Deadly Obsession (The Obsession Duet 2)

Father? I choke back my laughter. I haven’t known him long, but Matteo doesn’t take me as the father type. He’s the leader of the Castro family. All he knows how to do is order his men around and threaten people. Plus, what kind of parenting is he going to do? Dove’s an adult now and doesn’t need his money or protection. Not when she has me.

Dove is quiet the rest of the way back to the house, and when we arrive at the mansion, she seems a little overwhelmed. Once out of the car and inside the house, I take Dove’s hand into mine. “Thank you so much for helping me find her, but I think it’s time we end this charade. Her safety is my biggest priority.”

Matteo stares at me, his face blank. Two of his men hover just outside the massive wooden front door. I can feel their eyes on me.

“There is no safer place for her than here, surely, you can agree, given that you were the one to put her in the situation that got her taken by Christian in the first place?”

His remark is a kick to the balls, and if it wasn’t for Dove standing beside me, I’d have him pinned to the wall. Strangling the air from his lungs. Still, fighting with him on staying for the night isn’t something I want to do. Not when I could be holding Dove in my arms, kissing every inch of her skin, and making up for lost time.

“Fine, we will stay for tonight,” I say, pinning him with a glare.

“Great, why don’t you go upstairs and get some rest? Karl will take you up.” He smiles, his eyes twinkling with some unknown emotion.

I don’t bother paying him another second of attention. Shifting gears, I tug Dove toward the grand staircase. Karl follows behind all the way to our room, like the guard dog he is.

Opening the door, I guide us into the room. The door shuts with a soft click, and all I can think is… finally, finally, we’re alone.

“Do we really have to stay here? This is wrong. Something feels off.” Concern is etched into her delicate face.

“Only for tonight. Tomorrow we will figure this out. Everything can wait until then because the only thing that matters to me right now is making sure you’re okay and reminding you of how much you mean to me.”

“I thought I lost you,” Dove says. Her voice is clogged with emotion.

“You’ll never lose me,” I tell her, pulling her into my arms. I squeeze her tight, wanting to melt our two bodies into one.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“That you are William…”

I peel her away from my chest just enough so I can look at her face. “You remember?”

“Yes. How could I forget you?”

“You told the therapist that you didn’t remember that time. She even said it was normal, considering what you’ve been through. Your mind is trying to protect you and all that shit.”

“I told everyone I didn’t remember because I never wanted to talk about it. Losing you hurt so bad. Saying it out loud just made it worse.”

“Oh, baby.” I pull her back into my embrace. “If I had known you’d remembered, I would have told you. That would have made things a whole lot easier.”

For a long moment, we just stand there holding each other. Then Dove breaks the silence, whispering, “You came for me…”

“Of course.” Does she doubt I would have? She should know the extent of my obsession by now. “No matter what happens, I’ll always come for you. I’ll always protect you. I’ll move heaven and hell to make sure you’re safe. You’re my number one and always have been. Nothing will ever change that. I love you, Dove. Always…”

8

His words hit me like a freight train. I’m overcome with emotion. Drowning in it. I’m uncertain about nearly everything at this point, everything but Zane.

I need him. Need to feel his hands on me, to press my lips against his, to carve out a piece of my heart and give it to him. It hasn’t been that long since I last saw him, but it feels like years after everything that’s happened. Pushing at his chest, I make him walk backward toward the large bed. I want to lie down and curl up on top of his chest.

“Can we please just go to bed? I’m so tired.”

“Whatever you want or need, we can do it.”

I nod, finally feeling free, safe, and secure. I haven’t felt even a sliver of safety since we left the hospital that day.

Zane starts peeling off my clothes until I’m in nothing but a pair of panties. His eyes roaming over my body as if he is inspecting every inch of it.

“No one touched you?” he asks again as if he didn’t hear or believe me when I told him earlier.