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I clenched my fists to stop myself from reaching for her. Tris didn’t need to know that every cell in my body was practically begging me to say yes. To help her, and in doing so, give myself a little more time in her presence before I had to let her go again.
“Tris, seriously. Why me?”
“I know you hate Peter, and helping me kind of goes against that, but … I trust you.” She bit her lip, her expression wary. “And, though it may not mean anything to you, I reallyhavemissed you, Killian. Even if you don’t want to help me, it would be nice to hang out with you again, like old times.”
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think the twist in my chest was from her heaving a filleting knife through my heart.
“The timing seems pretty damn convenient, Tris.” I propped my elbow on the armrest and forced a look of indifference. “You’ve had a long time to see me. To tell me you missed me.”
“You were so angry, Killian.” Her chin dropped. “At me. At Peter. And then you just sort of faded away. I didn’t know what to do, and I wondered if maybe our friendship had run its course.”
Well, fuck. That hurt like hell to hear.
She lifted her face to me and the passing streetlights flashed off the unshed tears pooling in her eyes.
And now I felt like a supreme dick for making her cry.
“I figured if I gave you time to cool off, you’d come back to us.” She blinked and a tear streamed down her cheek. “To see that it was okay to be happy for Peter’s success and maybe we could go back to normal. But you never acknowledged any communication from me.” She angrily swiped the tear away. “So, eventually, I stopped trying.”
I couldn’t risk telling her that my heart had been broken by both of my best friends. Tris for choosing Peter. And Peter for being a selfish dick and tossing our friendship aside for his career. He didn’t have the same faith that I did, if we just held out a little longer, we could have gotten a contract together.
“What you’re asking isn’t a little favor,” I reminded her.
“I know that. I do.” Her eyes beseeched me to understand.
No matter how much I wanted to give in, I had to be strong. My heart couldn’t survive the complication of having Trissabelle Byrd in my life.
“What’s the emergency?” Against my better judgment, I was intrigued. “Why can’t you wait?”
A faint line of sweat shimmered on her brow and she kept twisting her hands in her lap. Something had pushed her to find me, to not give me the time I asked to think about her request.
“Peter’s showing interest in someone else.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Her name is Wendy Darling. Jareth hired her as a PR consultant to improve Peter’s image. I’m worried that if I don’t do something now, I’ll lose my chance forever.”
“Is it really worth it?” I frowned at her desperation. “Chasing someone who doesn’t want you?”
She deserved so much more.
“Yes.” She nodded slowly.
“I don’t get it, Tris.” I’d never been able to comprehend why she pursued Peter like she did. “Why him?”
I knew the answer was probably going to hurt like hell, but I needed to know.
“Before he and I met, my heart … well, it felt like it had gone to sleep, like it was dormant or something.” She tapped the spot above her heart. “I felt hollow inside and I had no idea if I could ever love someone like I loved my parents.”
She paused and I gave her time to gather her thoughts.
“But then I met Peter.” Her sweet smile was like a kick in the balls. “And for the first time in weeks the sun shone a little brighter and my heart gave a little thump. When I looked up at him and he held my hand in his, I just knew we were meant to be in each other’s lives.”
Hearing how meeting Peter pulled her from her sadness was just as painful as hearing her declare her undying love for the guy.
“If he felt the same, he would’ve said so by now, Tris.”
That selfish prick.
I’d bet my yacht he was stringing Tris along for the adoration alone. And while part of me railed at him for taking her for granted, I couldn’t help wondering what would have happened if I’d met her first.
She blinked rapidly to hold back further tears. I hated thinking I was the cause of her pain, but someone needed to help her see the truth.