Page 5 of Unruly Obsession
I look into the rearview mirror, where dark-brown eyes study me. Lorenzo is staring at me from the driver’s seat. The moment we make eye contact, I avert my gaze.
Deadly.
This man is dangerous.
I want to be anywhere but here, and this time, I should listen to my instinct to run. I vaguely recall him hovering around me over the past few hours, hushed words being exchanged, then voices raised on the flight. Lorenzo was the one I had to block out the most, as I recalled multiple times the way he'd protected me. How at ease he is with a gun. Without thought, he'd come between me and the men who'd swerved to hit me. What if he'd been hurt or killed trying to protect me? What if they’d been successful in hitting me?
A chill runs over my skin, and I'm aware that his gaze still lingers on me. No, I have the distinct impression that a manlike Lorenzo can’t be killed. I don’t know him well, but watching him in action in that situation, being pushed back by flames and standing as if it were no more than a scratch. This man was built for this kind of life… whatever this life is.
“Miss?” the valet says, and I blink back into the now as he offers his hand to help me out of the car.
“Lily,” Ara calls out again from behind me. When I turn to face her, I can see the worry in her expression. “I'll be back, and I’ll explain everything. I promise you. You’re safe here.”
Safe?
I nod numbly, because as of twelve hours ago, that was never something I even questioned. Who is Arabella Barone? I know she’s been one of my best friends for almost three years now, and realizing I might not know her as well as I thoughthurts.It’s also confusing, and I just can’t process any of it.
My legs carry me into the hotel lobby and to the reception desk, where I’m checked in and then escorted directly to a room on the top floor.
The concierge says something about calling upon him if I need anything, but right now, I just need to be alone. The moment he excuses himself from the room, I expect to feel a sense of relief, but it doesn’t come.
I barely appreciate the chic suite that offers a plush king-size bed in shades of white and beige. I peel off my dress and throw it over the corner of the couch, then vacantly walk toward the bathroom. It's adorned with gleaming marble, a gold-framed floor-to-ceiling mirror, luxurious products, and a light that’s too bright. Too polished. Too perfect.
Everything just feels too much.
I turn off the light and run the water into the claw-footed bathtub. It’s barely an inch full of water as I sit and bend my legs to my chest. Goose bumps erupt over my skin as I wait for the water to rise, but I welcome the chill and bite of the air.
What ugly secret have I been exposed to? Like a coward, I didn’t ask Ara any further questions.
I rest my head to the side, looking at myself in the mirror beside the basin. A streak of light from the bedroom seeps in, revealing a version of myself I don’t like. I’m a mess. My hair, matted in some areas, usually has a glossy curl to it. Even in this predicament, in a time of uncertainty and fear, I startlingly realize I haven't even thought about calling my family.
I don’t have anyone I can confide in. Maybe my other best friends, Romi or Sienna, but I don’t want to drag them into any of this mess. Plus, they’re friends with Ara as well. I can’t involve anyone else until I know the truth.
I hate it here.
This reality.
This fear.
This isolation.
It’s as if I’m waiting for something more powerful and courageous within me to click into place, to make sense of it all and handle the situation. But the further I delve into myself, the more I realize there isn’t a deeper substance. It’s chilling how empty I feel inside.
Am I truly this weak?
Is my existence truly this insubstantial?
Suddenly, that feels far scarier than almost being killed.
4
LORENZO
It never goes unnoticed when Ara touches her stomach. Luca’s gaze immediately falls to the action as we step into his office at the Armani mansion. I try to focus on the crackling fire as Ara and Luca argue about the woman who isn’t even here.
“We need to make sure Lily is protected. She has nothing to do with this!” Ara snaps. It’s the continuation of their argument that started the moment we dropped Lily off at the hotel.
Lily’s usual bright light dimmed the moment that car swerved for her, leaving behind only a shell. The few encounters I’ve had with her over the last two years have always left the impression that she’s innocent and sincere. She’s clearly terrified to the point she can’t even function right now. And I can't even blame her.
