THE TRINITY

25.

STORMI

"What happened to your face?" Anne gasped in horror.

"Well I'm sure you heard about my fight a while ago.... well I got into another one." I covered up the reason for my cuts. Tori's family has been to our events before so she won't suspect anything even though she won't be at this one. Her family is involved with city stuff just like Austins. But not the law firm side of things.

"qu'est-ce qui t'a pris? (What has gotten into you?)" she shook her head disapprovingly.

"c'est cette salope avec qui j'étais ami (It's that slut I was friends with)" I rolled my eyes. She knows exactly who I am referring to.

"ne la laisse pas t'embêter mon amour. Vous êtes mieux que cela. (Don't let her bother you my love. You are better than that.)" She scoffed.

"ça ne se reproduira plus (It will not happen again)" I swore.

"Nothing some makeup can't fix." She smiled. "You are lucky your mother is wound tight or I would not be here" She laughed.

"I'm glad you are. My father would freak out if he saw my face."

"The secret is between us." She smiled while staring at my makeup.

I looked at the sofa where the extra pillow and blankets were from where Landon slept last night. He left this morning when Elijah called to say Anne was on her way up and he said he'd be back soon.

I've already told him I'd be safe at the hotel because we have security but he refuses to accept it since they didn't even notice I was gone last night.

I don't know how to feel about last night. I keep replaying the kiss in my head over and over. And him saying he's wanted to do it since our talk in the parking lot. It feels like there's been a whole shift in the air.

**********

I'm finally dressed and ready to head to the banquet. I hate going to these things. The food is always delicious but I hate listening to the speaker go on and on about how good of a company my dad is running.

Anne and Cheryl just left and Elijah told me he would be up in a few minutes to get me for the limo. I walked over to the mini bar opening up a shot of Titos and throwing it back to prepare myself. This is a full circle moment. I went from never touching alcohol to needing it to get through these things.

A knock on the door almost caused me to choke on the shot. I swallowed it, tossing the bottle in the trash.

"Coming Elijah" I grabbed my clutch as I walked past the side table.

I swung the door open ready to greet Elijah when I was smacked in the face by Landon's appearance. He was dressed to the T. He had on an all black suit, even the button up was black. No surprise there. His hair was flopped on top of his head like usual but it looked nicer like he tried to fix it. He looks very very ho-

"You're drooling" he smirked, snapping me out of my thoughts. I looked up to him seeing a smirk plastered on his face. I grabbed his arm, pulling him into the room and shutting the door.

"What are you doing here?" I told him he couldn't come.

"I told you I was going with you. '' He mocked my stance by putting his hands on his hips. His eyes ran over my face and he scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "You're cut..." he swiped his thumb softly over my eyebrow. The spot where his finger just rubbed was still tingling from the touch and I felt my heartbeat picking up.

"Anne," I smiled. "She has a gift"

"I didn't know makeup was that good." He still looked surprised.

"You'd be amazed what makeup can do" I told him when knocks on the door snapped me back to reality.