I twistedfrom side to side to examine my reflection in the mirror. Because Stark was pretty much always in a suit, he couldn’t understand why the rest of us didn’t feel quite so comfortable all dressed up. But I wasn’t going to argue with him tonight. He was already seriously wound up after the day’s activities, the ones he knew about anyway, and I didn’t want to piss him off. I was looking forward to just getting out the house.
I spunaround to see my cell phone light up with a video call from Trey. It had been a long time since I’d had a call from him.
I answered tentatively, a strange pensiveness coursing through my veins as I waited for him to pop up on the screen. The fact that he was calling from the other side of the world meant it took a while for him to appear.
“Toby, hi!” He had a smile on his face. That was good. I didn’t need a serious chat today. “How’s it going?”
I could hear his kids laughing in the background, and even caught a little glimpse of them playing. It was nice to see. I was glad that he had such a nice, sweet life, although I couldn’t stop myself from feeling a little jealous. I wanted a happy, comfortable life like that too. I would never tell anyone, but I yearned for a family of my own. I always had.
“Um, yeah, it’s good. Just working on the same security job.”
“With Renee Vaughn, right?” Trey chuckled. “I looked her up after I spoke to you and now I remember who she is. That girl from college. God, that was crazy. So long ago.”
I cocked my head to one side as I looked at Trey, trying to examine him. I couldn’t see anything other than a bit of a reminiscent feeling there.
“Yeah, a long time ago.” I didn’t know what all of this was about, but it was a little weird.
“She looks good though these days,” Trey laughed. “I bet you like her, right?”
My voice got stuck in my throat. I couldn’t answer him, I just stared at him in shock.
“Oh, don’t worry about it if you do,” Trey continued dismissively. “It’s been a long time since I was with her, and I obviously have my happy life now. I’m pretty sure we barely even kissed.”
This was one worry out the way, but not all of them. I knew I was potentially opening a can of worms if I asked this, but I needed to know for sure. “What do you think about traditional, monogamous relationship?”
Trey narrowed his eyes for a second, before a light bulb seemed to pop above his head. “Oh, in comparison to a harem style relationship? I think it depends on the person. Everyone finds their own happiness in the way they want to. No one is the same. Everyone is individual and finds love their own way. I love my life, but I know many people who find love in harems. I have many friends in England who are happy like that.”
That felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Just knowing that I would have the support of at least one family member made it a little easier for me. I suppose it didn’t change the fact that Renee was engaged to another man, but Diego was a dirtbag, and I shouldn’t feel bad for him.
I had to make Renee mine now. Whatever the relationship ended up looking like, it needed to be with me, not Diego fucking Vanderbilt. Fuck him.