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“Name your price for my freedom.” Tristan chuckled with a shake of her head. “Give me one lump sum amount that will buy me out of every agreement you made on my behalf.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Maybe because it’s the right thing to do. Maybe because I don’t want to be with you. Maybe because I’m the one that wrote those songs, chose those producers, and made my shit pop. I’m the one doing interviews and concerts, interacting with my fans. What have you done that entitles you to my masters and distribution besides take advantage of my trust in you, Tristan?”
Tristan ran her fingers through her knotless braids. Her head shook as she rested her forearms on her thighs.
“You act like I intentionally did this to steal from you or betray your trust.”
“Fuck you call it then, Tristan?” he asked calmly, legs opening and closing as he sat further in his seat. “I trusted you to make deals on my behalf and you stole from me.”
“I didn’t steal from you; I made sure you’d never be able to leave me.”
Saint scratched the top of his head before hanging it in defeat. He stared at his hands, and his voice was thick with emotion when he said, “I’m not yours to possess. We were friends turned lovers and that never should have been the case.”
Tristan chuckled as her leg began to shake. “Why wasn’t I ever good enough for you?” His eyes lifted toward the ceiling while he groaned and covered his face with his palms as his legs shook. “I’ve been loyal to you. I supported you when you couldn’t even get fifty people to come to your shows. Now I book you venues with tens of thousands. Everything I’ve done was because I love you, but that’s never been enough.”
Saint lowered his hands and stared into her eyes. His head shook as he stood. Walking over to her, Saint sat down next to her and took her hand into his.
“I told you about my background,” he reminded, holding her hand a little tighter when she tried to pull it out. Not because she didn’t want him close, but because she feared she wouldn’t like what he was about to say. “I told you that I didn’t know how to have romantic relationships. You said you understood that. My relationships have always been transactional. You said that was cool.”
“Saint…”
“I trusted you,” he seethed, voice lowered. He inhaled a deep breath through flaring nostrils. “You knew I didn’t have anyone in my life outside of my grandparents that I trusted. Yes, we were just friends because I didn’t want anything to ruin that. You were all I fucking had, Tris.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose before releasing a shaky breath that made her eyes water. “I didn’t give a fuck about no pussy or date nights with you. What we had was deeper than that. I didn’t just trust you with my secrets; I trusted you with my future. My music. My passion. And you took advantage of that.” He chuckled. “You didn’t just take advantage of that; you devalued what I had to offer you just because it wasn’t what you wanted, though you knew it was all I had to give.”
Licking the corner of her mouth, Tristan swallowed hard as she looked away. Everything he’d said was true. She knew how much her friendship meant to Saint, but because she wanted more, she downplayed its value. Now, she was paying for that every day.
“So give me a price,” he continued. “I’ll pay whatever it takes to free myself of you.”
Her head shook as she continued to avoid his eyes. “I-I can’t, Saint. No.” Her head shook again. “I’m sorry, but no.”
Saint stood, and Tristan watched as he left. She expected them to fight—to go back and forth. But that wasn’t the case, and that scared her. Tristan could handle an angry, screaming Saint. She was familiar with how he moved. Calm Saint, however, was new… and she had no idea what he had in store for her.
ChapterSix
Harmony
As Harmony’seyes scanned her home, her head shook slowly as she frowned.
By the looks of it, Keith was in another depressed state, or he wanted her to think he was so he wouldn’t have to do anything around the house. When they first met, Keith worked full time as a claims adjuster. His battle with cancer caused him to have to work part time. Since they were going to get married anyway, Harmony didn’t mind if Keith moved in with her.
In her mind, it would help him focus on his health instead of bills and work, and it would also help her be there for him if and when he needed her. Because Keith’s income had been reduced to a third of what he used to make, they had an agreement—he would clean, do the laundry, and cook once a week since he spent his days at home while she worked. There were weeks over the past year and a half when his chemo made him so weak, he couldn’t hold up his end of the bargain, and Harmony was okay with that. So much so that she began to do everything.
The problem was, the stronger Keith got, the less he wanted to help around the house. He had the strength to do whatever he wanted to do in and out of their home, but when it came down to his responsibilities,thatwas when he felt ill or depressed. In a sense, it reminded Harmony of a child who didn’t want to do their chores. In the beginning, it was funny and cute, now it annoyed the hell out of her. The last thing she wanted to do after working all day was come home to a dirty house with nothing cooked to eat. Still, she’d give Keith the benefit of the doubt and check on his emotional and physical state before jumping to conclusions.
Heading up the stairs, Harmony masked her irritation with a genuine smile. She might not have been happy with the state of their home, but she was happy about her first day at the library. It wasn’t open for customers yet, but she’d met with her staff and the security Kahlil insisted she keep for a few team building exercises before they reopened the following Monday.
Knocking on the guest bedroom door, Harmony waited until Keith told her to come in before opening the door. When he first started sleeping up there, it was because his sleep schedule was off, and he didn’t want to disturb her. Now, it had turned into a habit. Weeks had passed since they slept in the same bed or even hugged or cuddled for that matter, and that bothered Harmony more than anything. She needed the embrace of her man. She needed his closeness… the healing power of a hug. Just a few seconds of affection would instantly shift her perspective and have her dedicated to their agreement and engagement all over again.
Her eyes scanned the room. Keith hadn’t neglected to clean the common areas alone; he hadn’t cleaned the guest room either. There were several old food containers from at least the last ten days laying around. His comforter was tossed over the black recliner, while the sheets on the bed were balled up in the center of it. There was a slight scent, but he masked it with incense.
Her body relaxed as she took him in—his scruffy beard, unkempt hair, holey wife beater, and loose-fitting sweats. Keith lifted his eyes from the phone, and when they met hers, Harmony fought back tears. This wasn’t the man she’d fallen in love with. He’d become a shell of himself right before her very eyes. The Keith Hamilton she fell in love with was energetic, fun, and charming—sweet, romantic, and selfless. He prioritized her and challenged her to love and care for him just as deeply as he loved and cared for her. But the man staring at her… that man was someone else.
“Hey,” Keith greeted.
“Hey. How are you?”
Keith nodded and looked around the room slowly. “Good.”
