Aura [bxb]

Twenty-One

Laken P.O.V

After crying the flood of tears, I forced myself to pull away from his chest. It wasn't fair that I was using him as a pillow, knowing the entire situation had to be awkward. So, I pulled away, sniffling slightly, the whole crying thing making my nose runny. Perhaps it is from the continuous temperature changes taking place around me. I looked away from Tristin, hoping he didn't see my actual face when I was crying. I know that I'm an ugly crier.

When I pulled away, Tristin looked hesitant to let me go completely. There was a look in his eyes as if he was mentally asking me if I was okay, or okay enough to be let go from his embrace. Even though I mentally knew the answer was no, my eyes must have lied and told another story. Tristin removed his arms from around my waist, a hesitance still noticeable in his movements.

The moment his arms were no longer around me, I ached for him to re-wrap be back up into his arms, missing the comfort of his muscular arms. I'm such a hypocrite. I wanted out of his embrace one moment, and now I was mentally pleading to be re-wrapped in his arms. The protective of everything Tristin, it drew me in for more reasons than it reminded me of my mother. There was something there, something pure and new, and it sparked at the touch of Tristin's skin.

Instead of following the urge, I lowered my arms to my side. I wanted to hug him, I truly did. I knew now was not the time. I shouldn't have taken the moment in his arms for granted, because who knows when I will in his embrace again.

Instead of hugging him, I returned my focus onto the walls that betrayed me in more ways than my mind was willing to mention. How dare they lead me on a wild goose chase? I forced all of my anger into the glare I was directing at one of the modern paintings hanging perfectly on the wall. Honestly, it looked like every single one of the pictures that I've passed today. I was sick and tired of seeing the same paintings, tired of seeing the same wallpapers.

Tristin caught my gaze, noticing the glare that I was sending to the inanimate object that is the wall. I ignored the baffled expression on his face because my eyes side-glanced him. Once he knew he had my attention, he pointed behind him, and what I saw shocked me. Standing behind Tristin, was what first appeared to be another bland hallway, continuing off the one I had originally started in. I didn't notice what he was pointing at first, but then I looked at the other end of the hallway with finer details. You'd never have seen me more pissed off in your life!

At the end of the hallway, hidden rather well, was the start of a staircase. I never felt more embarrassed for myself as I did in that moment. How in the world did I not notice the staircase? It was in plain sight if only I had paid more attention before hastening into deciding which side I'd go.

I looked away from Tristin and the walls, looking down at the floor. If only I had noticed the staircase earlier. What would have happened if I had used the intelligence that I honestly have hidden inside my brain? Would the entire outside event have taken place the same way as before?

Those questions managed to scare me more than I should have let them. The past was in the past, the entire thing had already taken place, and it was too late to change it, but it still scared me. I know the whole thing would have ended up different. Would they have mentioned my mother and her well being? Would they have threatened me and her well being to encourage me to come with them?

Because, how safe can a captured person truly be?

The fear ran down my spine, which made me snap out of my thoughts. The last thing I wanted to do was continue to think about such things. I'd have to address them soon because that fear could potentially become a reality. I couldn't remain locked up in this mansion safe while my mother was probably unconscious somewhere, hoping that I'm okay.

"Why did you leave my room?" Tristin asked, looking into the opened doorway. I looked at the side-angle of his face, knowing how easy it was to get mesmerized with his beauty. There was the smallest of a gleam in his eye, something I barely managed to pick up on due to the angle that I saw him from. I looked at him, confused, and the silence made him turn to look at me. There it was, that same look. I know knew it was the no-bull look.

"To find you," I said, before glancing down the hallway again. "And the stairs," I added. "But mostly you," I said, smiling at him, a cheeky look on my face. I sent one, barely noticeable, glare at the actual stairs before I turned all of my attention back to Tristin. I shouldn't blame the stairs, it was just me being stupid and not noticing that there was a staircase waiting for me at the other end of the hall.

"Next time, just wait in my room," Tristin said as he ushered me back into the room with his gentle hands placed on the crook of my back. I didn't get much of a chance to fight back, not that I was going to, but the choice of exploring downstairs was promptly taken away from me when Tristin completely closed the doors. What if I was hungry and needed to go downstairs or wherever to replenish my stomach? That wasn't the case, thankfully, so I couldn't lie and say that it was. I feel like Tristin would see right through the whole thing and scold me for lying in the first place, especially since all I wanted to do was snoop, which was a bad thing I know.

"Why?" I asked the question with the most apparent answer imaginable. I kind of knew the answer. Kidnappers=Bad. Tristin Bedroom=Safe. Pretty simple if you truly think about it as a mathematical equation. But math is terrible too . . . Math=Tristin's Bedroom*Kidnappers.

"Because you'll get lost," Tristin reasoned with me, ushering me over to the bed. I wasn't exactly tired, but I didn't stop him from moving me over to that side of the room. He wasn't exactly wrong, I would probably get more than lost, and without a doubt, Tristin wouldn't be there the next time to find me. "I get lost too, so don't overthink it," He admitted, all but shoving me onto the bed, the comforter had already been moved back. I was about to protest the whole bed thing before I noticed the look on Tristin's face. He looked anxious and tired. I didn't notice it all when I was crying, having been too upset over my mother to notice that he had been too relieved to see me in the hallway, safe.

"You get lost too?" I asked, watching Tristin as he stripped his pants off, revealing his boxers and a well-defined bulge that I spared only the smallest of glances. He was rather well-endowed. Tristin nodded to my question.

"All the time," He said as he climbed underneath the covers, pulling the comforter over us. I was about to ask him why he left the lights on, but he shuffled his arms out from under the duvet and promptly clapped his hands in the air twice, which resulted in the entire room being engulfed in darkness. Rich bastard.

For a couple of seconds, the entire room was silent. The only thing that could be heard was our in-sync breathing. I must have shivered because Tristin reached over and pulled my clothed body against his covered chest. The warmth that was instantly provided filled me with more comfort than I'd like to admit. I hadn't been expecting the embrace, but I was more than happy to accept it. I instantly relaxed in his embrace.

He was so warm, that warmth luring me towards a restful state of sleep.

The last thing I felt before falling asleep was a gentle, small kiss to the back of my head from my spooning partner.