Page 71 of King of Obsession

The door opened, and she disappeared inside, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the weight of my missteps.

I leaned back in my seat, pushed a rough hand through my hair, and closed my eyes as the sun climbed higher in the sky. The world around me came to life, oblivious to the battle within me.

Half an hour later, she emerged, her face an unreadable mask as she approached the car. The silence between us was deafening, a chasm growing with each passing second.

I started the engine, the roar of the SUV filling the void.

I risked a glance at her, hoping to catch a glimpse of some lightness in her spirit after her chat with her Nonna.

‘How is she?’ I ventured.

All I got was a baleful stare. Regret hit with a gut punch.

I’d shattered the little trust we’d had.

I fought the instinct to reach for her, sucking in air to keep calm.

Fuck. My. Life.

I spent the rest of the drive back to her cabin in a blur, the winding roads and lush greenery a mere backdrop to the turmoil.

When we arrived, the familiar ritual of securing the gate and locking my ride away was a welcome distraction from our taut agitation.

But as we approached the front door, I couldn’t hold back.

I stopped her, my hand on her arm, my eyes pleading to understand.

‘Cleo,’ I growled, raw with emotion. ‘I fucked up.

Her emerald eyes canted to me in a storm of conflicting emotions.

Anger, hurt, and betrayal all swirled in a vortex that threatened to consume us.

‘Forgive me, carissima?’ I murmured, reaching for her.

She yanked her arm away, her eyes flashing with a fury that ran my blood cold.

Her laugh was harsh, bitter. ‘Who the hell do you think I am? Your get-out-of-jail-free card?’

Damn, her voice was sharp enough to slice through to the heart.

She stepped closer, her face inches from mine, the heat of her anger radiating off her in waves.

‘Fuck off, Calibrese. And get the hella out of my cabin. I think I spotted tent swag in your fancy car. Use it!’

‘Are you kicking me out?’ I growled, incredulous.

She nodded. ‘Believe it, soldier.’

I tossed the idea of arguing and pleading with her.

But that wasn’t how I rolled.

I was no begging man.

Not now.

Not fuckin’ ever.

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