Page 45 of Lightning Angel
“Fae!”
His eyebrows rose. “I’m sorry to disappoint you for sounding so sure.”
Alexa wracked her brain for more options. “Superman? Aqua man? Batman?”
At the shake of his head, she asked, “Then what? Bitten by a spider? Spiderman?”
Tristan sighed. “I’m afraid I’m none of those, and I have no name to describe myself. My kind doesn’t have a name, because I’m the only one of my kind.”
“I don’t understand…” she whispered. “Then, what are you?”
“I will tell you everything, but not now.” Tristan held up a hand as she opened her mouth to protest. “Right now, all you need to know is that you’re safe, your sister’s reputation isn’t at risk, and Brandon will never bother youagain. I’ll make sure of it.”
“What are you talking about?” So, had he seen her then, when she pleaded with him to help?
“I was there when he blackmailed you in the kitchen that day. As much as it killed me to stay back and watch while he said all that garbage to you, I had to. If I had interfered any earlier than I did, I wouldn’t have been able to find out the truth. And the truth is, it was all an empty threat. Alexa, he doesn’t have the photos he claims he has.”
Alexa gaped at him in disbelief. “How do you know that?”
“Remember him taking out his phone and asking if you want to see the pictures? He was only pretending then. He knew you won’t sayyesto take anything as a glimpse at it, and he used it as his advantage to make you believe his ruse. I was right behind him when he scrolled through his phone. And Alexa, he wasonlyscrolling through some random photos in his gallery. I even got my hands on his phone that night just to make sure the threat was empty. I used his fingerprint to unlock his phone while he was asleep.
“He is no threat to you, Alexa, and he will never be. I promise you that.”
Alexa couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her sister was safe; her sister hadn’t been unsafe in the first place. And if she had taken her life today, if Tristan hadn’t been there in time to save her…
Tears pooled in her eyes, and she took a deep breath to keep them at bay. “S-so… it was all just a ruse to take advantage of me?”
His eyes turned solemn, even with the storm in them,as he nodded. “Yes.”
“And you are pretty sure.” It wasn’t a question. She just wanted to hear it from him, again.
“Alexa, I would never have told you if I was at least doubtful of the chance. I even checked all bathrooms in your house after he claimed he has a camera in your sister’s. I can sense them, and there wasn’t one.” He tilted his head, looking into her eyes with utmost sincerity. “You and your sister are safe. Trust me.”
And she did. Alexa didn’t know how, but she trusted him. And she was surprised hownaturalit felt to trust him; she felt it in her heart, her soul, and down to her bones.
The crushing weight upon her heart vanished; she felt so light with freedom that she thought she might be able to fly.
Then, the hold on her tears loosened. They streamed down her face and she wiped at them hastily.
“Alexa…”
“No, I’m not crying.” She sniffed and looked at him with a smile. “They’re happy tears.”
At those words, a smile flitted across his face, but it vanished almost instantly. He took a step forward. “You’re not afraid of me?”
“Why should I be?” Alexa asked him incredulously.
His eyes searched hers, as though trying to know if she was being honest. Then he sighed. “I just… I thought, after you learn I’m not an ordinary human…”
“Oh, Tristan.” Alexa sighed and shook her head, gratitude and awe overwhelming her. “I owe you.”
“No, you don’t,” he said firmly, though his eyes were anything but. “You don’t owe me for something I giveandwillgive, willingly.”
“Are you the knight to every damsel in distress?”
His eyes lit up slightly. “Just you, Alexandra.”
Never had her given name sounded so… so beautiful before. Alexa never liked being called by it, but now, her breath hitched at the way his tongue caressed the name. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach.