Page 16 of The Dark Obsession

With the introductions out of the way, he turns his full attention back to the road and I do the same just as we pass a sign readingSierra National Forest.

This has to be where he’s taking me when he mentioned a cabin. We must be like two or three hours away from San Francisco by now. How long have I been out?

Though I probably should be glad I’m not bound in the trunk, his somewhat decent treatment and the intimacy of this situation are making me more anxious.

I have a hard time figuring out where I stand with people as it is. Adding abduction into the mix isn’t making things any easier.

Taking deep breaths to calm my jittery nerves, my nose floods with Tyson’s masculine, woodsy scent. Like a forest after rainfall combined with musk and forbidden allure.

It’s warm and weirdly comforting.

His hand on my thigh hasn’t moved during the whole drive, sending tingly jolts up my spine with every bump we hit.

I slump back into the leather seat, defeated.

The ground under the tires getting increasingly more uneven as we turn onto a dirt road with overgrowing branches occasionally hitting the car from both sides.

It doesn’t look like anyone has driven through here recently.

That’s just great.

I wasn’t being serious when I said that we’ll be stuck in the middle of nowhere, but it looks like I might have hit the nail straight on the head.

From what I can tell, we’re somewhere below Yosemite National Park, in the vast forests that aren’t often frequented by tourists. Or anyone really.

With how much the car is jolting around, I have to grab the handlebar above while pulling the seatbelt tighter with my other hand to keep my head from bumping the roof, clinging to it like my life depends on it.

Tyson however doesn’t seem bothered in the least.

Maneuvering the car with one hand while his other one rests on my leg, making it look effortless.

I must admit that there’s something impressive about the way he handles the car with utter confidence and control.

The rocky terrain goes on endlessly with the forest around us gaining an eerie quality in the total darkness.

If it weren’t for the headlights lighting the way, I’d be freaking out by now.

I’m sure it’s beautiful around here in the daytime but being stuck here at night seems like straight out of a nightmare.

I adore nature and I’m more than fine with solitude, but this is on a whole other level of terrifying.

Just when I think that the drive will never end, a clearing appears in front of us, and my mouth goes dry.

Surrounded by tall pine trees, a cozy wooden cabin sits at the far end of a vast property, illuminated by the pale light of the crescent moon above.

I can’t believe I’m actually seeing this.

It’s huge, probably three times the size of an average house and yet it blends seamlessly into the natural environment.

A balcony stretches along the whole first floor with a wraparound porch extending beneath it. The yellow light escaping from the sizeable windows making it look incredibly inviting.

I mean there are even potted plants on each windowsill.

Off to the side, I make out what looks like a greenhouse with a pile of chopped wood stacked neatly next to it.

All of it so perfectly picturesque that it doesn’t look real.

The car comes to a sudden halt in front of an adjoining garage, and I instantly jump out to take in the breathtaking view, completely disregarding the fact that I’m technically a hostage.

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