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TASHA

T revor looked insanely attractive in an all-black suit. I’d never seen him in that style before, but it fit him perfectly. I swear the suit was glued to his body. The jacket fit his upper body so well, hugging his muscular arms. He left the collar open, a tiny bit of his tattoo peeking out. The black slacks showed off those powerful legs.

It had been the longest week of my life. I knew it was healthy for us to have time apart and not spend every waking moment together, but that didn’t mean I didn’t hate it. Waking up beside Trevor was one of my favorite things.

I had to force myself to stay where I was so I didn’t run to him. But with each step toward me, all I wanted to do was launch myself at my boyfriend. Claim him in front of everyone in this room. My parents included.

When he was only a foot away, I lost the little bit of control I had. Not giving a rat’s ass about who was watching, I ate the distance between us and grabbed the front of his suit, yanking him down to my level. Even in my six-inch heels, he had to bend over some .

The moment my lips landed on his, all my doubts and worries vanished. When he wasn’t answering my texts, my first thought was that something bad happened. But seeing him here in one piece eased all those fears.

The amount of intensity that Trevor kissed me back with let me know he missed me just as much as I did. No matter how bad I wanted to make out with him, it probably wasn’t the best time. Pulling back, Trevor softly cupped my cheeks, tilting my head back a little so I could look at him.

“You’re here.”

“I’m sorry I’m late. I’ll explain later, but I’m sorry,” Trevor spoke softly.

“I’m just glad you’re here.” For some reason, tears pricked the corners of my eyes as his thumbs brushed along my cheeks.

“You look absolutely breathtaking, Sunshine.” The way his eyes roamed over my face made my body light up. “Can’t wait to peel you out of this dress later.”

“I look forward to it.” The look that passed over his face had my lower belly tightening. Maybe we could leave right now. That thought flew out the window when I heard my mother say my name from behind me.

Trevor sent me an encouraging smile as he grabbed my hand. It won’t be that bad, Tasha. With a deep breath, I turned and squeezed Trevor’s hand, facing my parents.

“Mom, Dad. This is Trevor Hall. Trevor, these are my parents—Robert and Jennifer Davis.”

“Nice to meet you.” Trevor reached out to shake my parents’ hands. The way they hesitated had me gritting my teeth. Trevor didn’t seem fazed, though.

“Nice to meet you as well.” My father shook his hand, at least looking somewhat friendly. Unlike my mother, who shook his hand like he was going to give her rabies .

“My daughter hasn’t told us much about you.” My mother noted.

“We’ve kept our relationship pretty private,” Trevor swooped in to say before I could open my mouth. “Neither of us like outside forces trying to get in the way.”

I had to fight my hardest to keep the proud smile off my face. His comment might’ve come off as innocent, but it was clearly a jab at my parents. A jab my mother definitely heard as her eyes narrowed at him.

“Tasha tells us you had a hockey game today, and you still made it here,” my father butted in. For the first time, I wanted to reach out and hug my dad for changing the subject.

“I did. We’ve had games all week in the US, and we just landed a little bit ago.”

“I hear your team is fairly good.”

“They are the reigning Cup champions. I don’t think ‘good’ is the right word,” I interjected.

“Is that all you do? Play hockey?” my mother asked, using the same tone she did with me when she talked about my job. If it wasn’t for Trevor’s grip on my hand, I was pretty sure I would have snapped out a reply.

“I’ve also invested in some companies outside of hockey.” Along with my parents, my eyebrows raised in surprise. I didn’t know that.

“Oh. What companies?” Of course, that got my father's attention.

“Techscape, Medical Platinum, and NonProfits Secure , ” Trevor listed off. Growing up with parents like mine, I knew exactly what those companies were, and they weren’t no small companies, either.

The fact that Trevor was invested in them was impressive. And just showed his net worth rivaled most of the people in this room. I never, and would never, ask Trevor how much money he had, but I knew his hockey contract was one of the biggest in the league. Add in three of the biggest companies in the world… Yeah, he had some money.

I watched him converse with my dad like a pro. Trevor had always been a people person, and watching him talk to my dad while exuding confidence, was attractive as hell. If he was nervous meeting my parents I couldn’t tell.

After they talked for a good ten minutes, I finally interrupted them. Lacing my arm through his, I shot my parents a polite smile.

“I’m going to take him to get a drink.” I wanted a moment away from my parents to talk to Trevor. Before either could say anything, I was tugging Trevor away toward the bar, bypassing the tables all around us.

Eyes followed us as we crossed the floor, the same eyes that hadn’t left the two of us since Trevor arrived. I felt smug as hell at the fact that Trevor was hanging off my arm. No one here had a date that rivaled mine.

“If you were a peacock, your feathers would be out.”

Peacocks were known for puffing out their feathers when they strutted by for attention. I felt no shame walking past people.

“Sometimes, you have to give the people a little show.” I shrugged with a smirk.

“Mhm,” Trevor replied with his own smirk.

After we ordered a drink, I turned to face Trevor, still keeping a hand on him. Like I had to keep making sure he was really here.

“I’m glad you made it,” I spoke softly.

“I’m incredibly sorry I’m late. The plane took forever to take off, then we couldn’t get off the plane because of stuff on the runway. And then my phone died,” Trevor rattled off, almost like he thought I would be angry.

“I’m not mad.” I stepped closer to him, my hand coming up to his cheek. “I’m just glad you’re okay.” My thumb brushed against the spot on his jaw that was smooth to the touch. I had to admit, I already missed the slight stubble. He was definitely going to grow that back.

“You didn’t have to come, you know.” I would have been hurt, but I would have understood.

“Of course I did. I’ll always be here.” He leaned his face into my palm. “Couldn’t leave you alone with these people. Did you see the lady in the snakeskin dress?” I laughed at the way his eyes widened.

“You haven’t seen the lady dressed in the black leather yet.”

“What did you drag me into?” He joked.

“You haven’t seen anything yet. We don’t have to be here too much longer, though. My parents have to make some speeches and then see about the bids.”

“Well,” Trevor grabbed his beer with one hand and extended his other one to me, “Let's go be the hottest couple in the room.”

With a wide grin, I placed my hand in his.

“Lets.”

“Save me,” Trevor mouthed from across the ballroom. I grinned, completely ignoring the conversation going on around me.

A little bit ago, Trevor got snatched up by Mrs. Hans and dragged around to talk to different people. When I went to try and help, he waved me off, saying he was fine. That was half an hour ago and clearly he was wishing he had taken me up on it. Now, he was stuck talking to strangers about business.

I nodded along to whatever someone was saying beside me, but I kept my eyes on Trevor. I wasn’t going to drop him headfirst into the wolves. Although, I found it a bit comical watching him shift on his feet in discomfort. Payback for being late.

After the fifth pleading look he sent my way, I finally relented. Poor guy had been on his own long enough. Opening my mouth to excuse myself, I noticed a figure heading toward my boyfriend.

I stilled, noticing exactly who it was. I watched as Alexa Blackwood walked up to Trevor, smiling. The grip on my glass tightened.

I trusted Trevor. I just didn’t trust Alexa. Knowing her, she’d do something that gave the rumor mill something to talk about. Have everyone believe I was just using Trevor for his money, or that I cheated on him, or that he cheated on me with her. Whatever it was, it’d be so far from the truth.

Every part of me screamed to go over there, but I stayed where I was. Trevor could handle himself. But the moment she tried something, you could bet your ass I would be right there.

People were talking all around, but I didn’t hear a single word. My eyes were glued to the girl who was now introducing herself to my boyfriend. I watched as she smiled up at him with her ‘fake good girl’ smile and touched his arm.

I could see Trevor’s polite smile as he greeted her back, but I could tell he was only saying hello to be nice. Alexa kept talking, keeping that annoying ass smile on her face as she did. I wanted nothing more than to walk over there and slap it off her face.

When Trevor said something, Alexa threw her head back, laughing loudly and making a few heads turn to look at the pair. I clenched my wine glass tighter as my eyes narrowed. I doubted whatever he said was that funny.

Red was clouding my vision the longer the two spoke. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but if the bitch put another hand on my man, I was going to lose my shit. When I saw Alexa step closer to Trevor, gripping his bicep, the control I had on myself snapped.

On the outside, I was calm as I excused myself from the group around me. I quickly drank the rest of my wine and handed it to a waiter as I slowly walked toward Trevor and Alexa.

My heels clicked on the marble as jealousy flared in my chest. Trevor was mine. Mine to touch, to kiss, to have. Apparently, someone didn’t get the message earlier but they would now.

I'd never felt this kind of jealousy before, especially not with a guy. Yes, seeing someone flirt with a past boyfriend didn’t sit well. Or seeing them after we broke up with someone else. But it was never like this. Like molten rage under my skin.

As I neared the pair, Trevor’s eyes landed on me over Alexa’s head. I didn’t miss the look of relief on his face. It did little to calm the hurricane brewing inside of me. I wanted to walk up to Alexa and shove her, but I suppressed the urge.

“There you are,” I spoke as I walked around Alexa, going straight to Trevor’s side and lacing my arm through his. I looked up at his face, but from the corner of my eye, I caught Alexa’s smile vanish, her eyes narrowed at me.

“Oh, I see you two have met.” I looked at Alexa with the fakest smile I could muster. I hoped she could see the snarl resting underneath.

“Alexa was just telling me how you two are friends,” Trevor supplied.

“Oh really? ”

“Tasha and I go way back.” Alexa grinned at Trevor. “We were thick as thieves back in the day.”

I didn’t like the way she was looking at Trevor. Like she was picturing what he looked like underneath his suit. Unfortunately for her, she’d never know. What I was about to say was a bitch move, but I couldn’t stand being next to Alexa any longer.

“We were. Right before you snuck into my phone and shared half naked pictures of myself to the entire school.” I said it so casually, like I was talking about the weather. “Oh, and before you slept with my boyfriend.” The first boy I ever truly liked.

Alexa slept over at my house that night. When I went to go shower, she grabbed my phone and went through my private pictures. Pictures I took in the safety of my bedroom. Some for my boyfriend at the time, and some just because I felt sexy in them. Somehow, she managed to send them to herself and cover up that she did so.

It wasn’t until a week later when I walked into school, every single person whispering while staring at me, that I learned Alexa paid someone to send my pictures to everyone, and I mean everyone , along with photos of her with my boyfriend, the two sneaking around behind my back for months.

I had to walk the halls of school with everyone laughing, whispering, and judging me while Alexa stood there grinning with her arm around my boyfriend. Acting like she won some huge prize.

There was almost nothing worse than having someone who you thought was your best friend ruin your life. Someone you trusted who went behind your back and did something so disgusting.

All I wanted to do was run home and cry as everything in my life had been turned upside down. I lost my boyfriend, who I really thought loved me, and lost someone who I thought was my best friend.

Instead of giving Alexa what she wanted all those years ago, seeing me cry right there in the middle of the hallway, I did the exact opposite. I did exactly what my mother had taught me for years. I straightened my back, ignored everyone around me, and walked to class like nothing was wrong. Like I wasn’t breaking on the inside. In the end, my indifference to it pissed Alexa off even more. I gained new friends out of which, though, which was probably the only blessing in the entire situation.

“Such close friends.” My voice dripped with honey. I could feel Trevor’s eyes on me as I narrowed mine at Alexa. I took a tiny step toward her as she stumbled back one. “Don’t even think about touching what’s mine. I have no problem ruining your life like you did mine all those years ago. Just a simple click of a button would have everyone in here knowing about your affairs.”

Once more, Alexa’s face paled at my words. There really was something wrong with me as I soaked up the expression on her face. It would be so easy to let everyone here know that she was sleeping with half of these women’s husbands. And it probably would feel just as great.

Giving her one last warning look, I tugged on Trevor's arm, leading us away from Alexa Blackwood. If she was smart she’d leave Trevor and me the hell alone.

“Well, that was…” Trevor trailed off as we walked across the marble floor, going over to stand near a wall away from everyone.

“She’s lucky I didn’t do anything more for touching you,” I muttered.

“Jealousy looks stunning on you, Sunshine,” Trevor leaned down and whispered in my ear.

Tilting my head back slightly, I looked up at him .

“No one touches what’s mine. Especially not her.” I bared my teeth.

Trevor’s hand came up and grabbed the side of my neck, thumb resting below my chin. Bending slightly, his lips hovered over mine. “I’m all yours, baby. Forever.”

Forever wasn’t long enough to be with Trevor Hall.