Page 130 of Obsession

Henri doesn’t answer at first. Cain’s jaw is clenched, his eyes not meeting mine as he glares at the wall behind me.

“I’m not sure, sir.”

“Find out.”

“Yessir.”

I lather up his legs, enjoying the feel of the soap and water on our skin. He takes a fresh washcloth and squirts my light green body wash on it, then makes the swivel motion with his finger. His glare cuts like a laser. I know he’s not angry with me, but at whatever’s on his mind.

I spin around and let the water caress me as he washes my body.

“I want a full report by lunch. Going to debrief everyone in about ten minutes.”

“Yessir.”

Cain reaches out and hangs up the call.

“You just give them orders and they all ‘yessir’ you.”

“Mhm.” He brings the showerhead down and rinses my body.

“I always think that’s so hot.”

He smiles. Is it my imagination, or is the smile a bit sad?

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” is all he says. He still sounds angry.

“Thank you?”

“Why the question?”

“You sound really angry. Furious. It’s just distracting me.”

He shuts the water off and reaches for a towel, hands it to me, then grabs one of his own. I wrap myself in the fluffy terrycloth and step onto the thick bathmat. Like everything about Cain, the shower’s huge, with plenty enough room for both of us.

I weirdly feel we need that distance right now.

I can’t put my finger on why things are off or what’s going on here at all, but I know that something isn’t right.

We dress in silence, and I watch him suit up with his weapons, again, in silence. I tug on a pair of jeans and a fitted tee, then my boots, but don’t feel fully dressed until the knife’s in my sheath and my Wilson’s secured in a harness.

“We’re gonna find shit out today, Violet.”

I nod. We’d better. We have to move forward on our investigation. Descamps was involved, he knew things, and the people he was involved with knew more.

“Cain…”

His eyes shoot to mine. “Yeah?”

Why does he look panicked?

I stare at him a moment, not sure how to respond. “What the hell is wrong?” I finally ask. That’s not what I intended at all.

He doesn’t deny there’s anything wrong but doesn’t speak for long minutes. I watch him tug on his boots and secure his holster. When he doesn’t speak, I do.

“That’s not what I was going to say. I know you get distracted sometimes.”

“I don’t want to lose you, Violet.”

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