Entangled (Vice Games)

by Cooper, Alice

  We went down stairs together and Anna was already halfway through her breakfast. She gave us an enquiring look and although Tristan and I said very little to her, it was not hard for Anna to guess what happened last night. She did not press me for details, obviously not wanting to involve herself in the private affairs of her brother’s private night time activities. But I could see it upon her face that she was happy.

  Tristan held a perpetual grin and gave me a kiss on my cheek before he left for work. It made me blush when he did it in the presence of his sister. But he didn’t seem to care and Anna beamed with delight at the turn of events. For once, something was not a lie.

  I took it easy for the rest of the day and ended up baking cupcakes with Anna. Tristan returned from work an hour earlier. He found Anna and I huddled over the computer looking over an array of wedding dresses and floral arrangements. Tristan was thrilled to see me finally involved in the plans. As night fell, I began to feel slightly confused about what to do with myself. Anna made a beeline for her room after dinner. Lorraine and Jace disappeared. I soon found myself alone in my room again and could not help but anticipate what would happen next. There seems to be a pent up expectation that squirmed inside my stomach. The suspense was driving me with madness. Or perhaps I simply didn’t know what to do as the memories of last night came back to me.

  Should I go back to his room? Is he coming to mine? Are we doing it again or not? Do I want to do it again? Was I just imagining things? What the hell did I just do last night? Is the pain supposed to last this long? Will it hurt again?

  I threw myself back onto the bed and stared at the blank ceiling. As I lay there, the door creaked open and Tristan stood with his shoulder leaning against the door frame. He narrowed his eyes enquiringly at me. There must have been some sort of growing turmoil on my face as he immediately came inside and picked me up. He moved me to his room and sat me down on his bed.

  Tristan studied my face and did not kiss me. This caused me to feel a wave of confusion. Was this how I’m supposed to feel? As the thought crossed my mind, Tristan read it like a book. His lips curled into a smile. He touched my face and everything else melted and faded away. I was alone with him once again. I could hear nothing but the loud beating of my heart in my ears and saw nothing but his deep blue eyes. Tristan lowered his face towards me and softly kissed my lips. I could feel that he was being gentle on purpose and seemed to hold back his urges. The bruises he caused last night are still on his conscious.

  I reached up and touched his face. He moved off me and I lay beside him wrapped in his arms. There was something about the act that made me feel warm inside my heart. It was more than just sex; it was an understanding between two souls. We both wanted it and I felt it in the way his muscles tensed as he touched me but he stopped himself. I needed time to physically heal before we ventured to that place again for a second time. He ran his hands over my thighs and it sent a wave of delight through my skin. I twisted my body in response but he moved to hold me tight.

  ‘Now you’re just messing with me,’ I whispered as I pressed face against his strong chest. I could hear his heart beating and listened to the way he drew the air into his lungs. Tristan smiled and did not say anything. He knew what he was doing. His caresses made me feel closer to him. We kissed again, his moist lips interlocking mine. I felt his reluctance to move on top of me again.

  ‘I don’t want to hurt you,’ he said in my ear and then kissed it. He moved it down my neck and stopped when he reached my collarbone. I arched my head back into the bed and gasped for air. This wasn’t fair. I could feel him hard against me and my insides throbbed for attention. But Tristan refused to let me have my way as I reached down to undo his pants. He shook his head and grinned.

  ‘Not tonight, not so soon,’ he said. ‘You’ll be ripped to shreds.’

  ‘And you’re just going tease me like this?’

  Tristan’s lips curved playfully and a devilish light moved across his eyes.

  ‘You’ll have more fun this way.’

  Tristan moved down to my navel and pushed my shirt up to reveal my naked skin to his lips. But he kept my shirt on and kept it over my breasts while he explored my bared flesh. It was maddening and made me throb for him even more. I wanted him inside me again but he refused, keeping his pants on despite my numerous attempts. I was forced to let him tease me with those amazing glorious lips and his wandering hand that eventually found its way into my pants but not into my panties. I twisted to the side at his touch but he held my hips in position. He hushed me as I struggled to control myself.

  ‘This isn’t fair,’ I whispered to him as I struggled to breath.

  He was going to make me climax. It had been his plan all along. He pressed his thumb firmly against my wet bud and moved it slowly around in a circle. I arched my back and he supported it with his other arm. I caught a glimpse of his satisfied grin as he continued to send waves of pleasure through my body. He moved over me and placed his lips over mine as I gasped for air and closed my eyes.

  ‘Please just take me,’ I begged.

  ‘Hush, no more,’ he said as he moved his lips down my neck. The warmth of his breath made me pulsate wildly. I felt the pressure of his thumb disappear momentarily as he transferred his fingers to touch the lips of my throbbing crotch. I gasped for air as he slipped his fingers inside, the solidity of his digits lodged deep into my expanding crevice.

  ‘Control your rhythm,’ he whispered in my ear. I felt my muscles constrict as he twisted his hand and turned the fingers he had deep in me. Tristan held me down as I struggled against the growing pleasure that threatened to make me moan with pain and delight. He moved his thumb over my bud again and swirled it with experience. Then it came like an uncontrollable wave that sent an upsurge of vibrations that jolted every inch of my skin.

  Tristan made it last much longer than I thought humanly possible and did not relinquish the sensations he caused. I lost control of myself and swung my arm around his neck. He held me tightly against his chest as I gaped for air. My muscles pulsated against his touch and I felt the friction caused by the material of my shirt against my erect breasts. I wanted him to kiss them, to run his lips over the pert nipples. I wanted him inside of me.

  ‘Please,’ I begged.

  Tristan simply smiled and refused to let me have my way.

  ‘You’re still new to this,’ he said in my ear. ‘You need to know your body and learn to control it.’

  ‘Why?’ I asked, breathless.

  ‘You’ll have more fun,’ he whispered and pushed his fingers deeper into me. He increased the speed of his hold on my bud. It sent a wave of ecstasy through my body. I moaned as every part of me gushed with pleasurable torture. It was all about me and I felt it in the way Tristan held my body against his.

  I fell back into the bed with barely any strength left and he slowly pulled out of me. Tristan ran his wet hand up my exposed stomach and up my shirt where he playfully graced the sides of my breasts. I lay panting, my chest heaving for air as Tristan allowed me to settle down. He leaned over me, his godlike face incredible in the light, his messy hair framing his deep blue eyes. I reached up and touched his lips with my fingers.

  ‘What about you?’ I asked. He only smiled and bent down to kiss me.

  ‘Not yet,’ he said. ‘Not tonight and you’re out of strength.’

  Tristan parted his lips slightly and allowed my fingers to gently enter his mouth. I felt his teeth close delicately against my skin as he moved his lips to kiss my hand. I closed my eyes and moved me to lie against his chest. I reached down towards his pants but he caught my hand and laughed. He shackled me in his grip and pulled me close against him.

  ‘Sleep,’ he said.

  ‘But I don’t want to.’

  ‘It’s going to be a long day tomorrow.’

  The sound of his voice urged me to close my eyes and breathed in his scent. It was intoxicating. As Tristan allowed me to settle down, I felt a wave of tiredness com
e over my body. For the first time in a long time, I drifted off without struggle.

  Chapter 17 – Lauren

  A month quickly passed and each night Tristan trained me with his hand. I wasn’t sure what he was trying to achieve by holding himself back but he seemed to enjoy seeing the pleasure he caused to explode through me. At night, he had me under his command. The pain of the first time eventually faded away and as my body became accustomed Tristan and his ways, he began to increase the intensity of our nighttime activities. He would kiss me harder and faster. My stamina grew and I would last longer than the night before. But he still refused to enter me again, as if he was saving up for something.

  ‘Not yet,’ he would always say. ‘You’re not ready.’

  The wedding day was set to happen on the same day as Anna’s birthday. I suggested it seeing that it was her that brought Tristan and I together. Although it was six months away, it allowed me to prepare mentally for it. I didn’t want to rush it and use the date he had set with Lauren. Tristan did not hesitate to agree.

  It was a Friday afternoon and Anna made the effort to finish her math lesson quicker than usual. I had promised her that we would sort out her bridesmaid dress today. Jace dropped us off and seeing that he would only be a third wheel in this very female affair, the trusty gardener decided to leave and told us to give him a ring when he was required.

  I stood in the shop while Anna happily tried on different dresses. She disappeared into one of the dressing rooms. As I waited for her, someone entered the shop and her perfume instantly filled the space. I recognized the strong sweet scent immediately and turned to find Lauren behind me. She wore her signature red bondage dress, matching red lipstick and her hair was bleached blonde as usual. Her melon sized breasts were on display and it felt that low cut dress was made so that it only covered her nipples. Her face formed a stiff pout as she stared at me with her dagger like eyes. The sight of her immediately made me feel uncomfortable.

  ‘Fancy that,’ she said, her voice bitter and not surprised. She must have seen me inside through the shop’s window. Her entrance was calculated and I could see it in the way she held her head. Lauren stepped up to me and touched my hair. I stepped away and found her movements to be disturbing.

  ‘You smell like him,’ she said and I felt Lauren observe me. ‘You’ve moved into his room, haven’t you?’

  ‘What do you want?’ I asked with hostility. Lauren kept coming closer and I moved away each time.

  ‘We’re all pawns in his little game,’ Lauren started. ‘I was one and now you’re one as well. Look at you, a poor little dear caught in a messed up family game. I was like you once, a long time ago, young and innocent until Karen introduced me to him. He’s really good, isn’t he? I mean, he’ll let you taste him once and the rest of the time he just plays with you at night. Oh, but I forget, you’re supposed to be pregnant. How’s the baby? Six months from now is your wedding day, don’t you find that a bit strange to have it when you’ll be bloated like balloon. Honey, you think you know him but in reality, you don’t know him at all.’

  I snorted. ‘I should be the one saying that to you.’

  ‘Don’t be so naïve,’ said Lauren. ‘I’ve been in his bed longer than you have. I know all his moves.’

  I wanted to leave but Anna was still in the dressing room. Lauren laughed.

  ‘She’s here isn’t she? Of course she must be. You are her babysitter. When he comes home tonight, ask him about what happened today at the office.’

  My eyes flicked to Lauren’s face but she only smiled at me.

  ‘Take care Phoebe and don’t trust a word he says to you. This family is filled with lies and he’ll do anything to keep her from the conservatorship. Oh, you think I don’t know? It was the same thing he told me when he made me his pawn.’

  Anna came out of the dressing room and paused when she caught sight of Lauren.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she asked with hostility. Lauren only grinned at her, the edges of her red painted lips curled with a sinister sneer.

  ‘Hello Annabelle,’ she said. ‘You might want to go for that pale purple. Pastel green doesn’t suit you.’

  Lauren blew a kiss towards me and left the shop. I was left dumbstruck by the encounter and confused by what she said.

  ‘What did she say to you?’

  I frowned and decided to lie. I didn’t want the event to disturb Anna in any way.

  ‘Nothing,’ I told her, ‘she’s just trying to mess with my head.’

  Tristan returned home two hours later than usual. He did not call in and that made Anna edgy. When his car rolled up the driveway, she went out to scold him. He laughed her off and ruffled her hair playfully. I watched him as he entered the house.

  ‘Something happened at the office?’ I asked casually, not letting any hint of my meeting with Lauren today slip. She sounded like a woman with a plan but I wasn’t going to let that tear a rift between us.

  ‘Yeah, something came up.’

  I noted how Tristan avoided my eyes as he spoke. I walked up to him and on his clothes I smelled a peculiar sweet scent. It definitely belonged to a woman. Then my brain registered the familiar smell. It belonged to Lauren.

  ‘A meeting?’ I asked, my voice careful.

  ‘Yes,’ he replied. ‘Have you eaten? Start without me. I need a shower.’

  Tristan moved passed me and disappeared into our room. There was not a kiss on the cheek or any sort physical contact between us. Anna and Lorraine noticed the sudden change as well. I went upstairs and entered our room. Tristan stood by the wardrobe, undoing his tie as he unbuttoned his shirt. I frowned.

  ‘What happened today?’ I asked slowly, ‘and be honest.’

  Tristan did not speak. I watched his face in the mirror and saw that he had slipped on his ice mask. It was the same mask he used to shun me when I first arrived at this house. I did not like the way he act and knew that he had something to hide.

  ‘I can smell her on you,’ I said. Tristan stopped. ‘There was no meeting, was there? You were with her.’

  ‘Why would I lie to you?’ he asked, his tone was cold and devoid of all emotions.

  ‘Talk to me,’ I said. ‘If it’s going to work between us, you have to tell me the truth.’

  ‘There is nothing to tell,’ he said.

  ‘You’re lying.’

  Tristan remained silent. He took off his shirt, threw it in the basket and disappeared into the bathroom without another word to me. His phone sat on the dresser and it buzzed as a message came in. I picked it up but did not look at it. Instead, I held it in my hand and went to sit on the bed. I waited until Tristan came out again. He had a towel over his head and drying his hair rigorously. I felt as if he was trying to wash something dirty off him. His eyes glanced towards me and frowned when he saw his phone in my hands. It moved across the room and snatched it from me.

  ‘Don’t touch my stuff,’ he snapped.

  I blinked as my head slipped down a slippery slope of confusion. Tristan has never been like this towards me and whatever happened changed him.

  ‘This is your last chance,’ I said calmly, ‘are you going to tell me what happened?’

  ‘Did you look through my messages?’

  Tristan immediately swiped his finger across the screen.

  ‘Are you hiding something from me?’

  ‘Answer my question,’ he said.

  ‘You haven’t answered mine.’

  We stared at each other and he was the first to falter his gaze. Tristan was guilty of something.

  ‘It was Lauren, wasn’t it? There was no meeting, you were with her,’ my voice quivered at I spoke. My head started to spin as my imagination started to run wild. Her scent was on him. Tristan had guilt written all over him. He couldn’t lie to me anymore, not like before and his icy demeanor was the thing that gave it away. It had to do with Lauren.

  ‘What are you talking about?’ he snapped. Tristan then stopped himself as if he had j
ust become aware of his behavior towards me. ‘I’m sorry,’ he apologized. He turned and attempted to kiss me. I back away.

  ‘What did you do?’

  Tristan refused to answer. Instead, he finally looked up at me but his eyes were glassy and cold. The man in front of me was not the same Tristan I knew. He approached me and I soon found myself on the bed. I swore at him and tried to fight him off but he was much too strong. Tristan gripped my wrists and held it over my head. He kissed me but there was no passion, it was as if he was forcing himself to do it. I became frightened by his actions and began to cry. He came to his senses as large sobs ran down my face. He swore and released me. I remained on the bed, frozen in terror and confused by what he just did.

  Tristan lay himself down next to me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders.

  ‘Don’t say that name ever again,’ he said with bitterness in his voice. There was also a hint of terror, as if he had just witnessed something horrid.

  ‘So are you going tell me?’ I pressed on through my tears.

  ‘You’re not going to give up are you?’

  I shook my head. He kissed my forehead and closed his eyes as I curled up into a ball.

  ‘She came to my office today,’ Tristan started; his voice soft and gentle like the Tristan I knew, ‘and tried to seduce me. I pushed her off and her head knocked against the corner of my desk.’

  I blinked and swiveled my head so I was looking up into his face. He wasn’t lying and there wasn’t a hint of ice in his expression.

  ‘Is she alright?’

  Tristan seemed startled by my reaction. He had anticipated something more dramatic and I felt it in the way he held me. ‘My ex-fiancée comes into my office and attempts to seduce me and you ask if she’s alright? You are a strange one.’

  ‘Are you expecting me to be angry?’

  ‘Maybe a little,’ he admitted. ‘Her scent was all over me. I’m sure that had your imagination going. I could see it on your face.’

  ‘So you try to force yourself on me? Now surely, that should fix everything.’