Page 10 of Dark Obsession

“I’m very glad I’ve met her.She’s special.”

“That she is.”

Daniel’s gaze clashed with Keira’s across the dance floor.“Tell me something about her.”

Layla thought for a moment.“She’s a beautiful soul, inside and out.”

“And...”

Layla shook her head.“We’ve both got baggage you’ll find out about, and I’ll let you figure out the rest.”

Daniel frowned.“That sounds ominous.”

“Not ominous.I can tell you this.We didn’t have a great childhood, and Keira’s was worse than mine.Our father died when we were young.After he died, my mother kind of went off the deep end and started drinking and going through men.I always wondered if she was trying to find someone like my father, but it never happened.After she died, we were put into foster care because there was no other family to take us in.”

Layla sadly shook her head.“They couldn’t find a foster family to take both of us, so we were separated.I got lucky.They placed me with a nice family that kept me the whole time, and I only had to stay in the system for a little over a year.Keira was thirteen when our mother died so she had to be in five years.What really sucked for her was she was moved to four different homes.”

“Jesus.Why so many homes?”

Layla paused as she looked toward her sister.“She needs to tell you that.I actually don’t think she’s toldmeeverything.I know those years shaped the strong woman she is, but she won’t let any of the negativity affect her life now.”

Both were startled when Logan and Keira bumped into them.“Hey, guys.I want to dance with my wife, and you’re hogging her.”

Daniel snorted but handed Layla off to Logan, and at the same time, he pulled Keira into his arms.Daniel couldn’t stop thinking about what Layla told him.At the age of thirteen, this little woman was pretty much on her own.Layla said Keira put it behind her, but Daniel didn’t think a person could put such a dramatic ordeal behind them without some residual effects.He’d been lucky.Like Logan, his childhood was ordinary.Two parents who were still alive and still in love.He also had two siblings, one of each, both younger than him.The family made it a requirement to get together several times a year.It helped that they all lived within a hundred miles of each other.He couldn’t imagine not having the family he did.

“Is everything okay?”Keira pulled away from him to see his face.

Daniel’s attention returned as he put his focus back on her.“Yeah.Sorry, I just have a lot on my mind.”

Daniel watched as a blush of something close to embarrassment crossed her face.

She cleared her throat and looked away.“This thing is about done.I doubt Logan or Layla would mind if you left now.”

Daniel looked down into her beautiful face, trying to see if there was resentment or sarcasm, but only saw concern.“No, sweetheart.There is nothing more important that I want to be doing and nowhere I’d rather be than here.”His heart tightened in his chest.“Do you want to sit down for a bit?”

Keira smiled.“Yes, please.My feet are starting to ache.I’m not used to high heels.”

He led her to their table.“Can I get you another glass of wine?”

“No, thank you.I’m good with water.”

“All right.I’ll be right back.”

Keira watched the few couples on the dance floor, smiling at Logan’s parents as they danced.It was so sweet to see that they were definitely still in love.

“Here you go.Here’s your water, and I got us a few cupcakes.”

Keira’s eyes brightened in pleased surprise.“Those look so yummy.”Her eyes scanned the three different cupcakes on the table in front of her.One was pink with white icing and a strawberry in the middle, the next was definitely chocolate, and the last she guessed was lemon.“Which ones do you want?”

Daniel reached for a few forks and handed her one.“If it’s okay with you, I thought we could share all of them.I want to try each one but can’t eat three cupcakes by myself.”

Keira chuckled.“That’s a great idea.”

Daniel pulled the paper from every little cake and put each between them so they could both reach.He forked off a piece of the lemon.“Mmm.This one is definitely lemon.It’s very good.”He watched Keira take a bite of the strawberry.

“This is really good, too.”She reached for the lemon, smiled, and rolled her eyes.“Mmm, you’re right.Gimme the chocolate.”

Daniel laughed at her enthusiasm and pushed the chocolate cake closer to her.

---