Page 11 of Obsessive Love

"After that whole debacle last time, I had a tracking app installed on both of your phones," he states. "Now, you left your phone at home, but Jaylen always has his on him. So, do you want to tell me why my little sister was out at one of the Rossi clubs last night and why she was still there this morning,or should I go and twist Jaylen's arm and have him tell me instead?"

My head whips around to face him as my jaw hangs open in shock.

"I was at a Rossi club?"

He raises a questioning brow and nods.

"You didn't know?" he asks. I shake my head, staring at him with wide eyes. Worry flashes across his face when he realises I'm telling him the truth. "Soph, what did you do when you were there?"

I gulp nervously as I think about dancing with the Italian guy and my cheeks heat as I remember kissing him and how it felt to have his mouth and hands all over my body.

"I, uh, I," I stutter, thinking of an appropriate response to his question.

He grabs my shoulders and gently shakes me, waiting for me to focus on him again.

"Please, just tell me you didn't do anything stupid."

I pull my bottom lip into my mouth and sink my teeth into it as I stare at my brother's worried expression. Before I can answer him, footsteps pound against the floor in the hallway and we both turn to stare at the open doorway. Jaylen appears, his eyes darting between us both.

"What's going on?" he asks, panic evident on his face.

"You took her to 'Blitz'?" my brother shouts, releasing me from his hold. He glares at Jaylen as he crosses his stocky arms across his chest.

"Jess wanted to go," Jaylen shoots back, glancing over at me and silently communicating with me to play along with whatever he says. "I checked before we went that none of the Rossi family was going to be there, and I kept an eye on both of them the whole time. Nothing bad happened, Dom. I made sure of it."

My brother watches our cousin for a few moments with narrowed eyes.

"Why were you still there this morning?"

"We weren't. I left my phone there last night, must've slipped out of my pocket or something while I was trying to wrestle Jess out of the club. That's why we took longer to get here, because I had to go back to the club and get my phone after we left Jess' house."

My brows raise in surprise at the story that Jaylen's come up with on the spot and I can't help but feel slightly impressed that he seems like he's being completely truthful. I could never lie that well.

My brother sighs and swipes a hand down his face, shaking his head.

Before he can look at me for any confirmation on Jaylen's story, I mutter something about getting ready and then hurriedly lock myself in the bathroom.

Sitting in the backseat of Dominic's car on the way to my father's house, I can't stop my thoughts from drifting back to last night.

Who knew one night with a handsome stranger could be so unforgettable? The feel of his hands on my skin was like nothing I'd ever felt before, and every time our lips touched, it was as if a fire was lit inside of me.

Even though the sex was somewhat rough, it was filled with passion and an intense amount of lust and desire. At first, I thought that it was maybe due to my lack of experience as to why I felt the way I did, considering I've only ever slept with one guy before. Still, after talking to Jess on the phone whilstI was getting ready and hearing how shocked she was at my description of the night, I'm convinced I was lucky to have connected with the mysterious Italian hunk.

"Soph, I know you're not thrilled about this whole marriage thing, but try not to bite Dad's head off tonight whilst he's going over everything with you. He doesn't like this just as much as you do, but it has to be done," Dom says, glancing at me through the rear-view mirror.

I roll my eyes and shake my head.

"You don't get it, Dom. He promised me that this would never happen. He knew I never wanted this and he vowed to me that he'd never take my choice away from me."

"If you don't go through with this marriage, it'll cause a war. You need to understand that that's the only reason he's taking your choice away from you. If the Rossi's had a daughter, it'd be me in your position instead, but Alessandro only has sons, so unfortunately, this responsibility is now on your shoulders," he sighs.

I watch out the window as we pass through the entry gates that lead to my father's winding driveway and I close my eyes, taking a deep breath and mentally preparing myself for the conversation ahead.

Chapter Eight

Sophia

We walk into the foyer and I'm immediately greeted by the spicy aroma wafting through from the kitchen. A small smile graces my face as I picture my mother standing at the stove with Greta, our cook and housekeeper. Dominic continues forward, turning left down the hallway that leads to my father's office. Although I'm meant to follow him, I don't.

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