Page 37 of Obsession

Where are you?

Madi

Out with friends.

His response comes back quickly.

Adrian

Where?

Madi

Out.

I send the text and tuck the phone back into my purse, refusing to report my whereabouts to my new husband constantly. Plus, he has a man on me. I haven’t slipped my leash again, not since the night of my faux bachelorette party where Adrian found me in an alley… I shudder at the thought.

I spend the next hour catching them up on my arrangement, leaving out the part where my cousin possibly kills my brother. I stick to the bigger topics. Adrian’s a lawyer. He and my family agreed that we should marry. And then they set a date.

“That’s archaic,” Eric says, leaning back in his seat while he takes a long sip of his drink.

“You should have told us,” Elijah says, but there’s no anger in his words. His dark eyes look over at me with empathy. “We would have been there for you.”

“I know.” I nod, trying my best not to let tears spring from my eyes. Deep down, I did know they’d be there if I’d asked. But bringing them further into my life didn’t seem like the best idea. People around me never seemed to last long and I can’t bear the thought of something happening to them, simply because they were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Or worse, them witnessing something at my wedding they weren’t supposed to see.

I’m not dumb. I know what happens to people in this city who witness my family’s wrongdoings. It’s safer for them to be kept at an arm’s length.

“Well…” Elijah finally relaxes his shoulders. “Does he have a big dick, at least?”

“Yes! The good questions, finally!” Sadie cheers as she sits up from her spot leaning against Eric. “We need all the details!”

I can’t help the crimson blush that immediately rises to my cheeks. “Uhm…”

“Madi!” Sadie screeches. “You slut! Tell me everything. What was it like?”

Eric groans beside her. “We do not need to hear about Madi’s sex life, babe.”

“Speak for yourself!” She nudges him.

“We haven’t actually-”

“What?” Sadie’s voice is loud and filled with shock. “You haven’t had sex with your husband yet?”

I shrug. “I don’t even know if I want to…”

“But you’ve done other things?” she presses.

I’m sure my face is the color of a tomato by now, so I untuck my hair from behind my ear, letting it act as a shield. “It’s not like there haven’t been opportunities. I just don’t think I’m, ya know, ready.”

“Oh, that’s beautiful.” Elijah smiles. “We have our own blushing virgin at the table,” he mocks me, hand on his chest.

“Hah-hah.” I press my back into the velvet booth and cross my arms. “I don’t want to give him the impression that I like him, ya know?”

“Hate sex is sooo good, Mads,” Sadie says as she pops the cherry from her whiskey sour between her lips. “Besides, if you’re stuck with him, you might as well get the goods.” She winks.

“And what if the goods aren’tgoodfor me?”

That’s a lie, because I already know what Adrian can do with his mouth and fingers. I can’t imagine what that dick would do if he stuck it inside of me. I cover my mouth with my hand and dip my head. I cannot be thinking about Adrian’s dick while I’m out in public.

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