Page 37 of Dark Obsession

“Daniel, think about this.I’m giving you a way out of a relationship that has no trust, and I think you’ll agree without that, it can’t really go anywhere.”

“I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.I will not talk about whatever the problem is over the phone with you, Keira.What time will you get back?”

“I don’t know.”Keira pressed her fingers against her temple hoping to relieve some of the tension that had lain there for days.

“Dammit.I don’t want you by yourself.”

“Go home, Daniel.I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

How was he going to get through to her without making her fear worse?“You sound tired.”

Keira paused, then admitted, “I am.”

Daniel gritted his teeth against the frustration racing through him at that moment.“Then why the hell are you driving?Wait until I can go with you.”

“No.I’m not going to wait.I have things to do.I promise not to get in an accident.”

“You can’t promise that.You have no idea if you’re impaired.What about your stalker?”

Keira drew in a long breath.“What about him?”

He couldn’t understand why she was being so blasé about it.“I don’t think you should be alone until we figure this out.”

“There’s nothing to figure out, Daniel.I have to go.I want to pay attention to the road.”

He must have heard the defeat and fatigue in her voice which made Daniel pull back from arguing with her anymore.

“Call me when you get home.”

“All right, I will if it’s not late.”

“No, you call when you get home.Promise me, Keira.”Daniel paused for a moment but heard only silence.“Keira,” the dominance in his voice was unmistakable.

Keira sighed.“Okay.”

“Good.I’ll talk to you soon.”

Keira hung up the phone and put it on the passenger seat.She needed to concentrate on the MapQuest directions.She should be pulling into the town in less than a half hour.The sooner she finished this venture and got home, the better.

Keira pulled into the gun shop, parked, and looked around.She had never been in a gun store in her life, and she hadn’t realized how intimidating it would be.It didn’t help that a bar with a rowdy crowd was right next to the building.

The gun shop’s building was big, grey, one story, and had thick bars on the windows.She couldn’t remember seeing a building quite so cold before.Even with the sunshine, it still looked like something she’d only seen in movies where bad things always seemed to happen.

She took a deep breath.She didn’t have a choice.She had to protect herself.She had no one else to depend on.

The bell over the door chimed as she walked over the threshold.Keira stood and looked around the large, dim room, trying to find the strength to move forward.

“Can I help you, Miss?”

Keira looked around until she found the person attached to the voice.She walked toward the back of the store where a long counter stood, and behind it were boxes and boxes of bullets and a wall of guns.From small ones to long scary ones she doubted she’d be able to lift.

“Miss?”

Keira focused on the older thin man behind the counter.His smile instantly put her at ease.“Yes, sir.I’m looking to buy a gun.”

He eyed her thoughtfully.“Have you ever owned a gun, Honey?”

She pulled her eyes away from the gun wall and focused on him.“No, sir.”