BASH
I walk out of her bedroom, taking the business card with me. I know Trinity is still in the shower, but I can’t wait for her to be done.
Anger rises through my head. Why does she have a business card of that motherfucker? Sean Rexwell is not only my number one enemy but our business rival too.
Blowing a shaky breath, I stomp down the stairs after changing into a white button-down shirt and pants. I notice Edmund is already waiting for me in the living room. The card is crumpled in my fist.
“I thought you need a rest, Bash.” He catches my arm before I can walk out the door.
“I don’t need a rest,” I say dismissively.
“Well, I need a rest.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “You don’t need any. We won’t stay out long. I just need to meet someone.”
He shakes his head, giving me disapproval looked. “I don’t think I like your plan, boy.”
“Don’t dare to disagree with me, Edmund, and don’t call me a boy, or I will let you know who the boy really is!” I raise my voice at him even he doesn’t have to do anything with my anger.
He doesn’t look affected in any way. “Where are you going?”
My hand hangs in the air when I hear Trinity’s voice. I groan internally.
I turn around to face her. “ I thought you’re getting rest, Tri.” I smile and walk to meet her halfway.
She wraps her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest. I plant my chin on top of her head. She smells good—a hint of mint and fruity.
“You can join with us. If you want to.”
She lifts her chin to look at me. “I thought you two have an important person to meet,” she says with a little pout, and I think she looks cute.
“Nothing’s more important than to be with you. I was just thinking of going out for a while.” I’m not good at lying, and it makes me feel guilty doing it to her.
“You still have strength left? I guess I need a little rest. I’ll stay, but be here before dinner, okay?”
I nod, looking down at her lips. I lower my head closer to her, capturing her lips that taste minty. She kisses me back instantly, and I can kiss her for hours, but I must keep my word to her dad, and I can’t just disrespect him in his own house.
I pull my lips a little just to reply here. “I’ll be here before dinner. I love you.”
“I love you too. Now, go. Edmund is already waiting. He might think we have a quickie at the back of this door.”
I grin. “That’s an interesting suggestion.”
She lightly slaps my arm. “I’m not suggesting.”
“Okay, but I might take a suite so that we can stay there.”
“No way. I miss my parents.” She shoots me a glare.
I chuckle. “But you’re not gonna stay here 24/7, right? I need you too, Tri.”
She grabs the doorknob, opening the door wider. “Take care, Baby Bash.”
I can’t help but shake my head. “You’re kicking me out.”
She pushes me back out of the door. “I want you to come back early, silly,” she replies, laughing.
“Tri, you’ll be here alone. Don’t go anywhere until I come back.”
“Just go, Bash, and I need to get some sleep.” She starts yawning.
“Bye, Tri,”
***
“Sir, I told you we have regulations to follow, and we can’t just let you get in there without an appointment.”
I stride my way to the elevator of Rexwell Building, ignoring the petite receptionist.
She told me minutes ago that I don’t have an appointment, but I don’t care, and I need to talk to that arse. Whatever his grudge against me, he shouldn’t have included Trinity to whatever he is planning.
His secretary approaches as soon as I enter the 19th floor where he used this whole floor as his office.
“What can I do for you, Mr.?” She uses her seductive voice that does not affect me. I’ve met people like her, and I’m used to women that batted their lashes and show off their cleavage on me.
“It’s Hughes. Where is Rexwell?” I answer with a deep and intimating tone. She looks she can pee in her very tight mini skirt now that I’m a Hughes in Rexwell building.
“Um, Mr. Hughes?”
I can see that she doesn’t expect me to be here. “Any problem with me being here? I don’t think they made a regulation banning Hughes to visit their properties, or did I miss that memo?” I ask sarcastically, slipping my hands into my pockets.
“Um, no sir, but Mr. Rexwell is not around at this moment. He didn’t mention where he went, but I guess he’s on his way to return a friend’s belonging that is left in his car.”
My eyes widen. I turn away from her quickly, pressing the elevator button.
“Miss?” I face her again, and she looks surprised.
“Yes?”
“He should fire you for sharing such information like that. If he ever does, send a resume to my office. And thank you!” I enter the elevator.
Her mouth hangs open and doesn’t blink until the door slides close between us.
***
I sigh in exasperation as we ride back to Mallory’s. What is he trying to play? Uncertainties fill in my brain. Sean has always been my number one enemy since high school. He used to sleep around with anyone wearing a skirt until he failed to sleep with the girl I dated.
He couldn’t accept failure. I dated Willa after my break up with Alesha. She’s kinda shy and a nerd but she wasn’t a virgin at that time. Willa turned him down and dated me instead.
We slept together until one day she just didn’t show up, and I didn’t know what happened to her. I heard her dad’s work was transferred to another state.
Edmund huffs in disapproval when I shoot him a glare. Sean’s Rolls Royce parked in front of Trinity’s house.
I open the door stronger, causing it to slam against the wall. My jaw clenches, and I hope I won’t see anything that can cause me trouble.
Walking inside instinctively, I stop to halt when I hear Trinity’s laugh.
My nose flares in anger.
Sean is sitting cozily in a single sofa, crossing his legs together with a smile on his face. Trinity is sitting across him.
He looks the same, only a prominent line on his forehead. He looks mature a little bit than the picture I saw on the TV and in the magazine.
He looks surprised to see me walking toward him. His smile fades, but he’s shooting me an amused glance.
“Bash, good to see you, man.” He’s on his feet, and Trinity stands up too.
“What are you up to, Rexwell?” I ask flatly.
He laughs out with a harsh tone. The tone that he used to do when he wanted to annoy me years ago. “I’m just returning Kiara’s phone that she left in my car yesterday.”
My chest tightens. Sean smiles, showing me that he gets on my nerves.
“Trinity, did you have your phone back?” I turn to her.
She looks a little tense, but she’s able to give me a nod.
Then I turn back to Sean who still has a devilish smirk on his face. “Now that you did what you came here for, you may now leave,” I say sternly. I shove my hands into my pockets as I don’t want him to see how I’m shaking out of anger.
“Well, why don’t you join our conversation with Kiara. We’re kinda engrossed before you showed up.” He sits down again and crosses his legs over.
My eyes narrow. “What do you exactly want from her, Rexwell?” I can’t control my anger anymore, and my voice raises a little bit. “You will not just show up without ulterior motives. You won’t waste your precious time if you don’t have a benefit over it.”
“Oh, is that what you always do? Not wasting your precious time if you don’t have a benefit? Of course, a businessman like you, Bash.”
“Just get out—”
“Or you do what?” He cuts off.
“Just get the fuck out of this house, Rexwell! And stay the fuck away from my girlfriend!”
Trinity yelps in her place, and I feel terrible for scaring her.
“I never thought you and Kiara are in a relationship. I thought someone like her is not your type.” He seems unaffected.
“Someone like me?” Trinity’s voice catches my attention.
“Don’t you dare listen to him. He is using you to get into me, Tri.” My blood boils, and it resonates in my voice.
“I have so many things that I can use against you if I wanted you to fall, Hughes. Kiara never mentioned yesterday that she and you are in a relationship.”
“Sean—”
“Trinity, you didn’t owe him any explanations,” I cut in.
Sean chuckles. “I thought you’re actually dead.” He starts walking toward me, then stops to glance at Trinity. “Good to see you again, Trinity. My number is already saved in your phonebook.” He walks and stops when he’s a few inches closer. “We’re far from done, Hughes. I thought I succeeded in killing you in that jet.”
And that’s when I see red. All the anger I’ve reserved for this man boils to the surface. The last thing I know is my knuckles hurt like hell, and I might have broken my fist.
Trinity yells my name as she wraps her arms around my waist to stop me from throwing another punch on Sean again. He’s still on the floor when his driver and Edmund enter the house. His driver a little younger than Edmund helps him get up, but he jerks him off, shooting the man a glare.
He wipes the blood off his mouth after getting into his feet. “I will sue you, Hughes.”
I don’t say a word when I feel Trinity’s shaky hands gripping my front shirt.
“That won’t stop there, Hughes. That’s only the beginning,” he finishes, slamming the door behind him.