I Just Need You - J. Nathan Page 0,50
footsteps echoed like a drum. He circled me, but I couldn’t move. My feet were stuck to the floor. I struggled to get them free but they wouldn’t budge. “Le fou de fortune,” he whispered. Then his voice grew louder. And louder. I lifted my hands to my ears but it wouldn’t block out the sound. “This isn’t over,” he said as he stepped in front of me. I could see blood soaking his mask, the smell burning my eyes.
I screamed out, my body jolting upright.
But I wasn’t in France. I was sitting in my dorm room with my heart thrashing in my chest and sweat drenching my shirt. And Chris was still sitting beside me.
His eyes were wide with fear. “Are you okay?”
My door sprang open and Tristan rushed in. In one swift movement, he grabbed Chris off the bed by his neck and slammed him against my now closed door.
“What the hell are you doing?” Chris cried, struggling against his grip.
“What did you do to her?”
“Nothing,” Chris said, his voice rising with fear.
“Tristan, stop it! I was having a dream.”
He didn’t look at me. He kept his hand and eyes on a terrified Chris. “You need to get your things and go home,” Tristan said, his tone calm yet menacing.
“Tristan, let go of him!” I climbed off my bed and rushed to them. “Now!”
He reluctantly released Chris and stepped back.
“I’m so sorry about this,” I said to Chris as he gathered his shoes and shoved his feet into them.
“It’s late anyway,” he said, though I knew he was embarrassed by the ridiculous turn of events.
“I had fun,” I said, trying to reassure him though I was still reeling from the nightmare I’d just had.
His eyes shot to Tristan. “Yeah.” Chris moved to the door and Tristan stepped back as he opened it.
I followed Chris into the hallway. “I really am sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry about. I’m sorry you had a bad dream.”
“Yeah.”
He moved forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. “I’ll call you.”
I wanted the intimate gesture to elicit feelings in me. Warmth. Desire. Need. But it didn’t, falling so much flatter than the jolt of electricity accompanying Tristan’s lips anywhere on my body.
Once Chris disappeared into the stairwell, I turned back to my room prepared to face Tristan. I stormed inside only to find him in my desk chair with his face in his palms.
“I’m sorry you were having a nightmare,” he said.
“Yeah, well, you should’ve considered that before you barged in my room.” I moved to the closet and pulled off my now-sweaty clothes, tossing everything into my laundry bag hanging inside. I had no idea if Tristan was looking. But I actually welcomed it. Look at what you could’ve had if it hadn’t been such a mistake. I pulled on a tank top and pajama shorts then opened my door and stepped into the hallway. “I need to brush my teeth.”
I walked to the bathroom and waited outside with my arms crossed, waiting for Tristan to arrive.
When he finally did, I could feel his eyes on me, but so much hurt and confusion filled me, it was better not to look at him.
As he searched the bathroom, my chest tightened around my racing heart, hating him for kicking Chris out even though he knew I’d had a nightmare. A nightmare that could have been prevented if he hadn’t abandoned me.
When he stepped back out, I walked around him, careful not to touch him. I walked inside and intentionally took my time. He could wait.
When I finished in the bathroom, I found him leaning on the wall outside my room. I walked in and Tristan followed me. I spun around, holding up my palm to stop him. “You can stay in the hall.”
“Kresley,” he said, his voice soft and concerned. “Your nightmare.”
“Not your concern.” I turned away, moving to my bed and slipping under my comforter.
He paused, like he wanted to say something. But there was nothing left to say. I had a nightmare because he wasn’t there. He knew it and so did I.
Apparently, that wasn’t enough to make him admit he’d been wrong. Admit he was being a coward.
He turned toward the door and opened it. He didn’t pause this time. He switched off my light and stepped out into the hallway.
The door clicked shut behind him, and only then did I allow the tears to fall.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Kresley
Briggs was out in the hall waiting for me Monday morning. And while I