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“You’re not here for me,” I say. “You’re here for Theo.”
“That’s not...” Tristan blows out an exhale, running a hand through his jet-black hair. “That’s not true.”
“Yeah?” I cross my arms. “Then who are you here for?”
“For you,” Tristan says, and then his expression turns serious. “I’m here for you.”
I’m taken aback by his words. It’s as if there’s actual feeling in his voice, actual anguish, and it sends a little jolt of electricity through me. I shake my head. “Sorry, I must have hallucinated there. You’ve never liked me, Tristan.”
“That’s not true,” he says as he meets my eyes again with that piercing blue gaze. “I think you’re a pain in the ass, and you’re always going off half-cocked, and you’re way too fucking stubborn, but you have a good heart, and I know that you’re hurting right now. And I’m sorry for that. But I’ve always liked you.”
I stare at him, flabbergasted, trying to make sense of his words. It’s pretty damned hard when he’s this close, and watching me with those ridiculously blue eyes, so I default to sarcasm. “Don’t strain yourself or anything.”
He snorts and shakes his head, mystified. “God, you’re a nuisance sometimes. Do you know that?”
“So I’ve been told,” I reply, a small smile creeping onto my face, and I clear my throat. “So, ah... If you really don’t hate me, then why have you always been such an asshole to me?”
Tristan sighs, running a hand through his hair again. “Look,” he says, “you saw what Sienna was like. Dangerous. Born into the Families, hot under the collar, never took no for an answer. She was a land mine from the minute we started dating. When things ended between us...” He trails off for a moment, and then exhales slowly. “She went nuclear. It almost started a war between our families. There were threats, and counter-threats, and... and it was bad. Really bad. After that, I promised myself I’d never get involved with anyone else in the underworld. The stakes are just too damn high.”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “So, you... what, decided to go all prickly on me for the good of your health?”
“It’s not that,” Tristan replies, turning to face me on the bed. “I did well for a while. The truth is, I’ve always hated myself a little for liking you, Vivian. But the thought of Lucas putting his hands on you, or the people you care about...” He shakes his head. “I can’t stand it anymore.”
The emotion burning in his eyes is so strong, so deep and intimate, it scares me. My heart slams against my chest, and I swallow hard at the realization that all my assumptions about this man have been upended... as well as the realization that maybe I don’t mind all that much. Unable to put it all into words, I finally just cross my arms, turn to him, and say, “You did it again. You called me Vivian.”
“My mistake,” Tristan says, his eyes dazzling, his voice like velvet as he leans in closer to me. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” I whisper, paralyzed by the sheer, magnetic presence of him. Before any other words can leave me, Tristan reaches out and pulls me to him, his mouth coming down on mine in a kiss that feels like the culmination of everything that’s passed between us: all the shared looks, the back-and-forths, the tension that neither of us wanted to acknowledge. It’s tender, and desperate, and it makes me feel like I’m on fire. His lips are soft and warm against mine, but they’re also insistent, demanding, and I can’t help but moan into his mouth. His tongue flicks across my bottom lip and I part my lips, letting my hands come to rest on his lean arms.
My body is flush against Tristan’s, and his arms wrap around me, locking around my back. He pulls me into him so that our legs are intertwined, and I can feel the hard press of his body against mine. I reach up and thread my fingers through his hair, tugging him closer, and his kiss gets more forceful. We break apart long enough for me to throw my head back, groaning as he kisses a hot line down my jaw to my neck. He bites down gently, and I can feel him smile against my skin as I gasp, my body reeling at the sensation. My hands are still in his hair, my eyes closed as he moves lower. When he reaches the collar of the tank top I’m wearing, he pulls it down to get to my chest and I arch my back, pressing myself into him.
A growl issues from Tristan as he strips my shirt off, and then his mouth is on my breasts and I’m clutching at his shoulders, arching my hips against him. “Tristan,” I whisper. “Please...”
“What?” he murmurs against my skin. “I need to hear you say it.”
“I need you,” I tell him.
That’s all the affirmation he needs. His lips return to mine as his hands drop to the hem of my shorts and he pushes them down. Still kissing me, he slides his hand under the hem of my panties, skimming down to brush my clit with expert precision. I moan, grinding against him, desperate for the comfort he’s promising, and he slides a finger inside of me. The sensation is electric, and I can feel myself getting wetter by the second. My hips buck up as my hands drop to his belt, fumbling with the buckle. He nips my bottom lip and pulls back, meeting my eyes as he pleasures me. I can see the intensity in his gaze, the raw energy that makes my whole body sing, and a moan escapes me.
Somehow I fumble his belt off, even as he brings me closer to my peak, and then I reach for the button on his pants. He’s already hard, and he groans as I unzip them, freeing him. I reach for him again and he pulls away from me, taking in the solid planes of his chest as he pulls off his shirt. I sit up and stare at him, eyes wide. “Tristan...”
“What?” he asks hoarsely.
“Is this...” I swallow. “Is this really what you want? Or are you just trying to make me feel better?”
He looks at me, eyes glazed with lust, and sees right through me. He leans in, kisses me again, then rolls me over, half-naked as I am, and presses his lips to my neck as we fall back against the bed. “This is exactly what I want,” he whispers. “I’ve wanted you since the minute I met you, Vivian.”
My legs open, almost of their own accord, as he settles between them. I can feel his cock pressing against my entrance, and as he slides into me, I moan, still chasing the orgasm that he’s been tempting me with all this time. His eyes meet mine as he pushes inside, and I feel the sweet sensation of being stretched as he fills me up.
“Oh, God, Vivian,” he murmurs.
I whimper as Tristan begins to move, my back arching as he pulls me closer. His lips capture mine, and he kisses me as he thrusts, harder and deeper, until there’s no more space between us. I can feel him filling me completely, and he lets out a moan as I clench my thighs around his waist, amplifying the friction. He groans, somehow thrusting even deeper, and I cry out as my body begins to tense, clenching around him tightly. He keeps me there, hovering on the edge as I shake with pleasure, and then, finally, I fall over the edge. My nails dig into his back as sparks burst behind my eyelids, and everything goes white for a moment.
Suddenly, warmth fills me, and Tristan collapses against me, panting. I wrap my arms around him and draw him close, holding onto him like he’s the only thing in the world. He brushes my hair away from my face and leans down to kiss me once more. “We’re going to fix this, Vivian,” he says, his voice low. “I promise.”
I cling desperately to that hope as he circles his arms around me, and tell myself things will somehow be okay. But as sleep starts to overtake me and Callie’s face once more fills my mind, I open my eyes again and wonder if it’s even possible.
ChapterThirty-Two
