Toxic For Me

Chapter 29: Family Ties

"Yes, it was beautiful. Brendon wanted me to go with your favourite colour, but I told him that you'd tell me to walk down the aisle nude." Lavender rolled her eyes, locking her hands behind Tristen's neck.

"I'm up for it." Tristen's face lit up like a light bulb, showing how serious he was for the idea. "I'm not walking down the aisle nude, Tristen!" Lavender laughed, slapping his chest. "So, what's the colour of our dress?" He asked, adjusting his hold around her waist.

"Yeah it's li- no. I cannot tell you."

"Why not?"

"I want to see your fresh reaction to it." Lavender said excitedly, tightening her legs around his torso as she brought her nose close to his.

They were both at Tristen's, in his room sitting on the bed in each other's arms. Lavender was straddling him while he rested his back on the cushiony headboard.

She kept her promise; spending the night at his place.

"That's understandable." He nodded. "Baby?" She spoke in muted tones, as she lowered her gaze. "Yeah?" His voice almost came out in a whisper as he felt her vaguely fidget herself on his sleeping tower. Tristen could never control himself whenever Lavender would get all touchy; when she'd change her tone into the one that hinted at her seriousness about something and lowered her gaze as she would project it into the words, 'Baby?'

He'd feel like she wanted to taste some spice and try his ways, but was too shy to admit it. So she'd give him such hints; touching her body to his in the right places. He loved it when she did that.

"Is it okay if I don't invite many people?" She asked, rather giving him the anti-climax. "Why so? Are you afraid because I'm a mafia?" He caressed her cheek. "No, it's just that..." She bit her lip. "I just wanted to save us the chaos. I want you to call me yours in front of the people who matter the most to us, not those who'd mainly come for the expensive food and alcohol." She explained.

"Ah, that's why?" Tristen let out a chuckle, lifting up her chin to bring her eyes to meet his. "I don't really have many people other than my parents, Claire, and Jim. And of course, you." She fluttered her eyes at him twice. It made him smile at her cuteness. "It's alright. I didn't plan on calling many people, either." He confessed. "Really? You must have a lot of friends, though." Lavender said in an envious tone.

"Not all friends are your well wishers. You may call them a friend, but it's also their job to prove that." He said, while putting a strand of hair behind her ear.

"That's right! I heard from Bates about you and your friend..."

"Juggy."

"Yeah, him. Is he really on to seek revenge?"

"Yes, he is."

"Tristen, tell me everything. Although Bates enlightened me with this topic, I want to hear it from you." Lavender said. "See, Bates is a loser who could not save his daughter from a person like Juggy. He is a very cunning person, and is known for his trafficking business. He knew it well that Bates would not get his money from his businesses back on time, so he asked him to pawn his daughter after Bates lost the bet." Tristen explained.

"What if he had refused?" She asked curiously.

"He'd have died, his daughter would've been sent off to another nation and all of his possessions would have been taken over by Juggy."

"Oh my god, that is so cruel!" She gasped. "Bates is a guy that we both know, in different ways, obviously. But when he came to ask for my help, I couldn't give him the money right away. 100 million is not that small of an amount." Tristen said. "Bates could have easily paid it off, given that he is rich too. But he was taken advantage of."