Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(13)

“YOUR IDEA SUCKED,” Trihn said when she calmed down enough to return to her friends.

Bryna had been dancing with Eric but had stopped her movements at Trihn’s approach. She cocked her head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“He turned me down. I offered to let him f*ck me, and he said no.”

Trihn wasn’t sure who looked more surprised—Bryna or Eric.

“Is he gay?” Eric started laughing.

Bryna jabbed him in the ribs. “That is not funny!”

If Trihn weren’t so embarrassed after what had happened with Damon, she would have found the joke funny. For more than a year after Bryna had first met Eric, she had thought he was gay because of some offhanded comment her ex-boyfriend had said to keep her away from Eric. Then, she had discovered the truth that he was one hundred percent not gay and one hundred and fifty percent in love with her. He was also the best thing that had ever happened to Bryna.

“No, he is decidedly not gay. He said he wanted to f*ck me, but he wouldn’t f*ck me.”

Bryna opened her mouth and then closed it twice before speaking, “That’s…wow. I’ve never had that happen before.”

“We all know that, Bri,” Trihn said.

“Hey!” Eric cried.

Trihn smiled genuinely up at Eric. She really liked Eric and had been rooting for him and Bryna from the start. He was easy on the eyes and quick to make Bryna smile.

“I know it’s just you now, but we all know how she was.”

“I’m not Stacia!” Bryna said. “Anyway, that has nothing to do with the fact that Damon obviously has some mental problem. Who would turn you down?”

“Clearly, every single guy I’ve ever been interested in,” Trihn said, throwing her hands up in the air.

“I could hook you up with one of my friends,” Eric suggested. He pointed out a guy standing by the bar. “That’s Patrick. He’s a redshirt junior on special teams right now. I’m working with him to plug him in as a defensive back. Probably will get some good play time next year.”

Trihn looked over at the guy and then shook her head. “I’m not sure anything you just said was even English. No offense, but the last thing I want to do is date a football player.”

Eric laughed. “Fair enough.”

“Fuck, I need a drink,” she said before heading to the bar. She elbowed her way through the crowd and walked straight into someone. “Ugh! Watch where you’re going!”

The guy stepped back and held his hands up. “Trihn, your New Yorker is showing,” Pace said.

Pace was the person she hadn’t wanted to run into. Stacia would have a fit if she knew that he was at Posse tonight. Their on-again, off-again thing clearly wasn’t working for anyone and made Pace even more irritable than usual.

“Whatever, Pace,” she said. “I’m really not in the mood.”

“Well, have you seen my girlfriend?”

“I have seen my friend, who you are currently not dating. I recommend you just walk right back out of here because you tend to make a fool of yourself when it comes to Stacia.”

“I’ll take that under consideration, but I know the real reason you’re trying to keep us apart,” Pace said with a wink. His blue eyes twinkled.

“Oh God, I don’t think I even want to know.”

“I heard that you and Neal broke up, and you’re dying for a good rebound.”

Trihn rolled her eyes. “It’s good to see you, too, Pace.”

She pushed past him without another word and hoped for the best for Stacia. She knew Stacia could take care of herself. She just prayed that, when Pace found Stacia, she wasn’t having sex with Marshall somewhere. Trihn could only deal with so much drama in one night.

“Gin and tonic,” Maya said, pushing a glass full of clear liquid toward her.

“Just keep them coming.”

“It didn’t go so well?”

“By not so well, if you mean, it was horrific and humiliating, then yeah, I’d agree with that.”

Maya frowned. “I seriously never would have guessed that.”

“You know, everyone keeps saying that, but it doesn’t really help.”

“You’re right. Well, forget Damon, and let’s focus on you. Have another drink, and go dance the night away. You don’t need a man to make you feel amazing. Show him what he’s missing,” Maya said with a wink.

Trihn nodded and raised her chin. Maya was right. The world was beating her down, and running away would mean it’d won. Neal had broken up with her and left her in pieces. Damon had refused her and humiliated her. She didn’t need either of them.

Or at least that was what she told herself as she made her way out onto the dance floor.

Dance was always her outlet, and she hadn’t been doing as much of it as she would have liked. She used to take Cassidy’s pole class in her spare time, but last semester, she had been swamped with work, and then she had been gone for break. Ballet was a close second. After her time at the New York City Dance House, she had enrolled in a ballet class at LV State, but that had only lasted a semester. Those classes hadn’t really fit into her schedule.

But she still had this.

She raised her hands over her head and started dancing seductively in the middle of the crowded room. Her body moved perfectly in sync to the music blaring through the speakers, and she let adrenaline fuel her forward. This was power and passion, lust and love, all rolled into one incredible package. And it was free for her to claim at all times.