Chapter Two
Chloe
"You called Trystan," I growl at Jade, pacing a hole in the plush rug in the guest room Wyatt set up for me and my sisters when he bought this place a few years ago. My heart pounds like a drum against my breastbone, thundering with every step I take.
Thanos dodges me, crawling onto the bed to turn two complete circles before he flops in the middle to nap, completely undisturbed by my mental breakdown.
I'm mad as hell at Trystan, at Jade, at myself…hell, maybe at the whole world at this point.
Leaving a job I loved because my middle-aged, married boss is a creep was bad enough.
He actually woke me up the night before last to tell me that he was dreaming about me.
And then he proceeded to describe his frequent fantasies about me in gross detail before asking if I'd be interested in making them come true.
I sent the messages to his wife and then packed up my desk first thing yesterday morning.
He called my parents, claiming he was worried about me because I quit for no reason. Yeah, right. As if learning that he gets off in his office while watching me through the window is no reason.
I didn't have the heart to tell my dad what really happened, mostly because I don't want my dad to go to prison for murder. So I just…left town.
I figured staying at Wyatt's for a few days would give me time to figure out how to deal with this. I did not anticipate finding Trystan here, however.
The man is a waking nightmare and my biggest dream all rolled into one. Once upon a time, we were friends. I'm not sure when that changed, but somewhere along the way, he stopped treating me like someone he cared about and more like someone who couldn't make her own decisions.
He's standoffish, domineering, and just rude.
And even though it drives me insane, he's still stuck in my head like a song. He's always been stuck in there. I've loved him for as long as I can remember. And part of me hates it because I know there isn't a chance in hell that we end up together.
I have been and will always be a problem to him, something messy and out of place in his neat little life.
I used to think that was because he felt the same way and just didn't know what to do about it.
We're practically family. I thought maybe he was trying to figure out how to balance the way he felt with his sense of responsibility.
Now? Well, now I'm not sure it even matters.
No matter how long I wait or how hard I hope, he'll never color outside the lines, not when it comes to me. The sad fact is, he just doesn't like me. If anything, he tolerates me for the sake of our families. I'm the only one stuck with an undying crush.
"Uh, no, I did not call Trystan," Jade says. "I called Haven. Where are you? Mom and Dad are freaking out."
"I'm fine," I groan, flopping down on the plush bed beside Thanos to glare up at the ceiling.
"I'm staying at Wyatt's for a few days." At least, that was the plan.
Now, I'm not so sure. I probably should have left as soon as Trystan opened the door, but he pissed me off, so I decided to make a point.
He makes me irrational like that.
I really need to research justified homicide. Surely, smothering him with a pillow isn't actually a crime at this point, right?
"You left without saying anything."
"I needed space. Is that so wrong?"
"No," she says carefully. "But you quit your job."
"Yeah, because my boss is an asshole," I mutter.
"What did Donny do?"
I hesitate, not sure I want to tell her. I trust my sisters with my life, but I also know them. And there's no way any of them will keep a secret like this from my dad. We always go to him for help.
"Talk to me, Chloe," Jade murmurs.
"He texted me in the middle of the night to tell me about his inappropriate dreams about me. In detail," I grumble.
"What the fuck?"
"Yeah." My lips pull down into a frown. "And then he asked if I'd be interested in making it a reality. Apparently, he's been taking care of himself in his office while watching me for a while. He wants my help next time." I blow out a breath. "He even had suggestions on what I should wear."
"What the fuck?" she says again, her voice vibrating with rage.
"I sent the messages to his wife and quit."
"Good. I hope she rips his balls off," Jade snaps. "What a jerk!"
"That's not the word I'd use for him."
"I can pick a few others, if you prefer. Asshat, maybe? Disgusting pig? Creep? Complete asshole? Sexually harassing dirtbag? Incel?"
I smile despite myself. "Maybe all of the above."
"Hard agree," she says. "That's so fucked up. What did Dad say?"
"I didn't tell him."
"Chloe." I hear the chastisement in her voice.
"Donny isn't worth a prison sentence, Jade. And you know exactly how Dad will react," I remind her. Our father is wildly overprotective when it comes to us and our mom. No one crosses him unless they want to suffer the consequences.
In high school, one of the football players slapped Mia's ass in the hallway. Dad raised so much hell that the guy ended up getting booted from the team and suspended. He transferred to a different school just to avoid ever crossing paths with our dad again.
Jade hesitates and then sighs. "Yeah, you're right. So Mom and Dad don't know?"
"Donny called Dad and said that I quit for no reason."
"Jesus. What an asshole!" She huffs an offended breath. "Are we burning down his house or what?"
"Nah, I think we'll leave it for Madeline in the divorce. She deserves it for putting up with his shit. But I'm not going back to work there. I'd rather starve first." Not that I will or anything. My parents won't let that happen.
"Uh, definitely not," Jade agrees. "I will strangle you if you even think about going back to work for him."
"Gee, thanks."
"Just saying."
"You can't tell Dad."
"Obviously. I mean, he could probably get away with murdering Donny, but it's best not to risk it. I doubt he'd let us come visit him in prison. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. I was going to stay here for a few days…" I glance toward the door. "But Trystan is here."
"Oh."
I roll my eyes at her tone. It's that smug, knowing tone I hate, the one that conveys so much while saying so little. "He's already trying to tell me what to do. I swear, he gets off on trying to boss people around. It's a kink for him. It has to be."
Jade laughs softly. "You know that's not it, Clo."
"It's something. He's unbearable."
"You're the only one he ever tries to boss around."
"Whatever. Am not." Except…she's not entirely wrong. He's never been an overbearing asshole to her, Mia, or Catherine. He's not even an overbearing asshole to his sister, Avery, or any of his cousins. Everyone else gets the laid-back, fun Trystan. I get the despotic, pain in the ass version.
Rude.
"Maybe he likes you."
"Oh, so I see we're living in the land of delusion today," I say. "I guess that means you still don't want to talk about how Jax is in love with you?"
"What? He is not!" she practically shrieks, loud enough for Thanos to lift his head, one eye cracked.
He huffs and then closes it again, settling in for another nap.
I swear, he's the calmest Malinois I've ever met in my life.
The poor guy just wants to enjoy his retirement in peace, but the whole world stresses him out.
"Uh-huh. Like I said, land of delusion," I tease Jade, reaching out to stroke Thanos's ear. He leans into me, stretching like a cat in sunlight.
"Whatever," my sister grumbles. "We're talking about your delusions, not mine. You need to call Dad."
"I will," I sigh.
"Promise?"
"Yes, Mother." I roll my eyes. For her to be only a year older than me, she sure is bossy. "I'll call him soon." Just as soon as I figure out what lie I'm going to tell him to placate him. Anything is better than the truth at this point.
"Love you."
"I love you too," I say before disconnecting. I don't immediately call my dad, though. Instead, I stare at the phone for long moments before dropping it onto the bed and then climbing to my feet. Maybe I'll call after I shower. It was a long drive from San Francisco.
Thanos doesn't even move, so I leave him on the bed and stride out into the hallway, looking both ways for Trystan. The house is silent, and he doesn't immediately appear to annoy the hell out of me, so I quickly rush across the hall to the bathroom.
My hand is on the handle when I hear a soft groan from inside. It doesn't sound like pain, more like…pleasure.
What the hell?
I don't know why I do it—pure curiosity, perhaps—but I press my ear to the door, holding my breath.
For a long moment, all I hear is faint shuffling from the opposite side, and then Trystan's voice bleeds through.
"Chloe, fuck," he groans.
Oh.
Oh. My. God.
Is he…?
"Yeah, princess, suck me just like that," he growls, his voice deep and throaty in a way I've never heard before.
My nipples immediately turn to hard points, my womb clenching. I bite my lip, fighting the moan crawling up my throat.
Trystan is getting himself off. And he's thinking about me.
I should be pissed, right? My jerk of an ex-boss just told me that he does the same thing, and it was horrifying. But this feels nothing like that. This feels a little like heaven. Naughty, perfect heaven.
I know I shouldn't keep listening, but since when have I ever done what I should? Since never, that's when.
I lean closer to the door, my cheek against the cool wood, listening to Trystan get himself off. It's wrong, so damn wrong. And yet…my entire body is an electric fire, burning up my synapses.
How many times have I done the same thing over the years?
Touched myself while thinking about him?
Woken up with his name ringing out around me?
Too many to count. It's always him. Even before I understood what it meant, it was him.
Even after I realized it'd never happen, it was still him.
Even now, when we barely even tolerate one another, it's still him.