Page 4 of Dark Obsession

The noise from the club is just a distant hum behind us now. As we exit the building, a black car awaits, engine running. I relax a little bit as Grigori opens the door for me, but then he drops a bomb that stops me cold.

“Their target wasn’t you, Elena," he says, his voice low and serious. "It was me.”

Chapter 2

Elena

“What the hell do you meanyouwere the target?”

I slam the car door shut, my heart still pounding from what just happened. Grigori is behind the wheel, his eyes laser-focused on the road as he pulls away.

“Just… trust me, Elena. The less you know, the better.”

I scoff, throwing my hands up. “Trust you? You’re seriously telling me to trust you after you just let me and my friends—not to mention everyone else in that club—walk right into an ambush? How long have you known about this?”

His eyes flick to me briefly then back to the road. “I don’t have time to go into it right now. I need to focus on getting us to the safe house.”

“Don’t you dare shut down on me, Grigori, not now.” I cross my arms, my anger simmering beneath the surface. “I deserve answers.”

We’ve known each other too long for this cryptic bullshit.

There’s a history between us that runs deeper than most realize. But when he shuts down like this, he turns into a brick wall, and I know there’s no getting through to him.

“I’ll explain everything later,” he mutters. “Right now, just let me drive.”

I stare out the window as the city flies past us, the towering skyscrapers of downtown Chicago glittering against the night sky. My heart’s still racing, my blood hot from the adrenaline and the frustration toward Grigori. The streets are quiet, but my mind is anything but. I pull out my phone, quickly typing a message to Sasha, making sure that she and Natalia got out okay.

Before I can hit send, Grigori reaches over and snatches the phone from my hand.

“What the hell?” I snap, glaring at him.

“We don’t know who’s tracking us,” he says, his voice clipped as if I should’ve known better. Without another word, he rolls down the window and tosses both of our phones out into the night. Gone. Just like that.

Great.

“You could’ve just turned it off,” I mutter.

“I let your brothers know you’re safe,” he says, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“Well, that’s one less thing to worry about. We can head back to the mansion then.” He shakes his head immediately.

“No. I already told you we’re going to the safe house. The one out in Downers Grove.”

I want to groan.Thatplace? It’s miles away from anything useful, but I know he’s right. Grigori might be a pain in my ass, but when it comes to situations like this, he knows his shit.

“Fine.”

The drive to Downers Grove drags on in silence.

I lean back in my seat, arms crossed, staring out at the dark road ahead. I’m pissed, but I can’t help stealing glances at him as he drives. The way his jaw tightens, eyes scanning the road with laser focus, hands gripping the wheel in the calm and confident manner he brings to everything.

It drives me insane. How the hell can one man be so frustrating and yet so damn attractive at the same time? It’s annoying. I hate that he affects me like this. I hate it almost as much as I hate the silence between us right now.

We finally pull up to the safe house. It’s a small, nondescript place nestled in a quiet, wooded area on the outskirts of Downers Grove, about a half hour from downtown. Nothing about it screams Bratva safe house and that’s the point—no one would ever think twice about it. The lawn is overgrown, the siding faded, and the windows dark. The place is fully stocked and fortified, reinforced in ways no one would expect.

Grigori leaves me in the car, grabbing his gun as he steps out to check the perimeter. I wait, tapping my fingers on my knee, every nerve on edge. A few minutes later he returns, opens the door, and gestures for me to get out.

“Inside,” he commands, always in control, always herding me like some stubborn animal. I roll my eyes but follow him anyway, my nerves wound tight.

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