The Price of Love

by Cassy Roop

  “When did these arrive?” he bit out.

  “Just...a...a few moments ago. Why?” I stammered. He looked angry and pissed off and I did not understand why.

  “Thank you, Tristan. They are beautiful. Daisies are my favorite.”

  He just stared at me for a brief moment before he reached into his pocket and grabbed his cell phone.

  “Jackson! I need to talk to you now!” he barked into the phone. I only heard one side of the conversation, but I could tell that he was aggravated for some strange reason.

  “Yeah. Meet me in five,” he said as he hung up the phone.

  “Kendall, stay here and don’t leave.”

  Those were the last words I heard as he stormed out of the suite slamming the door behind him.

  Tristan

  The bastard found her.

  That was all I could think about when I saw those daisies that Kendall had placed on the table. Anger and rage could not even begin to describe the feelings I was having right now.

  “When did these arrive?” I bit out. I didn’t want to alarm her, but I was having issues with trying to control my anger.

  “Just a...a few moments ago?” she stammered.

  Great. She could tell something was wrong.

  Fuck.

  I reached into my pocket to grab my phone to dial Jackson. He picked up on the second ring.

  “Hey T.”

  “Jackson! I need to talk to you now!” I barked into the phone.

  “Whoa T. What’s up? Everything ok? Want to meet up?”

  “Yeah. Meet me in five.” I said hanging up the phone not giving him the chance to respond.

  I turned to Kendall and barked out the orders for her to stay in the room and not to leave before I stormed out of the penthouse. I know she must be wondering what was going on, but I needed to take care of this first. I will deal with explaining something to her later.

  Exactly five minutes later, Jackson met me in the security room of the hotel. That was where he found me pacing back and forth as I tried to think about how I was going to handle the situation.

  “Fuck dude. He is still watching her! I knew that son of a bitch was going to look for her as soon as his sorry ass was released from prison.”

  “First off, calm down, Tristan. He cannot come here physically. Not unless he wants to risk going back to jail. He is not allowed to leave the country.”

  “Yeah, but that won’t keep him from trying to make contact with her in other ways.”

  “True, but look, we will only be in London for two more days before we leave for Paris. I’ll get my team here on it and see if we can’t go about intercepting anything else he might try to send to her.”

  “Make sure it happens, Jax. I am serious. I will not compromise Kendall’s safety. It means everything to me. I could never live with myself if I allow her life to be destroyed again.”

  “Noted T. But may I ask, why are you freaking out right now? I have never seen you like this man. This woman has gotten to you hasn’t she? Are you in love with her?”

  I thought about his words for a moment. All of a sudden I felt like a ton of bricks had landed on my chest. I couldn’t breathe. Images of Kendall beneath me and what we had shared over the last few months come to mind. Everything I did, I did with her in mind. I wanted to be with her constantly. The need was more powerful than it ever had been.

  Are you in love with her?

  His words repeated over and over in my mind before I finally looked up into the eyes of my best friend who was looking at me with worry. I let out a long, exasperated breath as realization swam over me.

  “Yeah. I think I am.”

  Kendall

  I stood there staring at the door stunned.

  What the hell just happened?

  I pulled my phone out to text Cassie. I was confused and worried and maybe she could help give me some perspective.

  Me: Where are you?

  Cassie: Just taking some shots of the gardens. What’s up?

  Me: Can you come to the suite?

  Cassie: Sure. What’s wrong?

  Me: I’ll tell u when u get here.

  It took Cassie about ten minutes to join me in the suite. By that time, I was pacing the floors and worrying even more about what could had gotten Tristan so angry.

  “What’s up buttercup?” Cassie asked as she plopped down on the sofa in the sitting room.

  I ran over the events of Tristan’s behavior with Cassie. When I was finished, she seemed to be just as bewildered as I was at his actions.

  “Something is going on Kendall. I know Tristan is a secretive man, but whatever this is seems to involve you, and I am concerned. Maybe I can get it out of Jackson?”

  “I’ve never seen that look in his eyes before, Cass. It terrified me. So whatever it was he was obviously seriously affected by it.”

  Cassie and I talked for a while to pass the time to see if Tristan might return, but he never did. I was going stir crazy just sitting here not knowing what was going on. My phone beeped signaling to me that I had an incoming email. It was probably from Laura asking about the progress of our review for the magazine. Since Cassie and I were nearly finished, I decided to ignore it and answer her later.

  “I need to get out of here,” I said rising off of the couch. I searched for my tennis shoes and slipped them on.

  “Do you think that is a good idea? Tristan did ask you to stay here.”

  “Yeah, well he isn’t here is he? He’s the one who ran out of here without explanation. I’m going crazy just sitting here.”

  “Fine. But I’m going with you. What’s your plan?”

  “I haven’t eaten much today because my stomach has been feeling off so I think maybe some food will make it feel better.”

  “I haven’t eaten either,” Cassie said. “Let’s go out.”

  In a way I felt bad for disobeying Tristan, by not staying in the hotel suite, but at the same time he gave me no reason as to why I needed to. Besides, he was not my father. I will not be ordered around.

  After grabbing lunch at a nearby cafe, Cassie and I went back to my suite to work on putting the finishing touches on our review of the London hotel. I ended up not eating much at the cafe because I still did not feel too well, but it felt good to get out of the hotel for a while.

  The flowers were still sitting on the table when we arrived back at the suite reminding me of Tristan’s anger. I cannot believe I still haven’t heard from him.

  I noticed my cell phone laying on the couch and reached to pick it up. I had thirteen missed calls, eight text messages, and several emails.

  Cassie cursed behind me as she looked at her phone.

  “I had my phone on silent and did not even hear it ring. Looks like Jackson and Tristan have been trying to get a hold of us,” she snickered holding up the phone to show me all her missed calls.

  “Mine looks the same,” I said showing her my phone. I opened my messages to see Tristan’s frantic attempts to get in touch with me.

  Tristan: You aren’t in the suite. Where are u?

  Tristan: I know you are mad I need to explain

  Tristan: Kendall seriously where are you?

  Tristan: DAMMIT WHERE R U??

  There were even a few from Jackson when Tristan did not get a response from me.

  Jackson: Kendall where r u guys? Tristan is going nuts.

  Jackson: I can’t reach u or Cass. We are worried. Pls call!

  “Maybe I will let him stew a bit longer before I call him back,” I thought out loud.

  Cassie typed out a quick text to Jackson letting him know that we are back at the suite. We dove into our work finishing the last few details of the review.

  I clicked on my email to upload my report and the pictures that Cassie took to send to Laura for review. There were a few emails from some of the people who took on my projects so that I would be able to do the Cashman Enterprises project. There was one email that stood out among the rest that was marked urgent.


  I clicked on the name I did not recognize and was immediately shaken from what I saw. I could not believe what I was reading on the screen.

  From: Warden Thomas Wilkerson < tjwilk@txcorections.gov>

  To: Kendall Jones < kjones@livelymag.com>

  Date: November 3, 2013 12:37 PM EST

  Subject: Prisoner Release Notification

  Dear Miss Jones,

  This email is written to notify you that prisoner #3154382 Brett Tyler Hawkins will be released from the Texas Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Worth on the afternoon of October 26, 2013 at approximately 4:30 pm. It is our policy to notify victims in the event of a prisoner release. Please if you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us.

  Thank you,

  Thomas Wilkerson

  Warden Texas Federal Correctional Institution Fort Worth Unit

  No No No! This cannot be happening!

  It had only been eight years. He was sentenced to fifteen. I looked at the date of the email. I just got this today. He was released a week ago. Why the fuck was I just now being notified of his release?

  I couldn’t breathe. I feel like there was an elephant sitting on my chest. I could feel my heartbeat rapid firing in my chest. All around me there was commotion. I could faintly hear my name being called.

  Tristan and Jackson had stormed into the room while I sat behind my laptop. I could feel the blood drain from my face. Cassie had a hold of my hand and was kneeling in front of me trying to get my attention. Tristan made it to me in two strides as he replaced Cassie at my side. Both hands were on my face angling my head to look at him. I could see his mouth moving, but I could not hear any sound.

  Everything started to go blurry and the room started to spin. Tristan’s face was the last thing I saw as my world became dark and I collapsed into his arms.

  Chapter 17

  Tristan

  I was pacing back and forth in Jackson’s suite.

  Where the fuck is she?

  “Calm down, Tristan. I just got a text from Cassie, they are back in your suite.”

  Oh thank God.

  I ran out of the suite and into the elevator, not caring whether Jackson was following me or not. All I cared about was getting to Kendall. Jackson joined me just as the elevator doors began to close. Not knowing Kendall’s whereabouts for the last three hours had damn near given me a premature heart attack.

  “Cassie said that they went out to lunch and Kendall left her phone back in the suite and Cassie had hers on silent,” Jackson said explaining to me. “You need to calm down before you go barging in there and she suspects something Tristan.”

  I knew he was right. I needed to calm down, but it was really hard when my entire body was buzzing with adrenaline.

  We got to mine and Kendall’s suite and I took a deep breath before I pushed open the door and nearly run to look for Kendall. I came around the corner and froze. My heart nearly lodged into my throat when I saw her sitting there behind her computer staring at the screen. She was white as a ghost and trembling.

  “Kendall, Kendall, honey, what’s wrong? You’re scaring me!” Cassie pleaded as she knelt down in front of Kendall. I ran over as fast as I could and Cassie got up as I approached and I cupped Kendall’s face in my hands.

  I forced her to look at me and what I saw in her eyes was horrifying. There was extreme fear and something else.

  “Kendall, baby, talk to me. Tell me what is wrong.” I begged her. She looked at me like a deer in headlights before her eyes rolled back and she collapsed in my arms.

  “Fuck she just passed out! Jax help me get her to the couch.”

  Cassie walked over to the computer while Jackson and I carried Kendall over to the couch.

  “No fucking way!” I heard Cassie gasp as I lowered Kendall to the couch. She was starting to come to as I gently patted her cheek with the palm of my hand to try and get her to gain consciousness.

  “What is it, Cass?” Jackson asked as he walked over to where Cassie stood staring at the computer screen.

  “They released the bastard!”

  Fuck!

  That was what made Kendall pass out. She now knew that Brett was out on parole. I had tried everything I could think of to keep her from finding out. Obviously I did not think about the department of corrections contacting her by email.

  “Wh-what happened?” Kendall said groggily.

  “You fainted, baby,” I told her as I reached for her hand. “How are you feeling?”

  “Oh My God!!!!” she screamed. “They let him out! He’s out of prison! Cassie, he is out!”

  The terrified girl was back. Her body was trembling with the fear she was feeling. I wrapped her in my arms before she began to get hysterical.

  “Shh. Shh, Angel. It’s ok. It’s ok,” I soothed as I rocked her back and forth.

  She had no idea that I knew all about his release. If she were to find out, then it would crush her that much more.

  “That explains the notes,” she whispered.

  “What notes?” Cassie, Jackson, and I all said at the said at the same time.

  “I think I’m going to be sick,” Kendall said as she rose from the couch and raced to the bathroom. I was right on her heels and she barely made it to the bathroom in time. I held her hair back for her while she wretched into the toilet.

  “Go, Tristan, I’m fine.” She said as she reached for tissues to wipe her mouth.

  “I’m not going anywhere, Angel. I just want to help you.”

  “I don’t need your help,” she said as she pushed herself back up from the floor. Cassie walked into the bathroom with a bottle of water and handed it to Kendall.

  “Sweetie, are you ok?” Cassie asked her.

  “Fine.” She answered as she brushed past us both and walked back out to the sitting room. Walking over to where her laptop was, she slammed it closed. She stood there for a few moments with her eyes closed before she finally spoke.

  “I didn’t tell you guys, but I have been getting these strange notes. They were warning me away from you Tristan. Saying that I did not know you and that you weren’t who you say you are.”

  I froze. Brett must knew that I had been with her. Shit. Now he definitely was going to pursue her more aggressively.

  “I thought they were from one of your jealous exes. I thought they were just trying to scare me away from you.”

  If only it really were so simple.

  “Kendall, you should have told us,” Jackson chimed in before I could. “As head of Tristan’s security team, I need to know things like that in order to keep you safe. Tristan is highly sought after by many people mainly because he is such a private person. They will try to get to him any way they can even if it means getting to you first. It has been no secret to the media that you two have been seeing each other.”

  I looked at Jackson and silently thanked him. I was still so worked up from Kendall finding out about Brett’s release and her passing out that I had no time to come up with what to say to her about the notes.

  “It all makes sense now,” Kendall sighed. “The notes, the flower deliveries here and back home to my office. The ones I thought were from Tristan. They were from Brett. He knew daisies were my favorite flower.”

  Kendall sat down on the sofa before she continued, “Is that why you were angry about the flowers?” she asked looking over at me.

  I had to lie. There was no way I could tell her the truth. Not if I didn’t want to lose her.

  “I thought they were from some other guy and I got jealous,” I answered with a shrug of my shoulders.

  “This means he has been trying to contact me for months now.”

  I sat silently for a few moments. I needed to proceed cautiously so that I did not tip her off and allow her to discover that I in fact know all about Brett.

  “Kendall who is Brett?”

  Her head snapped up and her eyes met mine. I knew the story. Every single morbid horrifying detail of it, but I need
ed to pretend I was hearing them for the first time. Only now hearing them come from her beautiful mouth was going to be torture.

  Kendall went into detail about Brett and the misery he inflicted in her life. Hearing her talk about the rape and him killing her parents nearly made me come undone. I sat next to her holding her hand as she relived every detail.

  “Bastard,” I said.

  “That is too tame a word for him.” Cassie gritted out in anger.

  “Well, the good news is that since he is out on parole, he cannot leave the states. He will not be able to contact you while we are in Europe,” Jackson told Kendall.

  “We will not let him come close to you Kendall. If I have to hire ten bodyguards, I will. I will protect you,” I told her as I caressed her cheek.

  I would spend every dime of my money if it meant I could protect her. I would not let Brett or anyone bring harm to her again. Ever.

  Kendall

  I still was not feeling well later that night. I just associated it with the nerves I was feeling with knowing that the man who took my family from me was now back out on the street. I apologized to everyone and told them I was going to go lay down.

  I had been asleep for maybe an hour when it started. The same nightmare that I had for years after Brett killed my parents. I woke up screaming and covered in a sheen of sweat. A light came on from the lamp on the side table near the bed. I blinked a few times as Tristan’s face came into view.

  “You ok, Angel?” he said with such tenderness.

  “It was a nightmare. I had those years ago after losing Mom and Dad, I guess tonight triggered them again. How long have you been sitting there?”

  “Pretty much since you first fell asleep,” he admitted. “I wanted to be sure you were ok. I hated having to see you like you were today.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  He got up off the floor from beside the bed and sat down next to me. “Baby, you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for. It was that bastard who should be sorry. He better hope we never cross paths.”