by Ashley Jade
“He's dead,” I say, wishing I could take the words back immediately.
I've never talked about Alex before.
“I understand honey. I left some sheets on the couch for you in case you want to stay the night. If you ever need me Dev, you know I'm here for you," Aaron says before giving my hand a soft squeeze.
I turn and smile at him before pulling him into a hug.
“Thank you Aaron. I really appreciate it. I think I'm gonna go home though. It's getting late. I'll call you tomorrow."
I reach for my bag and walk to the door.
“Wait, don't you want your painting?” Aaron asks.
I quickly shake my head. I already had all the pain in my heart as a constant reminder of him. I certainly didn't need a painting.
Thankfully, Aaron seemed to understand and I left without uttering another word about it.
Since it was a nice night out, I decide to walk home instead of taking a cab.
I was a block away from my apartment building when my phone rings.
I smile before I answer.
“Don't you know how dangerous it is to be walking around the city late at night? Especially for a gorgeous woman, such as yourself," Tristan's voice greets me on the other end.
What the heck?
“How do you know I'm walking home right now?”
“Turn around,” was his only response, before he hangs up.
I turn around as Tristan gives me a look laced with fury.
“We've been a couple for like 72 hours and you've already taken to stalking me?” I ask.
He takes a step forward and rubs his chin. “Actually, it's been 76 hours. Now, let's go,” he says as he reaches for my arm and we continue walking.
“I'm a big girl you know. I can take care of myself,” I stammer.
I try to match his stride, his long legs were making it difficult.
He lets out a sigh. “No, you can't Dev. After what happened that night at the club...it's obvious that you can't.”
Geez, how long was he going to continue throwing that in my face?
“I had a momentary lapse in judgment. It happens Tristan. I'm a grown woman. I'm not a damsel in distress, so stop treating me like one.”
I take a deep breath and march ahead of him into my apartment building.
He stays behind until I reach my front door. “I'm sorry Dev. I worry about you, that's all. Momentary lapses in judgment could get a person killed. I didn't mean to act like an asshole.”
I look up and meet his piercing blue eyes. The corner of his perfect mouth tugs up into a lopsided grin as he studies my face. And just like that, all my frustration with him begins to fade.
“I swear you must be part wizard or something,” I mumble, as he gives me a curious look.
“Huh?”
“Nothing. I'm over it. I'm not mad anymore. Just stop treating me like I'm a fragile piece of glass.”
He brushes his lips across mine and pushes me into the door.
“How's that?” he asks as I turn the doorknob.
“Much better.”
He lifts me up and sets me down on the kitchen table in the dark.
My hands roam over his t-shirt and I moan out loud as I feel his broad chest and tight abs.
God, I need to see his body.
I reach for the hem of his t-shirt but he grabs my wrists and pins them above my head.
“Don't move,” he sneers as he lifts his head abruptly.
I giggle out loud. “I do love it when you're bossy."
He then slams his hand over my mouth. “Shut up," he growls as his eyes scan across the dimly lit room.
Scratch that...now he was just being plain rude.
I squirm underneath him as he slowly gets up.
“Stay here. Do not move,” he hisses as I hold my breath.
What the hell was his problem?
I soon found out when a dark shadow comes out of nowhere.
My heart jumps in my throat as I watch Tristan wrestle the shadow to the ground.
I then see him reach for something in his pocket and lunge at the guy with it.
The shadow cries out in pain, before there was dead silence.
Holy shit...did Tristan just kill someone?
Chapter 20
I sit at the kitchen table still stunned beyond belief.
I briefly mumble a somewhat coherent sentence to an officer describing what happened.
Tristan did most of the talking.
Turns out that Tristan had stabbed the guy, but he was still alive.
The cops tells me that it was a burglar and that I was lucky that Tristan was here with me.
Apparently the burglar was both armed and dangerous.
Too bad for him he picked the wrong apartment. I certainly didn't have any valuables hanging around.
I didn't have any valuables...period.
Frankly, I'm surprised he even stayed so long.
Weirdest thing of all was that nothing appeared out of place.
When I brought that to the officers attention, they said that it was probably because he had just arrived.
Tristan stopped him before he had a chance to do any damage.
After the officers leave I look around the apartment again...with Tristan right on my heels of course.
“Pack a bag and let's go,” Tristan says.
I turn around to face him. “Why? They caught the guy. Well...you caught the guy. Everything is fine now.”
The look on Tristan's face tells me otherwise.
“I'm going to say this one time and one time only Dev. Pack a fucking bag and let's go,” he says, his annoyance quickly growing.
I roll my eyes and reach for a small travel bag in my closet.
I toss a few articles of clothing in the bag and stick my tongue out at him.“Technically that's two times you've said it now.”
A moment later, we walk out the front door. “You could have been seriously hurt Dev. What if I wasn't here? What if he hurt you...or worse.”
“It's fine Tristan. I'm okay. You stalking me came in helpful after all,” I quip, as the driver holds the door open for us.
“Glad you think so Dev. Expect more of it,” he gripes, as he sits down next to me.
“My hero,” I tease as I bat my eyelashes at him.
I was hoping he would smile, but instead- he looks down and remains silent during the rest of the drive.
I wish he would open up to me more, but I had no right to demand that from him...especially since I wasn't so forthcoming when it came to my own life.
************************
After we walk into his apartment Tristan appeared to relax a little bit.
I take a quick shower and change into a pair of sweatpants.
I figured he would be in the bedroom, but he wasn't.
Instead I found him in the kitchen...cooking.
“You cook?” I ask, not even trying to hide my amazement.
He glances up from the stove and gives me a smile that makes my heart skip a beat.
“Yeah. I've cooked for you before you know.”
My mouth hangs open. “You mean, you made dinner that night?”
He nods his head before he focuses his attention back to the stove.
Moments later I had a plate full of pancakes, eggs, and bacon sitting in front of me.
I shamelessly dive in and clear my plate in under ten minutes while he watches me with a big grin. It was scrumptious.
“You know, I think you made a mistake with this whole investment trading business. You should have been a freakin' chef." I say, before taking a sip of my orange juice.
He appears lost in thought. “Thanks...I think? My mother was a really good cook. She passed it on to me.”
I reach across the table for his hand. “She must have been an amazing woman Tristan. I'm so sorry she's no longer here.”
He looks down and clears his throat. “Yeah well, it is what it is.”
He then stand up and begins to clear dishes off t
he table before walking over to the sink.
I walk behind him and wrap my arms around his waist.
“Tristan it's okay. Don't hide from me.”
I plant a gentle kiss on his shoulder as I feel him take a deep breath.
He turns around and cups my face in his hands.
“I really don't deserve you Dev,” he whispers before sweeping his lips across mine.
I expected the kiss to be hungry and full of passion, but instead it was soft and tender.
He leads me to the bedroom and gently lays me down on the bed.
He tugs my sweatpants down and pulls them off. I close my eyes and moan as he sweeps his tongue along my abdomen.
I need to feel him. I need to see him...all of him. I need to connect with him again.
I reach for the hem of his shirt. He lunges for my wrists and pins them behind my back as he rolls me over so that I’m now on top of him.
I give him a sexy smile as I lift my own shirt and bring it over my head.
“You're so beautiful,” he says before he buries his head between my breasts.
He sits up, releases my wrists, and grabs my hips.
I reach for his shirt again. I feel his entire body stiffen...and not in a good way.
“Tristan, what's going on?” I ask, as he unclasps my bra.
“I'm about to fuck you senseless,” he growls as he drags his teeth across my nipple.
Well okay then...
I want him to continue, but my mind won't let me. I need to know.
“No Tristan. I mean, you keep pulling away from me. You won't let me see you naked...why?”
“Shhh, baby. I'm about to do things to you that will make your head spin,” he grunts as he reaches for his zipper.
I bite my lip. Good god Dev, just let the man continue.
He reaches in the nightstand for a condom.
I lean over and kiss his neck.
I was hoping to get him so worked up that he would let me strip him naked.
He really had no reason to be so shy, he's the most gorgeous man I've ever laid my eyes on. It makes no sense.
If anything, I was the one who should be self-conscious.
I gyrate my hips over him, as he digs his hands into my lower back.
“Fuck Dev,” he groans.
He moves my panties to the side and positions himself against my entrance.
I grab his neck and shove my breasts in his face as I quickly reach for his shirt and begin lifting it.
He snaps his head back up in an instant as his eyes shoot flames into me.
Oh boy.
“Let go...now,” he roars.
I drop his shirt in an instant.
Tristan’s never scared me before. I obviously hit some kind of nerve.
He lifts me off of him and drops me down on the bed.
Clearly the mood was now ruined.
“I'm sorry Tristan. I just...I just wanted to see all of you. I didn't mean to upset you,” I stammer, as he rubs his face.
I expected some sort of explanation, acknowledgment...something, but he remained silent.
I huff and begin putting my clothes back on.
If he couldn't open up to me, then this was never going to work.
Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black Dev?
I push that thought out of my head as I begin tossing various things into my bag.
He narrows his eyes as he watches me like a hawk. “Where are you going?”
“Home,” I reply as I zip my bag up.
“Stop, you're not going anywhere. It's 1am.”
“I'm a grown woman Tristan. Goodnight.”
I walk out of the bedroom and head for the front door.
I hear him swear under his breath as he begins chasing after me.
“Goddammit Dev. Why does everything have to be so fucking difficult with you? You're not leaving. Got it," he barks, as he lifts me up and brings me back into the bedroom.
“Tristan...I think maybe we should…”
He scowls. “Don't you dare finish that sentence Dev.”
With a sigh, I curl up next to him on the bed and fall asleep.
For the first time since I met him...I've never felt more distant from him.
**********************
When I open my eyes the next morning...I was greeted by the biggest man I had ever seen in my life peering over me.
He had to be at least 6'5 and 300lbs.
He sits with a grim expression as he watches my eyes open wide.
“Who the fuck are you?” I scream.
He opens his mouth to answer, but is quickly cut off.
“His name is Moe. He's here to watch over you while I'm out of town on business for a few days,” Tristan says as he walks into the bedroom.
He had to be kidding.
“Is this some kind of sick joke? You can't be serious Tristan. This is insane.”
“Don't argue with me Dev. I told you, it will only be for a few days. Do not leave this apartment. I'll see you when I get back. Everything you need is here," he says coldly.
He turns to leave, I leap up from the bed and follow him.
This can't be happening.
“You're fucking crazy. All this over some stupid burglar? You can't keep me here like some kind of prisoner.”
He ignores me and continues walking as I chase after him.
“Tristan, please. Tell me what's going on. It's like I don't even know who you are right now.”
Please...just let me in.
He tips his head to look at me. “I'll see you in a few days.”
He then proceeds to walk right out the door.
It's safe to say that my decision to leave Tristan for good had never been more clear then at that moment.
Chapter 21
For three days straight I pace the floor of his apartment.
The only person I could talk to was Aaron.
Especially since Moe was a man of very few words.
Oddly enough, it turned out that he was an awesome scrabble partner...who would have thought?
Anytime I attempted to leave the apartment though, Moe would stop me in a flash.
Tristan never even bothered to call or text...which suited me just fine.
I always knew he had a controlling and bossy side to him, but this was crossing a major line.
It was something I had every intention of telling him...I just needed him to come home first.
************************
By the fourth day all my pent up anger had turned to misery.
I walk into the bedroom and plop down on the bed.
I end up crying myself to sleep.
*************************
“Don't touch me Alex,” I screamed as I ran ahead of him.
“Bonita wait. Look, I'm sorry okay. I saw you two flirting with one another. What the hell was I supposed to do?" Alex yelled, as he reached for my arm and spun me around.
“I don't know. Not beat him to a bloody pulp? I wasn't flirting with him Alex. I was tutoring him. I'm with you and only you. You know how I feel about you."
He looked down at the floor. “I'm sorry. I was wrong. I just can't stand the thought of anyone else being with you. You're mine Dev."
I put my hands on my hips and sighed. “We only have another month together before you turn 18 and leave for good. Let's not ruin it."
He leaned into me and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
“I know Bonita. Trust me, it's all I can think about. The last thing I expected to happen was to actually fall in love with you."
I stared at him wide-eyed. We had never said those words to one another. I had never said those words to anyone.
“You...you love me?” I asked in disbelief.
“More then anything Bonita,” he whispered.
I closed my eyes and smiled. The feeling hit me like a ton of bricks.
“I love you too Alex.”
***************************
I
was awoken by the loud boom of thunder in the sky. I open my eyes as a dark figure walks across the room.
I scream out at the top of my lungs.
The figure walks over and wraps their arms around me.
That action only causes me to scream louder.
Where the hell was Moe? Some body guard he turned out to be.
“Baby stop...it's only me,” Tristan says as he cradles me against his chest.
Relief washes over me as I sink into him.
He tilts my chin and kisses me softy. A warm and comforting sensation sweeps over me.
Then I remember.
I slap his cheek as hard as I can.
“What the hell was that for Dev?” Tristan barks as he reaches over and turns on the light.
I get up off the bed and reach for my bag.
I was already packed and ready to go.
“You know damn well what that was for Tristan. You kept me here like I was some kind of prisoner. Do you have any idea what that feels like?"
He gets up stalks toward me.
I take a step away from him and walk out the door.
“Don't bother chasing me Tristan. There is nothing you can say that will ever make what you did acceptable."
“Dev, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...” he starts to say.
“You didn't mean to what? Hurt me? Save it Tristan. I can't trust you anymore...just like it’s obvious that you can't trust me. We were doomed from the start. I don't know why we even tried to make this work in the first place."
“I just wanted to keep you safe Dev.” Tristan screams as he follows me to the elevator.
I lift my head and look him in the eyes. “You can start by staying the hell way from me then.”
Chapter 22
“I don't know Dev. I mean, just look at it from his point of view. I think you're being a little too hard on him," Aaron says.
We were having other painting session on his rooftop.
Tristan did end up listening to me after all. I hadn't seen or spoken to him in 5 long days.
It was exactly what I wanted. At least, that's what I kept telling myself.
“He held me captive in his apartment Aaron! Why are you defending him? What he did was unacceptable.”
Aaron rolls his eyes and laughs. “You were basically attacked for the second time in the same week. I'm not saying that he went about it the right way, but I understand where he's coming from. He cares about you. His intentions were good Dev. He didn't want anything to happen to you. Plus, he apologized for it. It's kind of sweet when you think about it.”