Page 151 of Divine Obsession

I ended the call, picking up a tumbler. The amber liquid swirled in the glass as I stared out at the city, my reflection faint in the glass.

She deserved better. But better didn’t exist. Not in our world.

And if that meant no one else could have her…So be it.

25 years old

The bass from the club’s speakers vibrated deep enough to rattle in my chest. The place was packed, the kind of chaos you’d expect on New Year’s Eve in New York. Bodies moving on the dance floor, laughter echoing from the VIP sections, overpriced champagne pouring like water.

I leaned against the railing on the fourth floor, a drink in hand, looking down at the sea of faces below.

Zach stood beside me, unusually quiet. His focus wasn’t on the revelry but on the small, gleaming object in his hand – a gold bullet encrypted with its owners name. I watched him roll it between his fingers like a gambler weighing dice, his expression distant.

“You’ve been staring at that thing all night,” I said, taking a sip of my whiskey. “Let it go, man. You’re never gonna find her.”

Zach glanced at me, running his tongue over his teeth. “You don’t know that.”

His lips pulled into a half-smile as he pocketed the bullet. “I could run into her right now.”

“She tried to kill you. She failed. She disappeared. You need to move on.”

Zach’s eyes set like the sun, something deeper in his burning gaze as he shook his head. “No way.”

I didn’t push.

Zach had his vices – revenge.

And I had mine – a five-foot-eight Italian brunette with soft brown eyes and a body for sin that made you fall to your knees before her.

On the floor below, her caramel hair caught the light as she moved. She was dancing, her body swaying to the music, and for a moment, I forgot to breathe.

But then I noticed the guy.

And then I wanted to make him stop breathing.

Skinny, dark-haired, some Wall Street type that looked like his whole life savings were worth less than my least expensive watch. He was leaning in too close, his head tilted as he spoke into her ear.

I felt my jaw tighten.

There’d been nothing on her phone to indicate she was meeting someone; no texts, no calls.

They must’ve met tonight.

The guy said something to her, and she laughed, nodding. Then he turned and headed toward the bathrooms, leaving her alone on the dance floor.

“Be right back,” I said to Zach, walking away, but he was already busy staring back at that godforsaken gold bullet.

The hallway near the restrooms was dimly lit, the music muted but still pulsing faintly in the background. I caught up to the guy just as he was stepping into the men’s room.

“Hey,” I said casually, flashing an easy smile. “Saw you on the floor. That girl you’re with – what’s her deal?”

He threw a smirk over his shoulder. “She’s cool. Said she wants to come home with me tonight.”

I nodded, my expression calm; almost friendly. “That right?”

“Yeah.” He grinned, clearly proud of himself. “Lucky me, huh?”

I didn’t respond, my eyes lowering to the small bag of pills he pulled out of his pocket. I recognized those drugs.

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