Part 22 (1/2)

Kylie rarely called him at work, and so when she did, one afternoon at four o'clock, Reese-his secretary, who had earfuls to say about Kylie after she announced Tristan was her boyfriend, and had a strong liking of Kylie and had no way of knowing the drama around Kylie's name and his family- beeped in on one of Tristan's meetings with his grandfather, dad, and the department heads. ”I told you to hold my calls.”

”It's Kylie. Something's wrong. I think you need to take it.”

The entire room went deathly silent. Tristan felt sweat bead on his back and trickle down. He kept his gaze hard on the intercom that Reese had just announced his personal life over. Kylie.

”Kylie who?” Grandfather's voice was chilling when he spoke finally. Cold and icy, it could almost p.r.i.c.k Tristan's skin.

Tristan, seated, glanced up and drew in a breath. ”You know who.” He then got to his feet and leaned forward. Emergency. It had to be. Kylie didn't reach out to him for anything. Something big must be wrong. And though he had just been caught on one end, that didn't change whatever Kylie needed.

”Kylie?” He cradled the phone to his ear and turned away from the other men.

”Tristan?” Kylie's voice sounded strangled.

”Yeah, yeah, it's me. What's wrong?”

”I'm at the hospital.”

”What's wrong?” he repeated, panic lacing his tone. His heart bottomed out. He was on his feet. ”What happened to you?”

”Not me. A friend of mine. Can you just come? Please. I need your support.”

”I'll be there in fifteen minutes.” He hung up and stared down at his hand on the receiver. Then he glanced around.

”Tristan.” The warning, the censors.h.i.+p and disappointment in his tone. It was all in his grandfather's voice. His mentor. His hero. The man who sent him to try and destroy a girl who had never hurt anyone a day in her life besides herself.

”I have to go. We'll discuss this later. My numbers are there in that folder. Self-explanatory. You'll figure it out.” He walked around the table.

A fist slammed down on the conference room table. ”You'll tell me right now what the h.e.l.l you're doing and what's going on.”

He paused long enough to scowl at his grandfather. ”I won't discuss her with you. End of story. If you want to fire me. Do so. But right now? I have to go.”

Something lifted off his chest. He'd been carrying around what felt like a thousand pounds since this started. He felt strangely invigorated to leave it behind. Walk out, head high, spine stiff and proclaiming... Kylie. He was proclaiming something for Kylie.

He found the entrance of the hospital and rushed in. Glancing right and left he saw Kylie, pacing the floor a few paces away. She stopped dead when she saw him. She then ran to him. Her relief at his presence was bright in her eyes. She nearly jumped into his arms. He wrapped her up in them, all not even hundred pounds of her hitting him full-force. She leaned her head under his and clung.

”What's going on?”

”The friend I've been seeing lately? The one I told you I'm working on that special project with?”

”Yeah?” He knew the girl had nearly replaced him, but he'd had to control his own petty jealously, reminding himself he wasn't a thirteen-year-old and he could handle his girlfriend having friends and interests that infringed on time he wanted to spend with her.

”She tried to kill herself. She overdosed on some prescription she bought off another student. Her roommate found her. They just got done pumping her stomach. They think she'll be fine. But... I can't believe she did this. You don't understand, she'd been so strong. So sure of herself. So healthy! This is not something she would do. I should do this. Weak, silly, scared me. But Cadence? No.”

Everything stilled in him. One word. One name and everything changed, everything fell into place and made sense, as he knew in the sickening sinking of his gut everything was over.

”I don't understand why she'd do this.” Kylie was shaking. Her hands and entire body were trembling in nerves and upset.

”You said she'll be fine?”

”Yes. It hadn't absorbed. She should be fine. But... it almost wasn't. She could have died. So easily. If no one came in and found her... I mean, did she mean it? She was okay last I talked to her. And I'd know. We talk, I mean, really, really talk, Tristan. Only like I do with you. I can't believe this.”

He knew now was the moment. He couldn't stand there and talk about Cadence killing herself and not tell Kylie who he was. Whatever they had been planning, he could not continue this charade. There was no choice now. This had just gone to dangerous and physical harm. His stomach cramped. He didn't know yet what it meant. About Tommy... about why a girl would try to kill herself. And one of those accusers was the woman he'd fallen in love with and believed in every other way.

He took her hands in his. ”Kylie?”

She was staring down, shaking her head. Her thoughts were everywhere.

He said her name again his tone still gentle. ”Kylie?”

”What?” She blinked in surprise when he said her name a third time, his tone louder and sharper.

”We need to talk.”

”What do you mean?”

”There's something really important I need to tell you.”

”Now?” Her eyes went huge.

”Now.” He took her hand and pulled her gently towards the hospital entrance. There was a smoking area down to the right around the corner of the building. He stopped there. He leaned down and kissed her mouth. He leaned his forehead against her. ”You have to hear me out.”

”Hear out what?” Her expression was scrunched with worry. ”What is going on? You're scaring me.”

”Please. Promise me. You'll hear me out.”

”I'll hear you out. What is it?” She reached out and touched his hand. ”Tristan, what is going on? Are you freaking out because you think this is something I would do to myself?”

”It's what people would a.s.sume you'd do, isn't it? But you'd never do something like this. You'd never do this to your mother.” He shook his head and took in a shuddering breath. ”No, this is about-I know who Cadence is. She knows who I am. I can't walk into her room with you because it will upset her and that isn't fair. Not after this.”

”What? How do you know her? And why can't you walk in there with me? ”

”Because I'll upset her. Maybe add to whatever is going on with her ending up here having done this to herself.” He took in a shuddering breath. ”Because she hates me, and with good reason. Reasons I don't want to tell you. I don't want to hurt you with. But I hope you'll listen to me. Believe me. I love you, Kylie. That was always the truth.”

Her face was chalk white as her mouth twisted in agony. ”What is it?”

He sucked in a breath as if it could breathe courage into him. ”My name... my name is Tristan Aderly...” He lifted his head to stare right at her. The rims of his eyes were turning red and tears brimmed there. ”Tamasy.” He closed his eyes, flinching as if something was socking him in the gut. ”My name is Tristan Tamasy.”

Chapter Eighteen.

HER JAW OPENED AND went slack in her face. Stuck. Her entire body was suddenly frozen and stuck in positon. Her eyes opened wide, and her arms wrapped around her middle. She huddled under her sweats.h.i.+rt as she pulled at it suddenly almost compulsively.

Tamasy. My name is Tristan Tamasy. The scenery wavered before her gaze. She wobbled on her feet. He wasn't serious. He was... no, what? Why would he lie? About that name? That name. That insidious, hideous name? Why would Tristan say such a thing?

How did he even know that name would mean anything to her? Dazed, totally blindsided, and confused, all she could do was stand there, unseeing of everything around her with her head bent down. No one knew who raped her. Not one soul knew what happened to her. Well, now that wasn't true... two souls knew. The person who did it. And the person lying sick in the hospital.

Oh... and Tristan Tamasy.