Beautiful Oblivion (Maddox Brothers #1)(72)
Author: Jamie McGuire

When the last customer left the building, I rocked my hips from side to side as I logged off of the computer, trying to provide some relief to my sore back. The shop floor’s carpet was placed over concrete, and standing on it all day was torture.

Hazel had already left for the night, and Calvin tore out of the parking lot five minutes after the final customer. Bishop and Trenton cleaned up, then came to the front to wait for me.

Bishop was glaring at me, and it didn’t take long for me to notice. “What?” I asked, a little snippy. I was tired and not in the mood for his weirdness.

“I saw you today.”

“Oh?”

“I saw you today.”

I looked at him like he was crazy, and so did Trenton.

“I heard you,” I said, disgusted.

“I saw T.J., too. That was T.J., right?” He put emphasis on the letters. He knew.

Oh, God.

Trenton’s face immediately jerked in my direction. “T.J.? He’s in town?”

I shrugged, trying like my life depended on it to keep my face emotionless. “He came to check on family.”

Trenton narrowed his eyes and clenched his teeth.

“I’ll get the lights,” I said, walking down the hallway and opening the main breaker. I flipped the switches, and then returned to the vestibule. Bishop and Trenton were still standing there, except now Trenton was staring at Bishop.

“What did you see?” Trenton asked.

“I’ll tell you. But promise me you’ll think before you act. Promise me you’ll let me explain.” I knew I couldn’t explain everything. I just needed to buy some time.

“Cami—”

“Promise me!”

“I promise!” he growled. “What is Bishop talking about?”

“He was at my Jeep when I got out of class. We talked for a little bit. It wasn’t a big deal.”

Bishop shook his head. “Definitely not what I saw.”

“What the f**k is your problem?” I hissed.

He shrugged. “Just thought Trent should know.”

“Know what?” I shrieked. “Nothing happened! He tried to kiss me, and I backed away! If you saw anything different than that you’re a f**king liar!”

“He tried to kiss you?” Trenton said, his voice low and menacing.

“She did back away,” Bishop said. “I’m gonna bounce. Later.”

“Fuck off!” I yelled, throwing my entire organizer full of paper clips at him. I yanked on my coat and walked outside, but Bishop was already pulling out of the parking lot. Trenton came out, and I locked the door, turning it several times before pulling the key.

Trenton shook his head. “I’m done with this, Cami. I’m f**kin’ done.”

My chest tightened. “You’re done.”

“Yeah, I’m done. You expect me to keep putting up with this?”

Hot tears filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks in a continuous stream. “I didn’t even kiss him! Nothing happened!”

“Why are you crying? You’re crying over him? That’s just f**king great, Cami!”

“No, I’m not crying over him! I don’t want this to be done! I love you!”

Trenton paused, and then shook his head. “I’m not done with you, baby. I’m done with him.” His voice turned low and frightening again. “He’s done with you.”

“Please,” I said, reaching out for him. “I explained to him. He knows now. It was just closure, I think.”

He nodded, furious. “You think.”

I nodded back quickly, begging him with my eyes.

Trenton pulled out his car keys. “Is he still in town?”

I didn’t answer.

“Where is he staying?”

I pressed my fingers together at chest level, and then touched them to my lips. “Trenton, you’re exhausted. It’s been a crazy few days. You’re overreacting.”

“Where the f**k is he staying?” he screamed. His veins popped from his neck and forehead, and he began to shake.

“I can’t tell you,” I said, shaking my head.

“You won’t,” he said, breathing hard. “You just . . . you’re going to let him continue to f**k with us like this?”

I kept silent. I couldn’t tell him the truth, so there was no point.

“Do you love me?” he asked.

“Yes,” I cried, reaching for him.

He pulled away. “Why don’t you tell him, Cami? Why don’t you tell him you’re with me?”

“He knows.”

Trenton itched the tip of his nose with the back of his hand, and nodded. “Then it’s settled. The only way he’s going to stay away from you is if I beat his ass.”

I knew this was going to happen. I knew it, and I did it anyway. “You promised.”

“You’re going to play that card? Why are you protecting him? I don’t get it!”

“I’m not protecting him! I’m protecting you!” I said, shaking my head.

“I’m going to find him, Cami. I’m going to track him down, and when I find him . . .”

My cell phone buzzed in my pocket, and then buzzed again. I pulled it out to check quickly. Trenton must have noticed my expression, because he grabbed it from my hands.

“ ‘We need to talk,’ ” he said, reading the message. It was from T.J.

“You promised!” I cried.

“So did you!” he screamed. His voice carried across the night, echoing through the empty lot.

He was right. I’d made promises to keep T.J.’s secret, and to love Trenton. I couldn’t keep them both. I would meet with T.J. It was time to convince him to release me of that burden, but I couldn’t risk Trenton following me, and I couldn’t meet T.J. without making Trenton hate me. T.J. could be leaving the next day for all I knew. I had to go to him right then.

“I don’t understand you, Cami. Are you just not over him? Is that it?”

I pursed my lips. The guilt was too much. “It’s nothing like that.”

Trenton’s chest was heaving. He was getting emotional. He pitched my phone across the street, and then paced, stomping back and forth, with his hands on his hips. My phone landed in a patch of grass, just beneath the streetlamp on the other side.

“Go get it,” I said, my voice even.

He shook his head.

“Go get it!” I yelled, pointing toward the streetlamp.

When Trenton stomped off to find the small, black phone in the dark, I walked quickly to my Jeep and slammed the door. The engine sputtered for a moment, and then finally started up. Trenton was outside my window.