Page 95 of Brutal Obsession

Smells, sounds, fluorescent lights, crowds. I don’t have my feet on the ground until Riley pulls me down into a booth at a diner in whatever terminal this is. The guys lurk nearby. I can sense their joint testosterone output the way heat from a bonfire hits from several paces off.

“There’s so much to say,” Riley begins with a laugh. “I don’t know where to start.” Her laughter summons mine like a spell.

I swipe at my damp cheeks. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Apologies. Hawaii. Cian. Riley. Finn.Cian.

“Why don’t we start with grilled cheese sandwiches?” My stomach approves of my sister’s suggestion. And now I realize I need topee.An eight-hour flight and who knows how much wine? I didn’t get up one time.

“Yes, yes, yes.” I rise from the table. “Give me one second!”

Thankfully, there’s a bathroom right across from the diner that I make a beeline for.

After I wash my hands, I check out the horror-show that is my face and splash some water over my cheeks. God, I really look like hell.

But I feel light. Lighter than I have in a while, and I don’t understand why.

As I grab for a paper towel, footsteps echo behind me. I glance into the mirror just in time to see a woman with wide sunglasses raise an object resembling a nightstick above my head.

Her hand falls, and a sharp pain spears the back of my skull.

Then, everything goes black.

Chapter 27

Cian

As soon as we’re alone, I tell Finn about the De Luca cronies in Hawaii. I don’t want to give him the chance to ask me any questions, so I figure going straight into work is the best bet.

We’re sitting a few tables away from Riley and Harper while the girls reconnect. Close enough to keep watch on them, but far enough away to give them some privacy. They seem happy to see each other. Harper gets up to run to the bathroom, a wide smile on her face.

I thought the promise of seeing her sister again rekindled Harper’s spark. Their reunion reminded me of one of those sappy, made-for-tv movies. But seeing Riley isn’t a reason for her to slide her fingers through mine when we’re alone. Or fall asleep with her head against my shoulder. And it doesn’t explain why she kissed me like that on the plane before we landed. Or after.

Like she doesn’t want our time together to end.

And what’s the point in taking her back anyway? It’s not like Finn’s waiting to marry her. With the De Lucas still after her, she needs protection, but that doesn’t have to happen in New York.

We could go anywhere.

I meanshe. She could go anywhere.

Damn it.

Harper—relying on me, trusting me, drawing near to me—makes me so…possessive and aroused and insane with happiness all at the same time. The signs are too obvious to miss, but owning up to reality has been too much for me to do.

I’m starting to think that Finn was right. This crazy obsession I have for Harper might actually be more, and that’s a big fucking problem.

My gaze flicks to the table, but she hasn’t returned.

What the hell is taking her so long?

I glance over toward the bathrooms, and the ground sways beneath my feet.

In front of the women’s restroom, a neon yellow sign announcesclosed for cleaning. That sign wasn’t there when Harper went in, and the janitorial staff wouldn’t set the sign up yet if people were still inside.

Fuck!

I leap from the booth and ignore other travelers’ stares as I sprint across the walkway to charge into the bathroom.

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