Page 95 of Whispers of Obsession

Slater's grip on my arm is firm, almost bruising, as he pulls me into a more secluded corner of the library. His eyes are ablaze with a mixture of anger and something else, something darker that I can't quite decipher. I try to pull away, but his hold tightens, grounding me in place.

“Cora, you need to trust me,” he growls through clenched teeth, his voice low and urgent. “I can't explain everything right now, but you have to believe that I would never put you in harm's way.”

His words send a shiver down my spine, the intensity of his gaze piercing through me. There’s conflict in his eyes, a turmoil of emotions that he's struggling to contain. And despite the fearcreeping into my heart, a part of me still yearns to trust in him, to believe that there's a reason behind his actions.

“Why won't you tell me the truth, Slater?” I demand, my voice wavering with a mix of defiance and desperation. “I found a gun in your closet, for god's sake! How can I trust you if you keep such secrets from me?”

Slater's jaw tightens as he releases my arm, taking a step back as if physically distancing himself from the situation. His hands clench into fists at his sides, his expression haunted yet determined.

“I never wanted you to find that,” he admits quietly, his voice laced with regret. “But there are things...things you don't understand. I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Cora. Even if it means keeping secrets.”

The weight of his words hangs heavy in the air between us, the truth of his declaration settling like a stone in my stomach. Despite the fear and uncertainty swirling inside me, there’s a flicker of understanding in his eyes that tugs at my heart. I want to believe him, to trust that he has our best interests at heart, but the sight of that gun still lingers in the back of my mind, a stark reminder of the shadows lurking beneath the surface of our relationship.

“I need more than just empty promises, Slater,” I say, my voice tinged with a mixture of frustration and longing. “I need to know that I can trust you, completely and without reservation. That you’re not just going to abandon me and disappear again.”

“You can trust me, Cora. I will protect you.”

“Can I though?” I demand, hating how my voice cracks with emotion and tears form in my eyes. “Are you just protecting me because you think of me as a burden? Is everything you said a lie, am I just your stepsister, Slater?”

“I'm sorry, Cora. I never meant to make you feel that way,” Slater says, his voice softening as he reaches out to touch myarm, his eyes pleading for understanding. “I know I haven't been the best at expressing myself, but please don't doubt how much you mean to me.”

Tears threaten to spill from my eyes as I look into his earnest gaze, the warmth of his touch soothing the turmoil raging inside me. Despite the shadows of doubt lingering in my heart, there's a flicker of hope reigniting as I see the vulnerability in his eyes, raw and unguarded.

Slater’s lips crash against mine in a whirlwind of emotion and desire. He fists my hair, pulling me closer so that he can deepen the kiss, and all the doubts and fears that had clouded my mind seem to fade away. His kiss is fierce, passionate, a storm of conflicting emotions that leaves me breathless and wanting more. In this moment, there is no gun hidden in his closet, no secrets between us, only the raw intensity of our connection burning bright like a wildfire spreading through me at an alarming rate.

I melt into his touch, my hands reaching up to tangle in his shirt. The weight of his body against mine sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine.

Slater’s hands roam over my body with a desperate need, igniting a desperate hunger within me. Our kisses grow deeper, more heated, as if trying to convey all the unspoken words and emotions that have passed between us.

He slips his hand under my hoodie - his hoodie - and caresses the bare skin on my stomach. Butterflies take flight in my belly, and I moan as I press my hips into his, silently begging for more.

Slater freezes.

He pulls away and, unable to meet my gaze, mutters, “I can’t do this. I’m sorry, Cora. I…can’t.”

“What?”

“I…can’t do it. I want you, Ido.But I can’t do this.”

Anger washes over me like a cold shower. All of those feelings of lust, of happiness, ofhopethat we may just be okay are doused out with his words.

“You have to stop pulling away from me, Slater,” I plead, before steeling my spine, standing up straight, and folding my arms over my chest to push him away. “Either be my boyfriend ineveryway, or go back to treating me like a little sister… No, not like a little sister, like anex-stepsister. Because that’s what I am.”

Slater stares at me with a mixture of shock and resignation, his chest rising and falling with the unspoken weight of my ultimatum. I see the internal struggle playing out in his eyes, the battle between his desire for me and the secrets he holds close to his heart. For a moment, the tension between us crackles like electricity, the air heavy with unspoken words.

“What are you saying, Cora?” Slater’s voice is an angry whisper, his eyes locked onto mine. “I can’t just turn my feelings off like a switch, but I can’t...I can’t ignore the danger that’s out there.”

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders as I meet his gaze. “Then we’re done, Slater. If you can’t treat me like a real girlfriend, then let me go.”

His eyes widen in surprise, panic flaring for a split second before anger and frustration take over.

He steps closer, caging me in against the stacks with an arm on either side of my head, and my pulse increases even as I swallow nervously.

I’m excited. I like this dark and dangerous side of Slater.

He grabs me roughly and swallows my protests as he slams his lips into mine hard enough to bruise. I let out a whimper, unable to contain my arousal at the intensity of his kiss.

Slater’s lips moved down my neck, trailing hot, wet kisses, his teeth grazing my sensitive skin. My heart races, my breathhitching as he presses his body against mine, his erection rock hard and obvious.

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