BASHing Trinity — Chapter 10

Silent Treatment

BASH

It’s been two days since the last time I heard from Trinity.

She’s been ignoring my calls and messages. My thought scattered. I’ve never been restless and anxious for the whole weekend. My sleep is deprived because of that kiss.

“Who are you?” My eyes narrow to the thirty-ish curvy woman with curly hair and bronze skin in front of me. She tries to open the door for me, and she has a folder in her hand.

“Good morning, Mr. Hughes. I’m Lindsey White. Your new PA,” she says, following me.

I slump my back dramatically into my chair, my hands clasped under my chin. The woman doesn’t walk in front of me, but she keeps staring at me inquisitively.

“Are you just gonna stare at me all day or you’re gonna do your job?” I’m being an ass, but I am not in a mood to exchange pleasantries.

She clears her throat. “I just talked with Ms. Kiara Mallory about—”

I raise my hand to stop her. Just someone mentioning her name makes my heartbeat skips. I need to talk to that woman. Why is she ignoring me?

We pull each other, gasping for air. I lean my forehead against hers, and she’s panting too. Her hand is still on me, gripping the sleeves of my shirt. I plant a kiss on her forehead, and that’s when she pushes me away, giving us space.

The silence between us is driving me insane, and it freaks the hell out of me. I’m afraid of what’s going to come out of her mouth, and it’s nerve-racking as hell.

I release my hands on her as I lean against the wall.

“Trinity,” I whisper but more like I am begging.

“What we just did is not acceptable, Bash. We should—”

I press my finger on her lips.

“We shouldn’t kiss?” I ask while my other hand is blindly searching for the light switch.

She crosses her arms over her chest but stays on her place and leans against the wall. This time she doesn’t look up at me anymore.

“Yeah. We’re best friends, Bash. I don’t want things to get awkward between us.” She bites her swollen lip that I can see clearly after the light flicks open above us. Her face flushed. I guess we feel the same towards that mind-blowing kiss.

“It won’t be awkward, Trinity. Trust me, and I never regret kissing you. That was amazing, and if I know it feels that way I should have kissed you a long time ago,” I say from the deepest of my fluttering heart.

My heart is still beating uncontrollably and my cock is still on full alert.

She instantly looks up at me when I touch her arm. “Don’t say like that, Bash.”

I blink, and I feel my heart crashes. “Trinity, I mean every word I said.” I cup her face again and press my lips on her.

She gasps on our pressed-lips. I move my lips, coaxing her to kiss me back. I moan when she presses her body against me.

Jesus! I could just stand in this hallway if I can kiss Trinity and feels like these. It’s so fucking amazing!

She moans when I deepen the kiss—that’s the most beautiful melody that ever reaches my ears.

“Bash, Bash, stop!” She pushes me away. I admire her self-control because I know she’s just as turned on as me.

“I think you should go home. It was a mistake that I let you in. You’re half-drunk, Bash.”

I stand straight crossing my arms over my chest. I chuckle and smirk. “Do you always allow a drunk person to kiss you?” I regret that I ask because now she’s shooting me a glare.

“You are the first person I’ve ever kissed after my fiancé died. Thanks for shoving that into my face,” she responds angrily.

“I’m sorry. I don’t mean it like that, but I’m not drunk, Tri. I will surely remember this when I wake up in the morning, and I don’t even know if I fall to sleep when I go to bed. I will probably think about our kiss repeatedly,” I tell her honestly. “I want to kiss you again, and I want—”

“Just stop. I’m engaged!”

“To a fucking dead, Trinity!”

Fuck! I don’t mean to shout it out loud, and she just flinches. I feel like an ass shouting at her. I’m so fucking this up.

“J-just g-go, Bash, please?” she begs, her eyes filled with tears.

I move closer to her, but she moves a step back, so I stop. “I don’t mean what I said.

“You always don’t mean it. I doubt that you like kissing me. Please. just go,” Trinity says, wiping her tears with her hand.

“I mean it, Trinity, please, hear me out?” I plead.

“Please, what?” I want to tell her how I feel, but she’s already pushing me away.

“Let me stay, and I can’t go home. I let Edmund leave before coming here up, and it’s almost morning. I won’t kiss you again, I promise. Not tonight, at least.”

“Not tonight? You mean you’re planning on kissing me again?” she asks with an accusing tone. Her wet eyes are filled with so many emotions, mostly hurt and sadness.

“If you will let me, yes,” I reply sincerely.

“We can’t just kiss.”

I sigh helplessly before I nod in understanding. I fish out my phone in my pocket, searching for an Uber app on my phone.

“What are you doing?” She asks, cautiously.

“What do you think?” I ask back, focusing my eyes on the screen of my phone.

My stomach twists sickly. This is not how I want this night to end. I was dreaming of sleeping with Trinity in my arms while I’m on my way here, that was why I let Edmund go home. Maybe I am a little bit optimistic. We did sleep together many times in the same bed, and I was able to control my urge and needs, and I’m sure I can do it again.

“You can stay. I don’t want your family will rip me apart if they’ll find out I let you go home alone.” Her voice is filled with guilt even though she doesn’t have to feel that way.

I shake my head. “No. I’m going home.” I walk away from her while I’m still filling the info on the app.

Trinity grabs my free hand before I can go fat. I look over my shoulder, and she just shrugs it off. I face her, wrapping my arms around her. She hugs me back.

“It’s okay, Trinity. I can go home safely. I will call you as soon as I get into my penthouse.”

She shakes her head on my chest. “We slept together before in the same bed, and nothing happened between us. I still trust you.” She looks up at me.

I sigh in relief.

***

“That’s all. Thanks, everyone,” Dad announces after the long hour of meeting regarding the expansion of Hughes Industry to East Asia.

Everyone gathers their things and rises from their seat, including me.

I zoned out a couple of times, and my mind kept taunting me with that mind-blowing kiss.

I really should talk to her. I need to see her. I need her.

“Bash, what’s wrong, son?” Dad’s voice catches back my attention.

I raise my brows. “Nothing’s wrong, Dad.”

Shit!

“Bash, you can’t just zone out like that during the meeting. I need your mind and your heart focus on what we are discussing. Leave your baggage at that door as soon as you enter this room. Do you understand me?” Dad says firmly as he points his finger to the conference room’s door.

He’s right, and I should’ve focused next time, and soon, I will take over his seat on me, and I can’t just disappoint him.

“Bash, don’t disappoint me again. I let you study abroad for our businesses, and you will be the CEO soon. I’ve been in your position once. I worked hard for our company when your grandfather let me take over his seat. I did everything to prove to him that I’m not a disappointment, and I’m not just a manwhore. I worked hard every day and night. Now, look at me, and I proved to Dad that I deserve to be here.”

I swallow hard. I know Dad when it comes to business. He is ruthless, ambitious, focus, and determined.

“Lizzy will be taking over the King Hotel Chains and restaurants, and you will take over the Hughes Industries. Your mom agreed with my decisions, that’s why she didn’t want to merge the Hughes’ and King’s businesses. Lizzy agreed on this idea, and now she’s working hard to learn. This is your future, son.”

I nod as guilt twists in my belly. I purse my lips together because I don’t know what to say anymore. I’m running out of words.

“Follow me in my office,” Dad finally says. I can only mutter a word okay.

I sit in an empty seat in front of dad’s. Dad is still on the phone with Mr. Shin from South Korea. His son is a friend of mine. We both studied in the U.K.

I rub my starting to throb temples. I’m not overthinking about what my father said earlier. In fact, I’m not thinking about it at all.

I’m thinking about the redhead woman who’s taunting me every second.

My head snaps to the door when it opens. My eyes widen instantly, and I feel my mouth gape. Just the one I’ve been looking for.

My headache is gone in milliseconds. I sit straight while my eyes follow every step Trinity does.

Her white and red stripes dress fits perfectly on her figure, and she’s wearing red high heels this time. Jesus! This woman is killing me.

Her hair is still the same messily-curled. Seriously, I don’t know what they called it, but she looks sexy as hell.

“Hello, Mr. Hughes.” She’s very professional even Dad insists to call him uncle even at work, but Trinity is Trinity, and she doesn’t want special treatment. Dad smiles at her before he gestures an empty seat across mine. She walks toward me like she owns the floor.

Dang woman!

“No hi for me?” I ask in a low tone. Our eyes meet—her eyes are filled with joy.

“Hi, Bash,” she says awkwardly.

“Tri, are you ignoring me?” I ask right away, looking at her beautiful face that I missed for two horrible days, and she even looks surprised.

“You didn’t answer my call, didn’t call me back. No text, no email, no voicemail at all. Why are you doing this?” I demand an answer.

“I was busy,” she answers shortly.

I snort. “Seriously? You’re avoiding me and ignored me because you thought whatever happened between us that night would just be awkward.”

“Bash,” she whispers.

“If you will not talk to me like how we talked before, I swear to God I will tell your friends and your date that we kissed.” I know it’s unfair, but so as she.

Her green eyes grow wide as saucers. Her face turns red as she purses her lips into a thin line.

Dad is done talking on the phone.

He moves closer to us and sits on his chair. “So, now that you two are here let me start,” Dad says.

I don’t know what is this all about, but I feel anxious hell.

“Kiara, as you’ve heard we are expanding our company worldwide, and this time, our next target is East Asia. I need a team to go to Seoul to close the deal. I’m supposed to go there with Abby, but since you, two are still learning, and I guess I have the perfect candidates.” Dad pauses, looking at us--at our reactions.

My brows raise.

“I have decided that the two of you will be the best candidates to go to South Korea,” Dad affirms.

My heart beats faster. When I look at Trinity, she looks pale and shock. I guess she doesn’t see that coming.

“Don’t you like the news?” Dad asks while waiting for our words.

“Why us? And why me and Trinity?” I ask out of curiosity. If I have to spend some time alone with Trinity, then I am going to accept it.

“It’s your first deal, Bash. Although, the deal is done and all you have to do is see the site personally, meet the Korean team, and sign the contract, and you too need to explore that country before you will start the classes. They’re great people with a rich culture and history. What do you think, son?” He has a wicked grin on his face when he notices Trinity is looking down at her fingers, frowning.

I shake my head slowly. Jesus, he set this up, and he knows that we can’t say no.

I hear Trinity clear her throat. “I think Bash needs a well-experienced partner, Mr. Hughes. We’re both your new employees—”

Dad raises his hand. “You will say no to me, Kiara, and that’s part of your job to follow my order. So all you have to do is pack your things and the jet taking you to South Korea,” Dad says firmly, rises from his chair, and buttons his suit before he faces the glass window.

I glance at Trinity.

“You two can go now,” Dad dismisses us.

I follow Trinity outside Dad’s office. She strides that leaves me a little far behind.

I sprint to catch her pace. “Tri, wait!”

She ignores me like she can’t hear me. God, this woman is so stubborn!

“Trinity! Just stop!” My breathing catches with anger. I hold her arm before she can go far from me again. “Why are you doing this, Trinity? Why are you avoiding me?” I sound so desperate, but I don’t care.

It hurts when she’s acting like I don’t even exist, and I can’t let her just get mad at me without knowing why she’s doing this to me. I need at least to know the reason and say it into my face. I’ve never been so desperate in my life, especially when it comes to women.

“Do you want to go to Korea with me?” I ask again when she still doesn’t answer my questions.

She leans herself on the wall. “Do you want me to come with you?” She looks at me in the eyes.

She looks hurt and I don’t know why? It’s killing me to see her hurting. I can’t help but run the back of my finger on her smooth face. She stills, and thank God, this place is empty. Dad’s PA is maybe on her break.

“I would love you to come with me, Tri,” I whisper, leaning my forehead on hers.

She gasps at our nearness, and my heart starts pounding in my chest. I press my nose over hers. She stays still and doesn’t push me away and neither pulls me closer.

I press my lips on hers. She sighs as I move my lips, smirking, and that’s when I hear a clearing of a throat near us. We both stiffen and pull ourselves away like a deer caught in the headlights.