Tristan (The Ruins of Emblem #1) Page 6

  Anyway, I was glad to do a little something to help out the son of one of the only genuinely nice men I’d ever known.

  By the time I finished talking Cadence was no longer about to erupt but she still regarded me with some suspicion. “I don’t know what to think, Tristan. That story makes you sound like a regular nice guy.”

  “I’m not a nice guy, regular or otherwise. But the story is true.”

  She played with the ends of her hair and glanced at a couple of teens that were slobbering all over each other beside the school steps. I would have liked to know what she was thinking. I was surprised how all of a sudden it was important to me to know what this opinionated teacher thought.

  But now she was the one who started walking away. She didn’t say anything to me, just began heading out of the shade and toward the back of the building. I didn’t feel like our conversation was over so I walked with her.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “I have to walk the perimeter of the school to make sure no one’s causing trouble.”

  “And what if they are causing trouble? You’re going to stop them?”

  “I stopped you didn’t I?”

  She hadn’t stopped me me from doing jack shit.

  “Go ahead and think that if it makes you happy.”

  Her face clouded. “Don’t underestimate me.”

  “I’d never underestimate you, Cadence. Hey, I know. If someone’s getting out of line you could always beat them over the head with, what did you call those pieces of paper? Prayer passes?”

  They were still in her hand. In fact they were getting crushed by her fist.

  Her teacher voice returned, the voice that said she had all the patience in the world for my childish antics. “They’re called Positivity Passes and I give them out to recognize students when they do something good.”

  “Wow. I’m sure they are taken home and framed and coveted by everyone in Emblem.”

  The teacher’s voice patiently continued. She spoke as slowly as if she were addressing a kindergartner. “They are supposed to be collected and turned in for rewards.”

  “What kind of rewards?”

  “Never mind,” she grumbled.

  “Can I have one?”

  “No. And stop mocking me.”

  “I’m not mocking you. I did a good deed today and I would like to be recognized.”

  I thought she’d lose it and spit out some more profanity. I wouldn’t have minded. Hearing her say dirty things made my dick happy.

  Instead she looked down at her crushed Positivity Passes, peeled one off and slapped it against my chest. Her hand remained there for longer than a beat, right over my heart. The second my hand touched hers she jerked away but her face was red now and I knew why. She’d felt it too, the electric connection of pure fucking lust.

  “Thanks, Cadence,” I said and made a show of carefully stowing the yellow slip of paper in my wallet.

  She rolled her eyes and drifted over to the fences that separated the parking lot from the rather pathetic athletic field. I joined her, standing so close my arm brushed against her shoulder. She didn’t move away so neither did I.

  “I’ve heard things about you,” she said, her voice barely audible over the shouts of all the players who were risking sunstroke by practicing in this heat.

  I’d figured as much. “So ask me if they’re true.”

  She sucked in her lower lip and tangled her fingers in the chain link fence. “I doubt you’d be honest.”

  “I might surprise you.” A familiar voice caught my attention and I took a good look at who was out there on the field. A hiss of anger escaped. “I can’t believe that motherfucker is still here.”

  She was confused, scanning the field. “Who?”

  My eyes narrowed as I focused on the man who’d once called me worthless white trash and pushed my head into dirty toilet water until I thought I might die. All because I’d told him to eat shit during football practice after he sadistically ordered us to run more laps in hundred and ten degree heat while three of the boys were already dry heaving and on the verge of passing out. He said no one would believe my side of the story. He was right.

  But wasn’t going to share that degrading tale with Cadence this afternoon. “Are you going to ask me questions or not?”

  She didn’t flinch, keeping her wide blue eyes trained on me. “Are you a drug dealer, Tristan?”

  “Sort of.”

  Now she flinched. “Sort of?”

  I tried to imagine what a sheltered girl like Cadence Gentry was picturing, that I prowled around on the street corners of Emblem trying to lure innocent kids into a life of addiction and despair.

  “Are you familiar with a condition called erectile dysfunction?” I asked her.

  “Stay on topic please.”

  “I am on topic.”

  “So you’re trying to tell me that you’re impotent.”

  “Impotent?” I knew what the word meant. I just wanted to hear her explain it.

  She lowered her voice to a whisper. “That you can’t get it up.”

  I roared with laughter. “Hell no.”

  Her pretty pink lips pursed. I wondered if she deep throated and if she swallowed.

  “I can give you a demonstration if you want,” I offered.

  “I want you to be straight with me if you’re capable.”

  I was capable if we cleared something up first. “Cadence, what I’m about to tell you stays between you and me.”

  She bobbed her head. “Of course.”

  “I mean it. I’m trusting you. No calling your sister or your dad and shooting your mouth off.”

  “Give me a little credit.”

  I leaned close to her ear. “I sell male performance enhancements.”

  Cadence wrinkled her nose. “Like Viagra?”

  “Or the generic equivalent. Whatever my contact can get his hands one when he ventures south of the border.”

  She was looking confused so I forged ahead.

  “There are a lot of old timers around who could use a little help. Prescription drugs are expensive and insurance hardly covers jack shit.” I grinned at her. “I think of myself kind of like an adult Santa Claus.”

  “Santa Claus never got old men laid.”

  “Right. So I’m filling a much needed niche.”

  She was trying not to laugh. “This is not the explanation that I was expecting.”

  “Glad I could surprise you.”

  “It’s still illegal.”

  “Very.”

  “And you’re still technically a drug dealer.”

  “If you like labels, then sure. I’m a drug dealer.”

  The coach was shrieking at some poor kid now on the field and my jaw clenched. Some people went berserk over the scrape of nails on a chalkboard but to me the sound of Coach Ward’s voice was the ultimate trigger.

  Meanwhile Cadence had shifted position, turning around to lean against the fence and study me more effectively.

  “You know what, Tristan? You’re actually more intelligent than I guessed.”

  I never realized that I was walking around looking like an idiot. “Yeah, like I told you last time we talked, I’m able to read and everything.”

  She licked her lips. “What I mean is, you could probably do a lot more with your life than selling black market Viagra.”

  Inwardly I groaned. If Cadence was going to play the concerned guidance counselor role my boner was probably going to shrivel up and die.

  “Did you forget I also drive a tow truck part time?”

  “And I’m sure you could do a lot better.” An eager look crossed her face, a look that said I’d become her new mission and while the thought wasn’t entirely a turn off I was contemplating a different kind of mission.

  “I could help you,” she continued. “You never got your diploma, right? I remember when Curtis got his GED. Cassie and my Uncle Chase even tutored him. And who knows? Maybe you’ll even decide to giv
e college a try.”

  “I’m fine where I am. Not everyone needs to go to college to be worthwhile.”

  She was disappointed. “I don’t know why you’re taking it that way. I’m just pointing out that you have options.”

  “Then I’m lucky I ran into you. I wouldn’t know what to do with myself next without your advice about my future.”

  “Tristan, come on.”

  “It’s amazing that I even managed to dress myself this morning.”

  “You’re getting offended over nothing,” she huffed.

  “I’m not offended. I just feel lucky that I was able to drive around all day without getting lost when you weren’t around to tell me where to turn.”

  The eager light had faded from her eyes and now she was mad again. Making her mad was fun. I wanted to push her harder.

  “Forget I said anything,” she huffed. “Just deal drugs and drive a tow truck and live happily ever after.”

  “What are you all bent out of shape about? The fact that I rejected your help is good news. Now you can save up all your efforts for the fortunate students of Emblem.”

  “Stop being such a jerk.”

  I grinned. “Call me something else, something more creative. Like a shit eating motherfucker.”

  “Fuck you.”

  “That a girl.”

  She glared. “I’m very proud to be a teacher. I’m proud to be here at Emblem High. There’s no reason for you to crap all over the fact that I’m trying to do some good.”

  On the inside I about died from laughter. She saw herself as the heroine, the star of this Lifetime movie set right here in Emblem, the champion who ignored the pessimists and got everyone to look away from their degenerate ways and join the student council or the school musical or the Future Farmers of America. Whatever her objective might be my moral duty was to mess with her. She made the prospect too fucking tempting.

  “Cadence I have no doubt that every kid in your classroom is grateful to be rescued by the great blonde hope.”

  That struck a nerve. If she had the ability to shoot fire with her eyes I’d be a smoldering corpse. She was so pissed I could hear her breathing hard.

  “I am not blonde.”

  “That’s a hell of a comeback. Maybe you should go blonde. Lightening your hair might lighten up your mood.”

  She spun away from the fence and threw one final promise over her shoulder. “We’re finished here.”

  I didn’t chase her or yell out the last word. I watched her stalk back to the gym doors and disappear inside.

  Football practice was still carrying on in the punishing heat. I looked over to see Nesto slam into an old tackle dummy that had probably been in use since my own father was on the team at Emblem High. The kid didn’t notice me but someone else did. Coach Ward was standing apart from the kids with his hands on his hips and he was too far away for me to see his face but I knew he was watching me, that he recognized me.

  He should.

  And if he wanted to come over here and do something about it I’d be quick to educate him on the fact that I wasn’t a seventeen-year-old kid anymore.

  I pointedly flipped my middle finger up. He turned away.

  I kept an eye on the gym doors for a few minutes to see if Cadence would reappear but wasn’t surprised when she didn’t. There was nothing else for me to see here so I returned to my car.

  If Cadence wanted to stew in her fury for today then I hoped she had a good time.

  But she knew as well I did that we weren’t finished.

  We hadn’t even fucking started.

  Chapter Seven

  Cadence

  “You can still change your mind,” I told him as I fastened my favorite chunky rose gold watch. “Everyone would be glad to see you.”

  My grandfather smiled at me from the bedroom doorway but shook his head. “Next time. I’m on my way out to go pick up Karen.”

  My grandfather had met his latest girlfriend six months ago in the oncologist’s office. He was there for a prostate follow up and she was just concluding treatment for her second battle with breast cancer. The two things I liked best about Karen were she laughed more than she spoke and she did nothing to hide the sparse hair that barely covered her pink scalp like a dusting of snow. Her confidence was radiant, her joy in life was nearly tangible and she was good for my grandfather, who’d suffered two failed marriages and a string of short lived relationships.

  “Tell Karen I said hi,” I said. “And if she has any more of those deep fried raviolis she brought over last week a certain perpetually hungry high school teacher would appreciate the sacrifice. By the way, I finished off your milk this morning but I promise I’ll hit the grocery store tomorrow.”

  My grandfather was not concerned about his milk. “It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

  “I ate the rest of the granola too.”

  “Cadence, I’ve told you over and over again you are free to help yourself to anything here,” my grandfather said he stroked his grey beard with two fingers. The beard was a recent addition. When I joked that he was on his way to being a Tolstoy look alike he was confused.

  “Nonetheless I’m buying the groceries this week.”

  He tilted his head and gazed at me with fondness. “I’m just happy you’re here, honey.”

  The words were touching and I knew he meant them. My mother was an only child who bolted from Emblem right after high school and he’d been living alone in this house for years until I showed up on his doorstep the day I learned my apartment had fallen through. Being installed in my mother’s old bedroom was a little surreal, especially because my sisters and I had only visited Emblem a handful of times while we were growing up and we’d never spent more than a few hours here.

  My grandfather was still cemented in the doorway and watching me with a happy expression. He was the only grandparent I’d ever known. My father’s parents were an absolute train wreck and they’d both died before I was born. My mother’s mother was alive and still around here in Emblem somewhere. I’d never met her. And that was her choice.

  “Don’t let Karen keep you out too late,” I teased with a wink.

  He snorted. “I’ll be home before dawn. You be careful driving back and forth to the valley. Too many goddamn drunks and people playing with their phones out on the road.”

  “Will do.”

  “Hug your mom and your sisters for me.”

  “Always.”

  A final grin appeared in the bearded wilderness and a moment later I heard the front door open and shut. A glance at my watch told me I needed to get moving if I planned to make it to Cassie and Curtis’s house before she served her impeccable risotto. The drive from Emblem took an hour and although I didn’t expect to run into heavy traffic early Saturday evening I’d already dawdled enough to guarantee I’d be the last one to arrive so I was feeling the crunch. Besides, I was genuinely jazzed to see my family. This was the first time I’d ventured out of Emblem since I arrived three weeks ago and Cassie was hosting my parents plus Cami’s family. My arms were practically aching to hold my little niece, my ovaries rocketing into overdrive just thinking about breathing in that sweet baby smell. I couldn’t wait until there was another baby in the family to love.

  I was conducting an inventory check of phone, keys, wallet, etc. when the doorbell rang. More precisely the doorbell moaned. Presumably the thing had been effective at some point in years past but now it only broadcasted an eerie howl that crawled up my spine.

  Looking through the peephole and discovering who was on the other side knocked the breath out of me. I hadn’t seen him since I stormed off four days ago, leaving him standing beside the Emblem High athletic fields. After everything I knew about Tristan he shouldn’t have continued to occupy space in my head but constant thoughts of his broad shoulders, muscled arms and piercing eyes did things to me that I couldn’t control. I needed to learn how to control it. Tristan might not be a hardcore heroin dealer but he was no model citizen eithe
r.

  Plus he was an asshole.

  An asshole that enjoyed mocking every serious statement that came out of my mouth and kept me scrambling for answers.

  An asshole that roused the most formidable physical attraction I’d ever felt for anyone.

  An asshole that was somehow waiting for me to answer the door when I was positive I’d never given him my address.

  Tristan saw the shadow cross the peephole and waved.

  I sighed, twisted the handle, and faced my visitor.

  Why does he have to look hotter every time I see him?

  He wasn’t wearing anything special, just an untucked black t-shirt and baggy army green pants. The bruise I’d noticed on his jaw when I ran into him last week at the bar had faded to a vague shadow, replaced with a few days of untended beard stubble. Typically the guys who turned my head were the ones who knew how to dress and took the time to shave every day so the heat coiling in my belly every time Tristan crossed my path was inexplicable. Acknowledging that fact didn’t make it go away.

  “What are you doing here?” I demanded.

  The smile he flashed was packed with devilish sin. My panties suffered.

  “I came to cash in,” he said as if that explained everything.

  I pressed my legs together beneath my skirt. “What are you talking about?”

  Tristan held up a piece of paper I recognized as the crumpled Positivity Pass I’d shoved at him after he asked for one as a joke.

  “You said you give out rewards for these,” he said.

  “I think you got the wrong idea. Anyway, what kind of reward were you expecting?”

  “You didn’t elaborate. But I have a few suggestions.”

  “Wait.” I shook my head and held up a hand. “How in the hell did you know where I lived? Are you stalking me?”