Page 69 of Brutal Obsession

I climb in and draw the curtain, strip naked before I change my mind, and deposit my folded clothes on the sink countertop, keeping everything but my arm covered. The whole shower creaks when I turn on the water, and I flinch and shiver from the cold spray.

Cian remains quiet, which is nice. I can almost pretend I’m alone.

If I close my eyes while the water douses me, I can almost believe it too.

But then I see a new, darker, more dangerous reality in my mind, and my eyes pop open like I’m coming out of a nightmare.

I can’t believe I’m being targeted by the De Luca family.

I mean, what the ever-loving fuck? The De Lucas want me because Finn and I were engaged for a few months? They’re going to use me as a way to get back at him? Hell, I didn’t even marry the guy!

Speaking of marrying Finn… I wanted to do a little dance when Cian said that he and Riley were an item now. That possibility played into my decision to run, but while I hoped deep down that stranding my intended at the altar would clear the path for my sister, my optimism remained dampened. After all, Riley went all those years without ever admitting to her crush, and Finn turned hard after his first wife was murdered. Somehow, though, it sounds as if they conquered the odds and found each other.

If true, their love match would go a long way toward easing my guilt over drawing my twin back into the family fold.

My flight reflex blossoms. I should be on the phone with my sister, fact-checking every single thing Cian said out there. Intuition blinks on in my brain like a faulty overhead light.

There’s probably way more to this story than Cian shared. Why else would he try to keep me away from the phone?

He fed me some highlights to preoccupy me, but I’ve probably yet to hear about the real drama.

My heart leaps into my throat.

Oh, god. I’m in so much more trouble than I ever realized.

Evading the Kings is one thing. With them, I know who and what I’m up against. The De Lucas and some batshit crazy revenge game they’re playing? To say I’m out of my depth here would be an understatement.

I hate to admit it, but if Cian hadn’t found me first, today might have been my last day on Earth.

The heat from the shower opens my pores and pummels my tight, panicky muscles. My mind remains as tight as a fist, but the tension in the bathroom challenges any attempts to relax.

Cian isright there. And I’m right here, naked, mere inches away.

The whole situation is awkward as hell.

Maybe talking would help, but I don’t know what to say.

Like he’s telepathic, Cian pipes up.

“I, uh…” He clears his throat, raising his voice so I hear him over the shower’s rushing rapids. “I answered your questions.”

I just wait.

“Are you going to answer mine?”

“What questions?”

“About this afternoon in the…you know.”

I must be pink all the way up to my hairline. He’s really bringing this upa second time?After I so obviously and pointedly refused to answer the first time?

What a dick.

“What about it?” Nerves raise my pitch a few octaves.

“Was that really your first time?”

Lust and attraction ping through me, humiliating me even more. Today turned out awful, but the flush of moisture that rushes south when I think of having Cian’s cock in my mouth is inescapable.

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