Page 23 of Shadows of Obsession

This woman needs to be spread across that couch and made to scream until every trace of sass leaves her body. Not now. But at least I know she's not immune to me.

"Do you need any other details from me?" she asks.

I shake my head.

"No. Thank you for the information, Luna."

The bastard's secured downstairs. Once I get him to the warehouse, he'll spill everything. Even the secrets he doesn't know he's keeping.

Before I leave, I turn back to those emerald eyes - the most beautiful I've ever seen. When I speak, my voice comes out harder than I ever wanted to use with her. But she needs to understand.

“What happened with Tim tonight stays buried.” I shut the door behind me.

Standing in the hallway, there's this hollow feeling in my chest that throws me off balance. I replay it all in my head - everything was by the book. Luna needed the warning. Nobody can know about Tim or the whispers will grow louder.

So if I did everything right, why the hell does using that tone with her make me feel like the worst kind of monster?

Chapter 12

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Luna

Just my luck.You know those people the universe picks as its personal punching bag? Yeah, that's me. It's the only explanation for how I keep landing in these messes.

All I wanted was some air, a moment in the hallway to breathe. Instead, I get Tim stumbling after me with his brilliant plan to sell out the bracelet prototype.

I can still smell the vodka that rolled off him, making my skin crawl. God, I hate drunks. At least smokers keep their minds intact - alcohol just turns people into monsters.

But the cherry on top? Having the CEO overhear everything. The way Roman Borisov took Tim down just proved what I suspected all along. This man hides his demons the same way I hide mine - under layers and layers of control, thinking we've buried them deep enough. But sometimes...they claw their way out. And tonight, I watched his break free.

The way he seemed genuinely concerned about my reaction...

No. Stop it. Don't romanticize this man.

He beat someone when he could've called the cops or let security handle it. He chose violence, and that says everything about who he is. And what's keeping me tossing in bed isn't the violence - it's how much I liked it.

I liked knowing those punches were about Tim's fingerprints on my wrist. The way Roman stared at those marks said it all.

I can still feel where Tim's fingers dug in, but the ache fades the moment I remember my boss's dark stare.

And that kiss... God, the way this man changes the energy in a room just by existing is suffocating. One minute I'm freaking out about Tim, the next his hand covers mine and my body betrays me completely.

When he asked if I was lying, that deep voice seemed to stroke my skin, short-circuiting my brain.

I should've pushed him away. Been outraged. But I couldn't because the second he leaned in, I wanted that kiss.

Fine. I'm attracted to him. That's all this is. These things fade... right?

Because I know it's wrong, but there were times I would've given anything for someone to step in. Someone who could look at me and just know - know that I'm drowning, that my lungs can't get enough air, that I'm buckling under the weight of carrying all this alone.

So when Roman stepped in...it lit something in me.

Who am I kidding? It started an inferno.

For one split second, every fiber of my being wished he'd been there a year ago. And clearly those flames fried my brain because when his lips met mine, resistance wasn't even an option.

I've got issues.

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