Love Triangle Six Books of Torn Desire - Willow Winters Page 0,76

as he takes a ragged breath, his gaze submersed in regret. “Danni…”

“Don’t.” My nerves prickle, and I pull the wedding dress tight against my lap.

Virginia gives him a glowering once-over. “The good Lord has no mercy for lying, skirt-sniffing hounds like yourself.”

“Danni, please…” He runs a jerky hand through his hair and stuffs it back in his pocket. “I need to—”

“How dare you bring your sexual urges to Danni’s door.” Virginia whacks him again. “If Cole were here—God bless his soul—he’d run you over with his bike until you stopped breathing.”

Funny how she snubbed Cole every day he lived here, and now that he’s gone, she can’t stop singing his praises.

I fidget with the tulle skirt of the dress and look around the basement. I made huge progress last night. Everything is packed in boxes by the stairs. Except the wedding gown. I couldn’t let go of it. But I feel stronger this morning. Grounded. Ready to take on Trace Savoy.

“It’s fine, Virginia.” I stand and set the dress aside. “I’ll handle him.”

“I know you will.” She leans against her cane. “When you’re finished, I have a bulb burnt out in the washroom. Can’t reach the damn thing.”

“I’ll be over a little later.” I walk toward her to assist her up the stairs.

She waves me off, grunting a perturbed sound. “I can walk just fine by myself.”

I hold my breath as she hobbles up the steps. Then she shuffles through the kitchen and shuts the back door.

With a slow exhale, I walk past Trace and perch on the futon. “You’ve been here all night?”

“I left.” He scratches the stubble on his jaw, stalks toward the futon, and sits on the other end with the wedding gown between us. “I didn’t make it a block before I turned back.”

“You slept in the driveway? In your car?” I narrow my eyes. “Why?”

“I thought it would be best if we both slept off our anger.”

I itch and burn beneath his stark gaze. He looks dejected, but his appearance does nothing to diminish his intensity. If anything, his eyes are more penetrating than ever, probing and pressing and making me squirm. It’s maddening how deeply he affects me, even now, after everything he did.

“Say what you’re going to say.” I flex my hands on my lap. “Then please, just…leave me in peace.”

He shifts, leaning closer, expression hard and determined. “I didn’t have sex with Marlo.”

I suck in a breath, my heart pounding with hope. And denial. “Don’t insult my intelligence, Trace.”

“Swear to God, Danni.” A muscle bounces in his jaw. “I knew you quit work early and intended to confront me. I knew the instant you accessed the penthouse.”

“I didn’t leave work early to confront you!” I leap from the futon and stand over him, shaking. “I was coming to give myself to you. All of me!”

“I know that now.” He bends forward and laces his fingers behind his lowered head. “I saw you in that dress, and I knew. I knew I fucked up spectacularly. I knew I would spend the rest of my life trying to make it right.”

“Except you didn’t make it right. You punched my date, fucked me like a deranged animal, and left. You left me on the floor like discarded trash.”

His hands tighten on his nape, and his chest heaves. “I came here last night to apologize, to throw myself at your feet. Then I saw you with him, heard what you did with him.” His breathing grows louder, harsher. “I fucking lost it.” He lowers his arms, flexes his hands between his spread legs. “It’s no excuse, and I can’t tell you how sorry I am.” He releases a self-depreciating laugh. “I’m not good at this. Christ, I’m a fucking nightmare. I know this, but I’m trying.” His eyes, tormented and bloodshot, find mine. “I want to be the man who deserves you.”

My breath leaves me, and my shoulders sag. “If you knew I was coming to find you after work, why were you with her? I saw you fucking her, Trace. She was naked from the waist down and moaning.”

“Marlo works for me, and she’ll do any damn thing I tell her to do. Including touching herself while I watch.”

My teeth slam together.

“I didn’t watch,” he says quickly, furiously. “I wasn’t even hard.”

“You’re a real piece of work.” I pace away, trying to make sense of his words. “If you wanted a relationship with me, why sabotage it by fucking another woman?”

“I didn’t fuck her!” He