Page 139 of Obsession

I’d had sneaking suspicions, but all this time figured it was only in my head. Someone was following me. Someone was trailingme. Back when we hunted for the man who abducted Skylar, he was after me, too, and I assumed that those feelings of being followed were only because ofhim,because I didn’t feel that way anymore after we apprehended him and the brother he worked with.

But I know the truth now. I didn’t feel like anyone was following me anymore because I waswith Cain,and he had no reason to track me when I wasin his fucking house.

All people react differently when they’re angry. Some scream and throw things, and I have vivid recollections of a foster mother who’d done just that. After being on the receiving end of one of those adult tantrums, I’d made up my mind that wouldneverbe me. Ever.

Some people cry. Some drown themselves in cookie dough and ice cream, and others in alcohol or drugs.

Me? I shut off my emotions. I can’t feel anymore when I’m angry. I retreat to a place of practicality, a pragmatic approach, I suppose. I think of what I can control, what I can do, and I throw myself wholeheartedly into that. Sometimes that means cleaning the hell out of my bedroom, my car, or a closet. Sometimes that means running until my feet feel like they’re on fire and sweat drenches my body. Sometimes that means a boxing workout, no gloves, that tears the skin off my hands because for some reason, that feels damn good.

And I can’t do any of those things right now. I breathe in through my nose and out through my mouth, willing myself to stay calm.

Cain takes the driver’s seat, and I don’t argue. This truck’s hard to maneuver, and I don’t trust myself not to wreck it in the state of mind I’m in.

Skylar looks at me, then Cain, then blows out a breath. “So, I’m guessing you all had that conversation that I suggested?”

“You knew?” I ask, my eyes flashing.

“Not on purpose,” Skylar says. “Recently stumbled on some incriminating evidence, but I wanted Cain to be the one to talk to you.”

“Oh yeah. Well he did, and I don’t want to talk about it, Sky.”

“Violet…” her voice trails off.

I grunt in reply.

“I mean it was a shitty thing to do, but I?—”

“I literally just said I don’t want to talk about it,” I snap.

“But Violet, seriously.”

Cain makes a growling sound. “Skylar,enough.Knock it off,” he says in that big brother tone that means business.

“Don’t yell at her.”

He looks at me in disbelief. “I was defending you.”

“No, you weren’tdefendingme, you were getting all bossy and telling her what to do, which, I might add, is like your favorite thing to do anyway, so I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“Oh for the love of fucking God,” he grumbles.

“Ew,” Skylar says, pinching the bridge of her nose. “Watching you two fight is like when someone throwsonebone to Romulus and Remus.”

“Did you seriously just make that analogy?”

“It is! They growl at each other and act like they’re going to snap each other’s damn heads off and gouge their eyes out, but you know they’re inseparable and will end up sprawled all over each other come bedtime.”

I grimace at the mental image of me sprawling all over Cain. I don’t want to even look at him, much less touch him.

I’ve got something to say. “Okay, so I’m here for a reason, and I shit you not, it has literally nothing to do with getting relationship advice or even discussing anything that doesn’t have to do with our meeting with the Rossis. Got it?”

Skylar nods and Cain sighs. “What she said.”

Cain’s phone rings. Henri.

“Answer it on speaker.”

Normally, I love Cain’s commanding attitude. Hell, I crave it and even find it hot. Right now? He is pissing meoff.

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