Page 123 of Lorcan's Obsession

Who was my girlfriend?

So many questions, and all the answers were gut fucking wrenching.

The ground underneath me spun. My hands were clammy as I staggered toward my Porsche. My breath was hot and uneven, stinging my lungs and choking my throat.

Tristen finished unloading the groceries into her Brabus. I watched her tip the supermarket attendant and smile like not a thing was wrong in the world. But that wasn’t true: the world was falling apart around me.

She is my whole world.

But was I hers? Was I as important to her as she was to me? Or did she just see me as a rich stud with a pierced cock?

Anguish sliced through me like a sharp blade. I couldn’t wait any longer to find out the truth about her. Opening the door, I slid inside my car.

I wish now that I hadn’t chosen to do what I did.

I followed her.

42

COME UNDONE

The door to my Porsche Cayenne Turbo GT closed behind me with a soft thud. My quivering thumb pushed the start button, purring the monstrous engine to life and lighting the interior a soft blue.

A part of me still hesitated to go through with this plan to secretly follow my girlfriend to her place. I wasn’t worried that she might recognize me on the road—the arctic-gray GT coupe was practically invisible—but I knew the act would be breaking a bond of trust, even if I could get away with it. She was going to have me at her place this weekend, surely I could just ask her about any worries I had then.

But hadn’t she been holding out on my trust for weeks? Why had Tris pushed off every request to see her home, only to suddenly flip on a dime? Was there evidence she had needed to hide, and only then could safely present her residence? Or had she gone further and rented out another place for the week I’d visit? Before today, I wouldn’t have thought Tristen could afford that, but her sweet ride said otherwise. For all I knew, the place she would bring me to wouldn’t be her real home at all.

I had to know if what we had was real.

Resolve steeled my nerves, and I powered on the car. From the rear mirror, I spotted Tristen’s G-Wagon heading toward the exits.

Pulling out of the lot, I joined the slow-moving traffic moving towards the barrier gate to validate the parking ticket. Four cars separated me from my woman. Her engine revved impatiently before she abruptly swerved into the next waiting line. I followed behind, more cautiously. Now only two cars stood between us.

“Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me” by U2 blared through the car’s speakers. I gripped the Race Tex steering wheel with white knuckles. My eyes were honed in on the road ahead.

Tristen's car came to a slow stop in front of the barrier. The barrier lifted. She lunged forward, tires shrieking as they spun and sped off.

I chased a glimpse of her car heading toward the interchange. As soon as I passed the gate, I floored the gas. I activated the car’s Sport Plus mode, giving me instantaneous throttle, lightning-fast shifts, and tight steering response. Wherever she went, I'd chase after her without causing harm to anyone on the road.

This was just like my street racing days. I wasn't good at this; I was great at this. Tristen would not be able to get away.

Or so I thought. As soon as I joined the seven-lane highway, Tristen glided across four lanes without signaling. My eyes widened. Where was she drifting to at such dangerous speeds? Had she recognized my car?

I accelerated and changed lanes. My heart pounded in my ears, and my mind spun faster than the wheels of this car at the thought of what waited for me at the end of this car chase. What I’d find out.

Tristen swerved across the yellow line, careening into the Jumeirah beach exit.

"FUCK!" I seethed. "Would it hurt you to use your blinkers, woman?"

The exit was too far behind me now, so I rushed off to the next one. I burned rubber, weaving between vehicles and skirting along the shoulders. In under a minute, I found a route that would connect me back to Tristen’s location from the other direction. We both reached a large intersection from opposite sides, giving me a clear view of Tristen through the car. If only she’d look up from whomever she was texting, she could see me.

"Baby, look at me," I whispered with a trembling breath. "Lift up your head and tell me this is a bad dream. Tell me that the secrets you keep won’t rip us apart. Promise me it's just you and me."

The lights on her street turned green. The drivers behind her honked to get her attention.

This was it. The final chance to change my mind. I could still make a U-turn, return to the highway, and head home. Call her, ask her to explain. Find another way to learn the truth. Avoid the pain that was waiting at the end of this path.

The seconds ticked faster. The air in the car got heavier and murkier until I was panting for breath. The veins in my hand bulged as I clutched the wheel in a death grip.

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