Slow Play (The Rules #3)(96)

“Merry Christmas,” she tells me as I walk her toward the front door. Conrad gives her a hug as she leaves and slaps her ass, making her gasp. The guy is confusing as all get out. She shoves him before she walks out the door. “I hope Felisha kicks your ass, Conrad!”

He shuts the door and smiles at me. “She’s so easy to rile up.”

I send him a pointed look. “Better not ever try to slap my butt.”

“Hell, no. Tristan would kick my ass if I ever touched you.” He holds up his hands and backs away from me, headed toward the living room.

My heart pangs when I hear Tristan’s name. We’d gone the past four hours never mentioning him once. Now I hear it and I’m right back at square one. Miserable. Sad.

Missing him.

Offering Conrad a wan smile, I head to my bedroom, shutting and locking the door behind me before I grab my phone off my dresser and check it.

To find I have text messages from the very one I’m trying to forget.

Tristan.

I miss you. I should’ve never left you without saying goodbye and I’m sure you hate me. I can’t blame you. I f*ck up all the time. Say the worst things imaginable. Treat everyone like shit yet somehow you still wanted to stick around with me. And I managed to ruin that too.

I’m sorry I didn’t let you explain. I’m sorry I blamed you for what your dad did to my mom. I’m sorry I tried to beat Marc’s ass.

Scratch that I’m not sorry. I should’ve beat Marc’s ass.

I press my fingers against my lips as I laugh. Feel the tears start to fall down my cheeks as I cry.

I wish you would’ve told me what happened with your family but I understand why you didn’t. I’m not comfortable sharing my family secrets either. I don’t open up easily. I’m sure you realized that quick.

But I want to open up to you. I want to share everything with you. I miss you so damn much. I shouldn’t have come here for Christmas. I’d rather be spending it with you.

I’m full on crying now. It’s all I can do lately and it sucks. But at least these are happy tears.

Alexandria where are you?

Alex?

Ali?

Angel?

I wake up to the sound of my phone ringing and I blindly reach out, grasping around on the bedside table until my fingers curl around it and send the damn phone flying onto the floor.

“Fuck,” I mutter as I hang over the side of the bed and grab it. My heart starts to race when I see Alexandria’s name on my screen.

And then it’s gone. The phone goes silent. I missed her call.

“Damn it.” I sit up in bed and hit her number on the missed calls list, waiting anxiously as the phone rings. And rings. And rings.

“Tristan?”

Hearing her voice sends a rush of relief and lust and something else I don’t recognize coursing through me. I sink my head into the pile of pillows behind me and close my eyes, swallowing hard. “Yeah. Hey.”

We’re quiet for a while and I can hear her breathing. I clutch my phone tighter, wishing she were lying next to me. But wishes are for fools and I’m the biggest one out there so I need to be thankful she’s at least talking to me.

“I got your texts,” she finally says.

“And you actually called me instead of texting back?” Shit, was that an * thing to say? Probably.

“I wanted to hear your voice.” She hesitates. “I only just got them. I was out with Kelli.”

Fucking Kelli. Always messing with my game.

More like my lack of game.

“We went to dinner and exchanged Christmas presents. She leaves tomorrow morning,” she continues.

Damn it, my girl is by herself for f*cking Christmas. I can’t stand it. I should hop on a plane tomorrow and go to her.

“You’re spending Christmas alone then.” I take a deep breath. Tomorrow is the twenty-second. I can make it in time as long as the weather cooperates and I can find a plane seat.

“Conrad is here with me.” That’s little consolation. “And we’re going to Steven’s for Christmas dinner.”

Fucking Steven. Though I don’t hate him. He’s good to Alexandria. And he’s halfway in love with Kelli so I don’t have to worry about him. “I’m glad you have somewhere to go.”

“Tristan, did you mean what you said in your texts?”

My throat goes dry. “I meant every f*cking word.”

She’s quiet for a moment. “I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you.”

“I’m sorry I was such a dick to you that night,” I counter.

“I should’ve told you the truth from the very beginning.”

“I should’ve kicked Marc’s ass. He deserved it.” Just thinking about him makes my hand curl into a fist.

She bursts out laughing. “I miss you.”

“I miss you too. So f*cking much it’s killing me.”

“Where are you?” she asks.

I tell her about my parents’ so-called cabin in Vail. She tells me she’s been there before—of course. Alexandria and I have more in common than we originally thought. We make small talk for a while until finally I ask her a question, curious to see how she answers.

“Angel, tell me what you want for Christmas,” I whisper.