Page 50 of Twisted Obsession

And what if Dominic comes to resent me for forcing him away from his own family? He hasn’t even told me he loves me… and if he doesn’t, what chance do we have of surviving against those kinds of odds?

I find I can’t answer that question, even though I’m not sure there’s any other viable option.

Dominic must sense my hesitation because he reaches over and takes my hand. "We don't have to decide right now. Just think about it, okay?”

I nod, grateful for his understanding. We drive in silence for a while, both lost in our own thoughts, but all too soon we reach the spa, where I’m supposed to be having a treatment with Emylyah. I can’t help the sense of foreboding I feel as I get out of Dominic’s car and lean in to kiss him through the open window. I guess his idea has unnerved me more than I imagined. I also know we’re out of time.

With a heavy sigh, I raise my hand and walk away, and as always, Dominic waits, watching to make sure I’m safely inside the building before he leaves.

I know something is wrong as soon as I walk through the door. There’s an unusual silence and the atmosphere is tense. My heart starts to race as I enter the treatment room, immediately spotting Emylyah, standing rigidly by the massage bed, her husband Nikolai’s uncompromising arm banded around her waist, her expression wretched. His eyes meet mine and his grim countenance confirms my worst fears. I’ve been found out. I can only hope my brothers don’t know yet…

“Niko, I can explain…” I start.

He cuts me off, his words short, his Ukrainian accent heavy. “It’s not me you need to be explaining to.”

Before I can say any more, the distinctive sound of a gunshot sounds from outside and my blood runs cold.

My heart stops as I rush to the window, praying I'm wrong about what I just heard. But there, on the street below, I see Dominic's car, the driver's side window shattered. Two familiar figures approach the vehicle–Ciaran and Callum, my brothers.

"No!" I scream, my voice raw with panic. I whirl around to face Nikolai, desperation clawing at my chest. "Please, you have to stop them!"

Nikolai's expression remains impassive. "This is family business, Roisin. It’s not my place to interfere."

Emylyah reaches for me, tears in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Roisin. They found out somehow. I tried to warn you, but..."

I don't wait to hear the rest. Pushing past them both, I race down the stairs, taking them two at a time. My heart pounds in my ears, drowning out everything but the urgent need to reach Dominic.

As I burst out onto the street, I see Ciaran dragging Dominic from the car. Blood stains his shirt–he's been hit. Callum stands nearby, his gun still raised.

"Stop!" I scream, my voice raw and desperate. "Please, don't hurt him!"

Ciaran's head snaps up at the sound of my voice, his eyes narrowing as he takes in my disheveled appearance. Dominic slumps against the car, his hand pressed to his bleeding shoulder.

"Roisin, get back inside," he stutters. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Don’t even speak to her, asshole,” Callum growls, lifting his weapon to cuff the side of Dominic’s head.

Ignoring both of them, I rush forward, only to get caught up in the aggression. The next thing I know, I’m on the ground, my head spinning, and the wind knocked out of me.

From somewhere above me, there’s an almighty roar, followed by the sounds of a fistfight. “You fuckers! You curse me for being with Roisin, but this is the way you treat her?”

I don’t know where Dominic finds the strength, but he battles to get to me, his hand lands on my shoulder where I’m curled up on the ground in a fetal position. “Are you okay?” he asks, his voice gentle, despite everything.

Before I can reply, he’s yanked away, my brothers jumping him as soon as his guard is down. I hear the distinctive sound of a handgun being cocked and an inhuman sound is torn from my throat, piercing the air like a banshee wail. "No! It’s not what you think!" I gasp.

"Oh, I think we understand perfectly," Ciaran snarls.

“Stop!” Nikolai’s voice cuts through whatever argument is about to be made. “This is not the place,druz'ya,” he tells them as the sound of sirens come closer. “Take it somewhere else while you still can.”

Emylyah rushes to my side, throwing her arms around me, carefully helping me off the ground, whispering to ask me if I’m alright. Her husband may not have intentionally meant to save Dominic’s life, but that’s the result. For now, anyway. I’m painfully aware it might only be a temporary respite, but at leastit gives me time to talk some sense into my brothers so I can keep him that way.

“Get Roisin home, right now!” Lyah turns her righteous anger on my brothers like she’s not stepping way out of line, giving orders to the heads of an opposing underworld syndicate. “She’s been through enough lately and doesn’t need this bullshit.”

Gotta love that girl.

Niko rolls his eyes and takes her by the arm, pulling her away from where she’s right up in my armed brothers’ faces. “Tebe nuzhna khoroshaya porka,”he mutters.

I’m close enough to hear his words, even though I don’t know what they mean. I can hazard a guess though, if the way Lyah dips her head and blushes bright red is any indication.

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