Platinum (All That Glitters #3)(84)

Then, there was one from Damon.

I know you’re on the plane, love, but Chloe was right. Paps took pictures of us together in ATL. The story is that you’re a homewrecker. Working on the details of what our statement is going to be to the press or if we should just let it blow over. Call me, so I know you’re okay. I hate not being with you during all of this.

Trihn took a deep breath. They’d been expecting this, begrudgingly accepting that Chloe was right about the paparazzi. It must have been pretty widespread for it to have completely freaked out everyone she knew in the time it had taken her to get to Las Vegas.

As soon as she was off the plane, she called Damon back. She was glad that she only had a carry-on and could hurry out of the airport and into a cab.

“Hey, love,” Damon said.

“Hey. So…I’m a homewrecker. That’s a new one. It’s usually the other way around.”

“Yeah, sorry. I guess I was completely unprepared for this sort of thing. I thought we could hang out anywhere we wanted, unmolested.”

“Guess not anymore. Am I free to walk around without people following me?” Trihn asked, only half-joking.

“Yeah. I mean…I don’t think anyone is going to bother you if I’m not with you, but if they do, just say, No comment, and walk away. Hey, hold on.”

Through the muffled phone, Trihn could hear him yelling something to Chloe.

“Miss Paranoid over here says you’ll be fine but to be on alert until it dies down,” he said.

“This feels absurd, Damon.”

He laughed. “It really does. I don’t think it’s a big deal. No one actually believes tabloid bullshit.”

Trihn didn’t think that was true, but as long as no one in her real life thought what the press had been spinning was true, then it wouldn’t matter to her.

“Thank you for being so awesome about this. I can’t wait until New York when I can hold you in my arms again.”

“I can’t wait either. But I should probably give Bri and Stacia a call. I guess they saw the tabloids and are freaking out.”

“Oh, Jesus. Okay, yeah. Tell them I said hi.”

“I will. Love you.”

“Love you, too.”

Trihn immediately texted Bryna back to let her know that she had just left the airport and would be at the apartment soon. Her return text was classic Bryna.

Hurry up and get your ass over here. I need answers, woman!

Trihn arrived at her apartment a half hour later and was surprised to find her home holding way more people than she had anticipated.

Bryna was talking on the phone and pacing a circle in the carpet. Eric was standing next to an African American guy from the football team who she had met before with Maya.

Dray or Drayton?

Trihn wasn’t sure if he and Maya were officially dating or not, but him being in her house with his arm around her beautiful friend made her think that was the case.

The most surprising thing, however, was the fact that Stacia was currently sitting on a tall blond football player’s lap who was not her boyfriend…or sort of boyfriend—whatever Marshall was. Instead, Stacia was laid out on Pace’s lap, as if they hadn’t spent the last six months at each other’s throat—and not in a good way.

Trihn immediately saw why Bryna had been so short in her text messages. The history between she and her stepbrother, Pace, was poor at best. Despite the fact that Bryna had been moving forward and getting along with her family since the birth of her half-sister, Zoe, Bryna still didn’t much like or trust Pace. And that was obvious in the glares she kept shooting his way.

“Our local celebrity,” Eric said when Trihn finally edged through the door.

“Hey, E.”

Bryna’s eyes snapped up to her. “I have to go,” she said into the phone before abruptly hanging up. “There you are!”

“Hey, everyone. Didn’t realize I was walking into a party.”

“Yeah, well, you were supposed to be back yesterday,” Bryna said.

“Went to see Damon in Atlanta instead. He flew me back this morning while they went on to Charlotte.”

“I think everyone knows that already,” Pace said with a chuckle.

Stacia smacked his chest. “Have you read any gossip lately?” she asked Trihn.

“No, but Damon told me what the press was saying about me. It’s not a big deal. It’s all a lie anyway,” Trihn said with a shrug. “Damon and Chloe aren’t together, and I’m obviously not a homewrecker.”

“I told you she wouldn’t be worried,” Maya said. She was pouring drinks in the kitchen, working even when she wasn’t at her job.

Bryna smiled. “I’m glad. It seems Damon has been good for you. I thought we would have a mess on our hands after this shit.”

“Such confidence in me, Bri,” Trihn said. She rolled her eyes and started walking back to her bedroom.

Bryna followed her and grabbed her arm just before she could disappear. “You’re sure you’re okay?”

“Totally,” Trihn said automatically. “Chloe flipped when she found out that Damon and I had been out in Atlanta. Some girl took a picture with him and Instagrammed it to Chloe, putting it on the press’s radar. It’s literally the dumbest thing I’ve ever had to deal with. If I thought for one minute that any of this was a threat, that Chloe was a legit threat, then maybe I’d be worried. But I have no reason to think that. None.”