It actually takes a few rings before Tristan answers. "The fuck have you been?"
"Oh, you can curse, but I can't!" I hear shouting on the other end of the line. That's got to be Lily.
"Who is it? I need a name." I can't do a name, not yet.
"I'm working on it, but I know it's a friend. A girl," I add quickly.
"Killian, you know I need way more than that."
"It is a friend, you giant asshole!" the girl shouts again. Fuck me. She must know then that a person was hired to look into Teddy.
"Go to your room," Tristan orders her, and there's an icy edge that would have most people sitting up straight.
Is he trying to send an adult to their room? Good luck with that, because Lily is Teddy's friend, and from what I've learned about her, she gives as good as she gets.
"No," the girl says. Tristan lets out an irritated growl, and I hear him moving and then a door shutting.
"Everything okay over there?"
"Here is none of your business. Now tell me why you’re not giving me the information I want."
“Because I’m still working on it.” Now it’s me that growls.
“Are you working on it in the Captain Crown?” He says the name of the hotel. A surge of irritation hits me.
“Listen here, pretty boy, you and I are going to have a real fucking problem if you’re tracking me. I’m warning you, and I am not fucking around. I consider that a threat, and do you know what I do to things that threaten me? I’m pretty sure that you do.”
Tristan takes a deep breath. “The girl, she makes me do shit that—” He trails off. “Never mind, you wouldn’t understand." Oh, how wrong he is. “Get me what I want, and I’ll tell you how I do it and give you the tech to stop even me.”
I could stop Tristan myself, but he’s likely not the only one with the technology he’s speaking of.
“Fine, but you better knock that shit off. I’ll be in contact.” I end the call knowing that I likely can’t kill Tristan. That would set off a chain of events that would end up upsetting my Zolotse. But if he gives me no option, I will do what I must to protect her.
I hear a sound from behind me, and I turn quickly. Relief fills me that Teddy isn't standing there having heard all that I said. I run my hand down my face. I’m going to have to come clean with her. It’s the only way.
I grab the tablet off the small kitchen counter and order breakfast. I want to feed my Zolotse in bed, and then maybe I can eat her again. Once I’ve placed the order, I check my emails while she’s still asleep. I pause a few times when I think I hear her voice, but she doesn’t come out of the room.
I turn down a handful of offers that have come through and notice I received information about Teddy’s lawyer. I start to scan over it when I know for a fact I hear her now. I don’t get the chance to go to her; she comes out of the bedroom, her phone in hand.
“Zolotse.” I can tell instantly that things are not okay.
"You've been lying to me." Tears fill her eyes. They slice right through me. It's worse than any torture I've experienced before.
"I was going to tell you." It takes me no time to put together that it was Lily who told her about me.
"After you sabotaged everything?" The corners of her mouth turn down. Her disappointment and hurt is palpable, and it’s crushing me. Never have I worried what other people thought about me, but she changed all that.
"No, I haven't told Tristan anything. I've been stringing him along.” I start to stand, wanting to go to her.
"You keep your booty in that chair," Teddy orders me. I'm not pushing my luck, so I keep my ass planted. "Oh, you actually listened." That perks her up momentarily, and then she furrows her brows, remembering she's mad at me.
"Zolotse, please. I did not mean you harm." I swallow. "I can't lose you." My world would fall into utter darkness. Before Teddy, that was fine by me, but now I've felt the sun on my skin,and there’s no turning back. I want to bask in her for the rest of eternity.
"You're not going to lose me. Don't think that, but I'm still mad." She stomps one foot.
"I'll make it up to you," I tell her.
"With orgasms?" Her brows rise at her question.
