The flesh wants what it wants

The flesh wants what it wants

Trista’s POV

The silence after the call was too suffocating.
My fingers tightened harder around the phone as I replayed his words in my head.
“You should have stayed away from him, Trista.”
The voice had been cold, detached, but laced with something darker—something sinister. And
that chuckle… it wasn’t just mere amusement. It was a warning.
This whole thing is just so confusing, I can’t seem to wrap my head around the fact that
someone is trying to harm me exactly.
The worst part is that I can’t seem to decipher who exactly this said person is.
I have tried my possible best to stay low all my life.
I am being watched and I am not safe either. Why has life been so difficult lately, I thought to
myself.

I took a deep breath, pressing my fingers trying to massage my temple since my head was
starting to ache. My heart was still pounding, my thoughts racing in a thousand different
directions, working on overdrive. Who the hell was watching me?
Leonard’s crptic warning comes to mind again.
“I’d be careful about the company you keep, sweetheart.”

Had he known something? or does he know who it might be? Was this why he showed up
tonight ? Had he already figured something out because I definitely wouldn’t put it pass
Leonard, or was he just playing his usual mind silly mind games?
My gut told me this was bigger than Leonard’s games and definitely more serious than
Leonard’s games.
Dangerous infact.
I needed answers. And I needed them now.

I moved quickly toward my desk, unlocking the drawer and pulling out a sleek black folder.
Inside the black file were documents, notes, and a list of names—contacts I had kept close
since I left Leonard’s world behind, contacts that I always called when I had something
mysterious going on. Contacts that could help me figure out who the hell was watching me.
My hands trembled slightly since fear was still evident in my system, as I pulled out my old
burner phone, the same one I hadn’t used in months, I scrolled through my contacts. My thumb
hovered over a familiar number. Jace.

Jace had been my eyes and ears once—an trusted informant, someone who owed me more
favors than I could count. If anyone could dig up something, anything on this unknown caller, it
has to be Jace, he had the skills to find out the most hidden information and thing is that Jace is
quite messed up in the head.
I tapped the call button.
It rang once then Twice.
Then a deep voice answered.

“Well, well. If it isn’t my favorite ghost. Didn’t think I’d be hearing from you again, Trista.”

I didn’t bother exchanging pleasantries with him. I need information something from you jace, I
need information.
Jace chuckled.
“Of course you do. But information isn’t free, sweetheart.”

Greedy bastard.
I clenched my jaw hard, frustration already painting my features, Then name your price.
There was a short pause, then a smirk in his tone. Drinks. My usual spot. Tonight.
I exhaled sharply. Jace never ever did anything without an angle. Fine. Midnight, I replied.
Atta girl. See you soon.
The line went dead, Jace has never been one for long conversations and I appreciate that at
this moment since I needed time to myself.
I stared at the phone for a moment before setting it down on my table. I had two whole hours to
figure out the next move I was going to take concerning this whole situation going on before
meeting Jace.
And I have one hour before I had to face the last person I wanted to see tonight.
Leonard.

An hour later, I stood outside of my apartment, arms crossed as I leaned against the wall. The
night air was cool and refreshing but I barely felt it. My mind was too consumed with thoughts
my next move but the thought of Leonard was overriding the other thought, thinking about what I
would say when he showed up.
Because I knew he would.
And right on cue, footsteps echoed in the dimly lit hallway. Slow. Controlled.
Then, he appeared.
Leonard was simply the kind of man who commanded a room without even saying a damn
word. And right now at this moment, he didn’t even need to try at all. His suit was slightly
undone, tie loosened just enough to make him look effortlessly lethal. just Like sin itself in
human form.

He looked too good and he knows it, Leonard is one self aware bastard.
I hated that my breath hitched, I hated that I couldn’t still control my reactions towards him.
His dark eyes met mine, amusement flickering in them as if he had already read my thoughts.
“Waiting for me, darling?” he drawled smoothly.
I pushed off the wall in an attempt to act nonchalant towards him. Don’t flatter yourself.
He smirked simply showing that he didn’t believe me one bit, stepping closer.
“You’re standing
outside your door at this hour, looking like you’ve got a lot on your mind. If I didn’t know better,
I’d say you wanted to see me.”

I clenched my jaw, my mind going back to the call I had previously with the unknown number,
What do you know about the call?
His expression didn’t change, he always knew how to conceal his reactions perfectly, but
something flickered in his eyes.
What call? he asked.
Don’t try to play dumb, Leonard, I snapped clearly fed up with him acting clueless.
The unknown number. The warning.
‘Stay away from him, Trista.’ Does that ring any bells now?

Leonard studied me for a long moment before sighing deciding to drop his facade, rolling his
shoulders slightly. he said, I wasn’t the one who made the call.
But you know who did, I told him.
He didn’t deny it.
My stomach tightened. Who’s after me me Leonard?
Please tell me, I haven’t been able to think properly nor put a face to the voice.
He took another step forward, his presence intoxicatingly close now.“You really think I’m going to hand you all the answers, just like that?” he said in a low voice.

I swallowed hard. Then why are you here, Leonard?
His gaze darkened.
“Because you’re in danger Trista”
A cold shiver ran down my spine. So what ? Now you suddenly care? Humor me.
His jaw tensed, and for a moment, something unspoken passed between us.
Then, so quickly I almost didn’t process it again, Leonard closed the distance between us.
I barely had time to react before his hand came up, brushing against my cheek for the second
time that week.
I should have pulled away. I should have told him to go to hell.
But I didn’t.

I allowed him to touch me even when I told myself that I would t allow it to happen again, with
Leonard I alway loose my sense of reasoning and that’s not a good thing in this situation.
His touch was feather-light, almost hesitant, but his eyes—God, his eyes—they burned into
mine, filled with something raw and dark.
Something dangerous.
“You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself into, Trista,
” he murmured in a low voice.
My pulse pounded loudly.

I opened my mouth to respond, to say something but before I could say anything—
My phone rang.
Loud and Jarring.
Leonard’s gaze flicked down to my pocket. Wait Let me guess, he said darkly. Same Unknown
number?
I didn’t answer him. I just reached for the phone, dread twisting inside me.
I didn’t want to answer.
But I had to.
It was the same unknown number, I hoped that it’d be someone different.
I pressed the phone to my ear. Who the hell are you?
Silence.

Then—
“You really don’t listen, do you, sweetheart?”
The same voice. The same sinister amusement.
Leonard’s expression sharpened instantly, he has gotten his answers.
“Listen closely,
” the unknown caller continued.
“You think you’re so smart. You think running
from him will keep you safe.
”
I stiffened. From him? Who the hell was ‘him’?
The voice dropped lower.
“But you’re making this worse for yourself. You should have stayed in
your lane, Trista. Now… we’re coming for you.
”
We? I thought it was just ‘him’
The line went dead.
The air around me felt heavy, suffocating. I swallowed hard, trying my best to force my
expression into something unreadable before glancing up at Leonard.
His eyes were locked onto me, dark and stormy.
is going on?” Tell me now!
“Trista,
” he said, his voice low.
“What the fuck
I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. I don’t know, I admitted honestly. But I’m
about to find out, I’m working towards that.
Leonard’s jaw clenched.

“You’re not doing this alone Trista”
I let out a bitter laugh. Since when do you get a say in all of this? In what happens in my life?
His gaze burned into me, fierce and unyielding.
“Since the second someone decided to threaten you.
For a split second, something in my chest twisted.
Because it is beginning to seem like no matter how much I wanted to hate him, no matter how
much I wanted to push him away…
There was a bigger part of me that still wanted to believe he meant that.

But I didn’t have time to nurse for old wounds.
I had a meeting with Jace soon. And I needed to know who the hell I was up against.
Because one thing was definitely clear.
This wasn’t just about Leonard and me anymore.
It is now more than that.
Someone wanted me gone.
And whoever they were—they were getting ready to strike.