Page 17 of Trust

This was not the first time he had said this to her. They had broken up six months ago, and at least three times a week, Rick tried to win her back. The fact that her brother hadn’t noticed was embarrassing. Maybe he’d never really paid attention to her life.

“Rick, you’re not getting it. There’s one thing I can’t ever forgive, and that’s my boyfriend sleeping with someone else. I would also suggest when you do this to the next woman because we both know you will, maybe, not show up to a dinner with the skank you fucked.”

“We showed up at the same time.”

Yeah, like she was going to believe that. She’d lied about it to save Jakob from saying he’d sat out there avoiding her brother and Royal.

“If so, you should have been smart enough to know that showing up with her at the same time was not going to go over well with the woman you are trying to win back.”

She brushed past him, but he grabbed her by the upper arm. His fingers dug into her skin.

“I will not give up.”

“Maybe,” Jakob’s cultured voice said from behind her, “but you might want to take your fucking hand off her.”

Dammit. She wanted to survive the night without being humiliated. Rick blinked and looked over her shoulder. “This isn’t your business, dude.”

Lani rolled her eyes. One of Rick’s most annoying habits was lapsing into surfer lingo when he felt threatened. For some reason, he thought it would make him sound threatening.

“Is that a fact?” Jakob rumbled. She had never heard that deep, threatening tone of Jakob’s except when he was acting.Looking at him, she realized he wasn’t even making eye contact with Rick. Instead, his gaze was solely focused on Lani.

She twisted her arm, wincing because Rick still had a firm hold on her bare upper arm. He was holding onto her so tightly she was sure she would have bruises. Jakob’s gaze moved from her face down to her arm. His face transformed from mildly irritated to rage. When he looked at Rick, the other man released her.

“I think from now on, you must stay away from Lani. She apparently wants nothing to do with you.”

“I think that’s up to her.”

She couldn’t help it. She rolled her eyes again. Turning her head, she made eye contact with Rick. How had she found him so attractive before? Yes, most women would look at him, see his soulful eyes, and think he was a good guy. But she should have looked deeper. She should have seen what a total bastard the guy was.

“I have told you before. I wantnothingto do with you.”

Then, without waiting for his answer, she stepped away. Before she could return to the dining area they were sitting in, Jakob took her by the hand and urged her into a little alcove.

“What?”

“Are you okay?”

She blinked. It had been so long since anyone had asked her that. At least sincerely. Jakob cared about what happened back there. Her brother, the rest of her relatives? They hadn’t even realized that she and Rick were broken up.

“Yeah.” She sighed, her cheeks burning at what she thought he might have overheard. “It’s embarrassing.”

“I can understand that, but who cares how Rick feels?”

She opened her mouth to respond when she realized what he had said. “Why would he be embarrassed?”

“Uh, you are definitely out of his league. That man should have been worshipping you. Instead, he did something stupid, although I’m not sure what, but enough to make you walk away.”

Relief rushed through her. Lani knew it was stupid, but she cared what people knew about her life. She always tried to be a decent person. The fact that she’d picked such an asshole to date was mortifying.

“Your brother was making noises about ordering dessert. That’s why I came to find you.”

“Oh.”

“But Marta made her famous pineapple cheesecake with that macadamia nut crust. I will happily share a piece with you in exchange for a ride home.”

She didn’t have to even think about that. “Deal.”

He laughed and waved for her to step in front of him. They made their way back to the table. Rick was still missing and now Sienna was gone.

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