Free Three Rings (The Fairytail Saga) by S.K Munt Page B

apparently been soaking in toxic anguish all night, and wasn’t ready to let it go in the light of day. She understood that he was mad, and she knew there was nothing she could do to make it up to him. But trying to make her jealous with the new bartender, who’s blonde hair was as good as a red flag to Ivyanne, was just petty. And insulting her work performance was just crossing a line. If it was so easy to shrug her company off, why fight so hard for it to begin with?
    Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back. She’d gotten herself into this situation, and she was the only one who could bail them all out of it-by resisting the wave of drama. She just wished that both men understood the position she was in-had an inkling of what she was going through. Every time they pulled her in opposite directions, she could feel the flesh of her heart rip a little further. What was she going to have left to love either with, when they were through?
    ⁓
    Tristan stared glumly out his third floor office window in The Rocks on Thursday morning. He was looking straight at the Harbor Bridge and the massive Australian flag hanging from it, wishing he was out there kicking up his heels instead of inside, dealing with his American clients who didn’t give a fig about what day it was down under.
    He swiveled away from the sunny and bustling scene outside, reclining back in his leather office chair and despairing at the red and black abstract painting on the wall behind his desk-a piece of art which seemed to radiate anger that day.
    He hated to admit it to himself-but he was beginning to wonder if his quest for Ivyanne was as equally meaningless. Two weeks ago, for a few brilliant hours, it had seemed like Tristan was about to have not only her hand, but her heart and her child to boot. Now, he wasn’t sure if he’d get any of it. And if he did manage to prevail, would it be an empty victory based on luck instead of love? The memory of seeing her turn her back to him to gaze longingly after Lincoln made his fingers curl into fists.
    Yes, his impatience was turning into melancholy. He’d never been in love before, and he wasn’t handling it well. Seduction was his forte, and he’d already abused that avenue. So how did you earn a girl’s heart when she forbade you from touching her and shied away from being alone with you?
    And what if you suspected that regardless of what you did, you’d never break the hold another man had on her anyway?
    I said I’d be patient, he thought to himself, twirling his chair away from the painting again. But deep down, part of her must wish I’d just release her. She hasn’t said it, but she must be thinking it. Is that the only way I can make her love me? To do as Ardhi did-and let her go?
    The phone rang, breaking Tristan out of his depressing train of thought, reminding him that he was supposed to be working- hard . The more he got done every day, the fewer days he had to leave her unchaperoned with the lifeguard come hotelier intent on winning her heart.
    ‘Lo?’ he answered, idly wondering if Lincoln and Ivyanne had made up yet-or if she was missing him at all.
    ‘Mr Loveridge I have Mr Schorer on the line for you from Absalom Developments in Anaheim,’ his secretary Juanita said breathily. She was an over-sexed caricature of a secretary, possibly setting the women’s movement back decades with her willingness to assist him. But she was efficient, the clients loved her and whenever Tristan had found himself too busy to pursue a social life, Juanita and her rock hard Pilates body had stepped up to that challenge as well- with no strings attached. He hadn’t laid a hand on her for six months, but he had a feeling that she and Sven had something going on the side instead.
    ‘He says it’s quite urgent?’
    ‘Absalom?’ Tristan was surprised. That was the real-estate development company in Southern California that Tristan been trying to get in with for over two years. The one he’d