Page 38 of His Coveted Obsession

Would Thomas be angry with me?

Maybe.

Before I could decide or act on anything, keys rattled in the door, and in walked Thomas. I quickly stepped out of the dining room and straight into the kitchen. Then I walked out to greet him.

As soon as he saw me, he dropped his backpack and lunged at me, wrapping his arms around my neck. I held him back, staring at his glittering blue eyes full of adoration, or so I assumed it to be.

“Hi! What are you doing here?”

“How are you feeling?” I deflected.

“So much better, thanks you to you. Gah! It’s nice to breathe and smell again.”

“I met your father and sister. She’s very mad at him.”

He frowned and deflated in my arms. I didn’t like that one bit. “I was wondering how you got in with the car missing from the driveway. Now I know. They’re home now.”

He stepped away from me and pulled off his glasses to rub his nose. “I don’t know what to do about him. How is he goingto get to work on time without a car? He can take the subway or bus, but his job is all the way in McLean. If he loses his job, we’re screwed. I don’t make enough to cover everything. Whenever Dad has a winning streak, he gives me some of that money, I guess out of guilt. Then I drop it in the bank to save for a rainy day.”

“That’s very wise of you, Thomas. You clearly have more control over yourself than your father.”

He beamed at me again with those dimples popping, and I finally understood what it meant to be addicted to something. It was the way he smiled at me that I needed all the time, like I was everything to him. That onlyImattered in this world.

“Yeah, he’s really struggling. He’s started drinking more, too, which is worrying.”

“You know how I feel about this. If you’re neglected any further, I’ll be complicit if I don’t stop it. I’ll be no better than my father.”

He wrapped his arms around me again and pressed his lips to mine for a brief kiss. “I love how you always want to protect me.”

“I always protect what is mine.”

“So hot,” he breathed. “So… I’m yours?”

“Yes.”

I tugged his hands off me, grabbed one of them in mine, and led him upstairs to his room. When I shut the door behind me, I held out my hand. “Access your bank app and then give me your phone.”

“Why?”

I wiggled my fingers, and he placed it in the palm of my hand with the app open. I growled, seeing that he only had a thousand dollars in there.

“You haven’t saved much, Thomas.”

“It’s all I’ve been able to afford. The last time Dad had a winning streak, he gave me five hundred bucks. He’s generous for a moment before he wants it back after his next loss. But I make sure he knows it’s already spent. He doesn’t know about my account.”

“Good.”

I opened my phone and bank app, transferred money into his account, and then handed him his phone back.

His eyes bugged out, and his jaw dropped when he took in the amount. Then he shook his head. “Easton, this is too much money. You’re so sweet and generous, but I’m not with you for your money.”

“And the very reason you deserve it.”

His blue eyes turned red and watery. “Thank you… That’s so kind, but… twenty thousand?”

“I have a lot more than that.”

“Yeah, but…”

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