Page 2 of Dangerous Obsession

“But, Mari—”

“Please,” she pleaded. “I’m going to leave him, I promise. I just need to take care of a few things first.”

Dulce hesitated. “Fine, but if he lays a hand on you again, I’m calling in the big guns.” She dropped her phone back into her tote bag.

Marigold’s alarm chimed, and she flinched.

“I’ve got to go.” She turned it off and grabbed her purse.

Her friend reached across and touched her forearm, then laid a dose of brutal honesty on her.

“You are my best friend, and I love you like a sister. But it is getting harder and harder to be your cheerleader. The pom-poms are getting too damn heavy.” She gave her a sad smile. “Only you can make things better for yourself. You know I’ll help in any way I can. But honey, it’s very difficult for me to sit by and watch what’s happening to you. It hurts too much.”

She gripped Marigold’s hands tight and looked her straight in the eye.

“You are one of the strongest people I know. I just wish you knew it, too.”

“Thanks. I love you, too.” Marigold gave her a quick hug and a forced smile. “I’m going to be okay. I promise.”

They walked outside, said their goodbyes, and, as she watched her only remaining friend walk away, a looming sense of finality settled over her. If Marigold lost Dulce, she would have absolutely nothing left.

She checked the time and hurried to her car. Cliff wasn’t due home for at least two hours, but she wouldn’t be comfortable until she was inside their apartment.

She climbed in her car and pulled away from the curb. About ten minutes later, she turned in to her apartment complex, wound her way through the parking lot until their building came into sight, and her stomach dropped.

Cliff was already there, backing his truck into their reserved spot. He parked, turned, and his angry gaze connected with hers.

She stopped the car, frozen in place, her grip painful on the steering wheel as she stared into his furious eyes. For a split second, she considered driving away and never coming back. But he would find her. Of that, she had no doubt.

Cliff narrowed his eyes and, as if he could read her thoughts, gave a slow shake of his head.

Like a trained dog, she lifted her foot off the brake, rolled forward, and parked in the nearest empty spot.

He climbed out of his truck, slammed the door, and stormed over to her car. He yanked on the door handle, but it was locked, so he smacked his hand flat on her side window and leaned close.

“Get the fuck out of the car and get inside.” His breath fogged the window, his face was red, and that scary vein in the center of his forehead bulged. “And don’t even fuckingthinkof looking at anyone.” He growled the words, straightened, and scanned the parking lot.

Painfully familiar with that particular tone, she shut off the engine. The second the lock clicked, he yanked open the door, wrapped his fingers around her upper arm and jerked her from behind the wheel.

“Get your fat ass inside.” He shoved her ahead of him.

Marigold kept her eyes down, but in her peripheral vision she saw one of their neighbors walking his dog. The older man stopped and watched them.

“What the fuck you lookin’ at, asshole?” Cliff made a move toward him.

The man bent down, picked up his little dog, and hurried back to his building across the parking lot. Everyone knew Cliff was a bully, and no one dared to tangle with him.

She continued straight up the single flight of stairs and into their apartment.

The second the dead bolt slid into place, he rounded on her, grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back against the door. “Where the hell were you?”

She found out later that he was home early because he’d gotten fired from his job. Whatever the reason, it must’ve been really bad, because the owner of the company was a good friend of his parents.

“I … I met … Dulce for … for a drink. But I only had a soda,” she said.

“I told you how I feel about that little bitch. She’s a bad influence, and I specifically said I didn’t want you around her anymore.” He stepped closer, so close she could smell beer on his breath. “I’ll bet you and your whore friend were flirting with guys at the bar, too, weren’t you?”

“Dulce is not a whore!” She refused to let him talk that way about her best friend.

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