Page 132 of Blades of Obsession

He struggles to his feet, each movement slow and labored, wincing with every other step. With a final, venomous glare aimed at both of us, he staggers towards the door.Meanwhile, I quickly text the head guard, instructing him to make sure Harvey is escorted off the property. The door slams shut with a resounding bang, he’s like a little kid throwing a tantrum after being told no.

As silence settles back over, I turn to Amelia and hold out my arms. She steps into me, her body trembling slightly. I wipe away a fresh tear that falls from her face as I hold her. “It’s okay, pretty girl. Don’t cry for him, he doesn’t deserve it.”

She nods. “I know. I just wish he could leave me alone for good. But I don’t want him to die.”

“I’ll figure out something, don’t worry.” I kiss the top of her head. “Your wish is my command. Always.”

Chapter 50

AMELIA

“Frankie, the wallpaper!” I turn just in time to see the roll bouncing from the ladder she’s standing on.

“Son of a bitch!” she yelps, losing her balance as she scrambles to catch it, but it hits the floor with a thud.

The entire strip already placed on the wall comes loose, and as she reaches out, the ladder wobbles beneath her. For a second, I’m sure she’s going to fall, so I abandon the pillows I’m arranging on the couch.

“Be careful!” I shout, rushing towards her just as she manages to steady herself, one hand clutching the ladder, the other gripping the air.

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” she insists, even though her face is flushed and her breathing is erratic. Slowly, she climbs down from the ladder and when she reaches the ground, she glares at the wallpaper roll like it’s a real person, and gives it a kick, crossing her arms.

I can’t help but laugh as I take in the scene.

“Hey, whose side are you on? Me or the wallpaper?”

“At this point, the wallpaper is winning, so I’d say the wallpaper.”

“Fair.”

We both laugh, and I walk over to help her straighten the wallpaper, smoothing it back into place as best as we can. It’sonly going on one wall as a statement piece, so that’s a plus. It’s not perfect, but somehow that makes it better—more genuine, more like a home.

If you had told me at the beginning of the school year that I’d be decorating an entire mansion leading up to the last semester ending, I would’ve laughed. If you’d told me I’d have an unlimited budget to do so, I’d probably think you belonged in some kind of mental institution. Because,what?!

And the best part is, I get to do it with my best friend. At the beginning of the year, that would’ve been Skye, a girl who probably had ill intentions towards me from the beginning. But no, I have a new,realfriendship that I know is going to last through every up and down, every season, every big milestone in life.

Frankie is stuck with me whether she likes it or not. But I have a feeling she’d be just fine with that.

“I love all these designs. I may get you to redo my room,” she says, smoothing down her skirt that flipped up.

She’s keeping her original bedroom here at John’s house, and Asher is moving into it with her too. Right now we’re decorating the master suite that takes up the entire middle floor. We saved it for last, and I love how the rest of the house turned out. It needed it—some areas were so old and neglected, you’d think it was the set of one of those old war movies.

“What? I love the way your room looks! The stuffed animals are everything.”

“Yeah, but maybe it’s time for something more grown up.”

“If that’s what you really want. But Frankie, I love that sometimes you’re a little… childish. And I don’t mean that offensively, I mean that in the best way possible.”

“Really? I thought it was kinda, maybe, annoying sometimes.”

“Absolutely not. You’re fun and lively, and you may be a brat here and there, but it’s the best thing ever. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

“Thank you.”

“Anytime.”

The heartfelt moment hangs between us, warm and comforting, until Frankie breaks the silence with a mischievous grin. “So, about that rug…”

I groan. “We are not changing the rug again!”

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