Page 85 of Dark Obsession
"Did she kill Ash? Or did you do it?"
"I did it, and you owe me for it. She almost did it though. You should have seen her. I've had a hard on since last night. She's lucky she belongs to you, because I would have violated every part of her. So beautiful. So strong and fucking sexy." Erik's eyes grew dim.
"Hey. Shut the fuck up. Now." I moved toward him and he lifted his hands.
"She's pretty upset, man. I can't get her to eat or drink anything. She feels like a monster even though I put two slugs in Ashley’s pretty face.”
I swallowed my questions. All but one. "Where is the body?”
"Burned it."
"And Jenna’s brother's murder case?"
"It’s going to get pinned on Ashley.” Erik shrugged. “She attacked you and Jenna at your place and then fled town.”
Mikey cleared his throat. “Hey. They’re going to wonder where the hell she is.”
“True.” I glanced over to Erik. “We say that we don’t know or what?”
“Have you seen her since she went ape shit over at the apartment?” Erik lifted his eyebrow and smirked.
“No, but the cops aren’t going to stop looking for her.” I ran my fingers through my hair. “Dude, there isn’t anything to tie my girl to Ash’s death, right?”
“Nope. They got a tip this morning that Denise, or Ashley ran out to an old house in the woods and the water heater was faulty. Whole fucking house blew up. Cops are out there now, I’m sure.” He looked far too cool for the situation at hand. Asshole. “Let’s just say I paid an eyewitness at the house beside it to help cover the story of nothing being out of the ordinary.”
“Paid or threatened?” Mikey snorted and jerked back as Erik turned and growled at him. “Okay. Shit. Sorry.”
“What’s going to happen to the money Ashley was set to inherit?” I crossed my arms over my chest.
“It will go back to the family.” Erik chuckled darkly. “Why? You still wanting your cut?”
“No. I’m done with that shit. Never. I’d never take anything from Jenna or her folks.” I let out a long sigh. “Her family knows me as one of Denise’s old friend.”
“Good. That helps then.” Erik shrugged and moved back to rest against the door.
“How so?” Mikey glanced between me and my old friend.
I spoke up. “It could help in that they might think I met Jenna through Denise, but honestly that doesn’t matter. I told her dad that I go to De Luca all the time. He already assumes that I’ve seen Jenna, I’m sure. This isn’t as fucked up as it seems. We can work through it.”
“If you can work through killing Ash, then you got this in the bag.” Erik gave me a knowing look. “Besides, this pretty woman is totally in love with you. She mentioned not wanting to live without you. I even told her my dick was far meatier than yours, but there's just something about-"
I charged him, popping him in the mouth once before he returned the favor.
"Fuck you for that," I barked in his face.
"Yeah. Fuck you too for almost giving up the best thing that's evergoingto happen to your sorry ass. Get your shit and I'll take you to her, but you fuck it up and that's it. She's mine. And you're not going to do a goddamn thing about it."
I turned and walked back into the room, sliding my hands through my hair as I looked around for my shoes. He was right. She was the best thing that was ever going to happen to me. She needed me. Even watching someone die was a big fucking deal.
Shit changed you forever.
Only love and high doses of lust offered a reprieve from that type of nightmare. I wanted to give her both. Fuck my pride. Jenna needed my acceptance and I needed hers.
* * *
"Baby?" I whispered softly as I stood at the edge of the darkened room where she lay spread out on the bed. The fact that it was Erik's bed left my skin itching. I hadn’t seen that fucker in years and now he was hanging around like a bad habit.
She didn't move.
