Vienna was watching without him noticing. It was near the time to go upstairs to watch the movie and have a sleep over but she had been wondering around the place instead of getting her necessities for the night like others. Now here she was trapped inside a closet watching Tristan. She had entered forbidden territory. She had become curious in checking out the basement. She had walked inside looking around but then had heard noises. She has panicked when she heard begging and screams. She had walked into a closet, had sat on the floor as she was watching through the gap of the wardrobe as the events unfolded in front of her.
There was a boy kneeling at Tristan's feet crying. His typical group were standing around too in a big circle as the boy on the floor was begging for Tristan to let him go " I swear. I didn't know. Please don't hurt me."
Tristan was looking wt the boy with disgust " Do you really think I let you get away with what you did? Do you? Haven't you seen what I do to people who break the rules?"
The boy cried " Please. I am sorry. I won't do it again."
Vienna wondered what he had done. He didn't know the boy well. He went to her school. His father worked for Tristan's father.
Tristan asked " Who told you to listen to my conversation with my girl?"
The boy gasped " No one. I was just walking by. I swear I didn't mean to listen to what you were saying."
Tristan turned to the boys and gave out a menacing laugh that made her chills go down her spine " He says he was just walking by." He then looked at the boy with a hard expression " Tell me who you work for?"
The boy's lips quivered " No one. I swear. It was an accident."
It was Sebastiano who spoke " I saw you there. You didn't walk away. You stood there."
Tristan looked around the room looking bored as his cousin talked. He then put his hands on his hips " Hold him. I need to teach him a hard lesson."
Vienna covered her mouth as she watched the boy started screaming as he was forcefully and roughly dragged to the wall. He was held by two of Tristan's friends. Tristan took his time walking in front of the boy pacing the floor " You insulted me and my girl by spying. You are refusing to provide information about who told you to do it. You are a mess. Your screams show you are a disgrace to your family."
Vienna was finding it hard to watch. Tristan was just about to start. He walked closer to the boy and punched him in the gut making him groan. Vienna closed her eyes shut. She didn't dare move or say anything. She didn't want to come out in front of a room full of people. Ironically the crime of the boy was spying. She was committing the same sin. She didn't want to walk out there. She heard more blows. The boy was crying hard.
Vienna covered her ears but she could hear the pain. Tristan was the most ruthless when it came to dealing with offenders besides Vincenzo. This was who he was. To her he was a gentle boyfriend but to others he was their worst nightmare.
She heard the boys pleas. "I didn't spy. I swear. I just wanted to find my sister's ring. She had lost it around the trees.
Vienna now remembered. He wasn't lying. His sister had lost her ring around the place where she was talking to Tristan. She opened her eyes and took deep breaths hoping for the boy's torture to be over.
Tristan stated " That's nice of you to name the guilty one. I think I am going to ask the guys to bring your sister here to me. "
The boy shouted "No. No Please. Don't hurt my sister. I swear. I am telling the truth. I beg you. I will do anything."
Vienna felt horrified. Vienna knew Tristan didnt discriminate when he punished people. Boys and girls suffered at his hands. She breathed "Please no." She didnt think she was loud enough fo Tristan to hear but he heard. He froze and put his hand up "Quiet. Someone else is in this room. Find them."
Vienna couldn't believe how much trouble she could be in. The first place to look at was the wardrobe. It was Trent who opened the door and froze as he saw her. He gasped and then he quickly closed the door and Vienna then couldnt see anything. He had closed off the tiny way that she had of seeing what was happening. She heard what happened next. Trent asked Tristan to transfer the boy out of the room to a different part of the basement because he had something important to tell him alone. Seconds later after sound of the footsteps and doors shutting wa sheard as well the boy's cries, she heard Trent "Vienna is in the wardrobe."
Tristan's voice came "What?"
Vienna then saw the door open. She then found herself face to face with Tristan who sat to her level "Vienna... What are you doing in this cupboard? Did someone lock you here? You could suffocate yourself."
Vienna replied "I am sorry..."
Tristan held her hand in his "Lets go. I take you back to your hotel room." He then stood up and so did Vienna.
Vienna spoke quickly "Tristan... You must leave that boy alone. He did nothing wrong. His story about his sister's ring is true. I saw her ask him to look for it."
Tristan lead her outside the cupboard "Vienna. I don't think I am in a generous mood. I will deal with him how deal with anyone else."
Vienna argued "Well. What I was doing in the cupboard was like what he did. I accidently ended up there. But you dont pin me to the wall and punch me. Why should I get away and he shouldn't?" She then bit her tongue as he saw his expression.
Tristan looked at her with an intense gaze " I didnt say you are getting away Vienna. You are coming with me. I will take you to your room. We will talk about it later. Let's go."
Vienna wasnt sure what came over her but she felt enough guilt for what was happening to that boy to be bold enough to get Tristan to focus on her instead. She cleared her throat "I am not coming Tristan. We can talk here."
Trent's eyes widened and then he looked around the room awkwardly. He looked like he didnt want to be there at all.
Tristan turned to Trent "Outside. Make sure that boy is taught a good lesson. You dont let him go until I come to join you. When I come back from dropping Vienna off in her room, I come by. Then we can let him go. I let him go easy because Vienna insists."
Trent quickly walked to the door and exited the basement gladly. He didn't see anyone else speaking to his brother and living another day. Vienna was a special case.
Vienna objected "Tristan. You cant do this..."
Tristan said "I can Vienna. Now, you heard me. I told Trent that he can release the boy when I go to him. I need to take you to your room and come back. So the longer you take the more that boy will be tortured by my brother. Its your choice. So maybe I give you time to think about it then while I grab a drink."
Vienna watched as he turned to his right and picked up a soda from the counter that was within arm reach. He popped it open and started drinking from it while watching Vienna waiting for her reaction.
Vienna shook her head "Tristan. I cant believe you can just drink in this situation. How can you do this. FIne. I go with you."
Tristan pretended to think "Ok. We go when I finish my drink."
Vienna complained "But you said you will take me to my room and then you will go back to Trent... Then you said you will let him go. I am ready to go. You havent left me much choice."
Tristan smiled as he sipped from his soda "I know. I said I need to finish my drink. I was in a rush. You weren't. So I decided to have a drink before we go."
Vienna shook her head "You just want to delay it. Arent you? Tristan? Lets go. Fine I go to my room. You go and tell Trent to stop hurting the boy."
Tristan frowned "That boy is no concern to you Vienna. He is just a weakling. He brought it on himself. Dont feel synpathy for him."
Vienna had enough. She was frustrated and defeated. Tristan just found a way to turn around the situation. He set a condition and when she had been difficult, he was teaching her lesson. It was a hard lesson. It said if Tristan demanded something she had to do it fast. She knew that lesson from survival camp. He was that kind of commander. If you didnt follow an instrction fast enough he made it worse. Much worse. But she didnt want to stop fighting. She walked away to the basement door and opened it but the stopped in her tracks as she heard the boy's scream saying "Please let me out of here. I beg you..." They must have locked him somewhere.
Vienna turned to Tristan as she closed the door"Tristan you made your point. I am meant to do anything you say."
Tristan sipped from his soda can "No Vienna. You dont have to do as I say. If you do as I say then I would be very happy. if you dont do as I say it has consequences. You can avoid the consequences. You need to pay for it Vienna. We can do an exchange. You see that boy could do an exchange. He could give me the name of person who made him eavesdrop on us. He gave the name. His sister. That saved him. He exchaged his sister for himself. But then you came along so I decided to let it go because I know you may get upset as you know the girl."
Vienna asked "What do you want in exchange in Tristan?" She then walked closer to Tristan watching him take more sips from the soda can.
Tristan stated "Nothing come to mind Vienna. You cant change my mind. You will wait for me to finish my soda and I will take you with me to your room. Then I will return to put that boy out of his misery."
Vienna pressed her lips. She wasnt happy. Something snapped in her. She closed the distance between then. She then stepped on his foot by mistake making him take in a deep breath. She used the distraction. She tried to granb the soda can from his hand out of his grip to drink it herself but she wasnt successful. Instead it spilt on his shirt as Tristan didnt budge.
Vienna gasped "I am... sorry. But now the can is finished." She then smiled sweetly and then bit her lip getting nervous at the look in his eyes.
Tristan stared at her with a mixture of admiration and mischief " Good thinking Vienna but now I need another drink. You need to wait longer. Much longer." He then turned to a soda can in the corner of the room.
As he was about to walk to the direction of the soda can, Vienna walked in front of his path "Tristan. Wait."
Tristan sighed "Vienna. Stop trying to save the world. It cant happen. You cant save everyone. Trent is likely just locking that boy up in a cupboard like the one you were in. He is a weakling so he will be screaming. But you are no weakling. Trent closed the door on you and it had no impact on you. You are stronger than he is. The weak are condemened Vienna. Only the strongest survive." He then closed the distance " I need a soda Vienna. When I see your lips I want to kiss it. Its either the soda or your lips."
Vienna found herself moving her body towards him subconsciously. She wanted to kiss him too. she wrapped her arms around his neck "Its a kiss."
Tristan didnt waste time and attached his lips to hers.