Page 27 of Dark Obsession

Keira pulled into her driveway, her hands gripping the steering wheel, as she eyed the house in front of her.A feeling of anxiety descended on her as her eyes swept her home.Everything looked normal, but she somehow knew it wasn’t.She knew it was crazy, or maybe it was just her fear making her feel like a dark presence had somehow invaded her life and her home.

Keira parked her car and took a steadying breath.The fact that Daniel was coming tonight helped her relax a bit.She thought about telling him a few times, but knew he’d tell Logan and Logan would tell Layla.Her sister would miss her dream honeymoon.Keira knew this was a bad situation, but she couldn’t do that to her sister.She gathered her purse and keys.

Daniel swung her around as she was reaching down to pull a few grocery bags from the back seat.His mouth descended on hers before she could get a scream out.

Keira sputtered when he raised his head, giving her a chance to take a shaky breath.“You scared me, Daniel!”

Daniel chuckled and tightened his arms when she tried to move back.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean to,” he said sincerely, but the smile on his face made her suspicious.

Keira chuckled and slapped his chest.“That’s not nice.Now, I might not make you my lasagna tonight.”

Daniel took a small step away from her and stood to his full height as a frown puckered his brows.“Now wait.I didn’t scare you that much.That’s downright mean to take a man’s lasagna away from him.”

Keira laughed and shook her head.A feeling of happiness invaded her.“Fine.”She gently pushed away from him, snatched up the grocery bags, and handed them to Daniel.“Then you get to take in the groceries.”

“That’s fine by me,” he growled.“I was going to take them from you anyway.”

Keira snorted.“Wow.Maybe I should rethink making the cherry cheesecake I was planning, too.”

“Hey, now wait.I’m just saying I would have already offered you my help, Sweetheart.”He appealed to her much like a child as he followed her up the sidewalk.The bags shifted as he waited for Keira to find her keys.His brows knitted together.Something was different about the door.

Keira smiled at him over her shoulder.“Sorry, this is taking so long.I haven’t gotten used to these keys yet.”

“Isn’t that a new lock?”

She kept her back to him, trying to hide her face.“Yes.I know it’s silly, but I still have the city mentality.”

Daniel studied her profile.The sound of her voice was off.“Is that the only reason, Keira?”

Keira laughed but kept her face turned away.“Of course.”She’d always been a lousy liar, and she wasn’t ready to talk to him about what was happening when she didn’t know herself.Sometimes she made herself believe she had misplaced everything.She pushed the door open.“Can you set everything on the counter?I’m going to change quickly.”

Keira closed her bedroom door and leaned against it, letting it support her.Her breath caught as a terrified scream tightened her throat.The first thing she noticed was the blanket she had thrown over the sofa was balled up in the chair.It wasn’t a big thing, but she knew for a fact she hadn’t touched it since she laid it on back of the sofa.

She choked back another scream and held a hand to her mouth when she caught sight of the bra and panty set laid out on the middle of her bed like it would on a body.Her first thought was to call the police, but what would she tell them?A few of her things were missing, and different things had been moved?She had no other proof, and no visible threats had been made toward her.

But now she knew it was true.She knew she wasn’t imagining it.Someone was trying to scare her.She just couldn’t figure out who.She was new in town and didn’t know very many people.The ones she did know couldn’t be responsible for this.And why?What had she done to make someone this angry?Another thought entered her mind.How did he get in this time?Maybe he came before the locksmith did?She hadn’t checked around the house after the guy left.

They were trying to terrorize her, and they were doing a damn good job.She pressed a hand to her forehead.She needed to decide what she should do.At that moment, she wanted to tell Daniel so badly, but she held back, wanting to wait until her sister was gone.The fact that they’d only been dating for a few weeks made her cringe at the thought of involving him.It just felt too soon to make him a part of her problems.Keira remembered Layla advising her to give him a chance and let him in, but it was harder to open herself up to someone than she thought.

A thought raced through her mind.Was it that the relationship was new, or was she afraid he wouldn’t believe her?Keira’s stomach twisted.She couldn’t go through that again.Her time in that foster home and her college years forever changed the way she thought about people and how much faith she should put into them.So far, the only person she’d ever been able to count on was Layla.

Keira walked to the bed and snatched up the underwear set, gagging at the thought of someone touching her underwear, then she threw them into the garbage can in the bathroom.She quickly pulled on an old pair of jeans and a t-shirt, brushed her hair, and pinched her cheeks to put a little color in them because one look at her pale face and he’d know something was up.

Daniel turned as he was taking groceries out of the bag when she walked into the kitchen.He eyed her carefully.“Everything okay?”

Keira smiled brightly.“Absolutely.Now, I’d better get on the lasagna, or we won’t eat until eight.”

Watching and laughing with Daniel through dinner went a long way toward helping her relax.She smiled when Daniel sat back, rubbing his stomach and groaning.

“That was delicious, Keira, but I probably shouldn’t have had two pieces of cheesecake.”

Keira chuckled and stood as she gathered the plates and silverware.“Well, now I know you have no willpower when it comes to a good cheesecake.I might be able to use this as a bribe in the future.”

Daniel wrapped an arm around her waist when she walked by and pulled her into his lap, chuckling when she squealed and almost dropped the dishes.His lips took hers for several moments until they were both breathless.He raised his head and looked down.“Are you ready for bed?”he asked softly.

Keira snorted and set down the dishes before wrapping her arms around his neck.“It’s kind of early for bedtime, isn’t it?”

Daniel’s eyebrows rose and fell comically.“Not for what I have in mind.”

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