Page 77 of Obsession

He’s a warm, wet dream.

“What’re you thinking about with that look on your face?” he asks, retaking a sip of his coffee.

I smile at him, feeling a slight twinge in my chest. “Nothing important, just marveling at how strange life can be.”

“Is it strange?” he questions, watching me.

I look around at the busy roadside café and try to memorize everything I see to never forget it. This is a city I want to keep with me for a lifetime. It’s just the feelings I want to forget.

“Let’s go get those croissants,” I say softly, not looking at him any longer.

Hours later, when we’re settled on the plane home, and I watch him working on his laptop, I realize that Mr. Middleton is back and our trip is behind us.

I take out my sketchpad and draw a beautiful café alongside a cobbled street, with a couple sitting there. I don’t sketch the girl’s face, but just a silhouette of her back and relaxed shoulders. Her body language says it all. She’s happy. But the man, his eyes, when he looks at that woman, reflect a quiet passion and kindness. It’s important that I sketch the man’s face in detail so I can remember him.

The man I left in Paris.

Because there’s no monster in this picture.

Chapter 25

Art Appreciation Day

HUNTER

“You look better,” Vaughn comments from the sofa as I enter my home.

I narrow my eyes at him. “Why are you still here? I thought I changed the code to the keypad lock.”

He shrugs, turning his attention back to the movie playing on the screen. “I already know all the possible password combinations you’d use. Only took me five minutes to break in.”

I place my suitcase against the door, muttering, “Of course you did.”

Vaughn turns off the television and studies me. “Steve’s dead.”

My vacation from reality with Megan is over. For a few moments in time, it was wonderful not to have to think about all the messy shit in my life.

“Did Parker do it?”

“It wasn’t Parker.” His tone is grim, and I go still. “And it wasn’t Lars.”

“What the hell do you mean, it wasn’t them? Did Steve kill himself?”

Vaughn shakes his head. “This happened just a few hours ago. Lars had to make a run, and Parker was taking a break, so I was the only one outside the room when the fire alarm went off. At the same time, I received a notification from the alarm on your office door. Somebody was trying to break in. By the time we realized that someone had just pulled the alarm to keep us distracted, it was too late. All the security footage had been wiped, and Steve’s throat was slit.”

“And you’re sitting here on your ass watching movies? Why didn’t you call me right away?” My voice is stern as I step towards him.

“There was no point,” he replies calmly. “I just got back myself. All the staff were interviewed. All the customers were drunk, of course. Nobody saw anything.”

“Who breached the security room?”

“No one. Both guards were sitting there. The monitors just turned black. Based on how quickly it happened, I suspect a cyber-attack. I just sent all the staff home and was waiting for you.”

“I should have stayed here!” I growl, furious with myself, but Vaughn cuts me off.

“No, you needed a break, and it looks like you got a nice one.”

I think about Megan for a moment, and an unfamiliar warmth fills my chest.

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