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Chapter Thirteen
ISABEL
Tristan and I exchanged five words since our argument. He’s doing his best to avoid me, and I’m making it easy by doing the same. I still don’t understand his coldness. How do you go from sharing your body and soul with a person one day to pretending they don’t exist the next? Because that’s how it feels every time our paths cross, which, in our tiny apartment, is a lot.
On top of my issues with Tristan, the Pierce situation is… unsettling. After that blowup with Tristan, I was expecting violence and rage. Instead, I got flowers. No lie. Both mornings since, a bouquet has shown up at our doorstep. The apology on the card matches the texts and voice messages he’s been sending. I’m so confused and hurt and… I don’t even know what I feel. Nothing in me wants to be his girlfriend anymore, but I’m still afraid of what he’ll do if I don’t take him back. His kindness is almost more alarming than the hostility.
I’m stuck in a love triangle from hell, and right now, I don’t want either of them.
The worst part is that for one incredible night my path was clear: Tristan Haverford was my present and my future. I would have done anything for him, climbed any mountain, waded through any swamp, whatever it took to make a life with that man. He had my entire heart and soul for seven hours. Then morning came and he tossed them in the trash with the old coffee grounds.
I brace myself for a confrontation as I climb the last flight of stairs to our apartment. Work was rough today, which I guess is a fitting end to this tumultuous week. Pierce wanted to get together tonight “to talk” but I told him I have to work on my paper. It wasn’t even a lie. I’m barely getting my reading in, let alone making good progress on my projects. I’m craving a comfortable hoodie and total silence to study.
But of course I get the opposite when I open the door to find a stranger seated on the couch with Tristan. Kim watches from the entrance to the kitchen, chewing on her fingernail like she does when she’s nervous.
“Hey, Iz,” Tristan says. He sounds tense as well, and my attention swings to the burly man near him. “Um, this is Brian, my PO.”
“Hi,” I say with a brief wave.
The man returns a stiff smile. “Girlfriend? Roommate?” he asks Tristan.
“Roommate,” Kim chimes in. “This is Isabel Gardner. She should be listed on there.”
The man looks at something in a folder and nods. “Ah, okay. Hi,” he says before turning back to Tristan. “Alright, before we do a walk-through, are there any firearms on the premises?”
“No,” Tristan says, casting a quick glance at Kim for verification.
“None,” she confirms.
“Good. Drugs? Alcohol?”
Kim and Tristan shake their heads. Guess that explains why Kim offloaded our entire collection a few days before Tristan moved in.
“Alright, then let’s see the place,” Brian says, pushing to his feet.
Crap, I forgot this was happening today.
Once the tour starts, I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do. I can’t really follow, but it feels weird to go to my room while they’re inspecting it. I end up staying in the living room, hovering awkwardly by the door. My heart is racing from the tension, and it doesn’t even involve me. The guy looked nice enough, but as he spouts off official-sounding rules and regulations, Tristan’s situation becomes real in a whole new way.
They’ve just entered Kim’s bedroom in the back of the apartment when our door rattles with a knock. I pull it open, and…
Shit.
Pierce stands expectantly with a bottle of wine in one hand and a bag of takeout in the other.
What in the actual hell?!
I force a tight smile through the rising panic. “Hi, uh, what are you doing here?”
“Hey, baby. You said you had a long week, so I figured I’d bring you dinner. What do you say? Let’s talk over some chicken parm and pinot grigio?”
“Um, that’s really sweet of you, but it’s not a great time.”
His expression sours as he tries to peer past me. “Why not? You have guests or something? You told me you hadschoolwork.”
I shake my head, sending an urgent look behind me. “I do. It’s just… Please, I’ll call you later, okay? I—”
“Well, everything looks good. I’ll be coming by to check…” Brian stops when he sees Pierce in the doorway.
