Page 38 of Unruly Obsession
“Clever? I—” I stop my outburst, looking back at where my parents now argue. A harrowing thought because I don’t know how much my father has had to drink. “You shouldn’t havebuggedme.”
A slow smirk stretches his lips, and I want to slap him stupid for it. “And you thought you’re not cut out for this world. More observant than you thought.”
“Is this just a game to you?” I ask. “You had no right?—”
He gets in my face, forcing me to lean back, as he sneers at me. “I have every right when it comes to your safety. You wanted space. I tried to give it to you in the best capacity that I could. There are consequences when you think you can cut me off.”
“You’re insane,” I say on a shaky breath, bewildered at how persistent this man is in ruining my life.
My parents walk out of the drawing room at the same time Lorenzo kisses the tip of my nose. I’m stunned by the show he’s putting on. I stare at my mother, whose gaze softens ever so slightly, and I’m led by the man who’s single-handedly trying to destroy my life at a family dinner he was never invited to.
16
LORENZO
Her father sits at the head of the table, attempting to glare a hole into my head as he throws back another glass of liquor. Unfortunately for him, he’s trying that bullshit on the wrong person. His wife stares at the ridiculous amount of food in front of us, the table ornamented with fresh flowers. She takes a long sip of her champagne, as if her life depends on it.
I make a point to entwine my fingers with Lily's and bring our hands above the table. She pales as she stares at them, almost disbelieving my boldness.
I’m not a man familiar with affection, but I am someone who takes my missions seriously. And I’ve observed enough lovesick fools to understand the foundations of public displays of affection. I don’t know what conversation I’d walked in on, but the room was tense. Whether Lily was aware of it or not, the moment her gaze landed on me, a spark of relief washed over her before her expression morphed into that scowl she’s adopted lately when dealing with me.
“Perhaps I’ve been too busy internationally, but I’m not familiar with you or your family,” her brother says as a conversation starter. I’ve done my research on Vince Taylor.He's three years older than Lily, and from what I can gather, the two have a good relationship. I'm especially interested in his recent business success, though. He doesn’t look like a man who could flip a company's profits overnight. He’s seemingly the most carefree one at the table.
“Lorenzo and his family dabble in a lot of different businesses,” Lily rushes to say, her voice high-pitched. I squeeze her hand reassuringly. Whether Lily believes it or not, I can act the gentleman when it’s required of me.
“I thought you were just a friend of the Armanis,” her father interjects. “Bring an Armani son here, and I might be inclined to offer my approval.”
“Dad!” Lily says with a gasp.
I chuckle, and it seems to unnerve the table. Ignoring their reactions, I take Lily’s plate and fill it with some of her favorites.
“I prefer to keep my dealings private and mostly focus on my portfolio throughout Europe,” I tell them.
“Real estate?” Vince asks, seemingly interested.
“Amongst other things,” I reply, keeping things vague.
“I don’t trust a man who hides things,” Henrith says.
“Henrith,” Lily’s mother says under her breath, but avoids his gaze. It’s obvious she fears her own husband, and I briefly study Lily, her body language giving away more than she’ll ever realize. She fears for her mother, because she continuously looks between her parents like a well-trained child, noticing the subtle shifts when something is about to go awry.
I place Lily’s plate in front of her, knowing she often doesn’t eat when stressed, which has basically been the entire time I’ve been staying with her. I usually have to force her to sit and have a meal.
“I agree entirely,” I say matter-of-factly, and I can see from the tiny shift in Lily's posture that she’s trying not to overtly react. I don’t like pretending to be something I’m not, but for thesake of the mission, and at my boss's demand, I’ll get in their good fucking graces. Whether Henrith likes me or not.
Men like Henrith Taylor are used to people kissing their ass and giving them anything they ask for, if only for the chance to be offered a favor.
“I’ve recently gotten into real estate myself,” Vince declares. “I’d be interested to hear about your investments after dinner.”
“We’ll be leaving after dinner, unfortunately,” Lily is quick to say.
I offer a small smile and slide my hand onto her knee. Her body jerks ever so slightly, but she doesn’t push away my hand. “I’ve promised Lily an evening for just us. Work has been busy lately, so I hope you don’t hold it against me for prioritizing my time with her.”
Henrith glares scathingly across the table. Although Vince seems like the welcoming party of the family, I can read the underlying tension that skirts amongst the table. It isn’t only to do with my presence; there's something that runs deeper. I watch as her father takes another gulp of his drink.
I have no doubt that it has something to do with that.
The next thirty minutes are underwhelming as I probe about their own business dealings. Lily and Isabella remain quiet, which is concerning. I didn’t come from a happy eat-at-the-table type of family, but even I know this is uncomfortable at best, and I’m far from welcome.
