her icy cold fingers around it. She glanced down and noticed the blood coating her hands, arms, and torso. She started to shake and shiver. She was so cold, almost as cold as she’d been in the Mexico. Her teeth began to chatter, and deep sobs bubbled up through her throat and she struggle to stop them. Tears streamed down her face. Pushing the coffee aside, she buried her face in her hands and she cried… for her father… for her mother… and for herself.
She sat in the room for two hours. After the first hour, the tears and sobs stopped to be replaced with the same numbness as before. She answered their repeated questions emotionlessly. Going over and over the details until she was used up. When they were done, they escorted her into the front lobby and called her a taxi. As she sat stoned-faced, she once again looked down and saw the blood staining her hands… her father’s blood. The father she’d pushed away for nearly a year. He’d never even met her son.
She became aware of raised voices and confusion, but she didn’t lift her gaze, she wasn’t interested in anyone’s drama. It wasn’t until she saw hands placed on her knees that she glanced up. Rush was kneeling down in front of her, his face filled with concern.
Placing his hand on her face, he said softly, “Hey… are you hurt?”
She blinked at him and began to shake. She swallowed hard and shook her head.
With slow movements, as if he was afraid he would scare her, he gathered her against his body and wrapped his arms around her. “Oh, baby. I’m so sorry. I want you to come with me. Okay? I’ll take you home and get you cleaned up.”
He pulled back, and taking her hand, pulled her to her feet. She stared
at him blankly but moved forward with him. He wrapped his arm around her and led her to his towncar. He settled her in and strapped the seatbelt over her. He pressed his lips against her forehead. “Everything is going to be okay, I promise,” he said.
He walked around and slid into the other side. He grabbed one of her hands and held it between his, striving to rub warmth into it. Her silence worried him, as did her almost vacant stare. He should have demanded she keep someone with her at all times… not that it would have helped. God, just to think what could have happened had Blake been with her. It didn’t bear thinking about.
He helped her out of the car when they reached his house. He led her back into the master suite and sat her down on the bed’s edge as he went into the bathroom and started the water in the massive tub. He helped her up and led her into the bathroom and helped strip her of her bloody clothes – her white Capri pants forever ruined. He placed her in the tub and slowly washed her, squeezing the warm water over and over her body. He gently washed her hair, and using a cup from the sink, rinsed the shampoo out of it.
When he was done, he toweled the water from her skin and slipped one of his T-shirts over her head. Guiding her back to the bed, he laid her down and curled up behind her, once again wrapping his arm around her, curling his body against her and held her. All this was done without her once speaking at all… making no sound at all. He swallowed hard at what her emotional state must be. How much could one person take before they were broken beyond repair?
~*~
The explosive report of a gunshot and the feel of splattered blood against her face had Trinity jerking straight up and a horrified scream curling from her lips. Hands were clawing at her and she struggled away from them. She threw her body to the edge of the bed, seeking only to get away. But the hands grasped her waist and hauled her back. She screamed again and began to beat against the arms and twisted her body in an attempt to break their tightening grip.
It took a solid minute before she realized where she was. She collapsed back onto the bed and buried her face into the pillow as the tears fell to be absorbed into the high thread-count pillowcases. Rush once again pulled her body back into his as he whispered words of comfort into her ear.
“Oh, baby. Everything’s okay. You’re safe here. No one can get you here. I’m here. I’ll keep you safe,” he murmured.
He rocked her gently and pressed his lips against her head over and over. He rubbed one hand up and down her arm, seeking to instill comfort and security. Eventually the tears stopped and she lay shivering beside him. They lay quietly next to each other, his front pressed up against her back. He intertwined their fingers and remained quiet behind her.
Softly she murmured the first words she’d said since he’d picked her up from the police station, “I’m an orphan now.”
He tightened his hold on her hands. “I know,” he replied just as softly.
Her chest burned. “I’m truly alone now,” she whispered.
“No. I’m here… and you have Blake,” he whispered back.
She went completely still again before turning over to face him. She grabbed his face as her chest heaved. “You must keep him here. I can’t protect him. I’ll never be able to protect him. I see that now. I couldn’t protect him before… I couldn’t protect my father… or myself. Please keep him here,” she said frantically.
Rush wrapped his arms around her shoulders and crushed her to his chest, burying her into his form.
“Shhh. Come on, baby. I promise we’ll do whatever is necessary. You don’t have to worry. I’ll always take care of you both. I promise. Oh, baby,” he murmured over and over.
Once her frantic rant stopped, he pulled back slightly to brush a hand against her face. “You’re safe here,” he said firmly.
She nodded jerkily. “I can’t stay here forever.”
Brushing her hair from her face, he said softly, “Sure you can. As long as you need.”
“Thanks for that,” she said.
“Can I get you anything? Something to eat or drink…” he asked.
Slowly, she shook her head. An unexpected knock on the door made them both jump. “What?” Rush said with a scowl.
Alex Masters opened the door a fraction. “Rush, I have the information you requested,” he said quietly.
“I’ll be there in a minute,” Rush said.
Trinity pushed against his chest. “You go. I… I need a few minutes alone if you don’t mind. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to see Blake before I… go,” her stomach clenched at the thought of going outside the walls of the house.
Rush gripped her face within his palms, forcing her to look into his eyes. “You are not going anywhere. You certainly can’t return to your condo right now, the press will eat you alive. You and Blake will stay here for now. We’ll… we’ll figure out what to do… later.”
She looked into his eyes for a long moment before nodding her head. He heaved a huge sigh of relief. “Okay,” he said. “I need to go talk to Alex. You take as much time as you need. If you need anything, let me know,” he said before pressing his lips against her forehead chastely.
She watched him roll from the bed and head to the door. His body was thinner than she remembered. She thought of Hunter’s words from the week before – he’d been working too much and drinking too much. Why?
Rolling onto her back, Trinity stared up at the ceiling as she tried to unfurl all the information her father had given her. He’d only tried to protect her… over and over. And she pushed him away. Refused to have any contact with him. Ignored his calls. Always believed the absolute worse of him. Granted, there were things he’d done that were totally insane, like ransacking her room and sending that photo to her office, but his reason for doing so now seemed so clear… so she would have accept the protection he so desperately wanted her to have. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she trust him even a little? She remembered those same words being said by Rush, Why can’t you trust me just a little?
Tired of her own rambling thoughts, she sat up on the edge of the bed and lowered her feet to the floor. She was emotionally and physically wasted. She rolled her head side to side to relieve the tension stored there. She dropped her head and closed her eyes tiredly. They immediately snapped open when her father’s face with a gunshot in his forehead appeared before her eyes. She jerked at the violence. She sat staring out of the window, wondering if she’d ever feel safe again. Her track record certainly wasn’t good. It was almost like she was a magnet to violence and danger. And she now had a son who’d be exposed to that same danger.
This was how Rush found her, sitting on the edge of the bed, staring vacantly out the window. He sat down beside her and took her hand. “Hey. You want to get up for a little bit? See Blake… get a bite to eat?”
Turning bleak eyes to his, she asked, “How will we keep him safe? How will we ever know for sure that he is safe enough?”
His throat worked hard as he attempted to swallow. “There is no way to know. We can only do our best.”
“My father thought he was doing his best as well and it still didn’t stop the madness… stop my own stubbornness.”
“I didn’t realize you and your father were back on speaking terms,” he said softly.
She closed her eyes and turned away from his stare. “We weren’t. He’d been trying to contact me since I returned from Mexico, but I wouldn’t take his calls… so selfish… so very selfish,” she said bitterly.
“What did he want?” Rush asked.
Haltingly at first, then gaining steam, Trinity told him what her father had told her. “I’ve blamed him for everything. I turned away from him when all he’d ever done was love me. What kind of person does that make me?” she asked.
“Wow. I have to admit, I didn’t see that coming,” he said as he tucked her hair behind her ear. “But, how could you have known?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. But I should have trusted him,” she looked away from Rush
again. “I should have trusted you…” He inhaled sharply at her words. Turning back to him, she said, “I’m sorry… sorry for not believing you… believing in you.”
He closed his eyes briefly at her words. They were glassy when he reopened them. Cupping her face in a shaky palm, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. “I’ve missed you so much,” he said shakily.
“Me too,” she whispered.
Fear of scaring her off had him pulling back from her. Taking her hand in his, he stood and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go see our son, okay?”
She nodded.
Blake was in his swing staring up at the brightly colored objects dancing above his head on the mobile. Trinity lifted his tiny body out of the swing and pressed kisses against his head. “I love you so much,” she whispered, as Rush leaned against the doorjamb. Rush’s heart constricted in his chest at the sight of the people he loved most, together in his home once again… safe and protected. If only he could keep them that way.
Chapter Twenty
Once Blake was asleep, Trinity looked down at the T-shirt she wore. She really needed clothes. Not wanting to parade around others in nothing but one of Rush’s T-shirts, she went back to Rush’s master suite and sat down on the bed to wait for him to return. She didn’t feel comfortable in being here. This was his house and she really didn’t belong here anymore. She raked a hand through her hair. Panic flooded her at the thought of going outside these walls… out there… exposed.
Rush found her sitting uncomfortably on the edge of the bed. Moving to the bed, he sat down next to her. “What’s wrong?”
Needing to pretend like she could stand on her own two feet, she stood agitatedly. “I need to go home,” she said with conviction.
His chest expanded. His face fell from concern into grim lines. “No,” he said simply.
“Rush, I can’t stay here forever. I’ll have to go out there sometime,” she said, trying to sound rational.