Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(12)

“I know. I didn’t expect to find you at Posse.”

“Yeah, I’ve deejayed here a couple of times. The manager gave me my first real gig, and when their regular guy backs out, I cover for them,” he said, purely business.

Trihn walked across the small booth and looked out through the one-way window. The entire club was spread out below. She could see Bryna dancing with Eric and Stacia all up on Marshall. Maya was talking to that Drayton guy while she poured drinks. So, Damon must have seen that she was here tonight.

“This is a great view.”

Damon sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he glanced back up at her with a disgruntled look on his face. “I’m working here. Do you mind?”

She took a step back and held up her hands. “Sorry. I like this Chloe song. I’ve never heard this version of ‘Heartbreaker.’ They don’t play it on the radio.”

“That’s because it’s not a radio edit. It’s my mix.”

She could hear the pride in his voice.

“You’re serious?” she said, surprised. “It’s amazing. You should post it on YouTube or something, so other people can hear it!”

He shrugged. “I guess.”

When he didn’t say anything else or look back up at her again, she took a deep breath and dived in. “My boyfriend broke up with me.”

His head shot up. His expression showed a mixture of relief and concern. “I’m sorry to hear that. Are you okay?”

She lost the smile on her face for a split second and then quickly plastered it back into place. She could not lose it right here in front of Damon. She was definitely not okay with what had happened with Neal, but she needed to get over it, and this was step one.

She nodded. Speaking wasn’t possible.

He narrowed his eyes and looked like he was going to say something else, but Trihn silenced him by straddling his body. His hands came up almost defensively, as if he didn’t know what she was doing. Then, she sat down on his lap and rested her hands on his chest.

He had on a black T-shirt and jeans. His signature ball cap was tipped back, so she could see his face. God, he’s sexy.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Well, I’m single, and you’re single. Last night, you were into me,” she said boldly. She could channel her inner vixen and act as forward as her friends. “And…I’m into you.”

Damon stood quickly, and she stumbled to her feet. Her cheeks heated at his departure.

“Look, Trihn, I don’t want to be some rebound.”

Her mouth dropped open, and then she quickly recovered. That was exactly why she had come up here—for him to be her rebound. That was what she wanted. She wanted someone to help her forget the shit she had just gone through. She was pretty sure Damon could do that.

“And I don’t want a relationship,” she told him.

“Maybe that’s what I want.”

She scoffed. “You don’t even know me.”

“I don’t have to know you to know that I want a relationship. I’ve seen you in the club. I see the kind of person you are. When you look down at people every weekend, you can generally see who the good ones are.”

“And I’m a good one?” she asked skeptically.

“You’re real and genuine.”

Trihn shook her head. “You can tell that from looking at me in a nightclub. I think that’s ridiculous.”

He shrugged. “Didn’t ask for your opinion. I know it for a fact.”

“So, you don’t want to have sex with me then?”

He clenched his fists together and looked back down at his equipment. “Don’t make this hard on me.”

Trihn took a step forward, emboldened since he hadn’t said no. “I want you to f*ck me, and you’re not interested?”

“Of course I’m interested,” he said. He pulled his hat off his head and twirled it between his fingers. “And maybe a couple of months ago, I would have done just that but not tonight.”

Trihn’s stomach sank as she heard the finality in his voice. Her cheeks heated, and the confidence that had gotten her through this conversation deteriorated. She was just a girl feeling the sharp sting of rejection.

“Okay, fine,” she said.

She hurried away from him, heading toward the door. All she needed was to be out of his booth where she had just humiliated herself in front of a guy who she had thought was interested in her. Why had I thought it would be okay to ask him to have sex with me? Fuck!

These kinds of conversations worked for her friends, but she just sounded and felt ridiculous, trying to put herself out there. Everything always blew up in her face. She shouldn’t even be surprised that this hadn’t been any different.

“Trihn!” Damon called after her.

“No, I get it. Forget I said anything.”

Then, she was out the door, rushing past the bouncer, and heading down the stairs that led back to her friends.

She leaned against the wall and took a few deep healing breaths. She wasn’t going to cry. She promised herself that. Her heart ached because of her breakup, but the slap in the face that Damon had delivered with his refusal hadn’t helped anything.

Trihn’s rebound mission was officially over.