Page 15 of Tales of Obsession Epilogue
Jasper: Poppy was the one who ripped out the tracker from Zane’s car. That’s before the girls chose Black Friday shopping as the activity. Technically, she protested the activity, but not the company.
Damon: Impossible. My wife doesn’t need time away from me.
Jasper: Maybe not. But she wants time with her mother.
Xander: This conversation is entertaining and all, but did you guys forget that our women are missing? What are we going to do?
Caden: Jasper, tell us where they went.
Jasper: How the hell would I know?
Damon: Apparently, the girls told you everything last night.
Zane: Let’s go over to his place and make him talk.
Caden: I’ll grab a few scalpels.
Jasper: For fuck’s sake. They didn’t tell me because they knew how you would behave. Just leave them alone for one day. Surely, you can survive a few more hours without your wives?
Caden: I’m on speakerphone with Alex. He can probably track them down if we send men to every shopping center in the tristate area.
Zane: I’m on the phone with Levi. They can cover more ground if they work together.
Damon: Conference me in.
Xander: Me too.
Jasper: You are all hopeless.
Jasper has left the conversation.
Chapter
Six
PIYA
CHRISTMAS
The Women’sAlliance had banded together and orchestrated a successful girls’ day without the babies and husbands. The day was full of shopping, a grumpy Poppy, and ended with dinner and dancing.
The husbands were not happy with the outing. It came as no surprise when the men wanted to get together for Christmas Eve only and celebrate Christmas Day separately with their respective wives.
I almost expected it when Axel flew me out to a remote island on Christmas Day for a belated anniversary celebration. This was his way of having me all to himself.
We were by the rooftop infinity pool of the three-story bungalow we were staying in, gazing out at the blue-green sea in the near distance. There was a dinghy docked at the adjacent private beach. That was how the staff entered the island to cook and clean before leaving us alone for the rest of the evening.
“You couldn’t find a more remote island?” I asked dryly.
“Actually, no, I couldn’t.”
I believed him. “Can we at least call our daughter to wish her a Merry Christmas?”
Axel took my phone and placed it on the poolside lounge next to his. “There’s no cell service.”
He wasn’t saying it to keep me away from Poppy. Shockingly, they had become friendly over the last year. Poppy and Axel no longer bickered or glared at each other over the casserole dish at the dinner table. It was a relief. Poppy had finally forgiven Axel for the way he had barreled into our lives, and he treated her like an equal instead of manipulating her. He had invested his fortune in our daughter’s company, and as a result, Poppy had become the mogul she was always meant to be.
But at times like this, Axel still acted like a tyrant. “You’re really going to restrict me to only your company because I was gone for twenty hours?”
