An Unexpected Betrayal

Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Trinity paced in front of the statues, the sound of the dozer coming closer. Surely her father wouldn’t really destroy them if she didn’t have them out of the way before he was ready to clean up this area. It wasn’t like he’d given her that much time to deal with them. Spotting Troy coming towards her, she hurried forward, taking one of the packing blankets he’d thrown over his shoulder. “I’ll get started on wrapping them up.” She ran to the statues.

“Why does yours get wrapped first? Why not mine?” Troy asked.

“I was the one who found them.”

Troy came to a stop next to her, tossing a packing blanket over each of the other statues. “I’m the one who’ll be doing most of the work.”

She tucked the end of the blanket into a fold and stepped back. “I’ll wrap yours next while you take mine out to the ute.” She started wrapping the next statue, glancing frequently towards Troy as he put the statue on the trolley and strapped it into place. As he headed for the street, she began to wrap the last statue.

They had all three statues on the tray of the ute, the furniture trolley next to them, held into place with ratchet straps, before the dozer reached where they’d been. Trinity sent her father a text message as she climbed into the front of the ute, letting him know Troy was giving her and the statues a lift home. She grinned when she read his reply.

“What did he say?” Troy slid into the driver’s seat, starting the engine once he’d closed the door.

She chuckled before reading out the comment. “Not only are you not helping, but you’re stealing my right hand.”

Troy pulled out onto the street, laughing. “You’d think he’d be used to it.”

“I’ll work extra hard once we’ve got the statues to safety.”

“I was serious about what I said.”

“What exactly?”

“I’d love that statue.”

She wanted to tell him yes, but the thought of separating them seemed wrong.

“I’m guessing your silence means no.”

“Maybe. They just seem like they belong together.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll change my mind later.”

Troy laughed. “Like that ever happens.”

She grinned. It happened. But he was right. Sometimes she could be a little bit stubborn. Looking out the window, she watched the passing scenery, her grin fading. It was the first day of the September school holidays and she’d agreed to help her father these holidays. It didn’t look like she was off to a good start. She was meant to be figuring out what she wanted to do when she finished year twelve at the end of the year. University didn’t really appeal to her. Neither did landscaping. But she had to do something.

“You okay?”

Her gaze was drawn to Troy. “How did you know you wanted to be a landscaper?”

“Still worried about next year?”

She shrugged.

Troy glanced at her. “There aren’t many jobs that allow you to play in the dirt.” He glanced at her again, grinning. “Although if we don’t get done before the rain starts we’ll be playing in the mud.”

“What about if you have no idea what you want to do? Or at least no realistic idea of what you want to do.”

“Go with the unrealistic.”

“I don’t think that’s possible. Witches and wizards don’t exist.”

“You talking bubbling cauldrons or magic wands?”

She made a face. “Certainly not cauldrons. I’d hate to think of some of the things you’d need to put in one.”

Troy parked at the front of her house. “You’ve been watching too many fantasy movies.”

“Yeah. And reading too many fantasy books.” She got out of the vehicle, helping Troy undo the straps. “But that’s the problem. I don’t want to do magic tricks, I want to do actual magic. Can you imagine how amazing that must be?”

Troy rolled up the straps, placing them on the tray before removing the trolley. “I think we’re going to have to take your fantasy books and movies from you.”

She helped him take one of the statues off the back of the ute. The one that they’d loaded last. “That’s okay. It still leaves me with my urban fantasy.”

“You’re a lost cause.” He strapped the statue to the trolley and tilted it back. “Where do you want this one?”

“Outside my room.” She led the way down the narrow grassed area between the right side of the house and the eight-foot paling fence. “Put him here.” She pushed away the leaves that had come from the neighbour’s tree, stepping out of the way so Troy could set the statue in front of the fixed panel of her sliding door. While Troy collected the next one, she unwrapped the warrior. “You look as arrogant as your mate.” She stared into the stone eyes. “Although you don’t look as angry as he is.” If she had to pick an emotion, she’d choose shock or surprise. Particularly with the way his lips were slightly parted.

Troy came towards her with the next statue. “Where do you want my warrior?” He grinned. “And I don’t want to hear you chatting him up. He’s mine.”

She laughed, stepping back. “Put him next to this one. I’ll open my room so you can bring mine inside.”

“Cruel. Bring yours in out of the cold and leave mine and the third warrior outside. I should take these two home with me since you’re not going to treat them right.” He unwrapped the statue.

“Like it’s cold at this time of year.” Trinity unlocked the sliding door, slipping her keys back into her pocket before opening the door. “If I had the space I’d bring them all in.” She glanced around her room, trying to decide where to put the statue while Troy returned to the ute for him.

Her room wasn’t overly large, her queen-sized bed taking up most of the space. At the foot of the bed was a desk pressed up against a built-in wardrobe that took up a corner of the room. There was a skinny bookcase in the other corner, opposite the foot of her bed, with only a small space between it and the desk.

“Where do you want him?” Troy stood at the sliding door.

“Between the desk and the bookcase.” She stepped out of the way. “Why would anyone want to get rid of them?” Once the statue with the sword was in place, angled to fit in the gap, she unwrapped him.

Troy shrugged. “Beats me. People are strange and illogical.” He headed for the sliding door. “Will you be long? We need to get back to work.”

She pressed her hand against the chest of the statue. “I’m glad no one wanted them. Because I do.” She touched a finger to his lips. “If I could do magic, I’d bring them to life.” She stared into the stone eyes, wondering what colour they might be.

Troy remained in the doorway, grinning, the packing blankets over a shoulder. “What would you do with three men? Weren’t you the one who swore off males when you broke up with your last boyfriend?”

“Is it any wonder? I don’t know what made him think I’d follow him like a lost puppy and be waiting around for him when he wanted to do something at the last minute.”

Troy’s grin didn’t falter. “He obviously didn’t know you.” Troy nodded towards the statue. “What’s your answer?”

“Fine. If I could bring them to life, you could have your warrior. One would be more than enough for me.” She stepped outside, pulling the curtains closed before locking the sliding door. Glancing skywards, she followed Troy to the ute. “Are you sure we’re in for a storm this afternoon? The day looks perfect.”

Troy strapped the trolley to the tray and put the packing blankets and extra straps in the tool chest bolted to the front of the tray. “Doesn’t mean much.”

“You want to join us for dinner tonight?” She got in the cab of the ute.

“What are you having?”

“Probably order in pizza. I doubt either of us are going to be interested in cooking after working all day.” Particularly since they had less time to get the work done.

Troy started the engine. “Sounds good. I’ll bring the beer.” He grinned, glancing over his shoulder before pulling out onto the street. “For Rod and me, not you. So don’t go getting any ideas.”

“I was thirteen. Are you going to go on about that forever?” Her and Yvette, her best friend, had drunk her father’s beer. They’d found the carton in the garage, set aside for Christmas, and had convinced themselves he wouldn’t miss it. They’d drunk it hot, making faces at the taste, goading each other until the carton was gone. Both had been sick and their hangover the following day hadn’t been helped by Rod and Troy’s excessive noise and overly cheerful reminders that they deserved to suffer.

“You’re not planning to invite Yvette to dinner, are you?”

“Nah. Although it’d serve you right if I did after bringing that up again.” She grinned at Troy. Yvette was convinced Troy would also like females, if he gave them a chance. Starting with her. That he couldn’t know if he hadn’t tried. For the past six months she’d steadily become more determined. It was probably past time she stopped hinting and told Yvette how little Troy liked the attention.

“She’s annoying and clueless. Even you’ve got more brains than her and you’re a year younger.”

“Thanks. Your compliments are heart stopping. No wonder all the guys are chasing after you.”

“I’ll remember that comment next time you want something from me.”

She laughed. “Sure you will.”

He pulled up out the front of the house they’d been at earlier. “It’s only because you’re my boss’ daughter.”

“Keep telling yourself that.” She got out of the vehicle, walking around the side of the house with him. She slipped her arm through his. “You do know I appreciate it, don’t you?”

“All the times I run around after you?”

“No. How weak and easily you give in.” She let go of him, running ahead, her laughter ringing out over the sound of the dozer.

“I will get even with you for that,” Troy called out.

She answered him with more laughter, staying well ahead of him even though she knew his threat was empty. She slowed as she came close to the potted plants at the back of the house. That was her first task for the day. Sorting the plants into their groups, ready to be planted once each area was cleared. And if the missing delivery arrived, she’d need to sort it too.

The day went quicker than Trinity had expected. She was kept busy with one job after another, some more strenuous than others. It wasn’t until she heard the distant thunder that she realised a storm was approaching. A shiver ran through her and she tensed as she stared at the sky, waiting for the lightning. She jumped when Troy draped an arm around her shoulders.

“Time to knock off. Rod asked me to take you home.”

She leaned against him, unable to see any lightning. “I’m fine. We aren’t finished.” The statues had put them well behind and they hadn’t managed to catch up. No matter how hard she’d tried.

“Come on.” Troy guided her along the side of the house.

“I haven’t finished-”

“It’ll be here tomorrow. Time to knock off.”

Thunder sounded again and she shuddered. She tried to avoid searching the sky, but she couldn’t resist. Not finding lightning didn’t help. She knew it’d come eventually. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah, right. If we had a bed nearby you’d probably be under it.”

She jabbed him in the side, pulling away to glare at him. “I do not cower under my bed.” Or at least she didn’t anymore.

He grinned, tugging her towards the street. “You could always make dinner instead of forcing us to eat takeaway.”

“I’m not your slave. Cook your own meal. I worked as many hours as you did today.”

Reaching the ute, Troy unlocked it, holding the door open. “I’ll make a deal with you. How about if I help we have a home cooked meal?”

“Sounds fair.” She glanced skywards again. Still no sign of lightning. Either that or she was looking in the wrong direction.

“Hop in. The storm is miles away. We’ll be home before it arrives.”

She hoped he was right. Getting in the ute, she buckled up, checking out each window, searching for the first sign of lightning. It wasn’t until they were nearly home, the stereo loud enough to drown out the sound of thunder, that she saw it. Turning down the music she counted the time between the lightning and thunder.

Troy pulled into the double garage, an empty space beside his vehicle for Rod to park. “Told you we’d be home before the storm arrived.”

“Yeah.” It didn’t help. She could clearly see the tree being struck by lightning, the memory replaying over and over. She barely managed to suppress a shudder.

“You have a shower first.” Troy got out of the ute and unlocked the garage door that led into the house.