Page 103 of Shadowed Obsession

9:42 p.m. | ‘the last incident’

When I reach for the doorknob, I hear sobs on the other side of the door. I turn the knob quickly and find her staring back at me with fire in her eyes, unlike I have ever seen.

“Close the door behind you,” she says, far more calmly than what her expression conveys.

“What hap?—”

“Close the door. Please,” she interjects, her tone heavy with irritation.

“Okay,” I resign, shutting the door, waiting for the click to sound before this conversation continues. “Who upset you? I swear.”

“What do you swear,Scar?” she prods.

I jerk my head back in confusion “¿Què?We’re back to ‘Scar’ now?” I ask.

”Mmhm. ’Cause you’re a fucking liar,” she hisses.

“Where is this coming from?”

“You’re a PI for the Hales? I need to hear you say it. You either are or you’re not.”

This is exactly what I feared.

“I am a private investigator, and they’re one of my many clients.”

“And?” she bites back, staring expectantly for me to hurry up.

“They hired me a few months ago to surveil you,” I finally admit.

She laughs, but there’s no humor in it. “Wrong number, my ass. How long did you watch me before sending that text?”

“Two weeks,” I say in a hushed tone.

She scoffs. “I wasthateasy. Took the bait from a fucking album. I feel so stupid. IsCésareven your real name?”

Why would she believe anything I’ve said now?

“Yes. Cèsar is my real name, and it wasn’t like that. I sent that message because I wanted to knowyou. Deirdre, you have to believe me.” I take a deep breath. “Everything I told you about myself is true, except my job. I never intended to hurt you, I promise.”

“What you intended to do doesn’t matter to my family. I think you know that too. Reginawillkill you because I won’t. You need to leave. Now,” she says, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Red-rimmed eyes and unshed tears stare holes through me.I did that to her. Fuck.

My stomach sinks at her words. How could I promise to protect her when she wasn’t even safe from me? At this point, it’s not death that I’m afraid of, it’s losing her.

“I’m trying not to raise my voice to alarm them. I know this is just a job for you, but it wasrealfor me,” she mumbles under the weight of her tears.

“It isn’tjusta job.“ I sigh, wishing I could explain why I took the case, but that won’t make this any better.

Itstopped being about the job a long time ago.

“That night I let you stay over. You told them, didn’t you? I hope you had a good laugh and whatever they’re paying is worth it,” she grinds out, finding her righteous anger again.

Say something.

“I didn’t betray you, I protected you from them,” I say weakly.

I would rather give all the money back than spend another day without her, and that terrifies me.

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