Page 49 of Read With Your Heart

“Trent, great to see you, but as you can see, it’s family night,” Tom interjects, interpreting the tension among us, but Trent doesn’t take the bait.

“Still part of the family,” he mutters.

“Not anymore,” Tom says, turning in his seat to glance up at the man behind him. “We don’t want any trouble tonight, Trent, so find a girl and skedaddle.”

“My girl is sitting at this table,” Trent states, and Tricia shakes her head again.

“Sign the papers, Trent,” Tricia beseeches, gazing up at him, and Emily gasps before hush-whispering, “He hasn’t signed the papers yet?”

What the . . .?

Tricia releases my thigh and stands. “I’m not doing this in front of my family.”

Tom, Jess, and I stand at the same time Tricia does. She isn’t taking one step without one of us, and Trent better be walking in the opposite direction.

“I know what you are.” Trent turns on me. “You’re the rebound man, but she’ll be back. She always bounces back to me.”

Tricia holds her stomach. “I need to get out of here,” she whispers, and my arm wraps around her shoulders. It’s taking all my strength to hold back from what I want to say to this fucker. All my strength. My body vibrates, and I want at him for speaking to her, for even looking at her, but I can’t touch him. One fight and I might end up back where I was.

I don’t want any trouble.

“Let’s get out of here,” I mutter, finding it difficult to walk away—very difficult—but I will not touch him.

“Run away,” he calls after Tricia as we both turn for the back entrance. “But I do know where you live.”

All hell breaks loose then. I stop and turn toward him. Jess whips around Emily, and Tom shoves Trent toward the door. Baz calls out for the entire group to leave, and he tells Trent he isn’t welcome in the Tavern anymore. Ever.

I pause, knowing I can’t keep my mouth shut. If I can’t use my fists, he’s going to hear my words.

“You don’t look at her,” I growl, forcing Tricia behind me as I point at her ex. “You don’t talk to her, don’t come near her. Not at the house, the school, not anywhere. Because if you do, I’ll find you, man, and it will not be pretty.”

The entire time this circus unfolds, Trent holds my gaze, and I keep mine focused on him.

“You threatening me?” Trent questions. Tom still holds Trent back with two hands on his chest while Emily’s hands wrap around Jess’s biceps.

“I don’t threaten. I promise,” I warn. After turning back to Tricia, I tuck her under my arm and walk us out with Trent’s eyes burning a hole in my back. Doesn’t hurt. I already have scars there.

And yeah, I got his number, and he’s not getting what’s under my arm.

She’s one in a million, and I’m keeping her.

She’s mine.

Lesson 18

A game is only a game.

[Tricia]

When we return to the house, Leon follows me into my bedroom after double-checking all the doors and windows. We haven’t spoken to one another since leaving the bar, and I’m still trembling from the scene.

This isn’t my life, plays on repeat in my head. I’m good. I’m quiet. I do everything by the book. I do not get in trouble or cause trouble, but I’ve made mistakes. The biggest one just faced off with me in front of my family and in a public place.

I sink down onto the edge of the bed. Leon paces before me, making me even more nervous. He raises his hands and entwines his fingers behind his neck.

“I planned to tell you earlier to keep it cool, thinking we shouldn’t let on to my sisters about anything, but now . . .” He stares down at me, chest heaving like we’d both just raced a mile instead of having walked a few yards to the house.

“I’m sorry that happened,” I say, feeling guilty for the embarrassing way Trent behaved and for everyone losing it.