Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(71)

Trihn sat in perfect silence while Damon seemed to scrutinize her face.

“Talk to me,” he encouraged.

“What do you want me to say?”

“What you’re feeling. That look on your face when Chloe said I was going on tour with her…” He sighed, clearly frustrated. “I never wanted to be the person to cause you to look like that.”

“I just don’t know why this is the first I’m hearing about all of this. The tour, the song, this big surprise with Chloe?” She shrugged. “Why didn’t you tell me the song was ‘We Never Met’? Or ever play it for me?” she asked.

“Honestly, I wanted to surprise you. I wanted to play it for you first, so I could look you in the eyes and sing your song to you.”

She shook her head. “I appreciate that, but it just kind of sucks being the last to know.”

“I wrote this for you. I thought you’d be happy.”

“I am happy—for you! I’m so excited that my boyfriend has a song on the radio.”

“You don’t really seem happy.”

Trihn sighed. “It’s not about the song. It’s about being the last to know. I mean, you did a music video to this song. Tell me that it’s not in a nightclub and you and Chloe somehow find each other.”

Damon didn’t say anything for a minute. “It’s what that song is about,” he finally said.

Trihn rolled her eyes. “That’s what I thought.”

“I legitimately thought that you’d be happy about this.”

“And that’s why you hid it?”

“I didn’t mean to hide it. I wanted to surprise you. I guess I should have told you,” he said, flipping off his hat and fiddling with it. “You get kind of wrapped up in everything in LA once you’re there. You don’t stop to think that something could be a bad move.”

“Wrapped up in things like Chloe?” Trihn couldn’t stop the pang of jealousy that hit her.

“Yeah,” he admitted. “Sometimes.”

Her eyes snapped to him, filled with anger. “Seriously?”

“Not like that!” he amended quickly. “I just mean, with her enthusiasm for the music and the industry. She makes everything out to be an adventure, and you just get sucked into her Chloe vortex. She planned this whole thing for you, you know?”

“And you don’t find it strange that she’s planning surprises for your girlfriend so that she can announce to everyone that you’re going on tour with her? Not to mention, her leaning into you and grabbing on you,” she said in a rush. “Is that normal in this Chloe vortex, too?”

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “No. I don’t know what’s up with her tonight.”

“Really? I think it’s pretty obvious myself.”

“She’s not into me, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

“That’s exactly what I’m insinuating. The first time I met her, she was this lonely girl who couldn’t even get close to the guy she was on tour with because she was having panic attacks and worried about being seen in public with people. Now, suddenly, she’s everywhere with you.”

“It is just business,” he told her.

“Does she know that?”

“Yes. She knows that because I am here with my girlfriend, who, for some reason, seems to be insanely jealous even though I’ve made it clear from day one that she is the only person I want,” Damon said, his tone sharp.

“How could I not be jealous? You know I have trust issues, and now, she’s with you all the time. She seems very comfortable with touching you. I think it’s crazy to ask me not to be worried about that,” she told him.

Damon stood and shook his head. “You have nothing to worry about. Can’t you see that I’m standing here with you? That I want you? I sang the song to you. I came back to Vegas for your fashion show for you. Chloe doesn’t even factor into my universe, outside of music.”

“Well, the way she was acting tonight doesn’t exactly give me a vote of confidence.”

“I’m standing here, telling you that you’re the one, that I love you, and that no other girls exist to me, and all you see is the bad.”

“I don’t just see the bad. I see reality.”

“Your reality,” he said, pointing his hat at her. “And your reality is skewed. You are so desperately terrified of me being Preston that you don’t even realize that you’re pushing me away.”

“I’m not afraid of you becoming Preston! I just don’t trust her,” she said.

“Then, trust me!”

“I would if you were honest with me!”

Damon shook his head. “One song. One surprise. And I’m back at square one. I’m sorry. I just can’t do this.”

He turned to start walking away, but she grabbed his arm.

“What?” she asked in shock. “What are you saying?”

“I’m going to go back to LA tonight with Chloe.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Are you…are you breaking up with me?”

He dropped his head and then kissed her forehead. “No.” He sighed heavily. “I love you, Trihn. I do. But until you let go of the past, I don’t know that you’ll ever trust me. And what is love without trust?”