The Temptation Trap, Complete Series (An Alpha Billionaire Club BBW Romance) by Alexa Wilder Page B

been going on this whole time.
    I closed my eyes and tipped my head back. I didn't want to think about it. Just for a little bit, I wanted to be quiet and appreciate that I was safe, at least temporarily. Whatever came next, I would deal with it later.
    "When will we be there?” I asked in a whisper.
    "Not too much longer," Griffen answered. “Close your eyes and take a nap, we’ll be there before you know it."
    My eyelids were as heavy as cement blocks. Exhaustion overwhelmed me. I took Griffen’s suggestion and fell asleep.

6
Emma
    I didn't wake up until the car stopped. My eyes opened slowly, and I looked around. We were in a driveway, in front of a house that, in the dim light, appeared both low and long. I couldn't see much more than that.
    "Where are we?" I asked. Griffen turned off the engine and opened his door, the overhead light illuminating his face as he said, “Near Lake Mead. Let's go inside and get this over with, then you can get some rest.”
    I didn't like the way that sounded. Get what over with? I thought I knew, and I wasn't sure if I wanted my suspicions to be correct just so I wouldn't have to face one more surprise.
    Obediently, I got out of the car and followed Griffen up the walkway. He didn't bother to knock, just turned the handle and opened the tall rustic wood and black iron door as if he belonged there.
    “Is this your house?" I asked.
    A familiar voice said, “No, it’s mine."
    With a sinking feeling, I looked up to see Adam standing in front of me.
    "I knew it," I shouted, suddenly furious at the sight of him. “I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew you were behind this.” I whirled to face Griffen and said, “Take me somewhere else. You promised you’d take me somewhere else if I didn’t want to be here.”
    He shook his head, an apology in his kind green eyes.
    "I said you had to hear him out. Then, if you still wanted to leave, I’d take you somewhere else. You've only been here a minute."
    I punched him in the shoulder. I thought it was a good punch. It carried enough frustration that it should have knocked him out. Griffen didn’t react at all.
    I knew it wasn't fair to strike out at him, this whole mess wasn't Griffen's fault. I was just so pissed and hurt, and I didn't trust myself to get close enough to Adam to hit him.
    Still focused on Griffen, trying my best to ignore the lying bastard who had been my boyfriend, I said, “Please, Griffen. I don't want to stay here with him. He lied to me. He used me. He slammed the door in my face.”
    I knew my face looked like a mess. I also knew Adam hadn’t hit me with the door on purpose. I didn’t really care. My nose wasn't broken - I was sure I’d know if it had been broken - but it still hurt like hell. I could feel the bruise on my cheek, hot and tight. I didn't need a mirror to guess that I looked awful.
    Griffen's eyes narrowed on my face, then flashed at Adam. " You did this to her?"
    Adam ignored Griffen and looked at me. His eyes soft and heavy with regret, he said, "Emma. Emma, I fucked up. I fucked up huge. I don't even know where to start apologizing." Turning his attention to Griffen, he went on, "I am responsible for hurting her, but it was an accident. I would never, ever, hurt Emma like that on purpose."
    “No, you’d just lie to me for weeks, use me, and then turn me over to someone who was going to sell me into slavery. That's so much better than accidentally slamming a door into my face."
    All the stress and fear I’d been holding back exploded inside me, set loose by my close call that evening. I couldn’t keep it together anymore. I’d known something was off with Adam. My gut had told me he was too good to be true. But I’d been falling for him. Falling hard. And now I’d hit bottom.
    The man I’d thought I might be in love with had lied to me and used me. The sick thing was, a part of me wanted to forgive him. A tiny, wounded voice in my heart whispered that I could trust him. That he’d