Faithless (17 page)

He wanted to ask something more, I could see it on
his face, but instead he just replied, "me too."

I sat in Tristan's arms for a lot longer than I
thought would ever be comfortable, but it just felt so right. My eyes began to
flutter shut as time ticked by, but I didn't want him to leave. I wanted him to
stay, with me, forever. Unfortunately for me, I wasn't that lucky. The moon was
high above us when he stood and placed me back on the chair without him next to
me.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just getting late is
all. You should get some sleep."

I caught sight of his back and the damage I had
done when he turned to leave. "And you should probably get a
bandage." I giggled.

"That bad, huh?" He kept turning trying
to look at it.

"Go take care of those and I'll see you
tomorrow."

"Promise?" His voice was fading as he
walked away.

"I promise." I smiled.

My eyes slowly blinked open just as the sun was
beginning to rise over the ocean. I lay in bed just staring out the window at
the amazingly beautiful shades of red and pink as memories of last night
flashed through my mind. Being with Tristan again on such an intimate level,
left me yearning for more. Every time I closed my eyes I could feel his hands
touching me, his lips gliding across mine, and his salty skin pressed against
me. A soft moan escaped between my lips as I remembered each and every detail.
My lips were still swollen from the roughness of our kissing and the ache
between my legs reminded me of how he had taken all of me last night. There was
no holding back on his behalf, and I loved the feeling of knowing he had been
in me.

There was a small knock at my door and I jumped not
knowing who would be up this early. Although London was the only one here, he
rarely woke up before ten. I tucked the sheets around my half naked body before
I answered the door. I was in utter shock and disbelief when I came face to
face with Nancy.

"What the hell are you doing in my
house?" I had gone from euphorically happy to extremely irritated in less
than five seconds, just from seeing her face.

"Well good morning to you too, Riley. I
actually thought this was London's room. He sent me a text this morning asking
me to come over. He told me where the spare key was, and I
know
how to disarm the alarm." Her condescending tone wasn't
helping with the being irritated thing.

"Well, sorry to disappoint, but London's room
is down the hall."

"My apologies, hun. Talk to you soon."
She gave a wave as she made her way down the hall. When she got to London's
door, she didn't knock.

She had known damn good and well that
this
door was not his. What the hell was
she up to? I quietly clicked my door into place, before throwing myself back
onto the bed. I tugged the covers up over my head and tried to go back to sleep
for a bit. I wasn't in the mood to deal with Nancy and her bitch ass this
early, on very little sleep and no caffeine.

When I woke up a little while later, I threw on my
robe and made my way down to the kitchen. I noticed London's door was still
closed as I exited the bathroom and I didn't know whether or not to take that
as a good sign or a bad one.

When I entered the kitchen, I got my answer. There
Nancy stood in nothing but one of London's t-shirts, a t-shirt that barely
covered her ass mind you, making coffee like she owned the place. I landed on
the last stair as hard as I could to get her attention, and it worked. Coffee
grounds and the coffee filter went flying to the ground.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" She chimed.

"No, you didn't. Is London still
sleeping?" I walked over to her and handed her the small hand broom before
I started making my own coffee.

"No. He's getting up and going to get in the
shower before we head out."

"Head out where?" I inquired.

"I'm taking him to find a tux for that gala
thing he's taking you to tonight."

A benefit thing? It was for abused children you nitwit.
Not that her rich pretty little brain could ever comprehend that. "Well
that's nice of you." I went back to making coffee and then I sat back and
waited, impatiently.

"It should be a pretty good turn out this year.
This benefit gets a lot of media attention. I hear you're supposed to be
speaking?" God how did she know all this shit?

"Yes, I am. Are you going?"

Please say
no. Please say no. Please say no.

"I am actually. I know the woman who is
running it this year. She's an amazing person. You might know her. Her name is
Julia Hayes."

I almost spit my coffee across the room when I
heard the last name, "As in Tristan's mom?" I wiped my face with a
paper towel and attempted to drink some more.

"Yes, that's who she is. How do you know
Tristan?"

"Long story." I couldn't look at Nancy
because I knew whatever emotion I was feeling would be eminent on my face.

"I bet. Yeah I met her when Tristan and I
were...oh I suppose you probably don't want to hear about that. Well, I'm
off." She grabbed the two cups of coffee she had just made and headed back
upstairs in the direction of London's bedroom.

I let out an audible sigh as I grabbed my coffee
cup and made my way out back. Very few things or people for that matter ever
made me mad, but it almost seemed as though Nancy just loved to push my
buttons. When I got down to the now infamous lounge chair, I noticed a drop of
blood on the side and couldn't help but laugh a little. I hoped Tristan was
healing okay.

"What's so funny over here?" Tristan's
voice was husky and laced with sleep.

"What are you doing here so early?" I
smiled at him wanting him to know that I was just trying to tease him a little.

"I went surfing this morning. The waves were
just too perfect to pass up. Thought I would come by and take my chances that
you'd be out here."

"Looks like you got lucky."

"Looks like it, huh?" He smiled and those
dimples stroked the fire that was already beginning to burn deep inside of me
this morning.

"Hey Tristan, I have kind of a personal
question to ask you."

"Okay."

We both sat down on the lounge chair so we were
facing one another. "Did you and Nancy ever have a thing?"

He let out a deep throaty laugh and my brows pulled
together in confusion. "That would be a big, hell no. Trust me it wasn't
for a lack of trying on her part, but I wasn't interested. She's not my
type." I could tell by the look in his eye that she may not be, but I most
certainly was.

"Oh."

"Why? What is she saying to you?"

"She mentioned your mother this morning, and
then she proceeded to tell me that you two were more or less involved at one
point."

"She knows my mother?"

"That's what she said. She said this benefit
tonight is put together by her."

"Well, yeah it is, but I don't think Nancy
knows my mother on a personal level. I honestly wouldn't know though. My mother
and I don't speak much."

I was finally starting to get some answers and the
pieces of the mysterious puzzle I like to call Tristan, started to make a
little bit more sense. "I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. Shit happens, you know?"

"Unfortunately, I do."

"Well I hate to cut our conversation short,
but I have a spa and hair appointment before I get ready for this thing
tonight." All of a sudden it dawned on me that Tristan might be going. I
was about to ask him, but then he had just said that they don't speak much, so
it really wouldn't make sense for him to go. I wasn't one to bring up
situations that people clearly didn't want to speak about, so I just left it
alone. "Hey Tristan, have you heard anything about Blake lately?

"No, why?"

"No reason. I guess I should stop looking.
Never mind. I'll chat with you later."

"Well, have a great time tonight. Maybe I'll
see you afterwards."

"Maybe." I placed a chaste kiss to his
cheek and made my way back inside.

I took a quick shower, pulled on a pair of yoga
pants and a shirt and headed back downstairs to grab my things. Nobody was down
there, so I left a little note saying where I went and when I'd be back, just
in case London happened to wonder when he eventually made it downstairs.

I was in the middle of my massage when my cell
phone chimed next to me, alerting me of a text message. I glanced at the screen
and saw Tristan's name flash across it. I tried as hard as I could to not jump
up and down like a little schoolgirl, but I was ecstatic to see he was texting
me again. I clicked on the screen and opened up his text.

Hope your
day is relaxing.

T

It wasn't much, but to me it was enough. It meant a
lot to me that he was thinking about me enough to want to let me know. My
fingers went to the keypad to type a message back, but I stopped myself mid
text. As much as I wanted to talk to him and let him know that I was thinking
about him too, a part of me wanted him to think that I didn't need to hear from
him to make me happy. I clicked my phone off and threw my phone over by my
purse.

A couple hours later, I was finally getting my hair
done and then I would be all set to go. I opted to wear my hair down with two
twisted strands of hair on each side going back and tying together in the back.
It was the perfect look to go with my perfect dress.

I drove home at a glacial pace, not wanting to
speed up the process of me not being able to possibly run into Tristan tonight.
I just wish I would've asked for him to be my date instead of London. Lord
knows he would be waiting all night just to see if he could get in my pants,
again. I went straight to my room when I got home. I didn't want to take the
chance of possibly running into Nancy again. My red satin dress was hanging on
the closet door when I walked into the bathroom, and I got a very creepy
feeling in my stomach when I realized that I hadn't left it there. Then I
realized it was probably London's doing. Sweet gesture, I guess.

Looking in the mirror at my reflection, I barely
recognized myself. My dress hugged all of my curves and with the one strap that
went across my chest and over one shoulder, I couldn't help but feel amazingly
beautiful. I smoothed down the fabric over my sides and sat down on the small
stool in front of my bed to pull on my black leather peep-toe pumps. When I was
done getting dressed and checking my hair and makeup for the seven hundredth
time, I finally started making my way downstairs.

"Wow, Riley you look...wow."

London had been standing at the bottom of the
stairs waiting for me. "Thanks." I smiled at him as he continued to
ogle me as I made my way to the bottom of the stairs. "Shall we?"

He held out his arm for me to take it and I did.
Instead of going to the garage to get in the car, London led me to the front
door. "Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

I set the alarm and continued out the front door
with him, afraid of what might be waiting for me outside. A black stretch limo
was parked at the bottom of the driveway and I wasn't quite sure how I was
supposed to react. This was just one more thing that proved that London really
didn't
know me, as much as he thought he
did. In trying not to be rude, I turned and smiled at him and whispered a thank
you.

The ride to the hotel where the gala was being held
was extremely long and even more boring. London couldn't quit talking about
himself, and Nancy. Apparently,
she
was
the friend he had been staying with and that just pissed me off. I didn't know
what exactly was going on with those two, but I honestly didn't
want
to know. The more London stayed out
of my business, the better.

I pulled up outside of the hotel and found my
mother, waiting for me at the end of the red carpet. She didn't do anything
small that was for sure. I rolled my eyes before exiting my car and meeting up
with her. This night was about to turn into fake bullshit in, three, two,
one...

"There's my son. It's amazing to see you,
honey." My mother kissed both of my cheeks as she gripped both of my arms.

"Hi, Mom." I politely kissed her back
before making my way up to the entrance.

"Wait, dear. Let's get a picture."

Oh this was such bullshit. "Mom, I don't think
that's a good idea." I spoke through gritted teeth.

"Oh nonsense, it'll only take a second."

I let my mother steer me back to the carpet and
stood with a fake smile on my face, as her many minions took our picture and
asked for my name. They didn't even know who I was for Christ’s sake.

"This is Tristan." My mother replied to
one of the many photographers. "Thank you for the photo op. I need to head
inside now."

She gave a polite wave as she pulled me through the
crowd. For a short petite older woman, my mother was quite strong. Once we made
our way inside, I pulled my arm out of her death like grip.

"Good to know you're still just as proud of us
as always."

"Don't you dare lecture me." Her finger
was in my face and I was reminded of the night my sister left. "Those
people are complete strangers. Only the people who matter in my life know about
my children."

"Whatever, Mother. I'm not here for you
anyway."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

I started making my way past a few people, all the
while looking for Riley inside. "I have business to take care of."

"You're here on police business? Why didn't
you say anything?"

"No Mom, not official police business, just
personal type business. Now if you don't mind, I'll catch up with you
later." I started to walk away from her knowing she wouldn't chase me down
in a room full of people she was trying to impress.

I glanced around the room a million times before I
settled into my assigned seat. I grabbed a glass of champagne and sat back,
waiting for Riley and London. My mother tried to come over to me a little while
later, but I pretended to be completely enthralled by the blonde next to me. That
same blonde and me were in the middle of a very serious conversation about her
nephew who had been abused as a child, when the sight of red caught my eye.

I kept listening to, I think she said her name was
Tiffany, as my eyes went right to the woman wearing that bright red dress. She
was breathtaking. Her hair was down and draped over her bare shoulders with
just small pieces pulled back on the sides. I had rarely ever seen her hair
pulled off of her face, but I was secretly hoping she would wear it like that
more often. It showed off her very distinct features and her bright blue eyes
stood out the most among them.

My eyes made their way down to her curve hugging
dress, that I could only assume took her hours to find. I knew Riley well
enough to know she hated wearing dresses and shopping was pretty much right up
there with that. The red satin strap stretched across her breasts and one
shoulder, and I licked my lips knowing exactly what her flesh felt and tasted
like. The rest of the dress hugged every curve, and then flared out at the
bottom just enough for her to walk without tripping. I laughed to myself as I
watched her trying to make her way across the room without falling. She was
absolutely amazing, and her clumsiness only added to that beauty.

"Tristan, did you hear me?" Tiffany, or
whatever name was, broke through my thoughts as I was mentally starting to
undress Riley from across the room.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I looked
at the leggy blonde in front of me in confusion.

"I was wondering if you would like to
dance." She blushed.

"Um, maybe later, okay?"

"Okay."

"Please excuse me for a moment." I
lightly touched her shoulder as I squeezed between her and another person to
get to Riley.

I was halfway across the room when another blonde
caught my attention, although this time it wasn't good attention. Nancy came
strutting through the doorway, seeking out someone in particular, my mother.
They both kissed each other's cheeks as if they had known each other for years.
My mother held her back at arm's length, admiring her dress no doubt, with a
smile plastered onto her face. Oh give me a break, you fake bitch.

I scanned the room to find Riley once more, when I
noticed who was attached to her side. London and his smug ass, stood beside her
with his hand around her waist. It took everything inside of me not to run over
to them and beat the shit out of him, again. Instead I decided to take the high
road and make nice, for Riley's sake. I made my way over to the both of them and
tapped Riley on the shoulder before coming around the front of her to get a
good look at her. Her face lit up as she took in my appearance.

"Tristan, you look, you look...amazing."

"Thanks. It's a far cry from board shorts, but
I do clean up nice, don't I?" I laughed. "Riley, you look beautiful.
Red suits you." I leaned in and planted a long slow kiss against her
cheek. When I pulled back, her hand had gone to my shoulder and London's face
was red with pure anger.

"Tristan." London growled.

"London, how are you? You look better. Look, I
just want to apologize for what happened. I never should've taken it that
far." I reached out to shake his hand, but I could tell he was resisting
the urge to punch me.

"Thanks." His hand slid into mine and I
gave it a tight squeeze.

After our my-dick-is-bigger-than-yours stand off, I
excused myself and told Riley that I would find her in a bit. I made my way
back over to my table and grabbed another glass of champagne. I wasn't the type
to try and make a girl jealous, but in this instance, I needed to see if Riley
truly felt for me the way I felt for her.

"Tiffany, I'm open for that dance now."
Her eyes lit up with glee as I held my hand out for hers.

"Perfect."

I led her out to the crowded dance floor, spinning
her and then pulling her close to me. I couldn't deny that it felt nice to be
having a good time, but it still felt wrong using Tiffany this way. Riley and
London made their way out to the dance floor, and I let my hand slide down just
above Tiffany's backside. Riley's eyes met mine a second later, and the look of
betrayal took place of the once happy smile she had been wearing. I knew what I
was doing was hurting her, but I had to make her see the type of guy London was
before I could be with her. Most of all, I needed her to know what it felt like
to want something that was just out of your reach.

When the song came to an end, I excused myself and
went in search of my mother. Of course I found her over by two of the most
influential people in town. She played her part quite well, and would have
continued to do so, had I not walked over to her.

"Hi, Julia. I've been looking for you."

"Oh. Well, looks like you've found me."
Her eyes went wide in shock.

I reached my hand out to shake the gentlemen's in
front of me. "Hi, I'm Tristan Hayes. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The oldest gentleman took my hand, his brows pulled
together as he tried to place me. "Any relation?"

"Actually, yes. I'm Julia's s-"

"He's my nephew. He came into town just
yesterday for a quick visit. Tristan, this is Ron Goldstein. He's the founder
of the charity."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, son. You're aunt
here is quite an amazing woman putting all this together in such a short amount
of time."

"She is isn't she?" I glared at my mother
as she continued to try and intercept the next man's introduction.

"Hi there, I'm Gabe Whethers. I'm the
co-founder."

"Pleasure." I shook his hand and then
glanced down at my mother. "Can you excuse us for a second." I took
my mother's hand and started leading her towards the back of the ballroom.

"Tristan, I'm sorry for that, but nobody knows
my history and I'd like to keep it that way."

"It must be exhausting, Julia."

"What's that, Tristan? And don't you call me
that, I am your mother."

"Oh
now
you're
my mother? I'm saying it must be exhausting to be someone you're not, everyday
of your life."

Her hand came up and connected with my cheek
instantly. "Don't you dare speak to me that way. Not at
my
event."

"How about I just don't speak to you at all.
Good-bye, Mother."

She tried to grasp at my jacket sleeve, but I
quickly pulled my arm away from her. "Tristan, come back here."

I continued to ignore her as I walked to where
London and Riley were. She wasn't exactly pleased to see me, but I needed her
to hear me out. "Riley, can you come with me for a second please?"

"I don't think so."

"Riley, please. It's important."

"Fine." Riley stood and walked right past
me. I ran to catch up with her, grasping at her arm that she kept moving away
from me.

"Riley, please just slow down."

She quickly turned towards me so we were now face
to face. "Why do you do this to me, Tristan. You obviously know I care
about you, but then you go and dance with some random floozy?"

"Look Riley, I know you care and I care about
you just the same, but how do you think I feel given the fact that you chose to
bring London with you and not me? Don't you think that's a little bit of a
double standard? That's not important right now though. Right now, I need you
to listen to me. London isn't who you think he is."

"Oh my god, are we back to this, again?"
She threw her hands up in surrender. "I give up. I can't deal with all of
this."

I grabbed Riley by the shoulders so she would stop
pacing and listen to me. "Riley, London knows Mr. Rollins and Nancy.
There's something going on between all of them. I don't know what yet, but I'm
getting close."

"Tristan, you really have to stop this. I
don't know why you hate London so much, but you need to leave this alone. Oh,
and I know about him and Nancy."

"I hate him because he wants something I don't
want him to have. Don't you see how much I care for you, Riley? I'm always
looking out for you, I practically stalk you so I can catch just a small
glimpse of you, hell I even beat the shit out of London because all he could do
was taunt me about you. Don't you see?" I pushed my hands back through my
hair and drug them down my face in aggravation. This entire situation was
getting way out of control, and I really wasn't sure how much more I could
take.

"Tristan, I care for you too, more than I
think you might even know, but you're pulling me in seven different directions
and I don't know which way is up anymore. I'm sorry about London. I'm sorry
that you feel threatened by him and his feelings for me, but I just wish you
would take into consideration
my
feelings,
before you act the way that you do. I know what I'm doing. I'm not some stupid
naive little girl who needs you to protect her. Please, just let this go."

I turned to respond but Riley was already on her
way back to the table. She was right, I needed to let the whole grudge with
London go. I needed to let her be free to live her life as
she
saw fit, not as I saw fit for her. I took in a deep breath and
headed for the exit, when I caught sight of London and Nancy at the table that
Riley was headed to. I pushed the bar against the metal door, letting the cool
air from outside come whooshing in around me. I tried to leave, I really did,
but something in my gut told me that something big was about to happen and I
needed to make sure Riley was okay.