Where Truth Lies (Love vs. Loyalty Book 2) Read online

“Yes, sir,” Jamison said and then paused. “Are you sure threatening him is the best choice?”

  “Are you questioning my judgment now?”

  “No, sir,” Jamison replied. He turned to walk out, but craned his neck and looked over his shoulder at Trenton. “I wonder if this is the kind of impulsive behavior that convinced Mr. Ellis to break ties with you?”

  “Jamison!”

  “I’m not questioning your judgment, sir. I swear.” He slipped out of the room and left Trenton to his fury.

  “That man is so annoyingly smug,” Trenton grumbled. “Hey, Jamison!”

  “Yes, sir?” Jamison immediately appeared as if he’d been waiting just outside the door.

  Trenton grudgingly waved him over. “Fine. Rather than harass him to have a meeting with me, what do you suggest I do?”

  “There’s a saying about catching more flies with honey, sir. Instead of threats, why not provide more incentive? Convince him that he’s mistaken about your inexperience and immaturity.”

  “How will I do that if I can’t even have a meeting with him?”

  “Then don’t call it a meeting,” Jamison suggested. “Send him and his wife an invitation for dinner. Find a moment during the meal to naturally slip the contract in and be understanding.”

  “What? I’m understanding!”

  “You’re insensitive and single-minded.”

  “Hey!”

  “It’s good to have drive in business, sir, but your greatest strength is the skill of your workers. You need Mr. Ellis, and he knows it.”

  “I’m not sucking up to anyone.”

  “Very well, sir. I’ll call Mr. Ellis and leave a message informing him that we will sue.” Jamison turned on his heels. “I’m sure he will respond to that in a civil and appreciative manner.”

  Trenton blew out a breath. “Wait!”

  “Yes, sir?” He turned around and tilted his head.

  “Stop smirking, Jamison. It’s wrecking my mood.”

  “You’re making the right decision, sir.”

  “This is ridiculous. I have a million and one things to take care of.”

  “Such is the burden of the boss.”

  “You’re still smirking, Jamison.”

  “My apologies, sir.”

  Trenton gazed into the distance. “Catch more flies with honey, huh? Alright, I’ll talk to Breana and settle on a date.”

  “Oh,” Jamison smiled, “will your wife cook?”

  Trenton laughed so hard he choked. “Don’t joke like that, Jamison. I’ll bust a spleen.”

  “O…kay then.”

  His assistant left and Trenton picked up the phone to call his wife.

  His wife.

  It still didn’t feel quite real to him. After being tricked into an authentic marriage with Breana Moore, he’d expected to feel caged and tied down. On the contrary, he was more concerned by Breana’s lack of interest in their marriage than the fact that he had kissed his bachelor life goodbye.

  The woman was driving him insane. She was dragging her feet when it came to moving in, and getting her to rely on him for anything was as laborious as that time when he planted mahogany trees in the Belizean Redwood Reserve.

  Trenton would need the strength of an elephant to get his marriage moving, but it was one challenge he looked forward to.

  Chapter 3

  ₪₪₪₪₪₪

  Breana held her old cellphone between her cheek and her shoulder, using her fingers to type out a report on the computer. Did Trenton know how busy she was lately thanks to Cady? Why was he droning on and on?

  “Yes, yes. You’re inviting your contractor to dinner and I need to be there,” she snapped, rereading a line on her report. “I got it.”

  “What time works for you?”

  “Anytime.”

  “I’ll set it up for Wednesday night then. Do you need cash for an outfit?”

  Breana’s hands stilled over the keyboard. “What’s wrong with my clothes?”

  Trenton’s silence spoke of his nervousness. He had, undoubtedly, heard the warning in her tone and was proceeding with caution.

  “Nothing, Bree. Did I say anything was wrong with your clothes?”

  “Then why did you even mention that?”

  “I don’t know. Women usually like it when I offer them money to go shopping.”

  Breana resumed her work. “I’m not like the girls you used to date, and I can take care of my own wardrobe. Is there anything else? Do you need me to cook?”

  Trenton’s booming laughter threatened to burst her eardrum. Breana narrowed her eyes and grunted. He could be a little subtler about his distaste for her meals. He’d eaten only one dish before jumping on the Breana-Is-A-Culinary-Disaster train.

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “I’ll handle everything. I just need you to be there.”

  “That sounds like my kind of party.”

  “It’s not just a party. It’s a mission. We need to be on newlywed overload. I was thinking—”

  “Trenton, can we discuss this later? I’m really busy.”

  He coughed. “So am I.”

  “Cool. Later.” She hung up, allowing her phone to clatter unceremoniously onto her desk as she focused on the report.

  “Was that Trenton Lorde?” A voice rang in her ear. Breana jumped and spun to find Melissa, her friend and co-worker, nearly sniffing her shoulder. She shimmied to get her off and glared at the infringement of her space.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Was it him?” Melissa asked, her eyes dancing with excitement. Breana looked up and found the other women in the office gazing at her too.

  “You people are so weird,” she whispered, swinging back around to type another word on her computer.

  “Have I mentioned that I’m jealous?”

  “Yes, you have.”

  “I’m jealous.”

  “So I’ve heard.”

  “I can’t believe Trenton Lorde is officially off the market.” Melissa frowned, but a smile soon broke free. “But I’m all for Team Brenton, so I’ll get over it.”

  Breana froze. “What did you just say?”

  “I’ve been secretly crushing on that man for ages. Not that you have to worry about me—”

  “Not that,” Breana said. “What’s Team Brenton?”

  “Team Brenton,” Melissa informed her cheerfully, “is a fusion of your names.”

  “You have way too much time,” Breana grumbled, staring at her computer in the hopes that Melissa took the hint.

  As usual, her friend ignored the back-off sign blinking on her forehead and dove into a new realm of chatter. “There’s also Team Trenady—which is Trenton and Cady, but since he got married to you and all, that pool emptied out faster than a chocolate bar sale at the dollar store.” Melissa laughed. “I think the only one still in it is Cady.”

  “Is that right?”

  Both women stiffened.

  “She’s right behind me, isn’t she?” Melissa groaned. The friends turned around and spotted their boss staring at them with eyebrows arched and arms folded over her chest.

  Cady Barrington had erased all vestiges of her late night alcohol binge and consequent illegal activities from her appearance. She wore a fitted blue top beneath a cream-colored jacket and pencil skirt. Her hair was brushed into a tight ponytail and her makeup was impeccably done. Expensive perfume wafted around her, the scent as gentle and dainty as the bracelet dangling from her wrist.

  “Boss,” Melissa stood, her dark face losing a few shades of brown, “I didn’t know you were standing there.”

  “I’m sure noticing me would have put a damper on your gossiping.” Cady sashayed to Breana’s desk and dropped a stack of files on the already overflowing file towers that lived there.

  “What are you doing?” Breana asked.

  “Could you organize these for me? I need it done by tomorrow.”

  “How could I possibly get all this done by then?”
/>   “I don’t know?” Cady tapped her pink lips with her fingers. “I guess we’ll find out.”

  “But—”

  Cady leaned over the desk, her eyes glinting. “Or you could always quit.”

  Breana gritted her teeth. “Never.”

  Shrugging lightly, Cady turned on her heels and swayed back to her office, her long ponytail swinging like a pendulum behind her.

  Melissa let out a breath as soon as she was gone. “That woman has gotten so much scarier.”

  Frustrated by her helplessness, Breana frowned. “If you’re done talking, Mel, I have a ton of things to do.”

  “Here,” Melissa said and bent down to gather a stack of folders in her hand.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Cady’s not being fair, and we all know it. Besides, if you stay here doing all this work, you won’t get to go home to your sexy boo. Team Brenton!” Melissa raised her fists in the air and danced back to her desk.

  To Breana’s surprise, all the women in the office followed Melissa’s cue. They paraded to her open cubicle and lifted loads of files into their arms, quietly chanting ‘Brenton For Life’ and smiling in encouragement.

  Blown away, Breana watched them come and go until her desk was picked clean. Having rarely experienced the joy of friendship—partly because nobody wanted to hang out with Crazy Mary’s daughter, and partly due to her own prickly personality, Breana didn’t know what to do.

  As the women returned to their seats and ducked their heads to dive into her work, tears pricked the back of Breana’s eyes. Their support felt like a warm hug and an outstretched hand all rolled up in one.

  “Thanks, everyone.”

  The women clapped and quietly cheered. “Brenton For Life!”

  Caught up in the moment, she too raised her fists and cried hoarsely. “Brenton For Life!”

  The war cry soon gave way to stillness as Breana returned to her considerably diminished workload and managed—with the ladies’ help—to get everything squared away by the end of the day.

  Grinning until her cheeks threatened to burst from her pride, Breana stacked the organized files on a cart and wheeled them to Cady’s office.

  “What do you want?” Cady sneered when Breana entered the room. “I’m not giving you an extension on the assignment.

  “Here.” Breana took her time unloading the files on her boss’s desk. “It’s been organized, filed into the system, and color-coded for your convenience.”

  Cady’s eyes widened. “How did you get all this done?”

  Breana arched an eyebrow in response. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Boss.” She walked to the door and stopped just before opening it. “By the way… Trenton loved that car.”

  “It was the first car he bought with the money he earned himself.” Cady tapped her chest. “I was there through all of it. I was always there for him.”

  “If you knew how much the car meant to him, why did you destroy it?” Breana put up a finger as soon as the words escaped her mouth. “In fact, don’t answer that. I don’t even care, but if you ever hurt Trenton like that again, I won’t go as easy on you.”

  “How dare you!”

  Breana opened the door and allowed it to slam shut on Cady’s protests. The workday was over, and she was no longer acting in the capacity of an employee to her employer.

  Prancing to the elevator, Breana left the Barrington and Co building and caught the bus to her crime-ridden neighborhood. She found the last available seat at the very front of the bus and thanked God for her good fortune.

  The bus driver closed his doors and prepared to move off when someone at the window bawled for him to stop. He did and opened the doors to let a Hispanic woman with dark brown hair, dressed in an old, flowery gown onto the vehicle.

  She walked into the aisle, her sharp eyes searching for somewhere to sit. Breana took note of the woman’s journey through her peripheral vision. Though she strode up and down the bus, not one young man stood to let the old lady have a seat.

  Blown away by their rudeness and feeling sorry for the woman who’s age alone earned her the right to sit down on a crowded bus, she stood and walked over.

  “Care to sit here?” she asked.

  “No, it’s alright,” the woman said. “I don’t want to take your seat.”

  Breana pointed to her bags. “That looks heavy. Come on and sit over here. I insist.”

  “Thank you, young lady.”

  Breana took the old woman’s bags and fitted her into a seat. As she bent over to settle the baggage at her feet, the woman took Breana’s arm.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Breana.”

  “I’m Jovanah. Thank you so much for your kindness.”

  “It’s no problem.”

  Breana stood in the aisle until her stop was called and walked off the bus with a smile on her face. Her co-workers had done her a good turn, and it felt great to do the same for someone else.

  Chapter 4

  ₪₪₪₪₪₪

  While Breana floated on a cloud of contentment that lasted through the night and into the next morning, Trenton seethed in a boiling vat of anger. He stared at the man in front of him, his fists curling in anticipation. He had never wanted to bash someone’s face in as much as he did at that moment.

  In fact, if Denzel Ramirez didn’t remove himself from Trenton’s personal space in the next three seconds, he would take a lesson from his wife and duke it out with abandon.

  “Didn’t you hear me?” Denzel said, lifting his chin. “I asked you a question.”

  Trenton’s brown eyes narrowed to slits. Holding tightly to his anger, he pushed the man back. “Step away from me.”

  “Or you’ll do what?” Denzel growled, moving forward so that his shiny office shoes scuffed Trenton’s boots.

  “You want to fight?” Trenton undid the button at his wrist and rolled his sleeves up. “Let’s fight.”

  Denzel laughed and relaxed his stance. “You’ve never fought a man in your life.”

  It was true, but Trenton wasn’t afraid to break that record now. He welcomed a match with Breana’s ex-boyfriend, the desire flaring from a place of jealousy and justice.

  Since running into Denzel a week ago, Breana refused to discuss the relationship. Trenton avoided the topic to keep the peace, but he sensed that whatever had happened between them had left his wife with a lot of scars.

  Denzel gripped the envelope in his hands and shook it at Trenton. “You think I’m going to stand by and let it pass? What is this?”

  “None of your business,” Trenton said, snatching the package from his hands.

  “Breana’s business is my business. Especially if you’re trying to divorce after a week of marriage.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” Trenton scoffed. “And isn’t snooping around someone’s private files illegal? I could sue for this.”

  “I wasn’t snooping. It fell from Haley’s desk and slipped out right in front of me.”

  “I don’t care,” Trenton waved away the explanation. “Just stay out of Breana’s life. I’m her husband so I’ll take care of this.”

  “You want me to acknowledge you?” Denzel growled. “You want me to give her to you when you’re not treating her right?”

  Trenton stiffened and shook his head. “You obviously don’t know her if you think Breana can be given to anyone.”

  “What did she tell you about me?”

  “We have better things to do than discuss our pasts.”

  “I’m not just her past.” Denzel thumped his chest. “I was supposed to be her future.”

  “You’re delusional… but that seems to be the trend lately.” Trenton transferred the envelope to his other hand. “What you can’t seem to understand, man, is that you are no longer her future. Get that through your thick skull and move on.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  Trenton scoffed and headed for the door. “You’re not worth it.”

&nbs
p; “Is that why she still wears the necklace?”

  Trenton’s hand froze on the doorknob. “What?”

  “I saw it that day in my office. She still wears the necklace I bought her.” Denzel laughed. “You have no idea who you’re messing with, do you? I made a mistake when I let Breana go, and nothing’s going to stop me from making up for that now.”

  “She’s married.”

  Denzel pointed to the envelope. “Not for long.”

  “You—” Trenton grabbed the shorter man by the collar and flung him against the wall. “I should rearrange your face.”

  “Go ahead.” Denzel turned so that his dark cheek was on display. “Hit me as much as you like. In the end, the person who has Breana will be the real winner.”

  “She’s not some trophy.”

  “No,” Denzel said, “she’s the love of my life, and I want her back.”

  Trenton fisted his hands, ready to punch the daylights out of the guy. Denzel grinned, waiting for the blow. At the last second, Trenton froze, his fist a breath away from making contact.

  “What? You chicken?”

  “No…” Trenton stepped back and fixed his collar. “I just remembered that you’re right. I don’t need to fight.”

  “Huh?”

  “I’ve already won.” Trenton walked toward the door and opened it. “If you’ll excuse me, I have a lunch date with my wife.”

  As Trenton walked down the hallway, he debated returning to Haley’s office and warning her to be more careful with their documents. Denzel’s desire to win Breana back had awoken thanks to the divorce papers he’d spied, and now Trenton had another headache to deal with.

  He paused in the hallway and seriously considered turning back around but, realizing that Breana only had an hour for lunch, he headed to his car and drove downtown to spend time with his wife.

  A few minutes later, he slowed down in front of the Barrington and Co building and pulled out his phone to text her. To his surprise, the door opened and a slim woman burst into the car.

  “Hey!” Breana greeted as she settled into her seat. She tucked a lock of her curly hair behind her ear and blinked up at him with frank, brown eyes.

  “Did you wait outside?” Trenton frowned. “You’ll get sun-burned.”