Dauntless Desires

6

Four took the news badly. She'd never seen him so furious, and yet so cold. He didn't even yell.

"You promised me, Tris," he said, slowly and quietly. "This is the last straw. He keeps pulling shit like this. You need to walk away."

His frozen tone and words made her chest constrict. "I can't do that. I want to keep my position, Four. But I don't want you mad at me. Pleaser try to understand."

"I understand a lot more than you think, Tris," Four said bitterly. "I understand why a woman like you would sit and take crap from a man like him. You can't help but be attracted to him and he probably feels the same about you. But his only motive is to piss me off, he hates me I told you that already."

"Oh please don't start that up again," Tris said with her own burst of anger. "The man has no attraction for anyone least of all me. A former stiff. And I've told you a million times how much I love only you."

"Well maybe you need space to make up your mind about that. Because I'm moving out."
Tris threw her hands in the air shaking her head, "why the fuck do I even try?"

He always threatened to leave but they were always just threats. What was he going to do now?

"Why don't we talk about this when I get back? There's so much you need to get straight," Tris said, hating the pleading tone in her voice. Twice today she'd had to grovel to a man and it sucked. She hated this feeling of being a doormat, someone who couldn't control her own affairs.

Instead of replying, he retrieved his cell phone and made a call. "Hey babe, I'm on my way. I'm done here."

Tris watched in confusion as she saw him pause to listen to the mystery person speaking before he replied, "Great. Meet me at the pit. Yeah, love you too babe. Bye."
That word shocked her to the core. Tris was shaking her head, feeling at a loss. She followed him to the bedroom and found he had several bags packed. If he was going for just a weekend, why did he need so much stuff? And who was that person he'd called?

"Will you at least tell me what's going on?" Tris asked, fearing the worst.

He looked like nothing more than a stranger as he turned to her then. "Let's just say, you aren't the one with someone on the side."

"Are you fucking kidding me? You're seeing someone else? Four, how could you? How long has this been going on?" demanded Tris, he stayed silent, "you are a fucking coward, all this time you accuse me of cheating and you're the one going behind my back."

He paused, facing her again. "Seriously? Now you want answers. Well, forget it. Because in the past six months, you've been with him every day and night. He calls and you run to meet his commands. I mean damn, Tris. He even has you groomed to look like his very own sex kitten. And if you two haven't fucked yet, then you will soon. It's only a matter of time now."
Tris wanted to scream, she balled the roots of her hair into fists and starred at him still in shock.
Four's smile was somewhat pitying. "Don't sweat it, okay. Anyone would cave beneath the pressure from Eric."

"I told you, Four, there's nothing..."

He spun on her sharply, his face a few inch from hers. "Tell me something. Two weeks ago you requested for the few days off and it was approved. Did you by any chance tell him or anyone we had plans together?"

Her head was spinning. "I don't discuss my private life with him! But...I did mention to Max...Why would he...?"

"If you mentioned it to him while you were in the office, and he was close, chances are he knew about it," Four said grimly.

"Can you hear yourself right now? You sound totally paranoid. What has that got to do with anything?" cried Tris.

Four just shook his head. "I'm just a third wheel, Tris. You two want each other so much it's disgusting. I wouldn't have even guessed anything if not for the total change you went through. The way you look when you say his name or talk about him. Once or twice, I'm sure I've heard you say his name while we fucked."

Oh God. What? No! Tris was shaking with anger and a feeling of trepidation. "You...you're so wrong. This is crazy! Four, please..."

There was a sudden noise from his phone, a text. Tris watched helplessly as Four gathered up his bags at the front door. She chased after him. "Don't leave! We can work this out. Four!"

Four pushed past her clinging hands and opened the door. Tris stopped short when she saw him the reason all of this was happening. Eric stood at the door looking like he was ready to knock before the door had opened.

"Perfect timing," Four said sarcastically, "I was just leaving."
Eric gave him a weird expression before looking to me then back to Four. Before Eric could say anything Four was already passed him and down the hallway.

"Was I interrupting something," Eric asked, inviting himself in and closing the door behind him.
Tris made her way to the kitchen and sat on one of the bar stools at the counter with her head in her hands.

"Don't act like you don't know what is going on, Eric."
He did know what had just happened. Four had finally spilled the beans about Lauren, and finally had the balls to leave.

"I do know, Tris," Eric spoke, standing on the opposite side of the counter, "I know he was cheating on you with Lauren the minute you started working for me."

Tris looked at him with disbelief in her eyes.
He just shrugged, "it's true."

"Why the fuck didn't you say something to me?" She said through her teeth. She got up and made her way around the counter. Hate boiling inside her.

"I knew you'd find out sooner or later," he said coolly, ignoring her predatory stalk.

"You've known for six months," she said now standing right in front of him glaring daggers. He noticed her fingers twitching at the handle of a knife on her leg.

He waited patiently for what he thought would come me t, he waited for her to pull the knife so he could grab her wrist and knock it from her hands, but en realization crossed her angry face.
"That's why you kept me so late...that's why you denied my request for time off."
A small smile played at the edge of his lips, she finally understood.

"Don't be late tomorrow, meet me in the pit ready to leave by six. No later," Eric stated before tucking a free strand of hair behind her ear.
She shivered at the touch but made no move or effort to comment back. She stood still in her kitchen until she heard the door click shut.

Then she let all hell break loose in her apartment. Everything of Four's was in a pile in a matter of minutes and before she knew it,it was burning in the same burn barrel she threw her memories away in on her initiation day. 'Fuck you Four,' she said more to herself before retreating for the night. She had a long day ahead of her.