Page 7 of Brutal Obsession

Elena is my mother’s middle name. I combined it with mine and used the name for my new identification.

Part of the week, I work as a farmhand, helping harvest pineapples. Jean teaches me about different fertilizers, the growth process of the fruit, mulching, soil types, and propagation.

My other workdays, I spend at Dish.The restaurant sits right on the water near Waikiki Beach, an intimate little tourist trap where vacationers sip cocktails out of fresh pineapples and order grass-fed steak burgers.

I usually dedicate my free time to reclining in a beach chair on one of Oahu’s many stunning shorelines. Today, I slipped down the east side of the island to enjoy some “me time” at Waimanalo Beach. The welcome mat outside the Fukuokas’ front door that reads, “Water is life,”is on to something.

Living in the midst of such a gorgeous expanse of ocean is incredible.

Nothing much troubles me these days. Except thoughts of those I left behind.

My fingers itch, begging to climb into my pocket, grab my phone, and dial home. One call and I could hear Bex’s voice, tell her I made it and that everything’s all right.

Morbid curiosity or not, a part of me is dyingto know what happened once Finn and the rest of his crew realized I stood him up at the altar.

Did my father’s jowly, bearded face mottle with rage when he found my note? Did he break things and curse my name?

Is Finn Gallagher, with his scarred face and cold brown eyes, scouring the earth for me this very second?

Truth be told, I’m not sure Finn was any happier than I was about the arranged marriage. After the murder of his first wife, most of us assumed he’d never marry again. His father Shane, the head of the Gallagher family and current leader of the Kings, must have persuaded him, probably to produce an heir.

But just because he’s indifferent to me doesn’t mean his ego will allow the betrayal to slide. He could be hunting me down right this very moment, consumed with the need for revenge over my disrespect. The moment I ran, I branded myself a traitor.

Just like my identical twin.

The thought of my sister wrenches my heart.

Riley.

We could have run away together, but I worried about the risk.

I worried that if both of us fled, our odds of getting caught would skyrocket. And I’ve already been a shitty enough sister to Riley as it is without forcing her to give up her life to go on the run with me. I may be selfish, but even I have my limits.

Who am I kidding? That’s not the only reason why I didn’t risk it. A big part of why I didn’t ask Riley to flee with me is because I was terrified she’d say no.

What if, after all those years of competing against each other and letting our family drive us apart, she stopped loving me?

What if agreeing to an engagement with the man who secretly stole my twin’s heart when she was a teenager snuffed out that love for good?

Another face materializes in my head, one with smoldering green eyes and a pair of kissable lips that set my blood on fire. And just like every other time he’s tried to invade my thoughts, I banish Cian from my mind. Especially the memory of our last interaction.

I left to find peace, and I’ll be damned if I let Cian Mahoney ruin that for me.

A swift breeze knocks my sun hat aside, sending me leaping out of my beach chair to catch it before it ends up in the tide. When I pivot to return to my seat, the immense beauty of this tropical landscape floors me all over again.

Sparkling white sand. Teal waters so bright they’re neon in the sun.

Yes, I ran away from everything and everyone I’ve ever known, but this place is my reward.

Click-click-click.

A short distance away, a tourist in a Hawaiian shirt with an HDR camera snaps pictures of the exquisite landscape around us.

Though given the angle of the lens, it’s entirely possible I’m part of that scenery.

My scalp prickles in alarm, and I grab my bag, fold up my chair, and head off the beach.

When I reach the sidewalk and brush the sand off my feet, I attempt to brush my uneasiness away along with it.

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