Page 61 of Shadows of Obsession

"Thanks for telling me, Luna. I know how to shoot a gun, so if we ever see that bastard on the street, just give me a signal and he'll have a bullet in his head. Promise!"

And then I raise my head, shocked by her words. This girl, who literally looks like a doll, knows how to shoot. And as confident as she is, she doesn't seem to be a beginner.

"Niko taught me to hold a gun when I was eight. I'm not one hundred percent sure on target, but if I aim for the head...worst case I hit the neck, which is still good."

The laugh that escapes me is so unexpected that even Anuska seems surprised for a second until she starts laughing too.

"You've already driven her crazy, child. Go change and come eat something. I can still lift you with one finger," she tells her, and Victoria nods but retreats.

"After their parents died, Roman and Niko wanted to ensure that if she ever found herself in danger, she'd be able to defend herself," Anuska tells me while taking some products from the fridge and putting them on the counter."And when the epilepsy episodes were discovered..."

And now I understand why Roman acquired the company. Gregory kept trying to market this application for various diseases, including epilepsy, having various stress markers recorded that can show you what happened during a seizure.

"I understand. Thank you for telling me, Anuska," I tell her, and try to brush off my mood so I can focus again on the work I have to finish.

After several hours on the laptop, I decide to go out for some air.

I meet two men who seem to be patrolling. Neither engages with me, just giving subtle nods in greeting and continuing on their way.

Behind the house is a garden with many shrubs, and beyond is an open space with grass and some trees.

I see a willow on one side, and when I approach, I notice some large kennels behind it. When a pitbull comes out of one of them, my heart stops, but not from fear. From adoration, because it's a white pitbull with brown spots, exactly like my parents had in my childhood. She seems to be slightly on guard, and I know it's not a good idea to rush toward them, but I take a few confident steps because...that's how I feel.

When there are only a few yards between us, I see her wagging her tail slightly, and I get down on my knees so I'm at her level. It's a position where, if somehow my instinct has deceived me, she can easily attack me, but when I see her approaching with her ears back, I melt.

"God, you're so beautiful!"

A second pitbull comes out of the kennel, but this one is almost solid black with just a white patch around his left eye. He's bigger than the female I'm now petting and looks more intimidating. I focus only on the dog in front of me, who is wearing a collar that says "Tara," so I address her by name.

"Nice to meet you, Tara. You take care of all these people, don't you?"

The mention of her name makes her wag her tail more excitedly. Meanwhile, the other dog doesn't seem to advance even an inch, and when I take a step forward toward him, I see his body tensing.

Okay, I understand it's not the moment to try more. I squint to see his collar and make an attempt to read the name on it.

"Porto? We'll be friends, you'll see!"

And I don't know if it's the mention of his name or the fact that I kept my distance, but he seems to relax a little, and I feel victorious.

I don't know how much time passes, just that at some point I hear footsteps behind me, and when I see Roman approaching, I'm not the only one who seems ecstatic. Both Tara and Porto run toward him, and the image of this man kissing both dogs on top of their heads, the same affectionate gesture he’s given me, melts me completely. Having grown up with a pet at home, I understand it's not just an animal, it's family. It’s the soul that lies next to you in bed when you're sick and literally puts its head on yours to sleep beside you.

"I'm sorry I didn't have time to introduce you to the beasts," he tells me while approaching, and I can't help but close the distance between us and kiss him.

He smells of pine cones, forest, and something citrusy, and I'm going crazy. It's a slow kiss because no one can see us. It’s an I-missed-you kiss, it's an I-need-you kiss, and that's all I feel right now.

I try to bite his lower lip like last night because I can't help myself, but his tongue is engaged with mine and I can't break away from these movements. I feel his hands at the base of my back and I arch toward him, seeking a closeness that I know physically can't come any closer. We're pressed against each other, and if the sound vibrating from his throat is any indication, he feels the need for more too.

"How is it possible that I missed you so much when I just saw you a few hours ago?" he asks while we both take some necessary breaths.

"I don't know, but it's contagious, because I feel exactly the same," I tell him, and a satisfied smile appears on his lips.

It's as if since that kiss last night, we've torn down a wall, and all the attraction we were keeping under control has spilled over.

"I met Victoria today. Well, we already knew each other from the hospital when I did an update on the monitoring bracelets," I confess because I want to lift the weight from my chest about putting a status on our relationship without discussing it with him. "I told her I'm your girlfriend, and I'm sorry if I assu—"

His mouth crashes into mine before I can finish.

"I'm glad you told her that."

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