Page 1 of Primary Seduction
Five years ago
Trent
Trent coughed into his hand as he parked his car on the driveway. He felt awful, which was why the school had sent him home early. He shouldn’t have gone this morning to be honest, but he had arranged for the class to have a special visitor today and hadn’t wanted to leave it in the hands of someone else. His class had enjoyed every minute of the firefighters’ visit, but once they had gone, his teaching assistant had appeared with the principal. Adele—Mrs Barton—had taken one look at him and sent him packing, taking over his class herself.
He was so glad she had. He was getting worse by the minute; his throat felt like there was broken glass embedded in it, and his head pounded. All he needed was some paracetamol and his bed, in that order.
Trent climbed out of the car, remembering to take his bag with him, and weaved across the driveway to the front door. He knew Trish was at work and the kids were at school, so he didn’t yell out that he was there. Dropping his bag to the floor, he stalked to the kitchen where they kept the medicine and filled a glass with water, popping two tablets and drinking the whole glass down. He rinsed the glass and set it on the draining board, frowning when he noticed two unclean mugs next to the sink; he didn’t remember them from this morning, but then his memory today was not to be trusted.
He trudged up the stairs, sniffing and coughing along the way. As he reached the bedroom door, he heard noises inside and stopped. His heartbeat ratcheted up; it had never crossed his mind someone might be in the house. He opened the door, expecting to see Trish; maybe she was ill too.
Trent stalked towards the bathroom when he realised the room was empty, distantly noting the spray of clothes across the room. Upon entering, he spied a scene he probably should have been more annoyed by. Trish was in the shower, her back pressed against the tiles, legs wrapped around the waist of a naked guy as he pumped into her. They hadn’t noticed Trent standing there.
He blew out a breath and retraced his steps, reaching into the wardrobe for a suitcase. Laying it on the rumpled bed, he turned to the dresser and emptied the contents into the case to the background noise of moans and groans. He rolled his eyes at the crescendo and continued to transfer his belongings. When the case was full, he reached for the empty backpack, placing the items from his bedside table: his charger, book and the photograph of Jocelyn and Harper from when they were on holiday in Spain two years ago.
He heard the shower turn off and conversation start up, but he didn’t quicken his movements. His wife wandered into the bedroom just as he zipped up the main part of the bag. She stopped, eyes widening upon seeing Trent stood at the side of the bed.
“Trent, I…” Trish began then stopped when Trent held up his hand.
“No need for explanations, Trish. I’ll be out of your hair in a few minutes. I just need a few things from the bathroom before I go.” He coughed again, the pain making him wince.
Trish didn’t reply as Trent brushed past her, seemingly frozen in place. He entered the bathroom to see the guy—whose face seemed familiar—wrapped in a towel and sat on the toilet seat. Trent glanced at him with his eyebrows raised, then picked up his toiletries before walking back into the bedroom. Packing those items in the side pockets, he placed the backpack on his shoulders and picked up the case, walking around Trish who was now in the process of getting dressed.
“Trent, wait…”
“What do you mean, wait? How many chances do you want? I told you the last time, one more fuck up and I’m gone! I’ve had it up to here,” he said, flinging his hand above his head.
He walked down the steps and deposited his bags by the front door near his school bag, coughing and sweating with the exertion. He stomped towards the study, grabbing a carrier bag to fill with his school documents. By the time he had finished that, Trish stood by the front door, hands on hips, lips pursed in what Trent knew was annoyance.
“You’re overreacting, Trent,” she said, dispassionately. “There’s no reason for you to leave.”
Trent stopped next to her. He cocked his head to the side as his gaze roamed her face. “Yes, there is. The kids are older now and don’t need me around as much. You obviously don’t need me, and probably never have. Your parents were the ones who wanted us married, remember. If it hadn’t been for Jocelyn, you’d have probably been with Tom Clayford now.” Tom Clayford was the son of her parents’ friends, another wealthy family hoping to keep their status by marrying into good families. Trent had never lived up to her parents’ expectations because he came from a lower-class area. They were more than happy to have him marry her when she got pregnant though—to save face with society. He picked up his bags and opened the front door. “I’ll be in touch.”
“Trent, don’t be stupid. You’re taking this too far yet again. You always do this when something doesn’t go your way.” She stomped her foot. “You’re being an idiot. You don’t have anywhere to go anyway.”
Trent was used to Trish’s tirades and turned away, ignoring her words. He did have somewhere to go, at least for now.
****
Trent knocked at the door, case at his feet and hoped his appearance didn’t disturb Logan’s sleep; he wasn’t sure what shift he was on.
Logan’s tousled demeanour made Trent apologise instantly. “I’m so sorry, man. I didn’t want to wake you.”
Logan’s gaze dropped to the bags at his feet, then back to his face before he opened the door further, allowing Trent access. “I hope this means you’ve finally come to your senses?” His usually gravelly voice sounded even rougher from his sleep.
“Yeah.” Trent hacked up a lung as he brought the bags into the hallway. Once he’d finished and had gotten his breath back, he turned to find Logan stood with a mug outstretched. Trent took it with a nod of thanks and drank deeply, feeling the soothing flavours of honey and lemon in warm water. Although his throat still felt like it was on fire, it wasn’t as agony-ridden as before. “Thanks,” he rasped.
“Guest room is already set up with clean sheets. Help yourself. Stay as long as you want.” Logan yawned and clapped him on the shoulder. “I’m heading back to bed. I gotta be up in…” he checked the clock on the wall, “…three hours.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.” Logan left him to it once he’d helped Trent to put his bags in the guest room and told him where the medicine cabinet was.
Trent stared around the room as he sat on the bed. This was his world for the next few days.
****
Trent had just moved into his newly rented apartment when Trish dropped by with the kids. Now he had a place of his own, the kids were able to stay overnight, and tonight was the first time they’d seen the place. It was also Jocelyn’s fifteenth birthday and Trent had a surprise for them.
“This place is awesome, Dad!” Harper shouted as soon as she’d set her bag on the floor. She went walking through the place, looking at everything as she went before disappearing down the hall.
