Chapter Two — Trinity
CHAPTER TWO
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TRINITY
There were so many details, I had no idea how I was going to fit them all into the article. Element had an energy that was infectious. It got under your skin and felt luxurious.
Was it normal to feel sexier just by being in a place like this? Because I did. The dance floor called my name, and I gave in for a while, dancing with whoever was around me until I was parched and needed a break.
Every room I could peek in, I did. Except the throne room. Some of the things I saw made my temperature rise almost as much as the dancing. Things I never thought I’d see outside of porn. Or my own fantasies.
Also known as, things that would never see the light of day.
I bought a bottle of water from the bar and headed to the elevators. The one place I hadn’t seen yet was the gardens on top of the building. Amber had said a hedge maze?
Warm, late summer air surrounded me as I stepped out, the sky just barely clinging to the last of the sunset.
Hedges rose in front of me like walls, and I heard laughter here and there.
Running footsteps. Not far from the elevator there was an Omega bound to a stone bench and people surrounding her.
I couldn’t see much through the crowd, but I caught glimpses of a woman with a strap-on and a riding crop.
The sounds told me they were having a good time.
I wandered deeper into the maze, loving the tiny thrill of disappearing into darkness. Lights were scattered here and there, casting shadows through the bushes and shining upward, but most of the maze was shrouded in shadow. There were plenty of places to hide.
When Isolde told me about how her Alpha, Vaughn, liked to chase her, I wasn’t sure it was for me. Voluntary running? No, thank you. That was all for Isolde and her athletic ass.
But now…
Yeah. I could get behind sneaking. Just thinking about someone following me with sexy intent had my adrenaline spiking. My heart pounding. A little shiver at the slight breeze in the air.
It couldn’t be just anyone. Like Isolde, it had to be someone you trusted absolutely. Someone who would pay attention and listen in case anything went wrong.
Sipping my water, I saw an exit from the maze which led to the railing at the edge of the building. Just a little balcony tucked away in the middle of the maze. The view from here was gorgeous, with the ocean reflecting the last lingering glow and the lights of Sunset City flickering on.
Behind me, somewhere in the maze, it sounded like someone shouted something. Probably the crowd I’d seen near the elevator. I needed to go back inside and take more notes, but this peaceful little corner did something to soothe my soul.
Life had been so hectic and busy since my promotion. It felt like I never slowed down. I was tired, and I knew it, but there wasn’t space for relaxation at the moment. We were close to catching up on all the things Tracy left when she passed, and as soon as we did, then things would slow down.
They had to.
I knew I couldn’t keep going like this, and my friends could tell even though I tried to keep it hidden.
They were in the middle of their happily-ever-afters.
If I told them how much I was struggling, they’d be there for me in a second.
And then I would feel guilty taking them away from their packs.
But if it got really bad, I would ask for help.
Probably.
“HELP! Please help me!” The scream shattered the silence like a bullet. A female voice laced with terror and tears.
Chills ran over my skin. She was close. And that didn’t sound like someone acting. It sounded like fear.
I heard the lower tones of someone else speaking, and then—
“Fuck off. I’m not going with you. No!” The yelp was followed by the sound of bushes crashing and bodies falling. “Stop it. LISTEN.”
Can anyone hear me? Please open the door. Please.
There wasn’t enough air to breathe, and I couldn’t get out. No matter how long I begged or how loudly I shouted. No one listened. No one heard me.
Sobbing and struggle brought me back. My hand clenched around the water bottle. I had to do something. There wasn’t time for me to go get a monitor or Amber.
It had to be me. I wouldn’t let someone else not be heard.
Shoving down my own fear, I ran into the maze, following the sounds through the narrow, shadowed passages.
“Give up now,” a male voice said. “There’s no point in fighting it.”
“Not until I stop breathing, asshole.”
A low laugh.
I skidded out of the maze into a smaller garden, and there they were. The woman, dressed in almost nothing, pressed defensively into the corner, and a man dressed in black pulled on a rope bound around her wrists.
She fought as hard as she could, but she wasn’t strong enough, and he had all the leverage. She was losing, tears running down her face.
I didn’t let myself hesitate, sprinting forward and shoving the man to the side, and grabbing the rope. “Stay away from her.”
He stumbled, and I put myself between him and her, bracing for the worst.
“What the fuck?” He stared at me, and he didn’t look angry, just really confused. Then annoyed. “What are you doing here? No one’s allowed up here during this scene.”
All the fear drained out of me, quickly replaced by horror. A scene?
Fuck.
Double fuck.
I turned and looked behind me, and the woman looked back, just as confused, and more, sad.
“I’m so sorry. I thought—”
“You thought what?” The man crossed his arms and looked at me. “You thought that at a club like Element someone could get attacked and no one would know?”
I lifted my chin, anger flooding me. “Yes.”
He sighed and scrubbed a hand over his face before pressing a button on his wrist. “I know you did this with good intentions, and it’s hard to be angry with someone who was trying to protect the person I care about most, but understand that you interrupted a scene that’s been planned for almost a month.
And obviously, it won’t be the same after the interruption.
So I am angry, even though I’m trying my best not to show it.
Next time, make sure you know the circumstances before you interrupt something here. ”
Someone came sprinting out of the maze. “Everything okay?”
The man gestured to me. “Either the roof wasn’t cleared or someone slipped past you. Blondie over here interrupted the scene thinking it was real. Please escort her to Amber.”
I spotted a dark, metallic armband on the newcomer. A monitor. He looked me up and down, disapproval clear on his face, before looking back at the man, who’d closed in on his partner and was making sure she was okay. “You want expulsion or punishment?”
“Whatever Amber thinks is best. Just take her so we can get back to…” he gestured generally to the roof.
Blinking, I looked at them both again, shame washing through me. “I’m sorry.”
The monitor held my upper arm firmly and guided me through the maze back toward the elevator. He pressed his hand to his ear. “I need someone to replace me on rooftop duty for a few minutes.” Then he glanced at me. “What were you thinking? We told everyone to get off the roof.”
“I… I didn’t hear any announcement or—” Fuck, I hated it when my voice started to lock up. It took what felt like superhuman strength to finish the sentence. “anything.”
Was that the louder shouting I’d heard earlier? Them clearing the roof? “I was in the maze, but like… this little balcony area just outside it? I heard voices, but there were so many people up here when I came up, I thought it was them. I’m so sorry.”
He sighed heavily. “Well, that’s good to know. Now we know that we need to clear everywhere on the roof by sight. But didn’t you check the schedule?”
“Schedule?”
We were just stepping out of the maze near the elevator when he turned and looked at me. “You don’t know about the schedule? For members? Where you reserve rooms for scenes?”
My voice fought me, my throat closing. One long, slow breath and I managed to locate a whisper. “I’m not a member,” I said softly. “It’s my first time here. I’m writing an article about the club, so Amber let me explore.”
“Amber?” he spoke into his earpiece again. “Yeah, I need you at the elevator once we get down there.”
He still held my arm. I didn’t fight it, though it wasn’t like I was about to run away and hide in the maze again. Fuck. Tears pricked my eyes, and I looked down at the floor to hide them. This was the last thing I wanted.
If Amber didn’t want to do the article now…
This was the longest elevator ride in the history of the world. Dread settled in the pit of my stomach. I hated fucking up. It was my least favorite feeling. Knowing there was no one to blame but myself.
It was always me.
Amber stood in front of the doors when they opened, and she frowned. “Trinity?”
The monitor guided me to her side before he let go. “She interrupted the scene. James says it’s your call on expulsion or punishment. He just wanted to get back to it. But personally, I’m for expulsion.”
My face heated, and I looked down once more. Over at the wall. Anywhere but at her.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll take it from here.”
As soon as he was gone, I started talking. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear them clearing the roof, and it sounded so real. And I couldn’t let that happen to someone else. Someone had to hear her. Someone had to hear her.”
Amber studied me for a long moment. There wasn’t any anger there, but it felt like she saw far too much.
“Here, let’s sit.” Instead of taking me back to the bar, she grabbed her things and guided me to a shadowed corner away from the dance floor.
Comfy couches and chairs were clustered together, and they were miraculously empty.
They were close to a scene area that wasn’t currently in use and clearly meant for an audience to relax and watch.
“Can someone bring two water bottles to the main floor viewing chairs, please?” She put her tablet and phone on the couch between us.