Passion's Pitfalls

Chapter 17

"Fuck!"

Tristan's fist connected with Ryan's jaw with a sickening crunch as he hissed. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground, and he lay there, dazed and disoriented. Tristan stood over him, his face twisted in rage. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he growled. "Why are you with her, you bastard!" Ryan struggled to get to his feet, as his head spins. His senses came back to him in a rush, and he knew he had to act fast. He swung his arm out in a sweeping motion, catching Tristan off-guard and knocking him to the ground. Before Tristan could get up, Ryan was on top of him, pinning him down with all his strength. "Aurelia doesn't belong to anyone!" he yelled, his face mere inches from Tristan's. "She's her own person! and that's none of your business with whoever she is or is with her!"

Aurelia stood frozen, unable to move as she watched the scene unfold before her. She had never seen such violence, and the sight of two men fighting over her was terrifying. She wanted to scream, to do something to stop them, but her body wouldn't cooperate. Her legs felt like lead, and her heart was racing.

"Please!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please, stop! I don't want this!" Her words seemed to fall on deaf ears, as the two men continued to grapple with each other, neither one relenting. She felt helpless, like a child watching two men fight.

She ran toward them, her heart pounding in her chest. As she got closer, she could hear them grunting and cursing, the sounds of their struggle growing louder. "Stop!" she yelled, desperation in her voice. "Please, stop!" She reached out and grabbed Ryan's arm, trying to pull him away from Tristan. But her efforts were in vain, as the two men were locked in a battle of strength and rage.

Tristan finally broke away from Ryan, panting and drenched in sweat. He looked up at Aurelia who was standing there, her face pale and streaked with tears. His expression softened, and for a moment, he looked like the kind, charming man she had once known. "Aurelia," he said, his voice low and pleading. "Please, I..." But before he could finish his sentence, Ryan was on him again, tackling
him to the ground.

"Damn it, Ryan!" Aurelia cried, her voice shaking with anger and frustration. "Why can't you just let it go?!" But Ryan didn't seem to hear her. He continued to wrestle with Tristan, his face red with fury. She stood between the two men, her arms outstretched. "Enough!" she shouted. "Just stop!" The two men froze, their eyes fixed on her. For a moment, there was silence. Then, slowly, they both released their grip on each other, their chests heaving. The only sound was their heavy breathing, and the sound of their heartbeats pounding in their chests.

Tristan's grip on Aurelia's arm was tight, his fingers digging into her skin. She tried to pull away, but he was too strong. He opened the door of his car and shoved her inside, closing the door behind her. She was trapped, her heart racing and her mind racing with fear. She looked up at Tristan, his face still twisted with anger.

He started the car and slammed his foot on the gas, speeding away from the apartment. Aurelia's heart was pounding in her chest, and she could barely breathe. She turned and looked out the window, and saw Ryan standing there, his fist raised in the air.
He was shouting something, but she couldn't make out the words. She sank back into her seat, feeling utterly helpless.

Tristan drove along the winding road, the sea glistening in the distance. And then, the car pulls off the road and onto a small dirt path. They're heading towards the beach, the salty air filling the car. Tristan's knuckles are still white on the steering wheel, and Aurelia's didn't want to be in the car with him. she didn't want to upset him, and she was too scared to move. So she just sat there, silent and tensed.

The car comes to a stop at the edge of the beach, and the two of them sit there in silence. It's just them and the ocean, the sound of the waves gently rolling onto the shore. There's not a soul in sight, and the sky is a brilliant blue. For a moment, they both take a deep breath, the tension in the car easing ever so slightly.

Aurelia simply steps out of the car and followed Tristan towards the beach, she could feels the warm sand beneath her feet. She takes a few steps towards the water, the waves lapping at her toes. They sit down in the sand, their backs to the car, facing the vast expanse of ocean in front of them. The water is gently rolling in, the sky a brilliant blue, and the sun is shining down on them. They sit in silence again, taking in the view and each lost in their own thoughts.

Tristan's voice was quiet, almost a whisper as he muttered "you still have my necklace". It took Aurelia a moment to process what he had said. She looked down at her neck, and sure enough, there was the silver necklace he had given her. She had forgotten it was even there. She reached up and touched it, the small charm feeling warm against her skin.

"Yes," she said, finally. "I still have it."

She caught a glimpse of Tristan's face, a faint smile on his lips. It was the first time she had seen him smile since that night, and it gave her a glimmer of hope?. Maybe things weren't completely broken between them. Maybe they could still fix this. Maybe they could still have something together. But she even sure if that was what she wants. She turned to face him, meeting his eyes for the first time since they had arrived at the beach.

"What do you want Tristan?" emotional exhaustion was clearly evident in her voice.

"I want..." Tristan began, his voice trailing off. He took a deep breath, trying to find the words to express what he was feeling. "I want to make things right," he said finally. "I want to make things right between us. I know I've messed up, and I know I can't take back what I've done. But I want to try. I want to fix this." His eyes were filled with sincerity, and she could see that he meant what he was saying.

Aurelia tore away from his gaze and back to the ocean, she had a lot to say, a very lot but she didn't even know what to say at the same time.

The waves crashed against the shore, the sound echoing in her ears. She felt the salty breeze on her face, and it was the only thing keeping her grounded. She tried to take deep breaths, to calm her racing heart. But the words were still swirling around in her head, unspoken, too jumbled, too complicated. All she could do was stare at ocean and the splash of the waves.

"I'm moving to California."