Holy motherfuck.

Slowly, I make my way to her clit, tonguing and rolling it in a tight circle, then sucking. Her back bows off the bed. I grip her hips and hold her in place for my mouth. When she stops squirming, I move my hand to her soft belly. With my other hand, I tease her entrance, then slide one finger inside her, seeking and stroking that special spot I remember can make her go nuts.

She lets out a sharp cry, and I smile against her pussy. I suck the tight peak of her clit into my mouth once more, and she rewards me. Shudder after shudder wracks her body as she thrashes around on the bed.

"Wyatt," she whispers.

Fuck yes, the way she says my name unravels me. I kiss my way up her body, pausing to work her shirt and bra off. She won't be needing those any time soon. My fingers trail over the tips of her nipples, then my tongue. I can't stop touching every inch of her, kissing my way up to her neck and finally her mouth. Her hands fly into my hair and she drags me against her. Her legs wrap around my hips.

I slide my hand between us and down her flat stomach with painstaking slowness. Payback for all the times she's teased me. As I inch closer to her sweet little snatch, her head falls back and she sighs. Cupping her pussy tight in the palm of my hand, I thrust two fingers inside her, slide them out, then thrust deeper.

A louder moan drags from her throat, so I reward it by stroking her clit with my thumb. I keep up the steady pressure until her entire body shakes with need.

I can't take any more.

Slipping my fingers out, I grin like a devil when she whines in protest. The raging caveman inside me isn't satisfied yet. I'd pushed her in here to finally fucking own her the way she's owned me since the first time I laid eyes on her. I snatch a condom out of my pocket and kick off my pants.

I kiss her cheeks, her eyelids, her chin. "You ready for me now, Angel Face?"

"Oh, yes."

I roll the condom on and drive into her with one powerful thrust. She contracts around me, squeezing my cock so fucking tight. I throb, eager to pound into her, but wait. When the tension melts from her body, I pull out and sink back in.

"Trinity."

She quivers as I roll my hips down and start frantically pounding into her. Sweet sighs and moans fill my ears. She nips at my earlobe, and I lose it. Mindlessly, over and over, I thrust into her. I need her to recognize she belongs to me.

"Open those angel eyes. Look at me."

She tips her head forward, her glazed eyes searing into me. "This isn't enough, angel. You better be ready for a whole lot more."

Her inner muscles clamp down. "Yeah, you like that, don't you? Your pussy's strangling my dick."

She bobs her head up and down as a sort of dazed acknowledgment of my filthy words. I keep driving into her at this wild, frantic pace. While she writhes and shakes under me, I lean over, burying my face in her neck.

"Fuck, you feel good." I can't get out any more words. Guttural grunts fill the air around us until I come like a fucking rocket.

Waking up alone the next morning is unexpected. We spent the day and night together. Working each other over. I planned to wake up with a naked Trinity in my arms and do it all over again.

But she's gone.

Checking the bathroom, I find no sign of her.

I dress quickly and open my door. Hallway's empty. It's still early.

Marching downstairs, I'm surprised I don't pass anyone.

I find Trinity coming out of her bedroom. Headed to the kitchen, I suppose.

Words to beg her forgiveness well up in my throat, but I'm not even sure what I did wrong.

Then the anger takes over. I corner her, pushing her against the wall. "Why did you leave?"

She cocks her head and stares at me as if she has no idea what I'm talking about.

"Trinity, I thought we finally had our shit figured out."

"We do. We're friends again. I'm glad. I hate fighting with you."

Friends?

"I've always been your friend." Okay, maybe not entirely true. But I've always loved her. Except how would she know that from my shitty behavior?

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. What we did yesterday was anything but friendly," I sneer.

She flushes bright pink. "Yeah, it was a good time."

A good time? A good fucking time? I pause. She's trying to piss me off. Push me away. Why?

Trying a softer approach, I tuck a few strands of hair behind her ear, "Trinity, I thought we could-"

She cuts me off. "Wrath, whatever's going on in your head, just stop. Neither one of us is capable of it right now."

What. The. Fuck?

How fucking dare she tell me what I'm capable of? I've tortured myself. Agonized over this woman for eight fucking years. Just when does she think we'll be capable?

"How much more time would you like, Trinity? It's been eight goddamn years."

She's got no answer for me. Before I do something stupid, again, I walk away.

I jog upstairs to grab my phone and text the guy who arranges the fights. There's no way I'm gonna be able to contain this rage. He can't get one scheduled right away, but he promises me something big.

I'm going to need it.

The tears I'd been holding on to all morning finally let loose as I'm folding laundry, of all things.

Yesterday with Wrath? Un-fucking-believably amazing. Yet also a complete mindfuck that threw me into the past with a painful thump. Admitting how much I trusted him cut me deep.

Telling him I only wanted to be friends this morning?

Bleeding-out-on-the-floor painful.

I let him believe I thought he was the problem. When deep down, I know it's me. I'm too fucked up. Too damaged to ever be anything more than I am now. A club whore.

Maybe no one calls me that here. But we all know that's what I am. Wrath's kidding himself if he thinks he can change that.

A few more of those thoughts and I'm sobbing into the clean towels. Warm, fresh-scented terrycloth soaking up my tears.

"Trinity, what's wrong?" Rock's voice behind me startles me out of my sobfest.

Straightening up and willing away the tears, I turn and face the only man-besides my father-who's protected me without expecting a damn thing in return.

I can't burden him with my emotional meltdown. "Nothing. I'm good."

Concern etches his face. His shrewd eyes take me in, lingering on my neck. "Did someone hurt you?"

Fuck. I forgot the hickeys Wrath left all over me. Jackass.

Sniffling the last of my tears away, I shake my head. "No. I'm fine."

"Trinity. Talk to me." He reaches out and gently takes the towel out of my hands and sets it on the washer. After a second, he pulls me into his arms.

The floodgates open. In between all the tears, I'm fucking mortified. I hate crying or showing vulnerability in front of anyone. A long time ago, I learned showing weakness gives people a weapon to use against you.

Although, if I had to cry in front of anyone, at least it's Rock. He won't make fun or take advantage of me.

"Wrath hates me," I mumble against his shirt.

Rock's body stiffens for a moment. Then he rubs my back. "Honey, ever since I've known him, he's carried a fuckload of rage inside. Got nothing to do with you."

"I don't know what he wants from me."

Rock sighs. "He cares about you. Always has."

A hiccup jumps out of me.

"You care about him?"

"Yes," I answer miserably.

"You love him?"

A fresh river of tears flows down my cheeks. "I don't know how."

"Honey, did you ever talk to him? Tell him about your past?"

"No. He was so angry with me and kept trying to push me out of the club. I never tried."

Above me, Rock curses. "I'm sorry, Trinity. I was in a shitty place myself back then, and didn't realize how serious he was about you. I should have done things differently."

His words scald. "You would have kicked me out?"

"No. Of course not. I would have locked you two in a fucking room and made you sort your shit out, though."

I can't help laughing at the image that pops into my head.

"That's better."

I risk a glance up at him. "Is Hope here with you?"

"No, I stopped by to catch up on a few things. Why? Would you feel better talking to her about this instead of me?"

I'm startled by the offer. "Oh, no. She already probably thinks I'm trash. I couldn't-"

His hold on me tightens even as the hard lines of his face soften. "Hey. I don't ever want to hear you say that about yourself again. I know for a fact she likes you very much."

Something about that makes me happy. I don't have many girlfriends in my life. Club girls don't really count, as they all see me as competition. "I'm sorry. I know you have more important things to deal with."

Rock pins me with one of his serious stares. "Trinity, you are important to me. If you need something, I want you to tell me. Always."

"Okay."

"Why don't you finish this later? Guys need towels, they can walk their lazy asses down here and grab them. Go for a walk outside and clear your head."

It's a perfect suggestion. Rock knows me well. I can happily get lost walking through the trails on the property for hours sometimes. Rock and Wrath have always insisted I take a pistol with me in case I run into trespassers or a bear. I grab one I'm familiar with out of the safe. As I'm locking it up and grabbing a jacket, Z and Wrath come in the front door.

"Hey, mama," Z greets me with a peck on the cheek. Wrath's nostrils flare. Any jealousy he's feeling is pointless. Z and I haven't been more than friends in a long time. The only thing we do these days is bitch to each other about our shitty love lives. He keeps moving past me and walks into the office, closing the door behind him.

Wrath lifts his chin at me. "Where you going?"

I'm still so fucking messed up I can't meet his eyes. I'll lose it if he sees that I've been crying over him. Over us.

"Just for a walk. Don't worry. I'm armed," I say, trying to lighten the gloom around us.

That brings a smirk to his lips. "Good." His gaze darts to the closed office door. "I gotta take care of something, but if you can hang on a couple minutes, I'll go with you."

"That's okay. I want to be alone."

His jaw ticks, but he doesn't ask again.

I'm still fuming from Trinity's rejection-actually, make that two rejections; she wouldn't even take a damn walk with me-when we sit down to church this week. I finally got my fight scheduled earlier in the day and drop it on the club right before we finish.

"Gonna be a fuck ton of money if we play it right. Three fights. I go last. Kid they want me up against is coming from professional MMA."

"No shit," Z says.

Smug grin firmly in place, I agree with my brother. "Yup. Fucker won't have any idea how to fight dirty. Piece of cake."

Teller stares down at the notes he brought to the meeting. "We could use an influx of cash." He glances at Rock. "How much is the club comfortable parting with?"

"Fuck you," I growl. How dare he suggest I might not win?

Rock holds out his hand. "Simmer the fuck down. It's Teller's job to be risk averse with our money. Nothing against you."

Teller nods. "Sorry, brother."