Page 36 of Dangerous Obsession

But right now, we have something more pressing. “Listen, I’m not putting her out. I’m not turning her over to the Italians, and I’m not letting her get back to her father. Got that?”

While they are fawning over Dad, I walk out. I’m irate. I should have known their messages weren’t aimed at fixing what’s going on. They only want me back here to be used as their pawn. Their great idea?—Use me as bait to draw L’ombra out and kill them.

I’m in a rage as I drive back to the safehouse. I’m careful though. I take a very long path, doubling back on my route a few times to make sure I’m not followed. I can’t be too careful at all. We’ve burned one safehouse already. We can’t afford to burn another, and this one has family memories, so I don’t want to blow it.

When I’m back and the car is safely stowed away in the garage, I unlock the house and walk in. Willow is standing in the kitchen doorway with a skillet in her hand looking guilty as fuck. My gut tells me that was about to go through the front window, but I don’t question that.

“What are you doing?”

“Cooking… Are you hungry?”

I grumble as I toss my key on the table and shed my jacket. “Just get me a beer.” She nods and I see the way she looks at me, like she’s nervous or hiding something. She disappears into the kitchen and I crash on the couch, kicking my boots off and propping my feet up. It’s been a long day already and it’s only just after lunch. I should be with my brothers having a rational discussion about how to finish the mess with the Italians and save Willow but that will never happen now.

Willow returns with a beer in hand and gives it to me. “Not drinking?” I ask her as she rounds the coffee table and sits cautiously at the other end of the couch.

“No. Feeling sick,” she mumbles, but again, there is something in her gaze. I sip the beer and watch her chew her fingernail.

“Suit yourself.”

The room falls silent for a few minutes while I drink the beer. She just stares at me nervously. I wonder if the news report of the drive-by really shook her up that bad. She didn’t leave while I was gone, which is good. I partly expected to come back to a note or something worse—like a broken window and her gone. But she’s here. Maybe she’s starting to trust me now.

“Beer me,” I tell her, thrusting the empty bottle into her hand. I notice she’s fully dressed, wearing shoes and a sweater. She wasn’t like that when I left, which reawakens my suspicion that she was going to smash the window.

She takes the bottle and vanishes into the kitchen, then returns with a six pack of beer in hand, one bottle missing. She sets it next to me and again climbs onto the couch, but this time she kicks her shoes off.

“They still want you gone,” I tell her as I crack the second beer and tip it up. I’m exhausted from being awake so long and getting so little sleep. I haven’t eaten yet today, and my head is already feeling the effects of the beer. It’s a good feeling, helping me relax.

“I didn’t think they would welcome me with open arms anyway.” She shrugs and her finger goes right into her mouth again. She tears at a fingernail and I slurp the beer.

“So you’re still here. I’m surprised actually. I thought I’d have to hunt you down.”

Her eyes flick nervously to the door and then she drops her chin in a guilty act. “I, uh… You are the only one who protects me.”

Beer two empty, I put the bottle back in the six pack and grab another. My chest feels heavy, my head spinning. For a guy my size who drinks almost daily, two beers shouldn’t make me feel this way. Not even on an empty stomach. I see what she’s done before her guilty face confesses it for her. The sleeping pills were never taken out of the kitchen. Fucking hell…

“So you’re staying?” I ask the pointed question, knowing she will lie. She fully intended to throw that skillet through the window and run. I just came home too early. Now she’s drugged me with the intention of getting out of here while I sleep. I reach into my shirt and find the key dangling there. Gripping it in my hand, I yank hard, breaking the chain.

Her eyes look up at me in shock. “This is what you want?” I ask her, dangling it from my hand.

“Leo… I…”

She looks afraid, or remorseful. I can’t read her with my vision going blurry. I lay the key on the table and down the third beer, deciding that’s enough for me. She’s given me something strong enough to work this fast, I don’t want to fuck myself up so bad I end up in a hospital.

“After all I’ve done for you.” I shake my head and stare at her.

“Leo, you have to understand. Your family wants me dead.” Her eyes plead with me to understand but I can’t. I’ve protected her with everything I have and she still wants to walk away. I curl my hands into fists and tighten my jaw. Then I take a deep breath and pat the sofa beside me.

“At least if you’re going to leave, give me something to remember you by.”

Willow looks at the sofa cushion my hand rests on and shakes her head. I can see she is afraid. She probably thinks I’m going to hurt her, but I have no intention of hurting her. “Come on,” I coax, trying to not sound angry or aggressive. The drug is kicking my ass already. I feel like I’m going to pass out, but I just want to feel her in my arms one more time. I know I am not going to be able to stop her because she’s tricked me.

“Leo, please.”

“I’m horny. Come fuck me. You know, one last time.” I lean toward her and grab her ankle and pull her across the couch and she yelps at me.

“Leo, stop.” She swats at me but as I pull her onto my lap she settles. My cock is hard just thinking about her pussy. She looks down at me with pity, and shoves the hair out of her eyes. “I loved you. You know that?”

I can’t respond to her. I can’t fathom how she can leave me if she loves me. I reach for her pants button and undo it, then unzip the fly of her jeans. She sits with her hands splayed on her thighs, straddling my lap as I squeeze my hand into her pants and rub her pussy through her panties. She hisses and sucks in a breath.

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