Unrequited? Air at Sea- Book 2

25. Trinity Strong

-Trish-

I don't know how long I slept. I don't know if it's the same day or a new one. But the moment my eyes opened in darkness I wondered why Arie wasn't buried in my arms.

I roll over to my side to find Arie on his stomach asleep between Caleb and I. His face against the pillow and his hand beneath it. I scoot over and place my head against the pillow so close our noses nearly touch.

Man...so fucking beautiful.
My eyes glide slowly over his soft features and smooth skin. His full lashes and the freckles that liter the bridge of his nose a top of his cheeks. I push my face closer and kiss him softly at the tip of his nose, then against each closed eyelid.

When I pull back his eyes are open.
Our gazes hold but neither of us say anything for almost five minutes.

"I'm sorry." I say once again and his lashes fluttering is his only response for a long time.

"Don't you ever get tired of apologizing to me?" He asks and I inhale deeply as I consider it.

"I'm never tired of apologizing. Only tired of letting you down."

"What do you expect of me? Should I take your shit forever?"

"I don't expect that. I just can't help myself no matter how badly I want to be better. I hope I won't always be this fucked up. But in the mean while I need to know you won't leave me."

"Have I yet?"

"Yes."

He rolls his hazel eyes into his head and gives me a deadpan expression.

"Don't leave me again....please." I plead.

He releases a heavy sigh as he contemplates something.
"Do you plan to punish me forever?" He asks.

"I'm not. I just don't have confidence."

"About?"

"Caleb is a perfect match. Why would you want me clinging to you forever? Which I will cause your love is life and death to me."

"What are you talking about? Why do you describe our situation as if you're unwanted? Caleb loves you too. You are not a burden, you are loved equally."

"I know you think so-

"I know so. I love you equally and I haven't entertained the idea of having one without the other. So why the hell are you pushing us away?"

"This thing with Bree felt so heavy. Like another burden I'm carrying. Another thing to force you both to deal with cause of me. It's always me that fucks things up."

"Then stop it. Telling Caleb and I about Bree the moment it happened wouldn't have been a burden to either of us. Just a problem to solve..together."

"Yeah, I'm always the problem."

He feeds his hand from beneath the pillow to finger a lock of hair near my ear, "That's life. You're the problem today, one day it will be me, another Caleb. No one is perfect. But you're so busy thinking you're a problem that you hadn't noticed that someone you love is struggling."

"Who?"

"Caleb." He whispers.

"What is it?"

"Can you see him?" Arie asks.

I lean up to look around Arie. Caleb is beside him. His arm disappeared beneath the white sheet as if his hand is on Aries ass.