Page 16 of Unspoken Obsession

"Mommy sad," he says with concern, his little nose wrinkling with worry.

I smile, scooping him into my arms, ignoring his dirty little hands as he wraps his arms around my neck and hugs me.

"Mommy isn't sad. Mommy will be ok. But guess what little guy. We are going on an adventure. Do you want to go on an adventure with Mommy?"

"Avedent—"

"Yes." I laugh as his face scrunches in concentration.

"Ad-ven-ture."

"Ana-dent?—"

I stand up, holding him tight. "Let's go bathe and start packing. Do you want chicken nuggets for dinner?"

"Cheeken." He shouts. It's his favorite. I swear he would eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner if I let him.

I've got no choice now. I can't stay here anymore. It's too dangerous and anyone close to me here could get hurt. I need to go back home.

Las Vegas hasn't changedat all.

Nothing and everything is different.

It has the same smell, the same sounds, the same bright lights. It's as though I've stepped back in time, right back towhere I left. It might be easy to forget that I ever left in the first place - except I've changed.

My hair is darker, no longer bleached blonde - now it is back to its natural color. It's longer and falls in wavy curls over my shoulders. I'm more alert, from years of being in hiding, and I no longer go by the name Francesca.

I am just Frankie now. I hope the slight changes in me will help me blend in and go unnoticed.

I don't want anyone to know who I am or that I am back.

For Damion's sake, I want to stay under the radar and unknown.

When I arrived three men confronted me.

My father's goons.

They tried to tell me they were taking me right back to my old home - my father's mansion - but I refused.

Instead, I've moved into a small apartment in the city, near the casinos.

I can't face the idea of living with my father - and how his overbearing control will affect Damion who has only known a peaceful, free life in the countryside.

I don't want this Las Vegas life for my son and even though I am back I will do everything I can to keep him safe from my father's suffocating influence.

Tonight, I am on my way to see my father for the first time since I left.

Seated in the back of the town car he sent for me, with Damion strapped in beside me, my stomach is in knots. Riddled with anxiety, I can't sit still.

Damion can sense something is wrong, even though I am doing my best to hide it from him.

He keeps looking over at me, a little frown on his face.

I keep reassuring him as best I can.

"We are going to see your grandpa," I say, tucking a dark wild curl behind his ear.

"Gampa?"

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