Chapter 20
Ash
Things with Tristan have been strange the last couple of weeks. He’s been distant and not speaking much. In fact, he’s barely touched me, and it makes me wonder if he’s really over me now.
He untied me from the bed the same night and held me for almost a full day. It was crazy, but I let him have his time. He wouldn’t accept the fact I love him, and I know that’s a tough one for him, so I’m just giving him time.
He’s been lost in his work, sculpting all day and most of the night, which I guess is what he does when he’s stressed. I just feel bad I’m the reason he’s so stressed.
I walk toward the door, grabbing my jacket as I go, ready to head out and grab us something to eat.
“Where the hell are you going?” His voice sends a chill down my spine. I both love and hate when he talks to me like that.
“To get food.”
“We can order it.”
“We haven’t left the warehouse in weeks, Tristan. I’m bored.” He stops what he’s doing and looks at me intently before nodding.
“I’ll take you out,” he offers. A genuine smile crosses my face as I watch him go clean up and then come back. He’s ready, opening the door for me and ushering me outside.
“Walking?” I ask, hopeful. It’s been so long since we’ve walked and done anything that I think we just need that break. He nods, and we start walking when some asshole whistles at me. Tristan turns, pulling his knife once more and grabbing the guy’s face. He pries his mouth open and grabs his tongue, resting the blade on it.
“You whistle at my girl one more time, and I’ll cut your tongue out,” he growls at him. I gasp, watching the scene unfold, but it doesn’t really surprise me anymore. This is Tristan, although I haven’t seen this side of him in a while.
He presses the knife against the man’s tongue, and I can see the blood blooming before Tristan pulls the knife away. The guy doesn’t say anything; he just takes off running in the opposite direction.
“Are you okay?” I ask him.
“Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You haven’t been for weeks,” I remind him.
“I’m great, baby. Just give me some time, okay?” I nod my head and we keep walking until we reach the diner. He opens the door and ushers me inside and over to a table. We sit down and order as I stare at him.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re starting at me,” he says.
“I know.”
“Then stop.”
“I don’t want to.” Now, he looks up at me and grins.
“Why?”
“You’re beautiful.”
“You’re beautiful,” he says, causing my heart to leap in my chest. This is the Tristan I’ve missed. The one I want to, although I’ll take any version of him I can get.
“I’ve missed this,” I tell him. He nods his head knowing what’s been happening the last few weeks. It hasn’t been easy on either of us.
“I know. I’m working on it,” he says as I nod my head now.
“Do you want to do something tonight?” I ask him.
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. Anything.”
“There’s an art show downtown if you want to go to that. I know how much you love art,” he says.
“I’d like that.”
“We need to talk too.”
“About what?”
“You haven’t been going to school.” I look down at the table because I can’t look at him. Strangely, I haven’t felt like going. I want to spend my time with Tristan, which I know is insane, especially all the time.
“I haven’t felt much like going.”
“Because of me.”
“Not just that.”
“What then?” he asks, and I shrug. It is that. I don’t want to walk away from him. I don’t know why there’s this ache in my chest when he isn’t near, but I want to keep it at bay.
“I don’t know, honestly. I love art. It would make sense I want to go, right? But I don’t. Anyway, I’ve been doing some work online.”
“Do you want to sculpt with me?” he blurts, taking me by surprise.
“Really?”
“Why not? You don’t seem to want to leave my side, so you might as well get paid for your time stalking me,” he teases with a gorgeous grin on his face.
“Stalking you? Is that what we’re calling it?”
“Yeah. I see the way you look at me, Ash.”
“How do I look at you?” I ask him, wanting to know what he sees.
“With love.”
“So you get it now?”
“I get it now,” he tells me, and my heart nearly bursts. I lean over the table and press my lips to his savoring the taste of him on my tongue.
“Climbing tables now, are we?”
“I’d climb through anything for you,” I inform him. He grins and shakes his head.
“Don’t do that for me, Ash. Do it for you.” I don’t know what that means, and I don’t really care. I sit back down, and we finish our meal before heading out. We’re walking down a back alley when I hear a noise behind us.
Tristan hears it, too, pulling me into his side.
“Don’t move,” I hear Ben’s voice. Instantly, I freeze. We both turn to see Ben standing there with a gun aimed at me.
“What is this choir boy? Doesn’t this go against your religion?” Tristan chuckles.
“You think this is all fun and games, right? That I won’t kill you because I will. You stole something from me, and it’s time I take it back.”
“Like fuck you will. I’ll see you in hell before I let you touch her,” Tristan growls, and it sends a chill down my spine.
Ben steps closer, and that’s when I hear it. Someone else is moving around behind us. The shot is fired before anyone can think or move. Tristan roars and rushes at Ben, but another shot is fired, and he goes down.
“Tristan!” I scream as I’m grabbed from behind. I try to fight whoever is behind me, but it does no good. Something is placed over my face, and I find myself losing all sense of belonging.
“Tristan,” I manage to mumble once more before everything goes black.