Chapter 18
Aaliyah
Who were they talking about? Hayley? But then why would she refer to Hayley as the girl?
The woman moved closer to Tristan. She was dressed in a long black cloak with the hood hiding her hair. Her face came into view: she had smooth caramel skin, a small nose, and full lips.
Tristan smiled, lowering his head to place a kiss at the back of her hand.
"Why don't you come with me to my office?" Tristan asked in a low voice.
"I prefer it here," Amara said. "So where is she? Don't lie."
"You know me well enough to know I don't lie," Tristan replied.
I frowned, my hands clenching at my sides. I didn't like the way her fingers were roaming over his chest, and the way she stared at him.
What was this new feeling? Jealousy? No, it couldn't be jealousy—more like anger. We'd merely talked for two days, and now he was here, spending time with her.
A muscle tensed in my arms as she moved closer, bringing his head toward her face. I frowned deeply as she kissed Tristan.
Unable to watch any more of this, I turned around and began walking. What if we eventually got married? Is this how he would behave—kissing other women?
Why should I even care? It's not as if I would want to marry him or even allow him touch me. He can sleep with other women as much as he wants.
I had no idea where I was going, but I continued walking. I hurried down the stairs, thinking there would be guards nearby to stop me. But there were none.
Stepping outside the house, the calm breeze hit my face. I looked up, noting how the clouds were slowly changing. It would rain soon.
I walked forward, my eyes falling on the fence where those men had been impaled. They were gone. I still remembered the gruesome sight of the men as they bled slowly till death.
I sighed, tearing my gaze from the fence.
I didn't want to spend another minute in the library, locked away while Tristan had his time with Amara.
I looked around. There were still no guards. Was this a sign for me to escape?
I hadn't realized how far I had walked from the house until I found myself at the building next to Hayley's. The house was built just like Tristan's, with the same paintwork. There was a small garden at the side and a garage where cars were parked. This was Tristan brother's house.
I slowed down, staring at the building and wondering if anyone was around. I remembered Tristan's warning not to come here—he didn't trust his brother. What could his brother have done to earn that distrust?
I looked around, seeing no sign of guards. Where was Hayley and Noah?
I thought about going to her house to find her. She would be very angry after warning me not to leave the library. But it's not like I couldn't take care of myself.
My mind wandered back to the memory of Amara kissing Tristan.
A bile rose in my throat and I tried to press it down.
Was Tristan fascinated by her? I shouldn't be surprised—one or two persons had already said that he had flings. The way Amara kissed him and how he accepted it made it seem like they had something between them.
A chill swept down my back, and I turned to see a man standing there. Tristan's brother. I swallowed hard, taking a step back.
He eyed me from head to toe with such a serious expression that I thought he was about to kill me. But then, a broad smile appeared on his face as he stepped forward.
"You must be my brother's fiancée," he said. "I'm Lucian."
"Ali," I replied. "Aaliyah."
"Did you come here to see me?" Lucian asked, tilting his head.
"No... uh, I was actually..."
"Planning on escaping?"
My eyes widened, and I quickly shook my head. My heart was pounding so fast, I thought it might explode.
"What? No... no, I wasn't escaping," I said.
He let out a low chuckle. His eyes darkened as he continued staring at me as if he could see through me.
"You're terrible at lying," he said in a playful tone.
Lucian took another step forward, leaning closer to me. He looked almost as good as Tristan, with a chiseled jawline that gave him an aura of authority. He had short, dark hair, perfectly styled. His skin looked like it had been kissed by the sun, making it the color of desert sand.
"What if I told you I could help you escape?"
I softly gulped unsure of what to say. He was offering to help me escape. But what if it was a trap? What if he had other plans?
Tristan had told me not to trust his brother. Why should I believe he wanted to help me escape?
But he looked like he meant it. It didn't seem like he was going to take no for an answer.
"I could get you far away from here, and Tristan wouldn't be able to find you," Lucian continued. "A pretty thing like you doesn't belong in a place like this, tethered to my brother."
I really wanted to leave this place. But I wasn't sure if I could trust him to get me out.
"Why would you help me?" I asked. "You don't know me."
He smirked. "I enjoy making my brother's life a little bit difficult. And, well, you look like you were forced here. Hayley told me about you."
I hesitated, my hands clutching the sides of my dress. I didn't know Lucian or what he was capable of. Was he like his brother, Tristan?
He might be dangerous like Tristan, but right now, he was offering me a chance to leave, and I couldn't pass that up.
I looked around at the estate.
"So," Lucian said, taking a step back, his face turning serious. "Is that a yes?"
I stared at his outstretched hand, feeling my heart race.
"Yes," I replied, placing my hand in his, and he smiled.