Page 55 of Unholy

“Tristan,” I whisper his name as if he’s not here standing in front of me. “How …”

“Come here, Ash,” he says, holding his arm out for me while keeping the other on the cane. I step toward him, and then he’s there, pulling me into his arms. He holds me, keeping me pressed close to his body, and I savor every second of it. His lips press into my neck, and I begin to cry.

“How are you here?” I whisper against him, not wanting to let him go. I never want to let him go again.

“Long story. Short version: I broke my leg on the landing and had to heal, but I knew the cops would be after me, so I took what I had and left.”

“You made it here?”

“Yeah. Had some help, but I made it. And now you’re here,” he tells me. I pull back and shove at him, pissed and angry.

“You let us think you were dead! I could kill you, Tristan!” I yell at him.

“Shh. Don’t yell out my name like that, Little Nun. You want me to be dead for real?” I cover my mouth quickly as he begins to laugh. The asshole. I shove him once more before he uses his free arm to pull me back into him. His kiss is like fire and everything I’ve missed about him.

“Does your mom know?”

“She does now. Well, at least a few weeks now. I couldn’t risk anyone finding out. She’ll be coming down soon, too.”

“Are you serious?”

“Yeah, I am. This is it, Ash. This is all I’ve ever wanted. You, my family. You’re everything to me, Ash.”

“I love you, Tristan.”

“I love you too. Now, let’s go, so you can drop to your fucking knees and pray at my altar, Little Nun.”

“You’re still on that Little Nun thing, huh?” I ask him playfully.

“The day Lucifer drags my ass to hell and slams the gates closed is the day I’ll stop with it. You’ve always been my little slutty nun, haven’t you?”

“Slutty?” Now he laughs.

“You know how much I’ve missed you?” he asks now.

“Not as much as I’ve missed you.”

“Oh, Ash. You’ve learned nothing about me, have you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I did it all for you. I crawled out of hell on my hands and knees, digging through the dirt just to get back here to you. Do you know the doctor said I should be dead after that jump?”

“What doctors?”

“The one’s here. You think I would have gotten treated back home? Shit, they would have locked my ass up, Ash. I had the guys get me the fuck out of there and down here as quickly as possible.”

“Are you insane?” I ask him. Now, he laughs hysterically.

“You know I am, baby. You fucking love me anyway.”

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