Page 77 of Vow of Obsession

“Have you ever seen him like this before?” I whisper to Warren, who gives a stiff shake of his head.

“What the fuck is wrong with this?” Z turns, leaving the bedroom. Warren goes after him. I jump up from the couch to see that they’ve stopped in the hallway. Z put his bottle of whiskey down on the accent table. All of his attention is on his phone. He’s angrily tapping at it.

Warren glances back toward me, shaking his head again.

“How about we get you?—”

“It’s not working.” He grabs the bottle of whiskey and throws it at the opposite wall; it shatters, startling me.

“Don’t move,” Warren orders me. I had no plans to. In fact, I take a step back so he knows I won’t. “The hell is wrong with you?” He heads for Z.Please don’t fight, I silently pray in my mind. There’s been enough excitement for one day.

“You know, you know, and you fucking let her go on the shopping trip.” Z steps into Warren, getting in his face. Warren is quiet for a long moment.

“It’s hard, I know, but we can’t keep them locked away, or they will sneak around. The more you try to control a person, theharder they fight.” Z seems to deflate some. “Go sleep it off. Our sister is?—”

“Not my sister.”

“You’re drunk; you don’t mean that.” Oh, I think he does. “Or you wouldn't be so upset about it.” I’m going to have to clue Warren in to what’s really going on around here. His naïveté when it comes to relationships is really shining through. I can’t wait to see the shocked look on his face when I tell him the truth.

“You don’t fucking get it.” Z shakes his head. “You got the girl.”

“Come on, to bed. There are orders not to let Cosima leave the farm for now. We’re on lockdown.” He goes to grab his elbow, but Z jerks it back.

“I’m fucking going.” Z turns, leaving. Warren watches him until he disappears down the hallway.

Warren closes and locks our door behind him.

“He’s in love with her.” His words surprise me. I guess he’s not as naïve as I thought.

“You think?” I feign mock surprise.

“You know?”

“I’ve been piecing it together. How he is with her. Think about it. Who might you act over-the-top crazy about?” I tap my finger against my lips as if I’m thinking real hard.

“Shit.” Warren glances back toward the closed doors. “What about her?”

“She’s into it, but neither is going to admit it.”

“He’s a ticking time bomb. I have never seen him that way.” I haven't either. Z is the laid-back, funny one who is wicked smart. "Maybe it is time for Cosima to head back to Europe."

"Don't." I shake my head. "If she wants to go, that's one thing, but if she wants to stay, this is her home." I might like having her here, too, but I'm not telling Warren that. After him trying to find me friends, he might demand she stay. “You haveto let them figure it out. But sometimes a little nudge doesn’t hurt. As you’re well aware.”

“A nudge.” Warren smirks, coming over to me. He lifts me off my feet, and I wrap my legs around him. “You want a nudge?” He’s teasing and light now. I love this side of him. Who am I kidding? I love all of his sides, even the insane ones.

“I might let you nudge me.” Warren carries me over to the bed, laying me down.

“Might?”

“You still have one more confession,” I remind him. “You think I forgot?”

Warren lifts my hand. “Your ring.” Diamonds encrust the entire band. I love that it’s simple but still elegant and pretty, eye-catching.

“It alerted me shortly after Marks that you were in danger.”

“My ring?” I turn my hand over to see, but there isn’t anything that appears abnormal.

“There is a chip in it.” He appears almost sheepish. An expression I have never seen on his handsome face before. I might call it adorable.

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