Us - Arianna Joseph (best book clubs txt) 📗

embrace. Trystan held her to him; Arelie rested her head on his shoulder, stroking the hair at his nape. Trystan was content for the moment with holding her, and breathing in her scent. She was so amazing, so beautiful, and exotic.

When Arelie pulled back to look at him she smiled. He couldn’t help but get lost in that smile, a smile with unending promises. Elie started to move off his lap but he held on to her. Held her to him, she pulled back to look at him, he was looking down at her.

He was so handsome, in that dark, bad boy way of his. His green eyes were darkening, that Arelie didn’t know if she could still call them green.

“A little longer, Elie.” He breathed into her hair. She smiled. She held his face in her hands and pulled him down to her, he greedily came on to her attempt, kissing her with such passion that it took her breath away. Elie stroked his face, his neck, his chest. Her hands rested at his chest, and his kiss became gentle, teasing, light.

But Elie would have none of it, with a growl of frustration, she pressed into him as she pulled him down to her. Trystan smiled against her lips, gladly kissing her with as much fervor as they both wanted. It was a while before Trystan reluctantly let her go, and Arelie started packing everything away. Trystan went to help her.

They both bumped into each other numerous times, Elie would blush and murmur an apology, Trystan would just peck her on the lips. Arelie ended up doing the dishes, and soon, after Trystan finished, Trystan slid behind Elie, slid his arms down hers and lean into her, helping her wash the dishes, as he kissed her throat and tickled her.

Elie had never laughed so much, never in her entire life had she found such peace and contentment in the world. Later, as they both laid on Arelie’s bed, she wondered aloud,

“What would I do without you?” Elie rolled onto her side, facing Trystan. She put a hand on his muscular chest, and her head on his shoulder.

“Probably have a better life.” Trystan suggested. Elie snorted, he smiled in reaction. Elie’s phone rung at that moment. Elie looked at her clock.

8:47pm.

Would Ben call that late? Elie held back a shiver. She hesitantly grabbed her phone.

Victoria Brood.

Elie breathed a sigh of relief and almost laughed.

“Hello?” Elie answered.

“Hey, I reached New York.” Tori’s voice sounded through the phone. In the background, Elie could hear shouts, honking, driving, yelling, and talking. Elie had to hold the phone away from her ear because it was so loud.

“That’s great. How is it?” Elie asked.

“Cold. Bright.” Tori answered, Arelie laughed. “We’re trying to call a taxi.”

“Ah,” Elie sighed, “That’s difficult, sometimes. How’s everyone? How was the flight?”

Elie glanced over at Trystan and saw that he was going through her drawers. She stopped smiling when she saw he was opening her underwear draw. She gasped when he pulled out one of her panties. She nearly ran across the room to him. He grinned like a little boy and brushed his hair aside.

She snatched her underwear from him and stuffed it back in her draw; she hit his stomach and made him roll over so she could sit. She turned the lamp on, and arranged her things around while she talked. She might’ve been on the phone for thirty minutes when Trystan lost his patience. He started kissing her neck and she giggled.

Giving Tori a reluctant good-bye, she hung up and gave her attention to Trystan.

“You are just something else,” she sighed, as he relaxed against her bed. She rolled up next to him and kissed his cheek.

“Do you know who broke in?” he asked after a moment of silence.

“No. the police started searching the house, looking for signs, but nothing was found, other than the broken mirror, the intruder left nothing that could have left a little evidence of who he was.” Arelie sighed.

“What were you doing?” he questioned.

“I was in my room, I had just gotten out of the shower and I was drying my hair when I heard footsteps.” Elie suppressed a shiver. She looked up at him, but he was staring at the ceiling.

“That’s weird.” He murmured. Elie sat up beside him, but he stayed still.

“What is?” she asked, gazing at him curiously.

“You said you heard his footsteps. An intruder – a professional intruder – would have been light on his fight. No one – especially you – would have heard him. It was unusual, too, when I saw him using the front door.” Trystan pondered for a long minute before asking, “What else did you notice?”

“Well, by the time I heard him, he was coming up the stairs. I was a little shocked when I heard it. He entered the first room near the stairs.” Elie informed, Trystan sat up straighter. “When I finally realized what was going on, I snapped back to reality and turned my bathroom light on, hoping to divert his attention when he came into my room. He searched all the rooms, I was so scared when I heard him next door, and he seemed to be searching, searching for something.”

Trystan’s stare unnerved her. “You took a risk at your life.”

“I had to. I keep wondering what would’ve happened if I hadn’t heard him, if I was still in the shower when he entered my room.” Trystan gave her a hard gaze that showed he didn’t like her thoughts.

“No, Trystan, seriously, think about it. If he was easily heard, don’t you think he would’ve kept on coming? I think . . . maybe, he might’ve wanted me to hear him.”

Trystan shook his head. “And you would know who it was.” Trystan sighed, and looked at Arelie. She was giving him a fearful stare. “What’s wrong?”

“I feel . . . I think I know who it is. I’m not sure.” Arelie hesitated. She looked around her room and then at Trystan, licking her lips. Trystan had come into a sitting position, giving her his utmost attention. He was no longer the teasing, warm Trystan Arelie was warming up to, but the hard, reserved Trystan, the one she had full confidence had gotten his reputation as a member of Florida’s most notorious gang.

“You know? You haven’t told anyone?” Trystan’s voice was starting to rise. Elie held up her hands.

“I’m just starting to find this out! Don’t give me that look, Trystan.” Elie looked away, Trystan waited patiently.

“I think it’s my dad.” Elie whispered, Trystan started. He looked at her with such incredulity that she was afraid he’d think she was crazy. But he didn’t say anything.

“How do you know? Did you see him?” he asked, his eyes burning. Lightning flashed and then suddenly a loud roll of thunder. Elie jumped. Trystan grabbed her by the shoulders and made her look him in the eye before repeating his question.

“I saw him first at school. Today.” Arelie answered softly. Trystan said a few vile curses, gazed at her, looked away and then cursed again. “He texted me, asked me to go to our neighborhood park. I agreed. When I saw him there . . . I didn’t see my dad. I saw Ben O’Neil, the murderer, the wanted man.” Elie shivered.

“He . . . he asked to start over, with me. Somewhere new; we could change our lifestyle, where we lived, make up new personalities . . . our life together.” Elie gave Trystan a disgusted glance and Trystan had no doubt the bastard tried to make their relationship . . . intimate. Trystan cursed.

“Jesus . . . and you didn’t think to tell anybody?” Trystan asked, after a few moments.

“No.” she whispered ruefully. He looked away, airing out his frustration. Then he laughed harshly.

“Some first date, huh?” he asked, mostly to himself. Elie paused. She looked at him for a long time, until finally he smiled fondly at her. She smiled back, inching toward him. She put her hand on his cheek.

“Is this a date?” she whispered, and he looked her in the eye, put his own hand over hers and kissed it. She drew in a hoarse breath.

“It is.” He answered. She gave him a wide smile, and he grinned, like a boy with a bunch of chocolates in his hand. But Arelie was chocolate. His chocolate. Startled by the fierce possession of her in his thoughts, he looked at the girl who he intended to make his.

Her red curls were long and came up to her lower back. Her brown eyes were filled with life, ready to be his. She looked striking, beautiful, she was wonderful. She crept up toward him, with a lovely smile. He sat back against her pillows and watched as she laughed and threw her arms around him. He balanced her on her knees as she leaned forward to press a kiss on his mouth. He groaned, she really was amazing!

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

February 28

Arelie sighed as she contemplated the question in front of her. She absolutely abhorred science. She understood nothing about it. The teacher was worse, being German, she barely understood him at times. She quickly closed her eyes and tried to remember at least something she had learned from last year about this. Finally, she got a relapse of what the question was about and quickly bubbled in the correct answer.

Done.

She had studied so long, and so hard for this test. Finally, she was done with it. It was over; she no longer had to worry about another test. She had been so happy for the past five days. Trystan was a romantic, but he denied it every time. They would have the same arguments about him being such a gentleman.

Trystan was so shocked he couldn’t say anything to her. He had scowled and looked away; thrusting his gift to her and walked away, muttering.

Arelie had looked down and saw that he had gotten her a rose. There was a small card attached to the stem of the rose. Arelie opened it and smiled;

 

Us,

Forever and Always,

Trystan

 

It had been so sweet that as soon as she found him, she kissed. So tenderly and passionate at the same time that she heard, vaguely, some girls sigh and murmur their jealousy that Trystan was such a man. Arelie had snorted and Trystan laughed so hard. All the girls had stopped to hear him laugh. The expression on their faces showed that they were shocked.

Of course, Trystan and Arelie didn’t see because Trystan was literally dragging her towards his car. All of the girls who saw and heard him laugh, wondered: What in the world got him to laugh so easily with her, when there were other funny times that he was present at? Why was he so happy? Was Arelie O’Neil the cause of it?

But all the girls knew what it really was; they admired and envied Trystan and Elie’s relationship. It was obvious that the couple were desperately, lovingly, tenderly in love.

@>------

School had just finished, and Arelie was walking outside with her iPod on. She nodded her head to the music, grabbing her keys from her backpack. She pulled out her earphones and put the key in the lock; she