Page 72 of Obsession

I nearly hit the curb and catch myself just in time. “My God, woman. There’s a visual I won’t forget. What do you love about trucks?”

With a contented sigh, still running her hands over the leather, she grows meditative. “I like dangerous, powerful things. Your pit bulls, for instance. Some see nothing but a vicious, lethal dog. I see strength and loyalty, and they’re so beautiful to me I could cry. I love how when you sit in a truck like this, you’re above everyone else.”

“On top of the world,” I say softly. Violet gets it.

She moves closer to me, our bodies flush against each other in the cab. “I’ve always loved powerful, dangerous things.” Her fingers trail down my bicep, tracing the edges of muscles and veins. “Makes me feel… protected, I guess, but at the same time… not safe at all.” With what I know about her background, I understand. She sighs. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“It makes perfect sense.”

I accelerate when we get on the on ramp. Her grip on my arm tightens.

We’re five minutes out.

My phone rings. Joe. I hit the button on the steering wheel so we can both hear.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve got Derrick Dossier on the line for you.”

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Violet

If looks could kill,his phone would be incinerated right about now. I cringe at the latent threat in his voice.

“I want everyonein surveillance on this call.”

“On it, sir.”

I watch as he releases a breath. “Connect the call.” There’s a series of clicks. “Cain Master speaking.”

“Ahhh, Mr. Master. We meet again.” I shiver at the unpleasant sound of Dossier’s voice. Some voices are musical, almost lyrical. Others are neutral. Dossier’s makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Cain glances at me. Someone he does know, or should know, as we suspected.

“No. Where’s my sister?”

“Settle down, Mr. Master. I have your sister right here.”

Cain’s shaking with anger, but I can tell he’s relieved as well.

Skylar’s alive.I exhale and reach my fingers to his knee. I give him a reassuring squeeze.

“Why don’t you put her on the phone.” His tone is deceptively calm.He’s a raging inferno, ready to annihilate. I’m not even the one he’s angry at, and his roiling fury has me trembling.

“Now, now, Mr. Master, no need to be hasty. Relax. Skylar and I are having a brilliant time, aren’t we?”

Do I detect an accent? If there is one, it’s faint.

“Cain!” A young female voice sounds frantic on the other line. “It’s a setup. Don’t come!” Like that would stop him. An armed squad paired with a bomb threat wouldn’t stop him.

There’s a scuffling noise then the sound of a thump and a muffled cry.

“If you hurt her, I’ll kill you.” I feel as if actual fire shoots from Cain’s eyes.

“That’s what you like to do, isn’t it? You kill people just for the hell of it, don’t you? You don’t care who you kill. You don’t care if people have family. The ends always justify the means with you, don’t they?”

Cain doesn’t respond but goes deadly calm.

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