HANA
I haven’t heard from Tristan since yesterday, and I feel like crap after I lost it earlier in the restaurant with my friends. I took out my own pain on Hunter when I heard he forced a kiss on Jade, and now they’re all worried.
Sitting in my room, I stare at the floor with my arms wrapped around my waist. The shame lies thick in my stomach. I feel dishonored.
If Tristan finds out… I don’t know what he’ll do.
There’s a knock on my door, and before I can answer, Fallon comes in. She shuts it then comes to sit next to me.
“What happened?” she asks.
Fallon’s closer than a best friend, but I can’t bring myself to talk about the incident. It’s as if it will become real then.
Right now, it’s just a nightmare.
I shake my head. “Nothing. I overreacted.”
Fallon leans forward to catch my eyes. “I know something happened, Hana.”
“Can we leave it?” I plead.
“Will you talk to me when you’re ready?”
I nod quickly. “Promise.”
She wraps her arms around me and whispers, “Love you.”
I hug her back, drawing comfort from her. “Love you, too.”
“Want to watch a movie?” Fallon asks as she pulls back.
I shake my head. “I have an assignment to do.”
“Okay.” Her gaze searches mine, and it makes me smile as happily as I can. It convinces her enough to leave.
Not wanting to fall behind with my school work, I spend the rest of the afternoon and early evening getting the assignment done.
It’s past nine when my phone vibrates.
T: I’m in the parking area.
H: Five minutes.
I’ve learned to wait until ten before I change into my sweatpants and t-shirt, just in case Tristan comes to get me.
Slipping on my shoes, I walk out of my room. The suite is quiet as I leave it, and I quickly take the elevator down.
When I walk out of the building and see Tristan leaning against his car, I break out into a run. His arms open, and I slam into his chest. Gripping him for dear life, I soak in the safety I feel in his embrace.
“Let’s go,” he murmurs.
Tristan opens the passenger door, and once I’m seated, he shuts it. My gaze follows him until he slides in behind the steering wheel.
The drive to his penthouse is quiet, but the second I walk into the living room, Tristan grabs hold of my wrist and yanks me to him. My head tilts back, and the moment his mouth claims mine, I feel… less tainted.
Tristan takes hold of my hips, and he lifts me against his body. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist.
Breaking the kiss, he carries me up the stairs and to his room. He gently lays me on the bed, and then he kisses me until my lips are tingling from the friction.
I frame his jaw with my hands and whisper, “Make love to me, please.”
His mouth curves up, and then he begins to undress me. When Tristan has us both naked, he rolls on a condom, then crawls back over me. Unlike the previous times, his kiss is tender, as if he’s savoring me.
His mouth moves down to my neck, and I close my eyes as I replace the disgust weighing heavy in my stomach with butterflies caused by the feel of Tristan’s kisses. His teeth scrape over me, and his lips soothe the skin as if he knows exactly what I need.
Emotion pushes up my throat as he moves down to my breasts, his tongue removing the fumbling touches that I thought were ingrained in me.
Tears sting my eyes while Tristan caresses my body with tender kisses and light bites. He crawls back up, and when his mouth crashes against mine, a whimper escapes as the first tear rolls into my hair.
Tristan positions himself at my entrance, and achingly slowly, he enters me. I feel every inch of him, stretching me wider until he’s all the way in.
He’s so attuned to me. It’s as if he can feel what I feel.
He ends the kiss only to catch my tears with his lips as he begins to move. His whole body ripples over mine as he keeps the pace deep and slow.
The intensity of what he’s doing makes a sob escape my lips, drawing his mouth back to mine.
He knows.
Tristan knows what happened.
It scares me that he knows, but at the same time, it’s the comfort I needed.
“I’m sorry I lied,” I whimper.
Tristan rests his forearms on either side of my head, and his eyes lock on mine. He shakes his head. “It’s okay.” He pulls out. “I’m taking care of it.” He pushes back into me. “He’ll never touch you again.”
I nod, my face crumbling from the trauma.
He smothers me with his body, his kisses, his love, and I drink in the feel of his powerful body as his arms lock me to him. His thrusts grow harder and faster. I wrap my arms and legs around him, clinging to him as if he’s my life force.