Page 42 of Unholy Obsession

I can’t tell if today’s a test to see if I’ll be a good girl even when he’s not looking or if it’s just another one of his Jedi mind tricks to… I don’t know. Make my life bigger? Better? He’s not one of those guys who wants to lock me away. He’s trying to pushme into something more. And I can’t figure out what the fuck to do with that.

But I’m here. I’m trying.

I paste on a bright smile and push through the shelter doors.

Marci grimaces and rolls her eyes the second she sees me.

My cheeks go hot. She’s always had this ability to make me feel two inches tall, and I hate her for it. Girls like her have been cutting me down like this my whole life.

“Well, look who showed up,” she drawls, arms crossed. “After months of vanishing, no less. But I suppose a lady like you would never dirty her pretty fingers with actual work.”

I clench my jaw but keep my tone even. “I’m here, aren’t I? Can’t you use the help? Client intake? Making up beds? Laundry?” I flatten my expression. Hell, I’ll beg if she wants me to beg. Begging’s not that big a deal, ya know? The world’s just a giant, stupid game, and some of us are better players than others. “I’ll mop the floors if you need.”

She scoffs, stepping closer until I catch a whiff of stale coffee breath. “You’re onsuspensionfrom client relations. You think we wouldn’t hear about how you let a former client move in with you? How that whole mess led to her getting involved with your brother? At least someone withactualsense finally sent her off to Chicago.”

My jaw tightens. She’s talking about Anna.The grapevine never dies.Though she doesn’t even know the half of it. But now Anna and Domhn are happy, so she can suck it.

“How long is my suspension?” I force out.

Marci smirks. “Six months. And it starts now. Feel free to vanish again and take the time to learn aboutboundaries.”

I don’t flinch. “If it’s just a client relations ban, there’s still plenty I can do.”

Now Marci’s cheeks get red. Oh, she’s good and mad. I don’t think she’s used to folks standing up to her mean-girl antics. Sheusually just bosses everyone around while they cower. I almost laugh in her face. Please. I grew up in the ass end of Donegal, and she thinks shecan intimidateme? Girls back home fought with steel pipes.

She sees something in my face that makes her look away first. “Fine. Lucita’s out sick. You can scrub the toilets and mop the bathroom floors.” Then, voice sharp she continues, “But we have standards. If you can’t manage, tell me now, and I’ll call someone who actuallyknowshow to work.”

I narrow my eyes but I don’t rear back and punch her in the face. I got fired from a few jobs that way. And this isn’t even a job. It’s volunteer work.

Theoretically, Iwantto be here.

And I do.

I’m… trying.

Yeah, part of me is doing this because Bane says these little tests are important. It’s not like heownsme. We’ve already discussed that I probably can’t do monogamy, and he didn’t seem to care. His only rule? No lying.

He calls it a choice. Whether or not Ichoosefreedom.

The self-righteous prick.

I mean, yes,technically, I’m wearing the chastity belt by choice today.

But there are also incentives for playing by the rules, as Bane oh-so-clearly laid out before I left this morning. I can eitherchoosenot to be patient, or I canchooseto get my brains fucked out tonight.

So, yeah. It’s chastity belt day. A softer one meant for movement.

But the truth is, it’s not just for him.

It’s not like Iwantto be the way I am. Life was better when I was showing up for it. When I, ya know, gave a shit about anything.

Having some place to go and helping women who’d just met the shit end of what life had to hand you… It used to feel like something to get out of bed for.

And once I started to get out of bed for it, I soon forgot about how that was why I’d started, and before I knew it, I was just… living. There were the normal ups and downs. And yeah, I was still the inappropriate one no matter where I went, but life felt okay for once. Like I wasn’t just floating through existence, one impulsive mistake at a time.

Maybe Icanget back there.

I smile at Marci through clenched teeth but keep my head high and my shoulders back. “I’ve got it.”

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