Page 61 of Lust
Tobias’ suspicious expression spoke volumes. “Sara, may I speak to you alone?”
“No,” was the only word Tristan spoke, but the clench in it informed me he was hanging on by a thread. Other than that awful night, Tristan had never demonstrated violence. But now, his body language reflected the same atrocious premonition.
I glanced around nervously, panic forming inside me.
Tobias caught the drift. “I just want to make sure you’re safe, Sara,” he said softly. “Don’t worry. I’m not going to interrogate you about...” The way he glanced at the minuscule space between Tristan and me made me wince at his insinuation. “…anything else.”
I had an inkling that he could sense something was off in my relationship with my brother. Oh God, what the fuck was my life? I yearned for the days when I was the ‘untouchable girl’ instead of the girl who’d now be known for fucking her brother.
My distraught thoughts must have been apparent because Tobias tried to round Tristan to reach me.
The punch was so loud that I heard it before finding Tobias sprawled on the ground.
“What the hell, Tris?” I shrieked.
Tristan had punched Tobias so hard that he had gone flying on the floor. A drop of blood dribbled from Tobias’ busted lips. He wiped it off with the back of his hand and was back on his feet within seconds.
Meanwhile, Tristan charged at him like a bull toward a red flag.
Tobias blocked Tristan’s next punch before it could make contact and socked Tristan on the jaw instead. I ran to separate them, but their repressed anger outweighed rationality. My pleas to stop fell on deaf ears.
“Stay the fuck away from her.” Tristan punched Tobias in the gut, forcing him to hunch over.
Tobias returned with an attempted headlock but was met with another one of Tristan’s blows. “You’re the one who needs to stay the fuck away. Even that first time, I saw the way you looked at her. Do you think I’m blind?”
“Please stop!” I hysterically pulled at Tristan’s bicep to stop the assaults.
They both yelled simultaneously, asking for me to back off. With a quick inspection of my surroundings, I quickly realized no one ever came down to the basement.
Punches of fury flew into the air like missiles, and it became abundantly clear that Tristan was winning by a long shot. At this rate, he might kill Tobias. The scariest part was the blank eyes, once more devoid of humanity.
The carnal beast to reside inside only understood one thing—hunger. I didn’t know when or how it started, but at that moment, I knew it to be my truth. Tristan would go through murder without regret if another man so much as touched me.
In a moment of clarity, I saw the choices laid forth.
This floor was abandoned and completely separated from the rest of the shelter. By the time I reached the main halls to retrieve my phone, Tris would have beaten Tobias to a pulp, and his cronies would be here to clean up the mess. Quite possibly, he’d bury the scandalous story and get away with it, too, especially if he threatened Tobias with his job or his family back home.
I didn’t put anything past Tristan anymore.
My options were limited if I didn’t want him murdering an unconscious man since Tobias had now passed out.
Last night, I allowed Tristan to touch me, hoping the repercussions would keep him at bay without irreversible damages. But now, I had to go further because Tristan had left me with no other choices. My heart came to a complete stop as I watched his enraged blackout assaults on an unconscious man. If I truly believed to be cursed, all I had to do was touch him more, and this time, enough to trigger a grander aftermath.
With a tranquility I had never known, I stepped forward. Tristan had Tobias pinned to the ground, landing punch after punch. When he raised his fist in the air once again, I wrapped my hands around it.
Tristan stopped and turned to me, surprised by the calm demeanor.
From the corner of my eye, I tried to assess Tobias’ injuries. Nothing appeared broken thus far, but he’d need a few butterfly stitches, and the bruises would need to be iced.
Biting down the sob that threatened to break free, I ensured my sideway gaze didn’t linger. If I showed Tobias even a morsel of empathy, Tristan would finish the job he started. I had never seen such wrath in a man’s eyes.
“Please, Tris,” I said softly. “Enough. Leave him.”
“Let. Go,” he chewed out, ready to kill an unconscious man.
My stomach rocked with the need to comfort Tobias, but I held my resolve and only looked at Tristan. My intention would otherwise break.
“Tris,” I began quietly. “Tobias wasn’t supposed to be here.” My voice shook with the effort of the sentence.
