Page 64 of His Coveted Obsession

“I’m well aware. We have a date, but I’m here early to speak with you.”

He slung an arm over the back of the couch and crossed an ankle over a knee. “Yeah, what can I help you with?”

“You are hurting Thomas, and I’m tired of it. He tries to hide his pain and shame, but I see it.”

His face morphed into anger, and it turned red as his defensiveness quickly boiled over. “Now see here…”

“No.Yousee here. I know about your addiction. I know about your loss of a job—”

Mr. Lauder stood and paced the small room. “I don’t have an addiction! I’m just trying to make up for what I lost! And… I’m looking for a job.”

“Are you? By the looks of it, you haven’t showered in who knows how long, and your home is trashed.”

He stood in front of me and fisted his hands. “Howdareyou come here and—”

I stood, pressed my hand against his chest, and pushed him back and back until he fell ass first onto the sofa.

“Howdareyou, Mr. Lauder. You are making Thomas suffer. He is taking the brunt of the bills and care for this house and his sister.Youare the parent. Your job is to take care of them, not Thomas.”

I leaned in close to him, hating to inhale his sour smell. “Thomas ismine. I do not like it when those who are mine are hurting and have their time taken from me. You donotwant to cross me, Mr. Lauder. I may look young, but I assure you, I have a lot of power and…”

I reeled back some of my anger, but with difficulty, because I nearly let slip that I was capable of killing him.

Regardless, there must have been something on my face because he reeled back, fear in his brown eyes that looked nothing like my Thomas’s.

“I-I don’t understand. W-what’s going on here? You’re nothing like the young man I met before.”

“I protect what is mine,” was all I said in response. He didn’t need to know the full extent of what I could do to him yet.

His eyes were wide, and though he tried to be defiant, you could still see his fear. “Wait a minute… you… You’re not someone… You better not hurt my son.”

“So thereissome care inside that dead soul of yours. Good. My father couldn’t have cared less about what happened to me. Perhaps you’re salvageable after all.”

He sneered at me. “What do you want?”

I leaned in closer, staring him dead in his eyes. “I thought I was clear, but perhaps not. Let me spell it out for you. You will stop gambling, you will get a job, and you will be a parent. Thomas shouldn’t have to live here still, taking care of you. He’s trying to make his mark on the world, and you’re stopping him from doing that. Even worse, you’re taking his time away fromme. Get your shit together. Earn money so you can get some damn groceries. I can’t have Thomas going hungry.”

Of course, I didn’t mention that Thomas already had money. The man would manipulate it from Thomas, no doubt, but I was confident Thomas was strong enough to resist him.

Before he could respond, keys jangled in the door. I quickly pulled away and sat down just in time for Thomas to walk in. I gripped the armrest, so I wasn’t tapping my fingers.

“Not a word,”I muttered.

Mr. Lauder coughed and straightened himself on the sofa.

Thomas walked in, carrying two brown bags of groceries. When he saw his dad, he frowned before his eyes landed on me. Then his face lit up brighter than the sun. I felt as big as the sun in his presence. His father better not dim his brightness.

“Hey, Superman. You’re early.”

He walked over to me and kissed my cheek.

I stood and helped him with the bags, taking them to the kitchen.

He followed me in there and we unpacked the food. It wasn’t nearly enough. Thomas needed to accept my car so he could buy more food to bring home.

“Why is Dad all sweaty?” he whispered.

I shrugged. “He was like that when I came in.”

---