Page 53 of Tristano

She rolls her eyes at me. “Why do you change the song lyrics?”

I shrug. “I always have. I’ve always naturally changed them to either something related to what I was going through or something that made me laugh. I mean, the songs are masterpieces on their own, but something about changing the lyrics makes them feel more like mine. Then it annoyed Enzo, so now I also feel like it’s a game.”

She gives me a small smile, moving to sit at the small table she has between the kitchen and living room.

“I like it. It makes me smile. I always wonder what you’re going to come up with next.”

I set down the rag, washing my hands quickly before I make my way to sit with her at her table.

“What happened?” I ask softly as I pull her hand into mine.

“He fired me,” she admits, tears filling her eyes.

“Oh,anima gemella. It truly is their loss.” I press my lips to her hand, making her smile.

“I’m not even that upset about it really. I’m more hurt. He didn’t believe me. He thinks I made the whole thing up to get him to look into the missing girls I’ve been begging him to look at for months. Then he pretty much said I was no longer useful at work, but he expects me to continue to come to family dinners.”

I want to say “fuck him.” Pull her into my arms and never let her see that man again. I can’t though. He’s the only family she has left. I won’t take that from her.

“Is that something you want to do?” I ask.

“Fuck no. This has shown me that his view of what family should be like isn’t mine. I don’t want to be controlled by him any longer. I told him I wouldn’t be joining. So he’s kicking me out. I have nowhere to go, but I have until Monday to figure it out.”

I growl. “He can’t kick you out that quick. He has to give you thirty days.”

“He did, but I was stubborn and told him I’d be out by Monday.” She looks a little sheepish.

Pulling out my phone, I type away. Then I look at my girl.

“Let’s go get some boxes. We can start packing today. I’ve arranged for some of the guys to come get your shit.”

“I can’t accept that. I don’t even know where I’m going to go.”

“Stop being stupid, Serena. You know damn well where you are going to go.”

“What?” She looks over at me.

“Fine. We are playing this game.” I move until I’m kneeling at her feet, her knees on either side of me. Then I take her face in my hands. “You’re coming to live with me. If you still want to be a cop, fuck it. We will figure out a way to get you on a force in the city. Hell, Bash could probably get you a spot in the FBI if that’s what you want. You’re not going to be homeless. I refuse to let this moment bring you down.”

“I can’t force myself into your life, Tris. That’s not fair to you.”

“You want to know what’s not fair? The fact that I have spent days dreading having to let you go. It’s not fair that I had to think about you sitting in this apartment all alone while I’m just across the river missing the fuck out of you. So if we are being honest? I want you to live with me. To be with me even if that’s something you can’t ever see yourself doing. We will figure out the details later. All I need for you to do is say yes.”

She hesitates before nodding. “If we are being honest with one another, I want to live with you too. The moment he said he was kicking me out, all I could think about was that I had a reason to stay with you longer. I’ve wanted to be with you since I was seventeen years old, Tris. Nothing has ever changed that.”

Leaning forward, I press a chaste kiss to her lips. “Then we are in this together. We figure it out as a team. No matter what, we got each other’s back.”

“How is that different than how it’s been since we’ve met?” She looks dazed from the short kiss.

I’ll be doing that again real soon, but first we need to get moving.

“We will be together in real life now.” I stand, taking her hand. “Let’s go get boxes. We have a lot to do in such a little time.”

As I head toward the door with her trailing, she pulls on my hand, getting me to stop.

“Thank you, Tris. I know you joked that you were my dark knight, but I truly feel like you manifested that into reality.”

I smirk at her. “If you’re not careful, I’m going to manifest a lot of other things into reality. Now get a move on. I want you in my bed sooner rather than later.”

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