My Soul Is Yours Read online

  He smirked slightly. “I know, Slade. Cassandra never wanted to be a stay-at-home mom. It just happened when she became pregnant and she was so involved in raising them that she never went back to work—which worked out for me.” He winked then put his beer down.

  “Why did that work out for you?”

  “She’s always home when I get off work. She’s never tired. There’s always a hot dinner on the table. And she’s not stressed out about work politics or anything like that. When I get home, I get all of her focus.”

  “That sounds a bit controlling, honestly.”

  He chuckled. “Cassandra likes it. If she wanted to go back to work, she would.”

  I couldn’t imagine Trinity staying at home, but if we had kids, she might. The idea of having babies still freaked me out. I wasn’t sure what to do with them. Did you feed them through a tube? I didn’t have a clue.

  “Trinity cooks dinner a lot?” he asked.

  “When I get home at night, she usually has something ready. If she’s sick or something, we order out.”

  “When you get home?” he asked.

  “Yeah, when I get home after work,” I said.

  “As in, you live together?”

  Whoops. I forgot he didn’t know. Trinity said he wouldn’t approve and I should have assumed she never told him. But I wasn’t going to lie about it. “Yeah, I moved in a few weeks ago.”

  He drank his beer and stared at the TV.

  He wasn’t happy. “We’re engaged so it’s not a big deal.”

  He didn’t say anything.

  I rolled my eyes. “You need to get off your high horse. You lived with Cassandra before you married her. Shit, you knocked her up before you were married. So fuck you, Mike.” I threw my cash on the table and marched off.

  When I reached the door, he grabbed me. “Hold on.”

  I twisted out of his grasp. “I really don’t want to hit you but I will if you touch me again.”

  He put his hands in his pockets. “You’re right. I’m sorry. Like I said, when it comes to Trinity—”

  “You’re different. I know. You told me a hundred times. But she’s an adult and she pays her own bills. So get off her back and stop breathing down her neck. I love her, so I want to spend every waking moment with her. Fine, shoot me. It’s not like we weren’t sleeping together before I moved in. Don’t act like she’s some blushing virgin. You knew she wasn’t before I was even in the picture.”

  Mike stared at me but seemed uncomfortable.

  “I’m not Mr. Perfect like Cayson, and I’m not a quiet gentleman like Conrad. I’m not sensitive like Theo. I’m not ambitious and creative like Roland. In your eyes, I know I’m just some punk who doesn’t give a damn about anyone but himself. Well, I don’t care what you think, Mike. Because Trinity knows who I really am. So, instead of forcing this relationship that neither one of us wants to have anyway, let’s just ignore each other and play nice when Trinity is around. You used to be someone I looked up to, someone I respected. But now I want nothing to do with you.”

  He gave me a sad look but didn’t speak.

  “So leave me the hell alone.”

  Chapter Nine

  Trinity

  Slade still hadn’t come around about the wedding, and I suspected he never would. He was hotheaded and stubborn in general, but I’d never seen him this upset before. He refused my desires left and right, and he said he would only take my father’s money over his dead body. Slade didn’t have a lot of pride, so I knew there was another reason.

  My dad didn’t approve of Slade when we got together, but he came around. And everything was fine after that. Slade asked him for permission to propose, and he said yes. So, there couldn’t be a problem between them.

  Then what was it? Did his father tell him not to take the money? Was this just a clever way of stalling the wedding? What was his problem? I couldn’t figure it out. It was really unusual for Slade to keep something from me, but I knew he was doing it now.

  My father texted me when he got off work. Hey, sweetheart. What are you doing?

  Working. What’s up?

  Can we take a walk in the park?

  A walk in the park? Never in my life had my dad asked me that. It was such an unusual request. Did he have cancer or something? Is everything okay?

  Everything is fine. I’d just like to see you.

  I’ll be there in 15 mins.

  Okay.

  ***

  When I spotted him on the path, he was wearing the suit he wore to work. Sunglasses were over his eyes, and he stood tall like the trees surrounding him. I approached him then hugged him.

  “Hey, sweetheart.” He hugged me longer than usual.

  I pulled away. “Why are you acting weird?”

  “Weird?” he asked. “It’s not my intention.”

  “Are you sick? Is Mom okay?”

  “Everything is fine.” He took off his sunglasses and looked at me. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing like that. Calm down.”

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “Okay.”

  He put his hands in his pockets and walked with me.

  “What’s this about then?”

  “I know why Slade won’t take my money.” He walked to a park bench then sat down.

  I sat beside him. “Why? I can’t figure it out.”

  He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned forward. “It’s a long story.”

  “Well, I’m listening.”

  He took a deep breath. “What I’m about to say is going to make you hate me, Trinity. And that terrifies me.”

  He’d never said anything like that to me before. My heart convulsed and I felt sick. “Hate you?”

  “I’m telling you this because it’s the right thing to do. I’m not a coward and will not hide my secrets like an outlaw on the run. And I also tell you this so Slade and I can work out our differences, and maybe, if you’re willing, we can start over.”

  I didn’t like this at all. I was breathing hard and unable to remain calm.

  “When you and Slade broke up, I was pissed that Slade hurt you. He left you just like I knew he would. I hated him for that. I hated him for hurting you. I wanted to break his neck but I found the strength to keep my hands to myself.

  “When Reid came around, I was invigorated. I knew he was a good match for you. I’d known it all along. He was safe, he would never hurt you, and I could trust him. I pushed him on you and treated him with more affection and respect than I ever treated Slade…for that I’m sorry.”

  “Dad, it’s okay. It doesn’t matter anymore anyway.” If that was the worst of it, I could get over it. We all made mistakes.

  “That’s not what I’m trying to tell you,” he said. “While you were spending time with Reid, Slade was asking my permission to marry you.”

  My heart stopped beating.

  “He hunted me down everywhere, my office and my home. He showed me the ring and kept asking me to give you to him.” He took a deep breath. “I said no. Over and over. Instead, I focused on Reid. I spent time with him and golfed with him. I invited him to dinner with you and tried to push you closer together. Meanwhile, Slade was practically begging me to give him permission. He said he wouldn’t propose without it because he knew how much my approval meant to you.

  “So, that continued onward. I went golfing with Reid and Slade showed up. He tried to compete with Reid by spending time with me and proving to me he wouldn’t give up no matter how poorly I treated him. And then...I did something I’ll always regret. With Slade standing beside us, I referred to Reid as son. The hurt on his face is something I’ll never forget.”

  I stared at my nails, feeling the anger and hurt come through.

  “A few days later, Reid came to me and said he wouldn’t be spending time with you anymore. He said Slade was meant for you, and the fact I was keeping you apart because I was rooting for him was unacceptable. He bowed out. That was when I apologized to Slade and gave him my permission. He accepted the apolo
gy, and he said he would never tell you what happened because…he knew you would hate me.” Dad fell silent and stared at his joined hands.

  The anger flushed through me, and for the first time, I wanted to hit my father. “That whole time I was absolutely miserable and wishing, hoping, that Slade would change his mind, and you were purposely keeping him apart from me. You were purposely rejecting him out of selfishness.” Angry tears emerged.

  “No, it wasn’t for selfish reasons,” he said. “I was doing it because I knew Reid would never hurt you, not the way Slade did. I couldn’t bear seeing you with another broken heart. I thought I was doing the right thing.”

  I stood up, unable to be near him. “When will you understand that I’m an adult and I can make my own decisions? When will you understand that I love Slade and he is the only man I will ever have? How can you sit there and tell me you love me when you watched the light leave my eyes and nothing but shadows remained? How dare you say you care about me when you sat by and kept Slade from me? Never in my life had I felt so terrible. Never in my life had I purposely made myself drunk just so I could sleep. Never in my life had I not wanted to live. And you were the only reason that was happening.” Tears fell down my face. “No wonder Slade doesn’t want a penny from you. You’re a monster.”

  He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  “You’re a fucking coward! You’ve always despised Slade because you claim he isn’t good enough for me, that he’s not a real man. Well, you need to open your eyes, Mike.”

  He opened his eyes and looked at me like I stabbed him in the gut. I always called him Dad. Now I called him by his name because he wasn’t a father to me.

  “Slade is twice the man you’ll ever be. He didn’t give up on your permission just to make me happy. He kept your secret just to spare me pain. He may like rock music and sleeves of tattoos but he’s so much more than that. He’s so much more than you!” My lip quivered because of the pain. My father betrayed me in a way I could never forgive. He tried to manipulate my life, and he may have succeeded if it weren’t for Reid. “Slade and I probably wouldn’t be together if it weren’t for Reid. Your plan would have succeeded and you never would have said a word. You’re right. I do hate you.”

  He averted his gaze but I saw the tears emerge.

  I didn’t want to look at him anymore. I didn’t want to hear him speak. I wanted absolutely nothing to do with him—ever again.

  ***

  When I got home, Slade was there.

  “Hey, baby,” Slade said from the couch. “I called to see where you were but you left your phone here.”

  I stood on the threshold, my face dripping with tears.

  He turned to me then stilled. “Baby, what’s wrong?” He jumped off the couch then ran to me. “What is it?” His hands moved to my waist and he looked at me with concern in his eyes. “Talk to me.”

  “I just spoke to my father.”

  His eyes narrowed in realization but he didn’t speak.

  “He told me what he did.”

  He sighed and his eyes filled with sadness.

  “I don’t want a dime from him. And I never want to see him again. We’ll get married somewhere else, on the beach or something…” I moved my face to his chest and cried.

  He held me close and kissed my forehead. Then he listened to me sob over the pain.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize,” he whispered. “You did nothing wrong.”

  “I can’t believe he treated you like that.”

  He rubbed my back. “In my heart, I know he was just protecting you.”

  “How can you defend him?” My head snapped back. “How can you make excuses for him?”

  He took a deep breath and considered his next words carefully. “I’ve known Mike my whole life. He’s a good guy. When it comes to you and Conrad, he’s extremely defensive and protective. I know he loves you, more than he can stand. The last thing I want is for you to lose your relationship with him.”

  “Why? How can you say that after the way he treated you?”

  “Because I love you,” he said simply. “I can deal with him, whether he likes me or not. It doesn’t mean anything to me anyway. But I want you to continue your relationship with him.”

  “I want nothing to do with him.”

  “I know what he did was bad—”

  “Unforgiveable,” I snapped. “We might have never gotten back together.”

  “No,” he said firmly. “We would have. If he didn’t give me his permission, I was going to propose anyway. We’re soul mates, Trinity. We’ll always find our way back to each other.”

  His words dimmed my anger because they were so beautiful. But the anger came rushing back. “I hate him, Slade.”

  “Don’t say that.”

  “But I do!” Tears continued to fall.

  “I would never want you to hate your father.” He cupped my face and looked into my eyes. “Please don’t hate him.”

  “How would you feel?”

  His eyes filled with sadness. “Dad would never do that to me.”

  “And if he had?”

  “I can’t even imagine that,” he whispered. “He never would.”

  “But if he did,” I pressed.

  “I wouldn’t hate him,” he said firmly. “I would be pissed off at him for a while, maybe punch him in the jaw, but no, I couldn’t hate him.”

  I tore his hands off my face. “He claims he loves me but love doesn’t make people sabotage other people’s happiness.”

  “Trinity, listen to me.”

  I glared at him and was ready to reject anything that came out of his mouth.

  “I’m not Prince Charming. I’m not what any man imagines for their daughter. Keep that in mind. When I hurt you, he just wanted to protect you.”

  “What you look like doesn’t matter,” I hissed. “I don’t want Prince Charming. He’s boring and predictable. I want you, a hotheaded jackass that loves me until it kills him. That’s what I want.”

  “Just think about it from his point of view.”

  “How can you be so reasonable about this?” I asked. “After what he did to you?”

  “Personally, he’s not my favorite guy in the world. I always saw him as an uncle until he made me feel like shit. He and I will never be close. I’ve made my peace with that. But I did disrespect him by sleeping with you and using you. I just happened to fall in love with you. He knew I was a jerk that slept with women and never called them. He knew I was a heartbreaker. Of course he wasn’t going to like me. But my beef with him shouldn’t affect your relationship with him. They’re completely different.”

  “If he doesn’t love the man I love, then he doesn’t love me.”

  He sighed in defeat. “Take a few days to cool off. We’ll talk about it again when you’re feeling better.”

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” I said bitterly. “Now let’s go to bed.”

  “It’s not even seven,” he said.

  “Not to sleep, Slade.” Seriously, he was stupid sometimes.

  “You’re vulnerable right now…”

  “Shut up and get in there. When I’m vulnerable, I want you to take me. It makes me feel better.”

  He didn’t need any more convincing. “I can do that.”

  Chapter Ten

  Skye

  I really hated the cunt Jasmine.

  I hated looking at her.

  I hated hearing her quiet little voice.

  I hated looking at her bright blonde hair.

  And I hated that stupid face.

  I thought she was out of our lives for good, but then I had to catch her holding hands with Cayson at a coffee shop. He said it was sympathy on her part, but I wasn’t buying it. She turned up everywhere Cayson went, and I was sick of her being in our lives.

  I just wanted her to disappear.

  It wasn’t jealousy that drove me mad. It was the fact that Cayson still had her in his life, in a constant an
d distant way. Why he had to get involved in her personal life was beyond me. I really like Reid. He was a nice guy, and when he stepped aside so Trinity could be with Slade, my respect for him grew.

  So why would he want to be with a tramp like her?

  It was a slap in the face setting him up with her. He could do so much better. She was like an ugly and stupid version of Trinity. They wouldn’t last. There was no way Reid would stay entertained.

  And she better not come back to Cayson and hover over him like a damn turkey vulture.

  He. Was. Mine.

  If she wanted to find Mr. Right, then she needed to stop putting out and keep her legs crossed for once. I already lost Cayson once and I wasn’t going to lose him again. I wouldn’t let that blonde bitch anywhere near him unless my ass was sitting on his cock.

  I was still pissed off at Cayson over it. When we were together, we didn’t talk much. But we had a lot of sex because I wanted to make sure he wasn’t thinking about that bimbo he used to sleep with. And the fact he said he might have loved her just pissed me off even more.

  Cayson gave me space and stopped coming to my office for lunch. He knew I didn’t want to be around him right now. When we had sex, we didn’t talk, so I could do that. But I couldn’t sit across from him over a meal and pretend everything was dandy.

  It wasn’t.

  When I got home from work, I showered then put on one of his t-shirts with my panties underneath. I didn’t plan on going out tonight. Trinity and Slade were busy doing it, so Trinity didn’t want to spend any time with me. Everyone else had their own plans. And I was fine sitting on the couch and eating a pint of ice cream all by myself.

  Someone knocked on the door. “Baby, it’s me.”

  “You have a key,” I said with attitude.

  He used it to get inside. “I wasn’t sure if you wanted me to barge in…”

  “Well, I’m a little busy right now…” I rested my feet on the coffee table and ate the ice cream right out of the carton.

  He came behind me then kissed my neck. “How was your day?”

  “Fine,” I said tersely. “Yours?”

  “It was okay. But my day just got better.” His hands slid down my thigh and he lifted the shirt slightly.