Beautiful Corruption (The Corruption Series Book 2)

by Jessica Manson

  I don’t know why I was teasing him, and I can’t explain my line of thinking, but I knew he liked it. The bulge in his pants told me he did. “Now will you tell me what you needed?” I asked.

  “What?” he asked with a cracked voice.

  “You needed something, what was it?” I asked with a half grin and raised eyebrow.

  “Oh, um.” He gripped the back of his neck trying to remember.

  “Do you need a minute?” I asked smiling.

  “Shut up. It’s your fault,” he said laughing.

  “What did I do?” I asked teasingly.

  “You know exactly what you did.”

  “Okay fine, I teased you. But you liked it,” I said pointing to his pants. He looked down and turned away from me. I didn’t want him to feel ashamed. I walked over to where he stood, “Tristan don’t be embarrassed.”

  “Lilith…”

  I cut him off by pressing my lips to his. He tasted like candy, sweet and innocent. His lips were soft and puffy like little clouds. He touched my back gently and leaned in closer deepening the kiss. I wrapped my arms around his waist pressing his body against mine. I could feel the love he had for me in that kiss until he pulled away from me. “Lilith, what are you doing?” he asked in a whisper.

  “I don’t know,” I said kissing him again. This time he kissed me harder sending tingles through my body and this time I pulled away, “Do you want me to stop?”

  “Yes. No,” he kissed me again. “Lilith, I want you,” he said resting his head on my forehead.

  “I know.”

  “What are we doing?”

  I looked him in the eyes. “I think I might be getting feelings for you Tristan.”

  He didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to. The smile that displayed across his face said enough. “I have news.”

  “About what?”

  “I called one of my friends and he can have us a jet out of here tonight?”

  “Are you serious?” I asked excited.

  “Yes. When you are ready to leave, all I have to do is give them the word.”

  “I’m ready. Let’s go tonight.”

  “Meet at the bottom of the stairs at midnight.” He kissed me on the cheek before leaving my room. I was so excited it instantly put me in a good mood. I was ready to leave Odin. I was ready to be away from all of the lies and deceit.

  I was sitting on pins and needles waiting for midnight. I was beginning to get nervous when Odin was still awake at eleven thirty. He was lying in bed flipping through his phone. I knew I would have to do something to get him to relax so he would go to sleep. I crawled up beside him in the bed and took his phone from him, throwing it at the foot of the bed. “What did you do that for?” he asked sounding frustrated. I didn’t answer him. I laid my head on his chest and lightly ran my fingernails in circles on his stomach. This always relaxed him and never failed to cause him to fall asleep. “Mmm, that’s nice.”

  “Relax and enjoy it.”

  “Are you trying to put me to sleep Mrs. Edgerson?”

  “No. I’m trying to cuddle with you, so I will fall asleep,” I lied. He started tracing his hands up and down my arm and within a few minutes I felt his body start to relax. Soon after, he started to snore. I slowly slipped out of his arms. I didn’t bother changing out of my night clothes for fear of waking him. I slipped into my shoes forgetting socks and quietly snuck out the door. I headed down the stairs watching over my shoulder.

  Tristan was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs even though we still had ten minutes. “Ready?” I asked.

  “Are you sure about this? Is leaving him what you really want to do?”

  “Are you backing out? You don’t have to go with me. I can do this on my own.”

  “No, I’m not backing out. I just wanted to make sure you were completely sure.”

  “Of course, I’m sure. He killed my parents Tristan. I can’t be with him after something like that.”

  “Okay, then let’s go,” he said with a smile.

  We headed for Tristan’s car and when we got outside a light upstairs caught my eye. Ambi was looking out her window watching us. “Tristan, we have to go now.” I said scared she would wake Odin.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Ambi is watching us.” I looked back at her window, but she was gone. We ran to the car and jumped in as quick as we could. As he pulled out of the driveway, I watched Ambi run outside. “Faster Tristan!” I yelled.

  Ambi ran back into the house. I knew this time she would wake Odin.

  Tristan was driving so fast everything passed by in a blur. We came to a gravel road and drove down it where a guy was waiting for us. “We are going to switch cars, but we should be quick since they know we are gone now. Odin put a tracker on all of our cars, so he would know where we are at all times.”

  Tristan didn’t bother to make introductions. We threw our stuff into the trunk of the new car and drove off. Wasn’t long after that my phone started ringing. I dug it out of my purse, “It’s Odin,” I said.

  “Don’t answer it.” I didn’t. I sent it to voicemail. He called three more times after that, each time leaving a voicemail. I could only imagine what he said. I wasn’t ready to listen to them yet. Just as I was putting it back in my purse, I got a text message.

  WTH Lilith?

  I left you a package in the library. You should go look at it, Odin.

  Where are the two of you going?

  Odin please just go look at the package.

  Earlier when Tristan told me we would be leaving today, I made copies of the pictures I had of Odin killing my parents. I left them for him on my desk in the library. I’m sure everything will make sense once he sees them. About ten minutes passed before he started calling again. While Odin was calling my phone Ambi was calling Tristan’s. “You can answer it,” I said.

  “I’m not sure that would be a good idea.”

  “One of us needs to talk to them eventually.”

  “Yeah maybe, but right now I think we should get as far away as we can before we do that.”

  “He knows now,” I said.

  “Knows what?”

  “That I know he killed them.”

  “How would he know that?”

  “I left him copies of the pictures.”

  “Well I guess he was bound to find out sooner or later.” I got another text message but this time it was from Ambi.

  Seriously? WTF? You won’t get away with this, you traitorous bitch. And you can tell Tristian that he is as good as dead.

  As long as there is breath in my body, no one will touch him.

  I should have killed you when I had the chance.

  I could say the same.

  Odin tried calling again. When I didn’t answer, he text me again.

  Lamia mea, please. You must let me explain. It isn’t what you think it is. I am so sorry baby. Please answer your phone. I can’t live in this life without you. You are my everything and losing you will crush me. Please come back and let me explain. I need you. I need us.

  Tears started to flow down my face. I wish I would have never found out. I wish Odin hadn’t done the things he did. I loved him very intensely and he used to be everything I needed, wanted and loved. But he ruined that. He ruined me, us. The love I had for him faded so quickly once I learned the truth.

  Tristan reached over and grabbed my hand. “Are you okay?” A peaceful sensation flowed through me. I realized I had hardened my heart toward Odin only to maybe fall in love with Tristan.

  “I’m fine. It’s just that this is the second time in my life that I have been betrayed by a guy in the worse ways possible. Why does this keep happening to me? Do I have stupid and vulnerable written on my forehead?”

  “I can assure you that you don’t. I don’t know what happened to you in the past, but I will say that both guys are the ones that are stupid. To risk losing a girl like you is crazy. If I had you, I
would never do anything to hurt you.”

  “I honestly believe that. I know you would never hurt me. But then again I am a fool.”

  “You’re not a fool Lilith.”

  “I am so messed up right now. My husband killed my parents, I’m carrying his baby, we are on the run from him, people want me dead, Slaaneth wants to kidnap my baby and I am in love with you. How did my life get turned so upside down?” I was scolding myself as soon as the words left my mouth. I couldn’t believe I just told him I was in love with him. Tristan didn’t say anything, he sat silent in the driver seat still holding my hand. The silence between us was becoming awkward. “Say something,” I whispered.

  “We’re here,” he said. My stomach dropped, and my body filled with embarrassment. I knew he loved me. He didn’t keep it a secret, not even from Odin. So why didn’t he say anything when I told him I was in love with him too? “Ready?”

  “Yeah.”

  We were parked near a small landing pad where a jet waited for us. Before getting on Tristan turned to face me, “We need to leave our phones here. Odin will be able to track us if we don’t.” I dug my phone out of my purse and handed it to him, he then handed it to another friend that I didn’t get introduced to. “Let’s go.”

  The jet was a lot smaller than Odin’s making us sit next to each other. I took the window seat, so I would have a distraction from my embarrassment. We didn’t speak until we were in the air. I had to be the one to break the silence. “Where do we go from here?”

  “Montana.”

  “Why Montana? There is nothing in Montana.”

  “Exactly. Do you think Odin would think to look for you there? Besides one of my connections has a cabin there that they will let us stay in for however long we need to.” Tristan sounded kind of snippy toward me and with my feelings hurt I didn’t respond to him, I just turned to stare out the window again.

  Chapter Five

  We sat awkwardly in silence. Rejection hurt. Especially from someone you thought loved you back. A single tear slid down my cheek and I quickly wiped it away. Another one fell, then another. Soon I was crying from both eyes. I turned my body toward the window pulling my knees up to me resting my head on them. I didn’t want Tristan to see me crying but it didn’t matter that I turned away from him, he knew. He placed his hand on my back and said, “I can’t stand to see you like this. Can we talk?”

  “What is there to talk about? I think your silence said enough,” I said with a weak voice.

  “Lilith, you don’t understand. I didn’t say anything because I know you are not ready to go there with me. You are not ready to be with me and I understand that. And I don’t expect anything from you. I love you. I have loved you for a very long time. I have waited, and I can wait again. Your happiness is all that matters to me.”

  “Tristan, I didn’t tell you I love you because I thought that is what you wanted to hear. I didn’t tell you I love you because it wasn’t true. I told you I love you because you love me. And I told you I love you because I can sit next to you and not say anything and be at peace. I love you because you are special to me and I feel amazing when I spend time with you. You give me goosebumps in a way no one ever could.” Except Odin, I thought to myself. “I feel safe sharing my secrets with you. I appreciate that you think about my feelings before you say or do anything. But most of all I love you because I trust you.”

  He sat there looking at the floor taking in my words. He finally looked up at me. “Do you know why I love you?” he asked.”

  “No, I don’t.”

  “I love you because the world is less scary when I am with you. Knowing you gives me courage. You are the first and last thing on my mind every day. I love you because if something serious happens to me, you are the first person I want to call. And I love you because I hear your voice even when we are not in the same place. I can be me when I am with you. And because your smile makes me smile. I can feel it when your heart sings because it makes mine sing too. You are my best friend and you mean the world to me. And I love you because I want to love you.”

  “You and I became close friends really fast after I married Odin and I fell in love with you a long time ago but as I said I was with Odin. I kicked myself every day for being in love with two men when maybe I should have only been in love with you.” I am so confused. I love Odin and Tristan at the same time. And if I love two people at the same time how can I be sure of what I feel for either of them is real?

  He leaned over and kissed me softly on the lips. It wasn’t a kiss filled with passion or heat, instead it was filled with something else. It was a small kiss, but it had a big impact. His kiss was filled completely with love. Unconditional, unjudging, perfect love. You could tell he didn’t want me for my body, he wanted my heart.

  When we finally landed, there was a beautiful brunette waiting next to a car for us. When she spotted Tristan, her eyes lit up like she was seeing the love of her life. She ran up to him and threw herself into his arms. Jealousy ran through my veins when she spoke with a seductive voice. “I have missed you Tristan. Why do you always stay away so long?”

  “Nice to see you too, Harper,” Tristan said. “This is…” She cut him off by kissing him. It was a deep passionate kiss. Tristan tried to pull away, but she just held on tighter. Anger raged through me causing me to snap my fingers. She started screaming without opening her mouth.

  I walked over to her and got in her face, “Keep your filthy lips off of him. Do you hear me?” She nodded that she understood so I snapped my fingers again giving her lips back.

  “You crazy bitch. Tristan, you’re just going to stand there and let her do this to me?” she said angry. I turned to walk away from her and she grabbed my hair pulling me back.

  Tristan ran up between us so fast he was a blur. “Let go of her now Harper.”

  “The bitch used magic on me Tristan and you expect me not to retaliate?”

  I could feel the vampire and the witch in me start to wake up. They were getting ready to attack. “Tristan, you have about five seconds to get her off me.” I warned him knowing it was coming fast.

  “Harper if you know what’s good for you, you will let her go now.”

  “No,” she said bitterly.

  “Four…five.” I spun around to face her. I was ready to fight when Tristan stepped in front of me.

  “Lilith don’t do this. If you fight you will lose the baby,” he said sincerely.

  Harper loosened her grip on my hair, “She’s pregnant?”

  “Yes, Harper. She is, and we have to go. Now,” Tristan said.

  We finally got into the car and drove away. Tristan drove for two hours before we reached a hidden gravel road. It was so small our car barely fit on it. It took us another thirty minutes down this road before a small cabin came into view. It was made out of large logs and had a red tin roof. I couldn’t wait for it to rain. Rain hitting the tin is my favorite sound. It is relaxing and calming. There were large pillars along the porch that were made of rocks. The cabin was completely surrounded by trees but off to my right I could hear water.

  Tristan grabbed our things from the car, “Come on, I could use a shower,” he said as he led me toward the house. I could smell the dust as soon as he opened the door. The air was so thick with it, it took my breath. The inside wasn’t as cute as the outside. The living room and kitchen were one room and the walls were brown paneling. The floor had darker brown tiles and the furniture was all tan. The house was in desperate need of color and light. It looked like no one had been here for years. “I’ll show you to your room.”

  Tristan led me down the hallway that looked exactly like the living room. There were three doors, one on each side of the hall and one at the end. “Which one is mine?” I asked.

  He pointed to the door on the right, “That’s you, that’s me and that’s the bathroom.”

  I walked into my room and wanted to walk right back out. The walls were red, and th
e furniture was black. It reminded me of my room with Odin. I turned and walked across the hall into Tristan’s room. He was just setting his things on the bed. His room was a light shade of green and the furniture was a horrible shade of brown. It was perfect. “Will you switch rooms with me?”

  “What’s wrong with yours?” he asked.

  “You’ll see.”

  He grabbed his things and walked across the hall, “Oh.”

  “Yup. Thanks for switching with me,” I yelled after him.

  “No problem,” he said standing in my doorway. “I’m going to shower, need anything before I go?”

  “No thanks.” When I heard the water running, I walked into the living room/kitchen and looked through the cabinets. Tristan must have had someone stock food for us because there wasn’t an empty cabinet in the house. There was even a pantry that was full, and the freezer and fridge were also stocked with all of my favorites.

  My stomach growled at the sight of all the food. I looked under the sink to find some cleaner. I grabbed the bottle of dusting spray and started dusting. I needed a clean area, so I could make myself something to eat. When I was done dusting everything, I started to clean the countertops,

  I turned the water on to wet a rag when I heard Tristan scream. I ran to the bathroom and threw the door open, “What’s wrong? What happ…” I cut myself off when I noticed his naked body. I bit my bottom lip as my eyes landed on his member. Tristan was gorgeous. His body full of muscles was calling for me to touch it and I wanted to so badly.