CORAL - Fallen (A Romance Trilogy, Book 2) (39 page)

I turn back around and stare at our naked
feet.

“But I’ll sell it if it makes you unhappy,”
I add. “I don’t want to hurt you Tristan, and I don’t want you to think that I
love you any less because I want to keep it...” I slap my hand to my forehead.
“I’m not really making much sense am I?” I shake my head in frustration.

“Coral, nobody thinks straight when they’re
tired,” Tristan whispers into my ear. “Besides, I think it’s a good idea to
keep your place,” he adds.

I whip my head round. “You do?” I squeak.

“Yes,” he says. “It’s an excellent
investment, you could make a killing over the summer renting it out,” he adds.

“Really?” I squeak again.

“Yes.” He chuckles wrapping his arms
tightly around me. I close my eyes and surrender to the feeling.
Hmm…Investment…renting
it out, I’ve never thought about that!

“You are so understanding, Tristan.” I whisper.
“That’s one of the many things I love about you,” I add. Tristan squeezes me
even tighter and kisses my temple.

“Made for each other,” he whispers.

“Yeah...I think we are,” I whisper back.
We
sit quietly for a while both deep in thought...

After a while, the water starts to cool, so of course I
shiver.

“Come on, out you get. You need food,” Tristan says firmly. He’s
not to be argued with.

“No, I want to stay in here a little longer,” I argue –
Because I can.

“Coral, your body temperature is dropping because you
haven’t eaten,” he states, running his hand through his hair. He gently pushes
me forward and steps out of the bath.

“What’s wrong?” I whisper.

“I'm going to get dressed, then I'm going downstairs to
order a Chinese. If you want a say in what to order, I suggest you get out the
bath and meet me downstairs,” he says sharply.

Ok, maybe I shouldn’t be winding him up right now.

“I don't mind what you order Tristan,” I humbly answer.

He turns and glares at me –
Boy he’s moody tonight!

“But I’m getting out,” I add.

Tristan storms off into the bedroom, I lay
my head back against the bath. Why am I trying to wind him up when he’s been so
good to me, so understanding, so sweet; he deserves better.

Feeling awful for being argumentative, I
get out the bath, wrap a towel around me and walk into the bedroom to make
amends, only when I get there, he’s already gone –
Damn it!

Stomping back into the bathroom I cream my
face, and put on a little make-up to try and hide my red, puffy eyes. My skin
feels really soft from the bath cream, so I don’t bother creaming. Hanging my
towel up, I pad back into the bedroom.

I quickly dress in my sweats and a vest-top,
unclip my hair, run my fingers through it, and skip down the stairs to find
Tristan. If I give him his presents, he may cheer up.
I wonder if he’ll like
them?
I push the thought away, I’m sure he will.

Walking into the kitchen, I see Tristan
opening a bottle of wine. I feel shy again and I don’t know why. “Hi,” I smile
shyly.

Tristan walks over to me, pulls me up
against the length of his body and tenderly kisses me. “Hi.” He smiles down at
me. “I’ve ordered the
Chinese
,” he adds.

“You’re hungry,” I say, realizing Tristan
probably hasn’t eaten since lunchtime.

“Very,” he says, smiling down at me.
Releasing me he walks back into kitchen. “Want some wine?” he asks smiling back
at me, his dimples deepening.

“Yes please.” I look around me and see
Tristan’s present propped up against the wall. Silently walking over to it, I
pick it up and start walking, awkwardly, back into the kitchen. Tristan glances
up at me, he looks mad.

“Coral!” He scolds. “You could hurt
yourself,” he admonishes rushing over to me and taking the weight of the
presents.

“It’s for you,” I tell him.

“Me?” he smiles. “You got me a present?” he
says a little shyly.

“Yes,” I giggle. “I’ll pour the wine, you
open them up.”

“Ok,” he smiles shyly at me again, making
my heart flutter.

I kiss him lightly on the lips and Tristan picks
the present up and follows me as I walk back into the kitchen, then he stops in
front of the breakfast bar, by the table.

I really hope he likes them. I wasn’t sure
when I walked into that photography shop that they’d be able to do what I
wanted. The black and white photo of Tristan’s folks is really old, but they
scanned the image, sharpened it up, and now it’s blown up and framed, it looks
really good. Just like the one of Tristan with his folks, and the one that I
picked of the two of us.

I watch him open the top of the large flat
box and peek inside. I pour a little wine into our glasses, trying to watch
what I’m doing, and watch Tristan at the same time is a trying feat.

Reaching his hand inside, he pulls the
first one out. I'm glad to see he’s picked the one of his Grandparents on their
own first. His head whips round to me, and he just stares at me, open mouthed –
Shit!

I stop what I’m doing, and stare back at
him. I don’t think he likes it.
Double crap!

“Coral,” he gasps, swallowing hard. “When
did you’ – “I stole the photos out of your wallet, sorry,” I whisper feeling a
little guilty. “Don’t worry though, the originals are upstairs, they’re safe. I
made sure I took good care of them,” I add.

“I...I don't mind that you did that,” he
answers his eyes wide with surprise, his arms stretched out as he holds the
frame out in front of him, staring at them. “They look great,” he adds, his
cheeks flushing as he stares at them.

I walk over as quietly as I can, I don't
want to spoil the moment for him, and place our glasses of wine down. After a
while, Tristan turns to me with bloodshot eyes. I think he’s overwhelmed –
Oh
no! I shouldn’t have done this now!

“Tristan!” I gasp.

He places the framed photo down, takes two
long stride towards me, picks me up, and wraps his arms tightly around me, burying
his face in my neck.

“T-thank you Coral,” he chokes out. I wrap
my arms around his shoulders and hug him tightly. After a moment, I pull my
head up, take his face in my hands and kiss his lips lightly.

“You’re very welcome.” I gaze down at his
choked up expression. “You ok?” I ask softly.

“Yeah,” he breathes. “I just wasn’t
expecting that.” Putting me down, he turns us around so we are both looking at
their smiling faces. Then he wraps his arm around my shoulder and kisses my
temple.

“There’s more in there,” I tell him but he
seems a little dazed. Walking over I pull out the one of Tristan with his
folks. “I’m sorry Tristan. I....I didn’t think it would upset you,” I add
guiltily.

Pulling another chair out I place that
photo against it, then I do the same with the one of Tristan and I. Seeing it
again, I'm glad I chose the one where Tristan and I are facing one another and
smiling broadly, the look on our faces says it all.

When I turn around, I see him run his hand
through his hair, messing it up a little –
I like that!

“Coral...I...I’m amazed, thank you baby,”
he says, his cheeks flushing. I think he’s shocked?

I walk over to him, wrap my arms around him
and just hold him. His arms snake around my shoulders, I feel him kiss my hair.

“You smell so good,” he breathes.

“Ditto,” I tell him back, smiling as I do. “Are
you ok?” I ask hesitantly looking up at him.

“Yeah just a little shocked, but I love
them. I can't believe you got this done for me,” he says, surprising me –
Why
would he say that?

I swallow hard and look up at Tristan; he’s
still gazing at them. “Where are we going to put them?” he asks.

“Wherever you want,” I tell him. “Here, one
of your offices or your other homes. It’s up to you,” I add.

“There not homes Coral, there just houses.
Besides I’ve put them on the market,” he tells me, still gazing at the photos.

“You have?” I say in surprise.

Tristan nods once, still staring ahead. “My
home is wherever you are Coral,” he says taking me by surprise again, and I
melt. I feel like all the bones in my body have liquefied, I feel my heart
repairing that little bit more, my soul expanding again for this wonderful man
that has entered my life, and I know he’s right, he’s felt like home since I
met him.

“Me too,” I say.

“I want them here,” he tells me firmly.
“This is where you are and where I’d want my folks to be too, if they could be;
besides they should be here because you got them made. They’re not just smiling
at me anymore they’re smiling at you too.”
Oh Tristan!

“Tristan, I got them made for you,” I tell
him again. “Not for me, or us, for
you
.”

He squeezes me even tighter. “I still want
them here,” he tells me.

“Ok,” I squeak. Tristan picks up our wine
glasses and hands one to me. “To us,” he says.

“To us,” I click my glass against his and
take a welcome sip.

“Thank you baby,” he adds leaning down to
kiss me. I welcome it, parting my lips for his taste…his tongue. He groans
loudly as our lips connect, and our tongues find each other, and as they do,
something deep within me clicks into place.

I don’
t
know what it is, I just know it feels different with Tristan now,
much deeper than it did before, I didn’
t
think it could get any deeper. I feel like my soul has a different,
warm, homely feeling inside it. The worst is over, I feel like I can let myself
be loved and love Tristan back too, with my whole heart.

I deepen the kiss, and I’m glad that
Tristan doesn’t pull back, in fact he reciprocates, kissing me harder, deeper,
a deep sound of longing rising up from his throat, it is desire.

Hearing him moan like that is like a beacon
of light to my libido. I moan in response and run my fingers through his hair,
then I pull back for a second and stare up at him, I need to see it in his
eyes, I need to see that same hunger that was there before.

To my utter amazement, I see that not only
is it still there, but Tristan is looking at me more passionately than he ever
has before.
Oh Wow…that look could be responsible for global warming…
It
heats my blood and sets my pulse racing, I feel like I’m on fire, my heart
swells with love for this amazing man, I feel so blessed to have him in my
life.

“What is it?” he asks gazing back at me.

“You still want me like that?” I ask.

Tristan nods and leans down to kiss me
again. “Of course I do. Always,” he whispers against my lips. “But food will be
here shortly, I want us’ – I press my lips against his then pull back.

“You want us to eat first?” I say.

He nods once then leans down to kiss me
again…

THE BAD MEN ARE BACK.
No,
please don’
t! Mommy, Daddy, where are you?
The bad man is on top of me, he smells bad, I can feel his hairy
chest on me, his hands squeezing me.

“
Good Girl, just
like that
.”
Mommy, Daddy, make him stop! He’
s
hurting me! Get off me, I don't like it, please stop!

H
e turns me over
and slaps me hard. I cry out. “
Q
uiet!”
he shouts.

I stop crying. When he finishes, he stands
and walks away. I keep still and lie on the floor, my belly hurts. The other
man comes over, he pushes something inside me; it really hurts…
Make him stop
Daddy, make him stop
...

I
’
m wriggle free from him and I run
…I run all
the way through the house, out into the back garden, through the gates and onto
the street. I run as fast as I can. I can't stop running, running away from the
bad men…I am in the hospital that Mommy is in.

I look around at the white walls. I need to
find Mommy so I start running again.

There’s lot’s of grown-ups here in white
coats, but they don't see me. I call out for Mommy and she calls my name. I run
towards her voice. I hear her in a room, so I push the door open.

Mommy and Daddy are there, Mommy is kissing
Daddy. I don't understand? They don’t love each other anymore.

They both turn and smile at me. “
Come on baby g
irl,”
they both say.
Daddy kneels down and opens his arms to
me. I run to him, he picks me up and hugs me.

“
I
’
ve missed you baby girl
,”
he tells me.
I
hug Daddy tightly.

The door bangs open, we all turn and look.
Susannah is in the room, she looks like Mommy used to; she is wearing orange
pyjamas.

I scramble out of Daddy’
s arms and point at Susannah.
“
Bad lady
,”
I tell
them.

Mommy puts her hand on my shoulder.
“
I
’
ll protect you baby girl.
”
I don't understand.

Susannah runs to us, she has a big knife.
She falls on top of Daddy and they fight, then suddenly his eyes go blank.

“
Daddy. What
’
s wrong?
”
He doesn’
t answer
me. I start to cry.

Susannah turns to me, she tries to reach me
with the big knife
; it has something red all over it. “
N
o!”
Mommy jumps in
front of Susannah, t
hey roll around on the floor and
then her eyes go blank too.

I kneel down next to them both. “
Mommy, Daddy
, wake up.”
I try shaking them, but they won’
t wake up.
Susannah laughs. I cry even
harder and shake them some more, but they won't wake up.

Susannah reaches out for me. “No!
Leave me alone
,”
I
cry
out, she tries to catch me, but I'm too fast. I run
and run and run...The dream shifts again and I’
m home
, here in Brighton. I’
m on the beach and
I’
m not a child anymore.

It’
s very cold, and
the air is thick
with white fog, I search the beach,
trying to locate the Marina, but the fog suddenly lifts and I can see Tristan,
he’
s stood a few feet away from me.

“Tristan?” I want to walk towards him, but
something about his expression stops me. I wrap my arms around myself and just
stand there staring at
him, then Susannah suddenly
appears next to him.

They turn and look at one another, smile, then
take each other’
s hand…
No!

Susannah looks perfect and she’
s
in her pencil skirt, she smiles wickedly
at me, then she pulls Tristan into her and whispers something in his ear, he
smiles enigmatically at her.
No!

“
Tristan
,”
I call out
, showing
him my open hand.

He shakes his head at me, then turns and
starts kissing Susannah. His hands all over her body
…this
is torture to watch. Susannah throws her head bac
k,
Tristan leans down and his lips graze down her neck, she lifts up her leg.
Tristan’
s hand skims up along it then
squeezes her thigh….
No please not her, anyone but her!

As he continues to kiss her neck, she turns
and smiles at me, a steely resolve in her eyes.

“
He
’
s mine,
” she mouths
at me, then she raises her hand behind Tristan, the knife glints and shimmers
against the sunlight, she hovers it above his back. He is totally oblivious…
Tristan!

“
Tristan!
”
I scream, but my voice makes no sound.

I violently shake my head at her in horror,
I try to move forward, but I’
m being held back by an
invisible force.

“
No not Tristan
. Please,”
I beg.

Susannah bares her teeth at me. ‘
Mine
’
she mouths
again
, then without a word, she plunges the knife into
his back.

“
T
ristan!”
I
scream
again. I try to run towards him but my legs won’
t move
. “
No
!”
I watch
in horror as he gasps for air and
falls to the floor.

Susannah walks towards me, the knife
dripping with blood, and I am frozen watching Tristan writhe in pain on the
floor, I can't move…I can't get to him…He suddenly stops moving, I see a deep red
pool of blood ooze out from underneath him…
Tristan?
…

Suddenly he looks up and glares at me. “
R
un,”
he garbles, blood spitting from his mouth.

“
N
o,”
I cry out
. “
Not without you
.” I choke back tears of
despair…
He can't die…he can't!

“
R
un,”
he
chokes. Then
I watch in horror as he takes his last breathe, and his head hits the pebbles,
his eyes going blank like my parents, and suddenly Susannah is right in front of
me, the knife held up, ready to plunge it down on me.

I will gladly take death now. I don’t want
to live in a world without Tristan.

Something tugs on my hand, I turn and see
Tristan’
s gho
stly figure. “
Move, you have to move
,”
he tells me.
I see my parents behind him,
pale and grey.

Tristan smiles a sad smile and brushes an icy
cold finger down my cheek. “
Go
,”
he whispers.

“
No,
”
I cry shaking my head. I don
’
t want to leave him.

“
Please baby,
please…for me, go now,”
he whispers. T
hen he slowly starts to fade away from me, heading out to sea. I run
towards him, into the sea, my feet and legs feeling heavier, colder as I try to
race against the current, the waves hitting me, one after the other…

“
C
oral wake up!”
I hear
Tristan’
s voice shouting at me, I try to
find him in the dream.

“
Tristan,
”
I scream out, my hands searching for him.

“
Wake up!
”
He shouts again, and I realise someone is
shaking me.

My eyes dart open.
Holy Fuck!

Tristan is on top of me holding me down. “
You were thrashing about
,”
he
pants, releasing me, his eyes wide with
alarm. “You ok baby?” He adds, searching my face.

My heart is hammering against my chest and
I’
m covered in sweat.
I stare
up into his eyes, he’
s alive, he
’
s here…
oh god
that was so horrible, so awful
…

“T
ristan!
”
I crush m
yself
against him and burst into tears.

“
Shh
h,”
he soothes, wrapping his arms around me.
“
It
’
s ok, it was just a bad dream,
”
he whispers, rocking me gently.

I repeat those words to myself –
Just a
dream
. I grip onto him tighter, not wanting to let go, then I think what if
I’m still dreaming. I instantly stop crying, and
pull
back searching his face, my hands checking his body for any signs of damage.

He takes hold of my hands in his and brings
them up to his mouth and gently kisses them.

“
It
’
s alright baby, I
’
m right here,
”
he
softly tells me
. “
I
’
m not going anywhere.
”

I blink back the tears again, and before I
can stop myself, it’
s out of my mouth.
“
I dreamed you were dead,
”
I choke.

His eyes widen in fear and disbelief. “Oh baby,” he
breathes.

I pull him to me and kiss him hard. I need this. I need to
feel him. I need him to wash it all away. He is my balm, my healer, I realise
that now.

“I'm here,” he says. “I'm ok baby.”

“Take me,” I croak. “Please...” I beg.

He stares down at me for a moment, a look of confusion
spread across his face then his lips swoop down on mine. I hold him to me and
lose myself in him, kissing him back, relishing every touch, every move, the
feel of his skin,  his body moving in perfect symmetry with mine, breathing in
his scent, and I drift away, forgetting all about the horror I just
witnessed...

I
AM LYING COCOONED
in Tristan’s arms after our love making. My head is
gently resting on his shoulder. I feel sated, calmer and more in control.
I know the bad men have come back because of telling Tristan about
my past, I don't dream about it that often, but I don't understand the part
with my parents, or Susannah?
Why would she want to hurt any of them? Why
would she want to hurt Tristan?
I shudder slightly recalling the
horrific dream.

“Hey.” Tristan turns his head and gazes down at me. “You ok?”
he asks, frowning down at me.

“Yeah...” I breathe, his tightens his arms around me, making
me feel safe, loved.

“
Cora
l, talk to me,”
he pleads.
“
You looked so frightened,
”
he adds.

“
I was,
”
I whisper, but I can't tell him that
Susannah killed him; he
’
ll
think I
’
m a complete lunatic.
Besides, I don
’
t want to argue
about her, which is what will happen.

“Want to talk about it?”
he asks.

I shake my head at him. Tristan gives me a
look that tells me he wants to know, he wants me to talk to him. I pull his
lips down to meet mine and softly kiss him.

“I don't want to talk about it,” I whisper against his lips.

“
Was it them?
”
he
asks his voice
low and dark.

I frown up at him.
How does he know?

“
You were mumbling,
telling…telling them to stop,
”
he whispers swallowing hard, answering my unspoken question.
Oh!

I feel my face pale as he stares down at me.
“
S-sorry
,”
I
stutter.

“
Don
’
t be. Are you ok
?”
He asks again, as he softly strokes my
hair, his face full of concern. I think about what he’
s
asked, and run my hands through my sweaty hair.