Unforgiven (Wanderers #3) (22 page)

After talking to Roman the other day Cameron knew
what she had to do. She didn’t care if Ella hated her. She knew in
the end she would thank her, because this was the right thing to
do. Roman had called her out of desperation. She could hear it in
his voice. He wanted details. He wanted to know what was going on.
Cameron didn’t tell him anything he didn’t already know. When he
thought he had lost her for good he broke down and started to cry.
She never heard Roman cry. He was always the stronger one. The one
who pulled her from a disastrous relationship and helped her see
she was better than what she let that jackass do to her.

Cameron felt an aching in her heart at Roman’s pain.
He didn’t deserve this. He was a good person. Roman was her friend
and he deserved to be happy and if being with Ella made him happy
then she would make sure that was possible. No matter what she had
to do to make it possible she would do it.

She stayed in the room while the boys chatted and
played poker. Apparently this was something Billy and Tristan used
to do on a regular basis and decided to have a go at it before they
parted ways. By the sappy looks on their faces she would swear boys
are bigger wusses than most girls. The only thing stopping them
from having a hugging and crying fest was their male egos and
probably because she was in the room and would witness their
meltdown. For once she was happy to see their male pride get in the
way.

Cameron flipped through the channels and waited. She
knew she would have to get Tristan alone to execute her plan, but
how she was going to do that she wasn’t sure yet. Cameron had gone
over what she wanted to say a million times and had it down to a T.
But the longer she had to wait the more nervous she got.

Dean grunted and threw his cards on the table proving
how much of a sore loser he was. Then he got up and threw a few
hundred dollars down. “Whatever, take it,” he said and walked over
to the bed falling face down. Billy smiled, shuffling the hundreds
and sticking them in his pocket. Dean should have known better.
Being a full vamp Billy had the better advantage. His senses let
him pick up on the tall tale signs of a bluff. The quickened heart
rate, the racing pulse, plus Dean had a habit of scratching his
head when he had a good hand. Cameron just rolled her eyes at
him.

Billy got up to go to the bathroom and Cameron knew
now was her chance. “Hey Tristan, I was going to head downstairs to
the gift shop. I wanted to get something for Ella to help make her
feel better about Josie leaving and I was wondering if you could
help me out?”

He looked up at her with a curious look on his face.
Something said he wasn’t quite buying her story but decided to go
with her anyway. “Billy, I’m going to run down stairs to the gift
shop with Cameron. I’ll be right back.” Billy shouted okay and
Tristan gestured for Cameron to take the lead. She tried to hide
her nerves, but the sweat at the back of her neck was making her
hair curl and feel gross. She mentally chastised herself and
reminded herself she was doing the right thing. It had to be
done.

Inside the gift shop, Cameron poked around, looking
at all the different things. She was trying to buy some time to
work up the courage to say what she had to. She walked over to the
jewelry counter and tapped her fingers on the glass. “May I suggest
earrings or an anklet,” Tristan said, making her flinch slightly.
She hadn’t realized he was behind her until she felt his warm
breath on her shoulder.

“What about this one,” she said, pointing to a gold
chain that had hearts dangling from it.

“It’s nice, but Ella doesn’t like gold.” He ran his
fingers over the glass searching for something else. “How about
this one? Excuse me, Miss? Can we please have a look at this one?”
The woman behind the counter smiled brightly at them and opened up
the glass, pulling out a platinum anklet with tiny stars dangling
from the chain.

“It’s beautiful,” Cameron said, as she watched the
clerk turn it over in her hand. “But I think it’s a little out of
my price range.”

“No worries, this one is on me,” he said, giving the
clerk a wink. That small gestured convinced Cameron what she had to
do was right.

“Thanks,” Cameron said.

“You’re a very lucky lady,” the clerk told
Cameron.

“Oh no, we’re not…it’s for a friend,” she stuttered,
trying not to cringe.

“Could you gift wrap that please?” Tristan asked,
making the clerk blush. For some reason Cameron believed he had
that effect on most women. While the clerk took off to wrap the
gift for Ella, Tristan crept closer to Cameron. “So, you want to
tell me the real reason we’re here or you going to dance around
some more?”

Tristan was a lot smarter than Cameron gave him
credit for. She let out a breath and just decided to come out with
it. “You are right. I asked you to help me because I wanted to talk
to you…alone.”

“You got my attention,” he said, leaning one elbow on
the counter.

“I think you should leave Ella be.” He scrunched his
brows not quite sure what she meant. “What I mean is you should
break up with Ella. She deserves to be happy.”

“And you don’t think I make her happy?” he asked, in
a casual tone, not at all surprised by Cameron’s request.

“I have no doubt you do, but I also know so does
Roman.”

“Roman, her boyfriend.”

“Yes. Her
boyfriend
. She was happy with him.
She loves him and he loves her and if you love Ella like you claim
you do you would let her go.”

“And you think I’m just going to give her up, just
like that?”

“No, I do not. But I know you’re smart and I know you
will think about it. And you should because I know deep down
somewhere you know it’s the right thing to do. After everything
Ella has been through, after all the heartache and loss, Roman was
the one person who was there for her. He was the person who brought
her back and picked up the pieces of her shattered heart. He and
only he again will be the one to pick up the pieces when you break
her heart again.”

“How you so sure I will break her heart?”

“It’s inevitable. You and I know it will happen. It’s
happened before and it will only be a matter of time before it
happens again. You can’t change, Tristan. You are who you are, but
let’s be honest, you two won’t last. Wouldn’t you rather her be
happy with someone who will love her unconditionally and treat her
with the respect she deserves?”

“I do love her,” he growled, angry at her thinking he
wasn’t capable of it. “And don’t you think it should be her choice
of who she wants to be with?”

“Yes but she’s confused. Her heart is torn between
the both of you and you would be doing her a favor by making the
choice for her. You know I’m right. For once in your life do the
right thing. Leave now and I promise you Ella will be happy.”

“If I leave, it will crush her.”

“At first yes, but eventually all wounds heal. Ella
has a new life now with new friends and a new love. A life at a
school where you didn’t exist and she was happy.” She paused for a
moment to let her words sink in. “I want you to think about
that.”

Tristan eyed Cameron for a moment before the clerk
came back with their package. Tristan paid for the order and smiled
at the clerk as if nothing just happened. “Thank you,” he said,
giving her his million dollar smile. Then he turned to Cameron and
handed her the present. “I’m sure Ella will love this.” There was
pain behind his smile, but he pushed through it and without another
word he left Cameron in the gift shop.

Tristan hadn’t realized how deep Cameron’s words cut
through him until he returned back to the room. When he saw Ella
sound asleep in the bed, she looked so peaceful, so happy. He
didn’t believe for a second that anything Cameron said was true. It
was like she was talking about a different Ella, one he didn’t know
about, but I guess that was the point. There was a new Ella, one
that she apparently knew better than he did. He felt the guilt she
did, he felt her loss, and the confusion she sometimes tried to
hide, but deep down Tristan knew there was someone else. Someone
else who had stolen Ella’s heart. Someone else he hoped took care
of her the way she deserved.

His emotions were a mix of confusion. He no longer
knew what was right and wrong. He longed for the day when he could
see her again and now that he had her, could he let her go?

Sitting down on the bed next to her, he watched her
sleep. She stirred slightly when he brushed a piece of hair out of
her face. These thoughts of doubt were suddenly weighing heavily on
him. What would happen if he went back to the states with her?
Would this other guy try to convince her to come back to him? Would
she take him back and leave Tristan high and dry?

Tristan shook his head. He couldn’t think about that.
There was no doubt in his mind that Ella loved him, but he also
knew, even without Cameron telling him, she loved another. And just
how strong was that love? Could he compete? He pushed the thoughts
from his head again and got undressed. Then he climbed into bed
with Ella and wrapped his arms around her tight. “Hi,” she
whispered.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay.” She ran her hand over his arm. Making it
feel like it was on fire. He always longed for her touch. The way
it made him feel was unlike anything he could describe. She twined
her long fingers through his making his heart skip a beat. She made
him feel like the luckiest guy in the world and everyday he didn’t
understand how he could deserve someone like her and maybe he
didn’t, but right now he was hers and he wouldn’t take that for
granted. Something told him he had to make a decision.

“Ella,” she turned over to look at him. “You know I
love you, right?”

“Of course I do,” she smiled. Oh how he loved that
smile. “I love you too.” She kissed him just then. His lips
lingered on hers, loving the taste of her.

“You know no matter what I will always love you.” He
knew she could sense something was wrong from the tone of his
voice.

“Tristan, what’s up?”

“Nothing,” he smiled. He didn’t want to waste one
second of their time together. He slid his hand up her night shirt
making her giggle. He knew exactly what to do to make her smile. He
knew every inch of her body. He knew where to touch her to make her
laugh, smile, or even lose her breath. He cupped her beautiful
breasts, which were a little bigger than the last time he
remembered, but he wasn’t complaining. She let out a breath and
grazed his cheek with the back of her hand. She had the softest
skin he had ever felt. He closed his eyes never wanting to stop
feeling her touch.

He kissed her then. He kissed her so hard she gasped,
but he wouldn’t stop, he couldn’t, and he knew she didn’t want him
to. He wanted her and wanted all of her. He wanted to feel her body
against his, the warmth of her skin. He wanted to consume her.

In the morning when I woke I felt joy, nothing but
pure joy. I was in heaven. I found Tristan, I was going to go home
and try to talk to my father, and beg – if I had to – to get back
into school. Things for once were finally looking up. I rolled over
and reached for Tristan, smiling, but the only thing my arm hit was
air. I opened my eyes and saw an empty spot next to me. I sat up
and looked around the room. I thought maybe he was in the bathroom,
but when I heard nothing I begun to be a little concerned.

I pulled the sheet around my chest tight when I heard
the door open. Cameron popped her head in. “Oh good, you’re awake.
We were going to head to breakfast before we had to leave. Do I
even have to ask if you’re hungry?”

I laughed. “No.” Cameron smiled and moved to close
the door. “Hey Cameron,” she popped her head back in. “Have you
seen Tristan?” She shook her head no. “Okay, I’ll see you
downstairs in a minute.”

“Everything okay?” she asked.

“Fine,” I lied. I got up and got dressed and joined
Cameron, Billy, and Dean down in the café. I asked Billy if he had
seen Tristan and he said no and that I shouldn’t worry. He probably
went to see his grandparents one last time before we left. I
figured he was probably right. I sat down in the chair and tried to
enjoy my breakfast. When breakfast was over and we got back to the
room to collect our things, Tristan was still a no show and I was
beginning to get worried. He didn’t have a phone and I didn’t know
his grandparent’s number, but I did have Josef’s.

I pulled out my phone and text Josef asking him if
Tristan was there. He text back no and I’m sorry. The
‘I’m
sorry’
made my heart twist. I had a really bad feeling in the
pit of my stomach that something wasn’t right. I sat down on the
edge of the bed gripping my star necklace. “Hey Ella, you almost
packed?” Dean asked, looking at my half packed suitcase. “Ella,
seriously? We have like thirty minutes before we have to leave for
the airport.”

“I know, I just don’t know where Tristan is,” I said,
biting my lip.

“I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

Something told me otherwise. Cameron walked in and
straight for me holding an envelope. She handed the ivory colored
paper to me. “This was left at the front desk for you.” I took the
envelope with a shaky hand. “Maybe we should give you a minute,”
Cameron said, looking at Dean. Dean, clueless as always, stood
there, and stared at us. Cameron rolled her eyes, grabbing him by
the arm, and dragging him out of the room.

I sat there, barely breathing, and just held the
envelope in my hands. I knew whatever was inside was not going to
be good news. I closed my eyes and let out a breath. I opened up
the envelope and pulled out the letter inside unfolding the three
folds.