Page 107 of Shadows of Obsession

Neither Roman nor I say a word. Damien's remark hangs heavily in the air between us. I don't need him to tell me what he feels - I already know. I know that Roman's feelings for me are the closest to love this man can ever experience.

I hate this oppressive tension and feeling of shame starting to overcome me, so I turn to him and bring the discussion back to what really matters now.

"Let's test the earpiece one more time to see if it works well before we get started," I say, moving away so we can check if the sound is clear.

Roman reluctantly lets go of my waist. The moment I break away from his touch, I feel my body lower a few degrees in temperature as a shiver runs down my spine.

One hundred feet away, we do a check and confirm everything is going according to plan. Roman and I agreed to use a regular car, which would look like an Uber, to drop me off in front of the house where Aidan is holding Roxy.

Before I get in the car, with one of the soldiers acting as the Uber driver, he catches my hand and turns me toward him. His gaze is the color of the sky during a storm.

"Promise me you won't do anything stupid," he says, and his hands lift my face so I look into his eyes when I answer.

He always seeks out my eyes when we talk. It's as if he can read my mind and soul just by looking into them.

"I promise to try," is all I offer him and then kiss his cheek.

I don't know how much he'd appreciate making a scene here, so I don't kiss him like I want to. I start to turn when his hand catches my waist again. I'm ready to roll my eyes at him and reassure him I'll be fine when his lips crash into mine and devour me.

In front of all the soldiers, with Damien there.

For a few seconds I'm too shocked and slightly embarrassed, but I can never deny him a kiss. His lips are firm, and when his tongue touches mine, I want to sink into the ground because I can't hide the whimper that escapes me.

When he breaks the kiss, my lips feel numb, and I barely hear his whisper.

"My mouth and yours have plans. Don't forget that."

Although I'm red from head to toe at his remark, I nod and get in the car.

?

When I get out of the car, I grip the backpack with the money and walk toward the house. Of course he chose an isolated house with no neighbors nearby. There are some houses on the other side of the street, but they appear uninhabited.

I don't dare look back at the house where I know Roman and Damien are waiting for the signal that Roxy is safe before they act. I don't want to make Aidan suspicious. I knock on the door, and a tingly feeling starts in my chest. Until now, my focus has been on seeing Roxy, knowing she's safe.

But I'm about to see Aidan.Breathe. I'm about to see the eyes that watched me bleed at Igor's hands.Breathe. I'm about to see the man who made me disgusted with myself.Breathe.

The door opens and Aidan appears in a black T-shirt and jeans. He's wearing worn white sneakers, and when my gaze falls on his face, I have to suppress my shock. His brown eyes are bloodshot and have a feverish gleam, and his grin is creepy.

He grabs my hand and my body revolts at his mere touch, but before I can react, he pulls me inside. When I hear the bolt lock, every fiber of me screams to run, but I remain frozen in place.

"Where's Roxy?" I manage to ask while scanning the house's interior.

The blinds are drawn, making everything dark, and there's barely any furniture. From what I can see, the kitchen is to my left, a bathroom to my right.

From the other room, which is partly blocked by Aidan's body, I hear a rustling and almost push him down when my gaze catches a flash of Roxy's dress.

I lunge toward her, but Aidan's fingers sink into my upper arm, holding me back. Pain shoots through my skin, forcing a small cry from my throat before I can stop it, and I know Roman heard it.

Damn it, he's going to burst in on us.

"Let go of my arm, Aidan," I say through gritted teeth.

I want to gouge his eyes out for what he did to Roxy. For everything he did to the Luna who wanted to do good, to help him when he needed it.

"Aren't you going to greet me like you used to?" he asks, and again I have to suppress a shiver at the sound of his voice.

It's the voice that still haunts my nightmares. The voice that called me a whore for talking to any male colleague. The voice that made me doubt myself at every step because everything Iam and everything I've achieved was due to "luck." The voice that whispered I would never escape him.

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