“I’m going to go alone. I think it’ll be good for me.”
I step closer, removing my arms from my pockets. “I don’t. I think you need me there.”
She steps back. “I don’t need you to save me. I’m a strong, independent woman.”
She’s taking everything I say the wrong way. “I know you are, that’s not what I meant.”
“Just go, Ben. Go back to being the Ben you want to be.” She steps closer to her building. “I have to get back to work.” She opens the door, and turns back to me. “Have fun in your VIP room tonight.”
I don’t say a word. What can I say? Clara thinks I’m an asshole who sleeps around, well fine, that’s exactly what I’ll be.
Chapter 13
Clara
“Clara, Mr. Carnet wants to talk to you,” the receptionist, Sarah, says when I come back inside.
“Did he see?” My heart’s still clobbering in my chest at the sight of Ben, and telling him to go away. I mean, he’s only the hottest man I’ve ever laid eyes on before, and I’m still not even sure why I told him to leave.
I want nothing more than for him to take me to Maureen’s wedding, but when I’m around him I lose myself in him.
I lose all coherent thoughts.
Sarah nods, and I bang my head on the counter in frustration. “You better hurry. He seems angry.”
“Of course he is. Why are there men on this planet? The world would be so much easier without them.”
“But then there wouldn’t be penises.”
“Sarah, when did you become a penis deviant?”
“I’ve always been like this but you’re the head of HR. You’re not going to get me in trouble for the penis thing are you?”
I laugh when she whispers penis which I didn’t think was possible to do after she told me my boss wanted to see me.
“You’ll be safe. I think it’s me who’s in trouble.”
“Trouble with work, or trouble with that gorgeous playboy slobbering all over you?”
“I think both.”
“Well, if I were you I’d be happy to be in trouble with him. He’s one of the Trifectas isn’t he?”
“How did you know?” I’m sure I don’t want to know the answer.
“We went to Big Willie’s for my best friend’s birthday. I hear he’s quite the bad boy. Didn’t know he made house calls, or well, work calls.”
“I better not keep Mr. Carnet waiting.” I rap my knuckles on the counter, shooting her a fake smile.
“Good luck. Oh, and Clara?” she asks.
“Yes.” I glance at her over my shoulder.
“Could you possibly introduce me to the Trifecta?”
I roll my eyes, walking through the double doors to speak with my boss.
“Sarah said you wanted to see me,” I say as I enter his office.
“Please come in and shut the door.” He smiles at me behind the most ridiculous mustache known to man. Like he would put Sam Elliott to shame. The fluorescents hanging in his office do nothing to dim the glare off his bald head.
After I do as he asks, I sit down and put on my most innocent expression. “What is it you wanted to talk to me about?”
He rubs his neck before speaking, “Clara, you’ve been an exceptional employee and I wouldn’t be surprised if you were promoted by the end of the year.” Bullshit, they've been dangling a promotion in my face for over a year.
“But?”
“That was that Trifecta boy you were with in the parking lot today, right?”
I blink. Does he attend the shows? How does he know who the Trifecta are? “Yes, sir.”
“So what? You’re dating him or something?” Mr. Carnet asks.
I straighten my blouse. “Uh, that’s really none of your business.” I can’t believe I’m taking this tone with my boss, but why is he asking me this? And why would he think Ben’s my boyfriend?
“Did you ever get me the Morrison file?”
Um, did he ever ask for it? “Uh, no sir. Did you need it?”
“Clara, this is the third time I’ve had to ask you for things today. But, it’s not just that, the past few months you’ve been performing poorly at your job.”
I have? This is all news to me. “Why didn’t you bring me in? Talk to me?”
He chuckles and the sound grates on my nerves. “Well, I’m telling you now.”
“It won’t happen again. I’ll get you that file.”
“No, why don’t you just go home for the rest of the afternoon. Actually why don’t you go home until I talk to the board and figure out what we’re going to do with you.”
“You’re firing me?”
“No one’s saying anything about firing anyone. I’m sure your father would have a field day with that one.” He lowers his head. “I should have never hired Banning’s daughter. Spoiled girl pretending to work when she knows she has Daddy’s money.”
“Excuse me?”
He snaps his head up, his eyes meeting mine. “Uh, nothing. You can go now.”
My face flames red, and my veins turn to molten lava. I’m so upset. I don’t think I’ve ever been this angry in my life. “Does this have anything to do with me knowing Ben Jamison?”
He doesn’t speak right away, but I can already see the truth in his eyes. It has everything to do with him. “Clara, we’ll call you soon. Now please, go home. And I seriously suggest finding better company to keep. Being with someone who doesn't understand the importance of marriage vows isn't a good person to be around."
I look over to where Mr. Carnet used to have a picture of him and his wife only to see it gone. There are rumors floating around that his wife cheated on him, and they were now separated. Being in HR gives you all the good gossip.
My heart drops in my stomach thinking Ben slept with Mr . Carnet's wife. I thought he was a good guy under his whorish behavior. With what Mr. Carnet is implying shows I was way off.
Who sleeps with a married woman?
I think of Maureen getting married, and wonder if Ben will sleep with her on her wedding day. I shake my head, needing to think.
"Thank you, sir.” I don’t know why I’m thanking him at all, but the respectable side of me comes out. A small part of me almost asked if he wanted the Morrison file before I left, and then I remembered this whole thing is Ben’s fault, and I want nothing more than to confront him.
I wave to Sarah on my way out the door, after collecting my things. I know the only reason I wasn’t fired was because he doesn’t want my father to sue him. And maybe I should call my father and figure out why this happened to me.
But first, I need to see if Ben knows Mr. Carnet. It’s the only explanation.
I hop in my car, rushing over to the Trifecta’s house.
“Hey, Clara what are you doing here?” Axel or Damien asks when they answer the door. I still can’t tell them apart.
“I’m here to see Ben.”
“Ben’s in his room getting his stuff. We’re getting ready to go to work.”
“Clara, what’s up?” Ben drops his bag with a thud.
“I got fired because of you today.”
“Wait, what?”
“Well, not technically fired, but I’m sure it’s coming once they waft through the legal red tape of it all.”
“Ok, you need to back up a few pages. What?”
I move into the house, crossing into the living room. I park a hand on my hip. “My boss saw us together, and then called me into his office.”
“And he fired you?” Axel or Damien asks. Definitely Axel. Definitely.
I face him. “Well, he let me go until he can talk to the ‘board.’” I put my fingers up, signaling air quotes.
Damien laughs. “See Ben, you really are bad news.”
“Shut up,” Ben warns, crossing the room to stand closer to me. “I don’t understand.”
“You and me both. Do you know Mr. Carnet? Jack Carnet. He runs Carnet Properties.”
I want to cross my fingers and ma
ke a wish on a wishing well that Ben doesn't know him and Mr. Carnet is wrong thinking Ben slept with his wife.
Ben thinks for a moment, his gorgeous green eyes glancing up at the ceiling as he searches his memories. “Um, I don’t think so.”
Axel thrusts a phone in Ben’s face. “I Googled him, this is what he looks like.”
Ben studies the picture. “No, I have no clue.” He scrolls through the pictures on his social media page. He stops, his eyes stuck to a picture of Mr. Carnet and his wife. I stop myself from gagging.
“Well, what does he have against you? Did you sleep with his daughter, or worse, wife?” Axel asks him.
"I didn't sleep with his wife." I search his face and see he's being sincere.
"Then why are you looking at his picture like you want to puke?" Damien asks.
"Because she tried to sleep with me."
"What?" I screech.
He looks at me peeling his attention away from the picture. "You honestly think I'd sleep with a married woman?" His voice sounds sad and I feel awful.
"He insinuated you did, and they’re separated. There are rumors she cheated on him." My voice is barely above a whisper.
"She tried to sleep with me one night. She was all over me, but I saw her wedding ring and shut her down. She was mad and said she'd tell her husband we slept together anyway. She wanted out of her marriage, and was trying to use me. She was so drunk I assumed she never went through with it. When I didn't hear anything from a scorned husband I figured nothing happened. I guess I was wrong.
“Oh my God.” This can’t be happening. “See Ben, you just can’t keep it in your pants and it causes mayhem.”
Ben laughs a bit. “It does cause mayhem.”
“Shut up, dude,” Damien says.
“Look, this guy can’t just fire you for no good reason.” Ben steps closer to me. “We’ll fight this. If it’s what you really want. It’s not like you even need that job anyway.”
“It wasn’t just some job. It was my stepping stone. I went to school and got my Master’s in Business Management. I wanted to work from the ground up at an office without my father’s influence. And when I was done learning everything I could at every level I was going to start my own business. I had a plan. A well laid out plan and you had to storm into my work and mess it all up.”
“You can find another job.”
I shake my head. “I don’t want another job, Ben.” It’s like he can’t even hear me.
“Well, I can tell you Mr. Carnet will not get away with this,” the brother’s voice in unison.
“No, it’s ok. I don’t want you guys making more of a mess than it already is.”
“Clara, I didn’t know,” Ben says, apologetically.
I wave my hand, slumping onto their large, overstuffed sofa. “It’s fine. I’ll figure it out.”
“We may have an idea,” Damien says, grabbing my attention.
“Stay out of it Damien,” Ben says.
Ben’s eyes widen as if he’s been trapped. I cock my head to the side, trying to figure out what’s going on, and what has Ben looking so frantic.
“No Ben, this is a great idea.”
“It’s not a good idea and you need to stay out of it.” Ben reaches out his hand and I take it. “We need to get to work.”
“What’s your brother talking about?”
Ben pins me with a stare. “Nothing.”
“Look, if it can help me with my job situation, then I want to hear it.”
Ben crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m trying to keep this all business between us, but it’s kind of hard to do when you’re around.”
Before I can question anything, Damien and Axel lead me into the kitchen. “Can we talk to you in here?”
“Don’t do this,” Ben says from behind me. “We’re going to be late for work.”
“We’ll be fine. Like I said, they’ll wait for the Trifecta.” Damien sits me down at the kitchen table, while Axel goes and pours me coffee.
“I think we should go.” Ben says, taking the coffee from my hands.
“Hey, I wanted that.” I say, trying to get it back.
“No coffee. No talking. You need to go, Clara.”
I like the way Ben appears to be panicking about whatever his brother’s are insinuating. I wiggle in my chair getting comfortable and watch Ben squirm.
“You have your Master’s in Business Management? And you got in trouble at your job today?” Damien turns the chair around sitting on it backwards. Axel does the same thing. Ben paces the kitchen, running his hands through his hair.
“I do, and thanks to your brother I’m suspended from my job until they decide if my father is going to sue, and when they realize he isn’t I’ll be out of a job.”
“This can work out perfect.”
“Can you tell me what’s going on? I’m confused.”
“It seems our brother didn’t mention we’re buying Big Willie’s.”
“You’re buying the strip club?”
“Yes, we’re buying the strip club. We don’t need an outsider.” Ben says from across the room.
“How interesting.” I put my elbows on the table and my hands under my chin.
“It’s not really. We need to go.” Ben comes over putting his hands on the back of my chair as if he’s going to pull it out and kick me out.
“Stop, Ben. We’ve both agreed to do whatever we can to make our club the best.” Axel opens his eyes wide as if he’s trying to do a secret triplet talk.
“Yes, but what makes you think Clara is what we need?” Ben asks with frustration tinting his voice.
“Because I have a feeling she’s exactly what we need.” Damien grabs Ben’s shoulder, shaking him.
“So we’re just going to go on a feeling?” Ben asks.
“Yep.” Damien smacks Ben. “What are you doing tonight?” Damien asks me.
“I don’t know. I guess I'll go home and start scanning the help wanted ads. Unless you have a better idea?” I blink all innocence on my face as I look back at Ben who is still clenching my chair. Ben groans and rubs his hands over his face.
“You should come to the club with us so we can talk to you. I don’t think you’re going to need any want ads.” Axel pushes Ben off my chair and pulls it back holding his hand out for me to take.
Ben hits Axel’s hand away and helps me up. “Come on you’ve made us late.”
“Be nice,” Damien says with a wide smile.
“Come on, Clara. Get in my car.”
“I don’t think so, Ben. I think I’ll go with one of your brothers, they don’t look so growly.” Axel turns a laugh into a cough and I shrug my shoulders.
“It’s your fault I’m growly. Come on we’re going to be late.” Ben grabs my hand. I hate the electricity flowing through me at his touch. I wave goodbye to Axel and Damien and they chuckle as they wave back.
I climb into Ben’s Range Rover. I wiggle into the seat in a better mood since being fired today. It seems annoying Ben is healing to my bruised ego.
But, why is he annoyed so much? Doesn’t he want me to have a better job?
Chapter 14
Ben
Of course, I think Clara should work with us. I’m not a fucking moron, ok? But, I’m trying to play by her rules.
She wants to keep things all business. And all I want to do is kiss the fuck out of her. It’s becoming a real problem.
So, when my brothers both decided it would be the best idea in all the land to have Clara come work for us at Big Willie’s, I just had to step up and say something.
But, instead I acted like a fool.
“I might have to get a Range Rover.” Clara strokes the interior of my car as if she doesn’t have a care.
It’s distracting.
I grab her hand and place it on her thigh, holding it down with mine. “Just stop.”
“Stop what?” she asks as if she’s swimming in my aggravation with glee. I grind my teeth together and push down even h
arder on her hand.
“You know what you’re doing.”
“And what do you think I’m doing?” she asks, keeping the innocent act going.
When I left the parking lot of her work, I was ready to respect her wishes. I refuse to admit my heart stuttered when she came into my house after being fired. And I mean it, she deserves a better job. I just don’t think I can survive keeping my eyes off her if she’s working for us, and it pisses me off. I won’t be in control.
And I’m always in control.
“You’re enjoying this aren't you? This making me angry, pretending like you don’t know you being here is pissing me off.”
And she no longer appears pleased. I feel bad. She acts like I siphoned her happy pool, and now she’s sitting at the bottom with no where to go. I squeeze her hand as an apology.
“Yes, I was enjoying the growly attitude you were throwing at me. I like that I can throw you off. You threw me off by coming to my work today, so it’s payback.” The truthfulness makes me smile. I lift her hand and brush a kiss over her knuckles. Her blatant disregard for social niceties, being able to say what she means is refreshing. I like that she doesn’t care that I'm a part of the Trifecta. I like that she fights with me and doesn’t try to flatter me.
“Wait, does that mean I put you off?” I ask.
“So tell me about the club?” She changes the subject.
I crack a grin and put her hand on my thigh. “Ok, I’ll let you avoid the question for now.”
“There are still gentlemen in the world.” She puts her free hand over her heart and I smile.
“My brothers and I are triplets.”
“What? I had no idea.”
“Ok, smartass. We were tiny and got picked on a lot when we went to school. We had to stick together because we were all we had.” It’s Clara’s time to squeeze my leg, and I wink at her.
“We kept the bullying away from my parents but a concerned teacher let the mean kid out of the bag. My dad took things into his own hands.”
“He didn’t beat the kids up, did he?”
I smile. “No, he didn’t beat up the kids picking on us, but he did help us learn how to work out. He woke us up everyday before school and taught us about nutrition. We started gaining muscle. The kids stopped being mean to us and started to be friends with us. We became the popular kids."
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