Page 85 of Darling Obsession

“It was… evident. But I don’t really know why you were taking her to the doctor’s office.”

She looks up into my eyes. “You really had surveillance on me?”

“It’s just what I do. I need to have all the information about something, all the facts, before I make a decision.”

“And what decision have you made about me?”

I don’t have an answer for that.

I mean, I do.

I just don’t feel like sharing that I’ve decided she’s a threat to my sanity. I’ve already made it clear we’ve fucked for the last time. That there can be nothing more between us.

She doesn’t need to know how completely mixed up I am about it.

I can’t stop wanting to fix all her problems, control her life, make her do dirty things in my bed. Butthat’sthe problem. It’s better if we just say goodbye. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

I’m indulging myself here, lying in bed with her, drilling her for information, when I know I shouldn’t be.

“I already know,” she says softly, when I don’t answer. “That we’re not going to see each other again.”

We lie here, naked and entwined, and the futility of that declaration, which I’ve made so many times, feels grossly obvious.

She’s kind enough not to mention it.

“What’s her prognosis?”

She doesn’t reply, but I feel her heart beating against me a little faster.

“Since this is the last time we’ll ever talk like this… you might as well tell me.”

“You didn’t uncover that while stalking me?”

“Your mother’s private medical files? No.”

“Just checking. You do seem to have godlike powers.”

“Thank you.”

“That wasn’t a compliment, Harlan.”

“Sure it was.”

“No wonder you have such a large house for one man to live in alone. Your ego wouldn’t fit in a regular-sized one.”

After a moment, I say, “Some of my staff live here.”

Quinn is silent for a long moment. Her breathing deepens, and I actually wonder if she’s falling asleep.

“Her prognosis isn’t good. But what do doctors know?” she says softly.

“Sometimes very little. Sometimes a lot.”

“Yeah,” she says sadly. “Sometimes too much.”

“We don’t have to talk about it. You can go to sleep.”

The words are out of my mouth before I really hear myself.

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