Lovely Trigger(85)

His children seemed to genuinely adore him, and a man couldn’t ask for a better sending off.

I stayed with Bianca and James after the ceremony was done. Tristan made it over to us eventually, still with a clinging Mona glued to his side.

Tristan opened his mouth, to say something to me, I presumed, when Mona opened hers, speaking before he could. “Tristan, will you ride with the family to the reception? My mother wanted me to ask you. It would mean a lot to us, in our time of need.”

She looked at me while she said it, and I had a hard time thinking nice thoughts about her as she stared at me and made a guilt-play for the love of my life.

Tristan sighed, expression neutral. “Do you mind riding with the family, Danika?” he asked.

Oh, Lord, I didn’t want to do that.

“She can come with us,” Bianca butted in quietly. There was something about her that made it so hard to tell her no, possibly because she never spoke up unless she meant to follow through. I’d seen her do it with James several times, and once she made up her mind about something, she was un-budgable. “We’ll see you there.”

Tristan’s jaw clenched briefly, and he stared at me for one pregnant pause before he nodded.

As I made my way slowly, arm in arm with Bianca, out of the building, I had to wonder if he’d really be riding with the ‘family’ or if Mona would use this as an excuse to get him to herself. I wouldn’t put it past her.

The intimidating Cavendish security detail ushered us from the building to the car.

Bianca patted my hand after we’d become comfortably ensconced in their limo. “Mona can only use this for one day. One day to make this play of hers. It’ll pass.”

“They work together several nights a week,” I shot back quietly, acutely aware of the fact that I did not want to be having this personal discussion in front of James. But I just couldn’t seem to keep it in. If I didn’t talk about, I felt like I’d burst.

“Whether she’s around or not, she’ll only be able to milk the guilt-trip for so long.”

“You saw that too, right? That’s totally what she’s doing.”

“Yes,” she said simply. “Want my advice?”

I nodded, fascinated. James was silent for our exchange, doing something on his phone, one proprietary arm thrown around Bianca’s shoulders.

“She wants him, you have him. Don’t give him away. Fight for him. Stake your claim.”

“You think he’d just go for her if I don’t fight? I don’t want a man that’s that easy to lose.”

“That’s not what I’m saying. In fact, I know he wouldn’t. What I mean is, you need to show him that he’s worth fighting for; that you’d never give him up. Don’t you think it’s about time for that?”

I didn’t have the answer for that, but I certainly burned some calories stressing about it.

The reception was held at the Biello mansion. The property was huge, but it was still a crush inside.

The interior decor was pretty much exactly what you would picture when thinking of an old Vegas magic act’s house in Viva Las Vegas. Lots of white and gold, and hell, even pictures of white tigers.

I found almost right away that it was best just to stick close to James and Bianca. The crowds parted for them, which was good, because there was no telling what an obsessed James would do if, God forbid, someone accidentally bumped into Bianca.

We hadn’t exactly rushed there, but it was a full hour before I spotted Tristan, and it was as he came through the front door, Mona on his arm. They had only just arrived.

An entire hour later.

I told myself they must have just been held up at the funeral home. I had to tell myself that, or I would have started screaming and throwing things, and I wouldn’t have stopped.

He hadn’t even spotted me yet, but I turned my back on him.

Bianca’s eyes were sympathetic as they met mine.

“Tell me, am I overreacting? Am I being selfish and insensitive right now?”

“It’s a bad situation. I think you’re doing your best. James is almost done making rounds. You want to catch a ride with us? I could abscond with you to my painting studio, again. I’ve been wanting to start on that painting with you that I was telling you about, with the yellow scarf, and you could vent at me to your heart’s content.”

That was tempting. There was nothing I’d have liked better than to slip away before Tristan even saw me, and spend the afternoon with Bianca in her peaceful studio. I loved that studio. And I could undoubtedly use a good venting session.

“I would love that, but I did promise Tristan I’d stay close for the next few days, for moral support. Still, it’s not like he needs me right this second, and he could be here all day. Let me talk to him and see.”

I bit the bullet and approached him.

Mona was just holding his arm now, one big fake tit pressed into his bicep. It was still a vast improvement over what she’d been doing before, which had been just shy of dry humping him in public.

They were talking to another couple, people I didn’t recognize, but I approached anyway.

“Tristan,” I said quietly.

He started and looked at me. He seemed off, some stiffness in his expression cluing me in that something was wrong.

“Hey, I’m taking off with Bianca, but maybe I’ll catch you later tonight, okay?” My words came out stilted, almost cold, which hadn’t been my intent at all. I just wanted to get the hell out of there.