Page 3 of Knotted By the Triad

“You make everything sound simple,” Bri murmured.

“Because sometimes it is,” I told her. “Loving somebody doesn't mean you have to lose your damn mind over them.”

Kena nodded. “I’m with Zuri on that one.”

When I looked over at Bri, her smile had faded, and her expression had become forlorn. Shit. What had that bastard she’d married done now? Should I say something or mind my business?

Fuck that. She was my business.

“What’s wrong, Bri?” I asked.

Glancing up at me, she forced a smile. “Nothing’s wrong. I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“About the Brielle from Ciori’s books. I love what CiCi did with the character.”

Ciori turned slightly in her seat. “Yeah?”

Bri nodded. “You made her confident. She loved her body, her curves, and her love handles. She was strong. The kind of woman who didn’t take bullshit from anyone.”

She looked down at her hands, which were clutching her small purse.

“I know why you did that,” Bri whispered. “You did it hoping that I could become more like her.”

“Bri...” Ciori started.

“It’s okay. That’s why I love her. I want to become more like her, and I’m glad you wrote her like that. Actually, reading Brielle’s book finally gave me the courage to do something I should’ve done a long time ago.”

The mood in the car changed. All of us fell silent, our gazes drifting to Bri. When our car swerved slightly, I glanced at Kena to find her trying to watch Bri in the rearview mirror.

“Eyes on the road,” I whispered.

“Sorry,” Kena whispered back.

I didn’t know why we were whispering. Bri slowly lifted her hand. Only then did I notice the ring missing from her finger. I gasped, tears filling my eyes.

“I took it off tonight,” she muttered, tears spilling down her cheeks. “I’m... I’m leaving him.”

For a second, nobody said anything. I stared at Bri’s bare ring finger, then at the tears rolling down her cheeks. I’d wanted to hear those words for so long. Now that she’d finally said them, I didn’t know what to say.

Apparently, Kena didn’t have that problem. With her usual take-charge attitude, she skipped over the emotional part and went straight to the practical part.

“Okay. That’s great. When are you planning to leave him for good?” Kena asked.

Bri wiped her cheeks. “Soon. I’ve already started getting things together. I told him I lost the ring. He said he’s not buying a new one. I knew he’d say that.”

“Okay,” Kena said. “So, you’re leaving him soon. How soon?”

“By the end of next week. He’s leaving at the end of the week for another business trip. He’s taking his secretary again. They’ll be gone two weeks this time,” Bri said, chuckling sarcastically.

That cheating bastard.

He had a beautiful and accomplished woman like Bri by his side, and he didn’t treat her right. Yet, he spoiled that fake-ass, whiny-voiced secretary of his. I should’ve hired someone to kidnap him and dump his body somewhere private years ago.

But first, I’d tell them to cut his penis off. If he didn’t know how to keep it in his pants, then he didn’t need it. According to Bri, his dick wasn’t even that good. It was always the Can’t Fuck men who liked to throw their dick around like it was made of gold.

“Do you have somewheSHE re to live?” Kena asked.