not
require your services. If I see any of your staff following me, I will call the
police and report you. Do I make myself clear?” she said through clenched
teeth.
Alex
Masters studied her for a long time. “Perfectly,” he murmured, as he stared at
her with his flinty eyes.
She
opened her door and climbed out of the SUV. She took a deep breath and exhaled
before opening the door which led into the kitchen. Due to the lateness of the
hour, the house was relatively quiet. Trinity walked through the kitchen and
dinning room. Her confusing feelings about Rush Drayton had her feeling edgy
and vulnerable. Her feelings of outrage against her father’s actions left her
feeling molested in the worst possible way – by the person she trusted the
most. She felt off-balance and somewhat lost. Her rioting emotions left her
with the insatiable need to cry.
Her
foot was on the first stair and her hand on the banister when she heard her
father call to her weakly from his office.
“Trinity? Is
that you?”
She
closed her eyes briefly and swore under her breath. She wasn’t prepared to deal
with her father at the moment. Clearing her throat, she said, “Yes, Father.”
She
turned from the stairs and slowly made her way to his office. He was sitting
behind his desk looking pale and frail. “How are you?” she asked quietly, as
she stepped into the room.
“Better,
now that you’re home. What were you thinking, Trinity? If you weren’t concerned
about your own safety, how could you leave me when I needed you the most? I was
lying in the hospital wounded, and you just take off without a word to anyone.
I was so worried!” he chastised.
“You
know why,” she said quietly.
“Trinity,
I did what I had to do in order to keep you safe,” he said reasonably.
“Did
that include calling the men, and even boys I dated, and threatening them?” she
asked angrily.
Arthur
Grace sighed deeply. “Trinity, one day when you are a parent…”
She
cut his words off. “If it were up to you I wouldn’t ever have the privilege of
being a parent, or even dating beyond two dates. Do you know how much pain
you’ve caused me over the years?”
“I
don’t look at it that way. I see it as how much pain I’ve saved you from,” he
said.
“Father,
I didn’t want to have this discussion right now, but I guess now is as good a
time as any. I want you to quit having me followed. I want to be able to live
my life, and I want your promise you won’t interfere again,” she said firmly.
“Trinity,
there are dangers you aren’t aware of. I have to be able to keep you safe the
best way I know how,” he replied.
She
gripped the back of the chair in front of her. “Let me be clear, Father. I’ve
already told Alex, and I’ll tell you. I am an adult and don’t need protection.
I will not be followed, I will not be watched. If I, so much as think, you are
interfering in my life in any way, I will move out. I have a job and I have my
mother’s inheritance. I don’t have to live here. I live here because I want to,
not because I have to. Don’t force my hand, Father. I’m deadly serious,” she
said firmly and adamantly.
“You
don’t mean that, Trinity. Be reasonable. Someone shot through the windows of
our home. Next time, we might not be so lucky.”
“I’m
willing to chance it. I’m deadly serious. I’m tired and I have to be up early
for work. I’ll see you tomorrow when I come home,” she replied.
“Trinity…
I don’t know what’s gotten into you. How can you speak to me this way? I’m your
father!” he exclaimed.
“Goodnight.”
Exhausted
and emotionally raw, she climbed the stairs slowly and wished above all that
Rush Drayton were there to help her get lost in the sexual abyss he’d exposed
to her. More than anything, she didn’t want to think about how topsy-turvy her
life had become.
***
The next morning she rose early and
dressed with care in a teal pantsuit. Not wanting to run into her
require your services. If I see any of your staff following me, I will call the
police and report you. Do I make myself clear?” she said through clenched
teeth.
Alex
Masters studied her for a long time. “Perfectly,” he murmured, as he stared at
her with his flinty eyes.
She
opened her door and climbed out of the SUV. She took a deep breath and exhaled
before opening the door which led into the kitchen. Due to the lateness of the
hour, the house was relatively quiet. Trinity walked through the kitchen and
dinning room. Her confusing feelings about Rush Drayton had her feeling edgy
and vulnerable. Her feelings of outrage against her father’s actions left her
feeling molested in the worst possible way – by the person she trusted the
most. She felt off-balance and somewhat lost. Her rioting emotions left her
with the insatiable need to cry.
Her
foot was on the first stair and her hand on the banister when she heard her
father call to her weakly from his office.
“Trinity? Is
that you?”
She
closed her eyes briefly and swore under her breath. She wasn’t prepared to deal
with her father at the moment. Clearing her throat, she said, “Yes, Father.”
She
turned from the stairs and slowly made her way to his office. He was sitting
behind his desk looking pale and frail. “How are you?” she asked quietly, as
she stepped into the room.
“Better,
now that you’re home. What were you thinking, Trinity? If you weren’t concerned
about your own safety, how could you leave me when I needed you the most? I was
lying in the hospital wounded, and you just take off without a word to anyone.
I was so worried!” he chastised.
“You
know why,” she said quietly.
“Trinity,
I did what I had to do in order to keep you safe,” he said reasonably.
“Did
that include calling the men, and even boys I dated, and threatening them?” she
asked angrily.
Arthur
Grace sighed deeply. “Trinity, one day when you are a parent…”
She
cut his words off. “If it were up to you I wouldn’t ever have the privilege of
being a parent, or even dating beyond two dates. Do you know how much pain
you’ve caused me over the years?”
“I
don’t look at it that way. I see it as how much pain I’ve saved you from,” he
said.
“Father,
I didn’t want to have this discussion right now, but I guess now is as good a
time as any. I want you to quit having me followed. I want to be able to live
my life, and I want your promise you won’t interfere again,” she said firmly.
“Trinity,
there are dangers you aren’t aware of. I have to be able to keep you safe the
best way I know how,” he replied.
She
gripped the back of the chair in front of her. “Let me be clear, Father. I’ve
already told Alex, and I’ll tell you. I am an adult and don’t need protection.
I will not be followed, I will not be watched. If I, so much as think, you are
interfering in my life in any way, I will move out. I have a job and I have my
mother’s inheritance. I don’t have to live here. I live here because I want to,
not because I have to. Don’t force my hand, Father. I’m deadly serious,” she
said firmly and adamantly.
“You
don’t mean that, Trinity. Be reasonable. Someone shot through the windows of
our home. Next time, we might not be so lucky.”
“I’m
willing to chance it. I’m deadly serious. I’m tired and I have to be up early
for work. I’ll see you tomorrow when I come home,” she replied.
“Trinity…
I don’t know what’s gotten into you. How can you speak to me this way? I’m your
father!” he exclaimed.
“Goodnight.”
Exhausted
and emotionally raw, she climbed the stairs slowly and wished above all that
Rush Drayton were there to help her get lost in the sexual abyss he’d exposed
to her. More than anything, she didn’t want to think about how topsy-turvy her
life had become.
***
The next morning she rose early and
dressed with care in a teal pantsuit. Not wanting to run into her
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