"It's mandatory, Trinity!" Rita said as she pushed her off the elevator. "Besides, the whole reason he is making us do this is that he frightened you when he stopped by last week." She looked over her shoulder at Trinity. "And that's another thing, why were you here, working, on New Year's Day?"

Trinity felt sick to her stomach, and she was having a hard time keeping up with Rita's chatter. She had no idea that an off-handed comment to cover-up her fear would lead to Levi orchestrating an entire self-defense class for the staff only one week after the incident.

"I have a lot to do, Rita," Trinity defended. "Who's teaching this class? It can't be easy to find someone to teach a self-defense class in Sweet Springs?" She was doing her best to appear calm.

When Trinity had heard about the class at the beginning of the week, she had decided to be busy and not attend. She had told Rita when she had come to her office to get her, that she was busy, but the woman used the dreaded word, mandatory.

She knew all about self-defense classes. She had taken one many years ago when she had left her husband, Christopher. Her brother, Ben, had insisted that she should know what t do if Christopher ever found her. The lessons had been private, and her instructor had known her history, so they had been able to move at her speed, treating it almost as one would a dance class.

She knew it wouldn't be that way this time. Now she had to stand in front of a class full of women and let someone grab her or pin her and then try to fight her way free. Her stomach rolled at the idea.

Rita led the way into the lobby of the building where the class was being held. "Levi brought in a team from out of town to help."

The room around them was filled with all the women who worked in the company. They had a total of about fifty employees, not including the hotel staff, over half of whom were women. Trinity's mind was on hyper speed as she tried to figure a way out of the situation. The fear was very real for her and to let all these women see it was not an option.

Levi welcomed everyone and told them why they there then turned the class over to the instructor. Levi and Josiah were the only men from the company present.

After the instructors were done talking, and it was time for the hands-on portion it was asked if there were any questions.

Trinity saw her chance, and she took it, raising her hand.

"Yes," the male instructor pointed to her, and everyone turned to look at her.

"I thought this was mandatory?" Trinity turned to look at Levi.

"It is," he confirmed with an amused expression.

"Then where are all the men? If it is mandatory for the entire staff to be here, why are the male employees not here?" It was petty she knew, but if it was a way out, she was going to take it.

Levi's eyes narrowed. "I'll be sure to take it up with the male employees when this is done."

Trinity nodded. "Good, and you can take it up with me then as well, I have things to do." She turned to leave, aware of a few shocked gasps from the crowd.

"How about since you're already here we teach you first, then you can be on your way?" Levi suggested approaching her.

"I've already taken a self-defense course. I know all there is to know." She desperately tried another tactic.

"Fine," Levi moved towards her. "We'll go through the motions and show everyone." He led her over to the mat and moved to stand behind her. She closed her eyes as her mind screamed at her to run.

"Trinity?" he asked.

She took a shaky breath. "It's not necessary, Levi," she insisted.

"We'll start small." He wrapped his arms around her arms and gently squeezed. It felt like a hug, not an attack. Maybe she could do this.

She thought back to the moves she had learned and took a shaky breath as she grabbed his wrists and dropped down while turning her head. Then she tucked her hip and leg behind his leg, lowering her center of gravity before grabbing his knees and knocking his legs out from under him, causing him to land flat on his back.

She stood up quickly and backed far away from him, her eyes wide with fear as blood roared through her ears, and she felt cold sweat cover her body.

Levi stood up slowly. His eyes never leaving her face. Something in her move had triggered the flight or fight reflex in her and it was taking everything Trinity had not to run away. Her phone rang breaking the mood and she reached into her pocket with a shaky hand and looked at it.

"Am I free to go now?" she softly asked and not waiting for an answer she walked quickly towards the elevator as the lobby burst into noise while everyone started talking about her move.

"Trinity?" Levi called when she was halfway down the corridor that led to the elevators and out of sight of the others. He reached out and grabbed her wrist in an attempt to stop her but she grabbed his hand and arm, swinging his arm around and using the pressure to push him to the floor. She had done it on instinct, not to prove a point.

"Uncle!" Levi called. "I believe you!"

Trinity stepped back, her face pale with shock at what she had just done.

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered before she jumped on an elevator just as the doors closed. She squeezed her eyes tight fighting tears and after a moment, the doors to the elevator opened.

"It helps if you push the button for the floor you want," Levi said with amusement before he looked at her and noticed her pallor and shallow breathing. "Trinity, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said in a hoarse voice before she cleared her throat.

"No, you're not," he was about to step into the elevator, perhaps to try and comfort her, and she didn't need that.

Thankfully, her phone rang once more, and she held up an arm to stop Levi as she answered it. "Ben!" she greeted, "hold on."

Trinity reached deep and pulled on every reserve of strength she had as she looked Levi in the eye. "I'm fine, and I need to take this call, am I dismissed?" she sounded cold even to her ears, but she couldn't help it.

Levi titled his head, frowning as he noted the change in her. After a moment, she waved her phone in front of him and he stepped back turning on his heel and walking away without a backward glance.

It had been an awkward ending to the conversation, but she couldn't be sorry about that because at least the conversation was over.

"Ben, are you there?" she asked, pushing the button to her floor and lifting the phone to her ear.

"I am, are you free, or do you want me to call you back later?"

"I haven't talked to you for months; don't you dare hang up." She smiled. "How's married life treating you?"

"It's good. Lia sends her love." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"And I send mine back, how are Mom and Dad?" She exited the elevator and walked down the corridor to her office as her heart rate returned to normal.

"They're fine. They miss you."

"I miss them. I'm still trying to figure out if I should come to their anniversary party next month. I really do want to come home for a visit. I thought I might be able to sneak in undetected." It was more of wishful thinking than a true belief.

Ben snorted. "This is Savannah, remember? Their party is going to be a big one too."

"I don't have to go to the party. I could stay behind at the house," she suggested. "Ugggh! I hate this! I hate that he gets to win. He is still controlling me, and it's been over three years."

"I know," Ben softly agreed. "Come, and we'll deal with it."

Trinity shook her head as tears started to form. She knew she was all talk, and so did Ben. There was no way she would get up the courage to go home any time soon. Her mind told her one thing but her sense of self-preservation that had fought the devil himself for eight years, a devil that wasn't going to give up anytime soon. "I can't."

"I know, Sis." And he did. "Would you like to know why I called?"

Trinity gave a little laugh. "Sure."

"Rainer Stevens and I are on the final edits of a book that we are co-writing, and we need a quiet place to work. I thought that there would be nowhere better than Wyoming. It would also be a great chance to see my big sis." His voice was tender.

Trinity had asked that none of her family visit her for fear that it would lead her ex-husband to her. It was a bit paranoid, but after everything she had been through, she wasn't taking any chances.

"Baby steps, Sis," he advised. "And, if this works, it might mean that you'll gain the courage to come home again."

Trinity knew he was right. "Alright," she agreed. "I'll see about renting one of the ranch's cabins so that you and Rainer can have a quiet place to work."

"Will you join us? If I know you, you haven't had a vacation since you started there."

"You know me well."

"We may also need someone handy with a typewriter," he admitted.

Trinity laughed. It reminded her, as it was meant to, of all the times he had conned her into typing his college papers. "Lord help your editor if you really are using a typewriter." she teased.

They talked for a few more minutes, confirming the date before saying goodbye, but as soon as she ended the call, her mind went right back to Levi as she debated whether she should apologize or not.

She didn't think she could do it. She couldn't admit weakness to anyone, and she saw an apology as a weakness. She had apologized over and over to Christopher for things that weren't even her fault. Sometimes it had felt as if she was apologizing for existing, so apologies didn't come easy.

No, it was best to let it go, act as if none of it happened. Trinity nodded at her decision and then pulled some paperwork towards her and got back to work, burying her head in the sand.