Page 7 of Whispers of Obsession

“Yes,” I yelp, trying to push away from him, but Slater keeps me close with his free arm wrapped around my waist tightly.

“Oh, hello. It’s Mr. Spiro, isn’t it?” Slater frowns, and I find myself mirroring the action.How does Slater know his name? Mr. Spiro is new.“What are you doing out here? Did you need something from Cora?” The suggestive way Slater asks this makes me cringe, and I wonder if he knows more than he should.

Impossible. He can’t. He doesn’t even go to this school anymore. I’m just feeling paranoid and on edge about everything.

“No, I was just looking for someone else when I ran into Mr. Spiro,” I hastily try to explain. I’m talking too fast but hoping my stepbrother chalks it up to me being out of breath from running. “He was just trying to walk me back to the game in case I ran into anyone dangerous.” I emphasize the last word and give him a pointed look.

Slater raises his brow at me, a lazy smile on his face that annoys me, before he looks back at Victor and that smile drops like a stone and a fierce scowl takes its place. I don’t want to be left alone with Victor, but I also don’t want him to get caught. I don’t want anyone to see those videos.

Oh god, the thought of that makes my stomach twist painfully and bile rises in my throat.

“I’ve got her now,” Slater tells Victor, throwing his arm over my shoulders. “She’s my sister.”

“I didn’t know you had a brother, Cora,” Victor says, completely ignoring Slater and giving me an unreadable look.

“Stepbrother,” I whisper. “He’s usually away at college.”

That seems to make Victor happier; his shoulders relax, and he looks relieved.

Slater still has his arm around me, and I inhale his scent keenly. It’s so much nicer than Victor’s. The warmth of his body and the reassuring weight of his arm cause the tension to dissolve from my body.

“You should probably go watch the end of the game or help with crowd control or something,Sir.” Slater nods in the direction of the football field, and Victor clears his throat.

“Alright, you two enjoy the rest of your night.” Victor tips his head, but instead of heading to the game, he heads to his car. I watch him walk away, thankful he doesn’t look back.

I pull out of Slater’s grip, shoving at his chest, and he smirks.

“Better get back to the bleachers, little sis, in case any of those dangerous men show up.”

Before I can come up with a retort, my phone starts buzzing in my pocket. Lizzy’s calling.

“Hello?”

“Where are you? I’ve called four times!” Lizzy exclaims, sounding exasperated with me. “The game’s almost over, but come meet me, and we’ll go to a party one of the players is throwing.”

I cringe. “Sorry, sorry. I’m coming now.”

As I wordlessly walk away from Slater, I can’t help but wonder what might have happened if he hadn’t been there. If Victor had caught up to me. It makes me shudder.

6

CORA

The next day, Victor texts and calls me no less than fifty times. I end up having to turn my phone off just so I can focus on trying to find a dress without being distracted every ten seconds.

Slater got too close yesterday. The fact that he hasn’t spoken to me in years, and everything he said to me last night sounded like an accusation. If he knows something, then do other people know as well?

I’ve never even had a boyfriend. Any guy who ever showed interest in the past usually bailed after a few days, once they realized I was super unpopular. I once wondered if Slater was scaring them off, but he’s been gone a couple of years, and there’s still virtually zero interest.

I might not bedatingVictor, but I do know that he’s being a little overbearing today. I shake away all of my chaotic thoughts to focus on what I’m doing instead.

This is the fifth dress I’ve tried on, but I’m in love. It’s short, black, and simple. The satin material feels good against my skin,and I won’t need to wear a bra. I do a little spin, grinning like a crazy person. I actually have the money to pay for it too.

Guilt squeezes my chest. I make a mental note to call Victor once I get home. Or at least text him back. I should thank him for the dress money. I would never have been able to come shopping like this without his help. And maybe he’s just calling me because he’s desperate to apologize for last night. He didn’t seem like himself after all.

I snap a quick selfie in case Victor asks to see what his money bought, but hopefully he won’t, and it can be a surprise at the dance. It’ll look better if he can get the full effect with my hair and makeup done anyway.

After I show Lizzy the dress and get her enthusiastic seal of approval, we check out, then head to the food court to grab something to eat before we hunt for heels. I already found the pair I want online, but I need to eat before we continue shopping, just in case Lizzy ends up trying on a thousand pairs.

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