Page 73 of Lust
Alternately, I could move back home and get a place of residency in Virginia. Start from scratch in a near-impossible state to win for a first-timer but be less than an hour away from… everyone.
I glanced at Sara, then at the makeup smudge she had left on my shirt when she hugged me. It was an easy choice. “Virginia. I’m moving back home.”
“But why?”
“Because I’m starving, and it’s dinner time.” Tris pulled out of the parking lot without giving me the chance to reconsider.
Tris showed up at the shelter unannounced, insistent on taking me to dinner. No matter my refusal, he was adamant. Perhaps I could have fought him more, but I gave in, unable to stop thinking about his confession from last night.
Four years.
Tristan said he had been harboring these feelings for four years. Though the subsequent deed was terrible, at least it shed light on how Tris got to that point even while hating his actions.
I tried to assess how it might feel to want someone for years without the ability to do anything about it.
Frustrating, I bet.
I harbored a crush on Tobias and couldn’t even wait four weeks to take him to bed. Of everything that had gone down, I was most grateful for never having gone through with it. I could now ascertain that Tobias wasn’t the man for me, and sleeping with him would have only led him on.
I had woken up early to check on Tobias. He was fine, sans some bruises. Tris was an idiot for beating up a cop and was lucky Tobias opted not to press charges.
The sorrow I had felt over that kindhearted man confirmed my belief that the best thing I could do was to keep him far away from my family drama. This time, I firmly communicated that there was nothing more I could offer Tobias. Not even a friendship.
If that’s how Tristan reacted when Tobias came by to check on me, I couldn’t imagine his actions if we pursued an actual friendship.
“Why do you want to have dinner?”
“Because I want to discuss the shelter.”
“What about it?”
“Steve researched the developers who purchased the plot. Apparently, that company works under an umbrella corporation by the name of CARP.”
My brows pinched together. “CARP?” The name sounded oddly familiar. Where had I heard it before? “Doesn’t Lilith represent CARP?”
Lilith worked as a no-nonsense lobbyist, and if I remembered correctly, CARP was the largest organization whose interest she represented.
My heart sank to the bottom of the ocean. Lilith constantly guaranteed Tristan the necessary donations to fund his campaigns. Without the backup from Lilith or her counterparts, Tristan might as well say goodbye to his political dreams, which meant he planned to shut down the shelter to play ball with CARP.
“That’s correct. I’ll ask Lilith to set up a meeting with you and the developers. Perhaps we can come to a compromise that works for both parties.”
Color me stumped. “W-What? Meeting with me?”
“Of course. You have been working at this shelter since you were fifteen and know the place inside and out. Who better to put together a presentation about the benefits of keeping it open?”
Presentation? “I don’t understand. They already bought this piece of land and all the surrounding lots too. What reason would they have to meet with me or to keep this shelter open?”
Tristan shrugged. “Tax write-off, good publicity, social responsibility. The public has been against the developers since they bought the plot. The PR reasons alone should convince them into meeting with you. If you put together a presentation to help them realize it’s infinitely better to keep the shelter open instead of kicking helpless children out on the street, what reason would they havenotto agree?”
It was a good plan,I grudgingly admitted. A great one, in fact.
Sometimes Tris’ strategies reminded me of the need for diplomatic leaders in office. He wasn’t emotional but came up with achievable goals to placate both sides.
Hope bloomed once more, but I tried not to get ahead of myself. Whenever Tris had a strategy, the family got together to play devil’s advocate. It was done in preparation for his debates so we could identify any holes in the plan before the opposition could.
I pursed my lips tightly. “These people are backing you. Wouldn’t it hurt your campaign if you set up a meeting to stop them from something they want? I mean, Lilith represents CARP’s interest, and you need their endorsement to win.”
This shelter didn’t fit the developers’ agenda for gentrification. If we stopped them from tearing it down, all the surrounding properties they purchased would become a dud. Once they found out that Tristan’s sister was the one leading their downfall, they’d surely prefer him to rectify the situation on their behalf to offset the business loss.
