Page 217 of Obsession

The doctor, a rather short man in his fifties, looked intently at the young man in front of him.

He shook his head and smiled at me, then left. I could understand his discomfort, because Harris seemed to be able to pulverize something just by looking at it.

“Walker, make yourself useful for once in your life and stay with Katherine until I come out,” he ordered when the detective returned.

Shane grabbed him by the arm before I could.

“You’re not beating that guy in here,” he growled in a low voice next to Harris’ ear.

They tried to be inconspicuous and not draw attention, but they were unsuccessful.

“Get your hand off me,” came the reply to Shane’s growl.

“I can’t stay. A body was found in the harbor, and I really hope it has nothing to do with you two, because you’re starting to wear me out.”

I shivered, and when Harris looked at me, he seemed to calm down and pulled me into his arms.

“I’m serious, Stone,” Shane warned.

“I’m not going to hit him. Just go already.”

Shane sighed, looking tired as he realized he’d never get a nicer response or gratitude from Harris. The regret of ever having helped was evident on his features.

“Even if what it’s happening to her because of you, don’t let her out of your sight.” Shane said before turning to me. “I told you to stay away from him now, it’s too late.”

I bit my tongue to stop myself from crying in fear as Harris shook with rage beside me.

“She’s scared enough without you spewing shit out of your mouth. And you don’t need to tell me to protect her.”

“Be better at it,” Shane replied through clenched teeth, then turned away and left.

I watched him until he left the hospital, then I looked at Harris.

“I want to get out of here.”

“We need to talk to him and you know it,” I bit my lip as I had no strength left in me, “aren’t you curious about the truth?”

“Yes, but…”

“Listen, whoever the bastard who made him do this is, it’s possible he’s still around, waiting for the right moment to get to him and finish the job. That won’t happen until I know everything.”

I wouldn’t have moved if he hadn’t pulled me along with him. He told me without any quibble that Adam could be killed.

My feet were shaking by the time we reached his room, and while Harris asked for directions, I clung to his back. At that moment, I felt the gun under his T-shirt.

I’d felt it once before, when he’d taken me home on his motorcycle, and only now did I realize what had pressed into my stomach then.

He never had it with him when he came over, and I was sure he didn’t have it with him today when Shane came, but he had it now. And somehow I knew there wouldn’t be another day when he did not have it with him.

I fought with every fiber of my being against associating Harris with a criminal, but every moment brought me closer and closer to the horrible truth.

I couldn’t fight myself and drown in denial just because I wanted to, but I needed to. I had to believe that gun was only for self-defense, that he didn’t use it regularly.

He opened the door to Adam’s room and entered without knocking first. I had expected to find Adam lying down, but he was standing and struggling to put on a shirt. A nurse was there, explaining some painkillers to him.

He looked at us, at me, and his relief was palpable in the air. I didn’t know how to deal with it or how to behave, because despite the fact that it had all happened because of me, he had chosen to do what a psychopath had asked him to do instead of telling me or going to the police.

He had lured me into a trap.

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