It was Tristian. He stood there with his brows furrowed, his face covered in what looked like soot or blood. His clothes were covered in it too.
“Elsie!” he thundered, lunging in my direction.
I barely had time to gasp before he pulled me off the bed and straight into his arms.
I pressed myself into him with whatever strength I had, breathing in the scent of him and the smell of blood and smoke drenching his clothes.
“I thought I’d lose you. I didn't know if you’d make it. You’re here now. I’ve got you,” he murmured, holding me in his arms.
I couldn’t believe it. I thought I was still dreaming. But I wasn’t.
“She needs rest,” the doctor repeated, this time in a louder and firmer voice when Tristian didn’t let me go. He’d had me pressed to his chest since he burst into the room several minutes ago.
I’d buried my face in him, refusing to part from him either. It was almost like I was afraid he’d disappear if he let me go.
When Tristian didn’t respond to what the doctor said, Isabelle approached us. She lightly tapped on his arm and smiled.
“I know the two of you have a lot to…talk about, but Doc is insisting Elsie gets her rest. She was very close to serious danger and needs time to recover from it,” Isabelle said.
Tristian pulled away from me, but only a few inches. He cradled my face with both his hands, then looked deep into my eyes.
“You passed out when I found you, and your pulse seemed weak. I wasn’t sure what was going on.”
“What exactly did Aldo do to you?” Isabelle asked.
I shook my head.
“He slapped me around a little, but other than that, nothing. They didn’t give me any food or water.”
“How long did they have you?” the doctor asked and I shrugged.
“I don’t know. It felt like forever, but I don’t think it was very long.”
“Would that have been enough time to cause dehydration on that scale? Twenty-four hours?” Isabelle asked.
Tristian stared at me. It was like he couldn’t take his eyes off me.
“Maybe, combined with the psychological trauma,” the doctor replied.
I stared up at Tristian too, and I felt my eyes welling up again. Every emotion I had tried to keep in check in front of Aldo poured forth now.
“He killed my friend. My friend…Libby. I went to her when I left your apartment. He shot her. Right in front of me. Just like he shot my parents.” The words bubbled out of me and I choked on them.
Tristian’s grip on me tightened. He weaved his fingers in my hair and stroked my head gently.
“That is the last time he’s going to hurt you. I’m never going to let him hurt you again.”
The doctor was about to say something, probably reminding us that I needed to get some sleep and rest. But Tristian wasn’t willing to follow orders.
“She’ll be fine with me. I’ll make sure she gets rest. I’ll make sure she’s not in any danger,” he growled, almost threateningly at the doctor.
Isabelle nodded at her brother, then ushered the doctor and Davey’s mother out of the room.
Tristian waited until we were alone in the room before he kissed me. He had never kissed me like that before. Like he was never going to let me go.
“Where are we? I don’t recognize this place,” I said when he was done kissing me, taking my breath away like never before.
There was something different about the way he kissed me this time—like it meant something different to him. I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I didn’t want to allow myself to imagine that Tristian actually wanted me. In any other way than he had me already—somebody to keep his bed warm when he needed it.
“We’re in the family home. Our father thought it would be a good idea to bring you here instead of my apartment.”
“I like your apartment,” I said.
He smiled and stroked my hair again. There was a sudden tenderness in him I’d never seen before. This was a new Tristian. An improved Tristian?
He’d always been perfect the way he was. Even when he treated me like I meant nothing to him. I loved him even then.
“Well, this is where they want you to stay. To keep you safe.”
“Safe from what? You guys…ended it, right? Aldo’s gone?” I couldn’t bring myself to say the word dead. It was what I hoped for.
Tristian clenched his jaws together and took in a deep breath.
I knew his answer before he even said it.
“He managed to get away. I’m not exactly sure how, but it happened. We got a lot of his men, most of them actually. So we know his numbers are severely depleted. He is weak now, but he’s still fuckin’ out there.”
Tristian sounded almost apologetic as he spoke, with his eyes directed to the floor, his shoulders drooping.
“I’m sorry I failed you,” he continued.
“Tristian…”
“I should’ve killed him when I had the chance, but I never even got to him. Being the pussy he always is, he was the first one to make his getaway. He couldn’t be bothered to stay behind and fight us like the rest of his men.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me. Please…you saved me. I didn’t think I had a chance. I made my peace with death. I saw it coming. He wasn’t going to spare my life, no chance…”
He reached for my hand and held it up to his mouth. I felt his lips moving on my fingers. So tender…I was surprised.
“I wasn’t going to let you die, Elsie. I would’ve found you. If I didn’t find you today, I would’ve tomorrow.”
“Time was running out, and it was all my fault. I should’ve never left your apartment and stepped right into Aldo’s jaws.”
“I shouldn’t have left you alone when you felt so confused
