Page 22 of Dark Obsession

I’m not in the mood for a family reunion right now.

Lucky for me, I know more about sneaking into this house than most. I was one of the brains behind the mansion’s updated security features. I know the blind spots, the hidden entry points, and the timing of the guards’ rotations.

Everything.

It’s like a maze I designed, and now I’m the one using that knowledge to slip through it.

I take a deep breath and stare at the mansion’s towering silhouette. I’m going to do it, even if it is a bad idea. I can’t stay away from her.

I’m parked in one of the security camera’s few blind spots—a little patch just off the main road, far enough away to go unnoticed, but close enough to approach quickly. It’s almost too easy, slipping past the initial layer of security.

I step out and make my way toward the gate, staying in the shadows. It’s all about timing and I’ve memorized the guards’ shifts down to the second. The first pair will be doing their rounds on the east side of the grounds, giving me a small window of opportunity. I move quickly, ducking behind a tall hedge as I hear the faint crunching of their footsteps on the gravel.

I wait until they pass, then slip through the gate using a hidden latch only a handful of us know about. Once inside, I navigate the grounds like a ghost, sticking close to the stone walls, using trees and landscaping for cover. I dodge another guard near the patio, ducking beneath a blind spot in one of the outdoor cameras. Every corner, every turn, I know exactly where to hide.

Finally, I make it to the mansion. Inside, I locate a security panel tucked behind an alcove. Quickly, I tap in a code, disabling the motion sensors for exactly five minutes.

That’s all I’ll need.

I move upstairs, heart steady but mind racing. Elena always chooses the same bedroom when she stays here—the one on the top floor—and I know that’s where I’ll find her.

I make it to the top floor, moving silently down the hallway. But the moment I spot a guard stationed outside the door to Elena’s room, I pull back into the shadows.

Fuck.

I didn’t expect them to be guarding her this closely.

I wait, crouching in the darkness, watching the guard’s movements. He shifts his attention briefly elsewhere and that’s all I need. I slip into the nearest bedroom, quietly closing the door behind me.

Moving quickly, I head to the window. I crack it open just enough and slip outside, the cool night air hitting me as I grip the ledge and begin to make my way across the stone facade toward Elena’s balcony. Every step is deliberate, every grip solid, but when I glance down, I’m reminded just how high up I am. One wrong move and I’m done for.

It strikes me how insane this all is. Crawling along the side of a Bratva fortress like a goddamn thief in the night just to see her. But I keep going.

I reach the balcony and quietly step over the railing. I can see her sitting on the bed, her laptop open, the soft glow of the screen illuminating her face. She’s laser focused and unaware ofanything else. My heart tightens at the sight of her, and for a split second, I feel something strange, something unfamiliar that catches me off guard.

What the hell are you doing, Grigori?

I pause, gripping the edge of the balcony railing, knowing that if I want to back off, this is my last chance. I could disappear into the night, pretend none of this ever happened. But then I catch sight of her again, and this time, I reallyseeher. She’s sitting there in nothing but a thin sleeping shirt that barely covers her thighs, giving me flashes of pastel blue panties underneath every time she shifts.

My cock twitches at the sight of her, but I know it’s more than that pulling me here. It’s not simple lust, though that’s enough to drive any man insane. No, it’s something deeper. Something I don’t fully understand yet but need to figure out.

Before I lose my nerve, I knock on the window. Elena’s eyes snap wide as she slams her laptop shut. For a second, she looks pissed—like I’ve invaded her space—but then her expression changes. She gets up and walks over, her face flickering between happy and annoyed, like she can’t decide which feeling to land on.

She slides the door open, glaring at me with crossed arms.

“What the hell are you doing here, Grigori?”she whispers.

I can’t help the smirk that pulls at my lips. “Thought I’d drop by to clean the gutters. They’re looking a little rough.”

She rolls her eyes, a smile breaking through her frustration. “You’re unbelievable.”

She steps aside and I slip into the room, my eyes flicking to the laptop she just slammed shut. I raise an eyebrow. “Looking atnaughty things online?”

“In your dreams.”

I’m curious about what she was looking at, though. I can tell when she’s in an investigative mood—maybe she’s been poking around about the shooting. But I bite my tongue. I’m not here to pry.

Not tonight.

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