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She sighed, deciding that maybe talking to her friend might help her make sense of her jumbled feelings. "We met on Valentine's Day." When he didn't acknowledge, she added, "Chase, Jaxson and Emma set usup."
Technically, that was true, in the strictest of definitions. She wouldn't explain that, in reality, it had been the turn of a roulette wheel that had sealed theirfate.
She watched him internalize her answer before he dug deeper. "I've never asked you, but how did you end up in D.C. that weekend? I know you flew to New York, not Washington. You came back acting so different. Upset even. I thought it was because you and Dean had brokenup."
Funny how it was easier for her to talk about being humiliated by Dean than it was to explain her and Ryder's confusingconnection.
"I went back early to surprise Dean, only I was the one who was shocked. I walked into my bedroom just in time to watch him fucking Gloria Mining as she hung from a hook he had the balls to install into the ceiling ofmybedroom."
"Ouch."
"Can you believe Daniel Mining invited me to a foursome with him, Gloria and Dean in New York? That was why I didn't want to stay at The Plaza. They were pressuring me to jointhem."
He looked furious. "I wish I'dknown."
"Why? What could you have done aboutit?"
"Well for one, I would have told Natalie to fuck off when she told me she'd arranged for Dean to be on the red carpet waiting for you at thetheater."
They'd never discussed it, but now was the perfect time. "You should have told her to fuck off anyway," she protested. "I expect that kind of shit from her, but I need you to protect me, not just from the public, but even from herbullshit."
"I told you I'm sorry for that, and I am. But..." he stopped abruptly, looking tempted to saymore.
"What?" shecoaxed.
"You like to pick and choose what you want me to protect you from." She heard the anger in his tone as he continued. "I mean, seriously. Who the hell is Helms to swoop in on a motorcycle and steal you from right in front of me? No warning. It gave me a fucking heart attack, Khloe. Then when I have the audacity to try to protect you from him today at the studio, you side with him even though he beatyou!"
Embarrassment warred with surprise, yet she couldn't let his statement stand without correction. "He didn't beatme."
"I don't know what else to call it. Don't you dare lie to me. I saw the marks on your ass as we pulled you under the door in the bathroom thisafternoon."
She felt the heat rushing to her cheeks. "He didn't beat me." Their eyes locked, he waited expectantly. "He spanked me. There's adifference."
"Why the hell would he do that? You're a grown woman, for Christ'ssake."
"I don't expect you to understand. Hell, I don't even understand. It's just the kind of relationship wehave."
"Some kind of relationship. Where has he been since Valentine'sDay?"
She was about to lose her cool. He was digging into the very heart of what she didn't knowherself.
"I have no idea. We haven't even spoken. And before you ask, he knew where to find me fromJaxson."
"So it was his semen in yourapartment."
She was confused. "What?"
"On the underwear. The forensics guy found semen on your underwear. I assumed it wasDean's."
"It's none ofyour..."
"Bullshit. You don't get to pick and choose when you want me to be more than your bodyguard,remember?"
Okay, he was right. "Yes, it wasRyder's."
She felt like she was under a microscope. Trevor glared at her silently before asking the million-dollarquestion.
"Do you lovehim?"
