Tristan

It was weird being back. Everybody was treating me as if I was glass that could break at any moment. At first the attention was endearing but now it was getting on my nerves.

My parents were here and so was Beth and her husband. They had cried for hours, holding on to me tight as if I would disappear at any moment. Even my stoic, stern father had shed tears.

They were paranoid that Alexander was going to try and kidnap me again. A similar thought had also occurred to me but Demi seemed very confident that I was fully safe now.

Another thing that bothered me very, very much was Damien. He had changed. He was closed off now, even to me. He hardly talked and even if he did there was always a lost, faraway look in his eyes. He was still working in the clinic even though I knew that he hated it before. He craved the rush surgery gave him but now it seemed as if he wasn't bothered at all.

I missed my old Damien. I missed him terribly. I don't know what was wrong with him but this was serious. It wasn't just the trauma of losing me. It's like he was still terrified of something.

The only emotion I had seen in his eyes was when I brought up Demi during dinner one day. The sudden blazing fury and loathing in his eyes on hearing his name had shocked me to the core. He had refused to talk about him at all and I didn't think it wise to push.

Speaking of Demi, he had come to visit me twice. Both times late at night with Damien home. I always made sure to be polite to him because the guy had literally saved my ass. He talked about random things with me while Damien say rigidly beside me, his eyes downcast and fists clenched. I had the feeling that Demi purposely came when he knew Damien would be here. It was clear that he was uninterested in me and even in the things we talked about. Those were just to keep the conversation going and most probably to prolong his stay here.

I knew there was something off. The tension in the air was thick enough to suffocate people when Damien was in the same room as Demi.

I had to find out what was wrong and I had to do it fast. Whatever was wrong was serious enough to slowly destroy my boyfriend and best friend from the inside. I hated seeing him like this. I wanted my confident, outgoing and demanding Damien back, not this closed off, troubled one.

The opportunity presented itself very conveniently. Damien was working late that night. Apparently it was flu season and the entire clinic was filled to the brim.

I was sitting on the couch watching TV when I heard a car pull up outside. I looked at the clock and smirked. 9:30. I was almost sure who it was.

As I had hoped, very soon there were footsteps in the hall followed by a firm knock on the door. I got up and opened it. It was Demi of course. I ushered him and his bodyguard in while two other men remained outside the door.

Demi's silver eyes surveyed the room swiftly and I could clearly see the disappointment in his eyes when he couldn't find Damien. A rush of jealousy and annoyance coursed through me but I shut it down. Now was not the time.

"Sit please. Would you like something to drink? Tea, coffee, water anything?"

He hesitated but ultimately took a seat. "No thank you. I just came by to check on you."

"That's very sweet of you," I said and sat down too. An awkward silence prevailed and I could see him getting uncomfortable by the minute. Now that Damien was not here he clearly wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

I was not going to let that happen.

"So Demi I never asked but how exactly do you know Damien?"

His eyes narrowed immediately. I kept a neutral, blank expression on my face.

"Shouldn't you be asking Damien that," he curtly replied.

"I would but he's not here is he. You are. So I thought I should hear the story from you."

He stared at me and I fought back the urge to avert my eyes. It was difficult to stare into his empty silver eyes but I held his gaze. Finally after what seemed like hours, he leaned back and crossed his legs.

"Damien and I met years ago in a hospital. He saved somebody close to me. I owed him and hence he came to me for help."

He was telling the truth, I somehow knew that. But there was no way it was this simple. There was more to this.

"So you just agreed to help him and go against a powerful guy like Alexander? I am sure rescuing me wasn't easy."

He let out a soft chuckle. "Alexander is a baby compared to me. It was no trouble at all. The only problem was to locate you, after that it was an easy job. Now if that's all, I have to leave."

He stood up abruptly and turned to go. Before I could process what I was doing, my hand shot out to grab his. I pulled him backwards and he landed on the couch with a thud. His bodyguard immediately sprang into action and within seconds I had a gun to my head.

For once Demi had no filter on his expression. He looked at me with pure shock and bewilderment. He definitely wasn't used to people grabbing and pulling him.

The cold barrel of the gun pressed against my forehead was terrifying and brought back a lot of unwanted memories. I fought hard to keep my fear at bay.

Demi regained his composure and within seconds his face was blank again. He sat up and wrenched his hand free from my grip. He motioned to the bodyguard to remove the gun and I let out an internal sigh of relief when he did.

His silver eyes were alight with rage.

"Touch me like that again and I will crush your fucking hand to pieces."

I swallowed. I had no doubt that he was serious. "I am sorry but I need answers Demi. I am so lost and confused. You know what's wrong with Damien. I am sure of it. You come here to see him. Why? Why does he turn white as a ghost when he sees you? What happened when I wasn't here?"

The questions tumbled out one after the other. I could hear the sheer desperation in my voice. It was driving me crazy to not know.

Demi did not reply after my rant. He simply stood up again and I did not dare repeat my earlier stunt. I wanted to scream and cry in frustration. I wanted to shake him till he spoke. But all I could do was sit there like an idiot.

Demi walked up to the door and turned back. His eyes were as impassive as ever but his hand twitched a bit as he spoke," I know how you feel Tristan. I wish I could answer your questions but I think it's best you hear them from Damien. All I can tell you is that you are very lucky to have someone like him love you. Treasure that for it's a rare gift."

And with that he was gone.

What the fuck.

I frowned as my mind tried to make sense of his words. I had a slight inkling of what he could have meant but I didn't want to jump to conclusions.

I sighed miserably. I would just have to wait this storm out till it passed.