Chapter 131
looked at him like he’d grown a second head. The audacity of the question after everything that had happened between us was almer Laoghair
This is as far as your grace can carry you, Tristan. Let’s just say what we need to say so you can leave,”
“Why?” The single word came out sharp and demanding, like he had the right to be offended by my boundaries.
I stared at him in disbelief. Had he actually forgotten what had happened between us? Did he think one racing discovery erased all the pain bed
caused?
31%8
“Fine,” he said when I didn’t answer. “I know I messed up the other night, but I swear it wasn’t what it seemed like.
“That’s not why we’re here, Tristan,” I cut him off before he could launch into whatever excuse he’d prepared. “Ask whatever you racing so we can get this over with.”
I kept my voice cold and businesslike, wanting him to understand that I just wanted him gone.
“We need to talk about more than just your racing, Ath. We need to talk about us. I need to tell you something important.”
I was already shaking my head before he finished speaking. “There is no us, Tristan. The only reason you’re in my apartment right now is because I feel like I owe you an explanation, even though I know you don’t deserve one.”
“I know I don’t deserve it,” he said, his voice dropping to something closer to pleading. “But I’m begging you, Ath. Please, I need you to hear me out.”
The sound of his voice, the way he said my name with such desperate sincerity, almost made me soften. Almost. But almost wasn’t enough. Not after
what he’d done to me.
“Ten minutes, Tristan. When you’re done, you leave.” My voice was firm and final.
He nodded like an obedient child, relief flickering across his features.
“I know I hurt you that night, and I’m truly sorry, Ath. What I did was completely horrible. If anyone else had done something like that to you, I would have smashed their head against the wall. I feel disgusted with myself for treating you that way. You didn’t deserve any of it. You deserve the absolute best.”
I looked at him carefully, seeing the genuine remorse in his eyes. The fire of anger in my heart cooled slightly because I could tell his regret was real.
But I wasn’t going to let him off easily, even though I knew it would happen again. Because I’d never let Tristan touch me that way again.
“But you did it, Tristan. You hurt me. And now you want to say sorry and have everything go back to normal? You can’t just wound someone and then ask for forgiveness like it’s that simple.”
He ran his hands through his hair in frustration, messing up the dark strands that I wanted to smooth down despite myself.
“Yes, I know I hurt you and I’m sorry. Is that why you’re doing this?” he asked his tone shifting to something more accusatory.
‘Doing what?”
*Racing motorcycles and kissing Derek.” The anger that had been subsiding flared back to life with his words.
“What do you mean? How dare he think that my life and my decisions revolved around him?
What you’re doing is dangerous. Can’t you see that? You could seriously hug yourself or get killed He said the last part with a look of pure terror, like he was Imagining that possibility and it was his worst nightmare.
Whatever I do with my life has nothing to do with you, Tristan. I walked away from him as I spoke, putting distance between us.
“What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? Of course it does, because care about you.”
