Page 40 of Unruly Obsession
“I only care about your safety.”
She scoffs, tears brimming in her eyes, and I don’t entirely believe her act. Suddenly, I’m realizing that the woman I thought was so sweet might be harboring her own dark secrets and demons.
“I loathe you so fucking much. You stepped over a line tonight.”
“There’s no line that I won't cross to remain by your side.”
She shakes her head furiously. “You’re such a tyrant! I hate you so much!”
“I never asked to be friends,” I deadpan. Lily is gravely mistaken if she thinks I’m anything close to friendly. In a matter of weeks, this arrangement will feel as if it never happened. She’ll forget about me, and I’ll continue with my work.
Doesn’t mean I won’t do everything I can for her now.
And she still hasn’t answered my fucking question, and the deflection eats me alive.
There’s so much unknown to me about this family, and the closer I get to answers, the farther she pushes me away. I’m not entirely sure if it’s self-preservation or to protect her family.
She’s already storming toward the car, ignoring me as I call out for her.
For fuck's sake. This woman is so painful to deal with, and somehow those little legs pick up speed whenever I’m asking her for an honest answer.
I wonder if Lily’s ever really taken the time to thoroughly dissect her family dynamic and look at it through an honest lens. Or if, much like tonight, she’s used to running.
17
LORENZO
She’s been silent the entire car trip. I’ve been grinding my jaw and trying my best not to snap the fucking steering wheel in two. I'm pissed about her not answering my question, but also at the fact that she removed the listening device I bugged her with.
A crackle of tension runs between us like a physical barrier, and I try not to laugh, because she's playing the wrong fucking game with me.
This is why working with men is easier. Women have emotional highs and lows that I can’t regulate. They are complicated beings, and I have no experience in reading their emotions or caring about their feelings, because I’ve never had to.
“Stop here,” Lily commands.
“Why?” I growl. We’re in one of the busiest areas of Manhattan. Thousands of people scamper throughout the night. There’s nothing but restaurants and luxury stores surrounding us.
I’m forced to come to a stop at a traffic light, and she goes to open the door, discovering it's locked. She looks over her shoulder furiously. “You’ve seriously locked me in here?”
“It’s a safety lock meant for children,” I deadpan.
Her eyes narrow. “Then I’ll just have to break it.”
I bury the smirk wanting to form on my lips, knowing it’ll piss her off even more. Still, when she looks at my suit, directly at where I holster my gun, I say, “The glass is bulletproof, sweetheart, so even if you do find the courage to attempt to steal my gun and take a shot, you’ll only be damning us instead.”
“You’re so infuriating. Unlock the door right now. I need out.” It’s the dangerous edge to her tone that has me watching her cautiously. I have enough sense to know that something definitely happened tonight, and it's not simply because I bugged her and asked about her father’s vice.
I know better than to poke too much in a time like this, even if my curiosity is piqued. I’ve seen Luca do it enough to Ara to know the wrath that follows isn’t worth it.
I round the corner and pull over.
The moment the engine switches off, Lily all but throws herself out of the car.
“Lily,” I call out after her. For fuck's sake, this woman drives me insane. I lock the car, then catch up to her, but come to a stop as I look up at the store she’s beelined for. Cartier.My entire body tenses as I look at the stores on either side. Fuck me, she really is going to drag me through the perils of retail therapy.
I adjust my belt and suit jacket, then push through the door after her, accepting the challenge head-on. A staff member near the door gives me an insincere greeting and a suspicious once-over as I follow Lily. If I didn’t know she was pissed off, I would’ve thought that bright fucking smile on her face meant she was the happiest person alive right now.
A woman behind the counter is already talking with her, agreeing with her quick choices. I come to a stop behind her, but am treated like I don’t exist as Lily slides a ring on her finger and admires it. She then shifts to a pair of earrings, and we stop at every fucking display as she coos enthusiastically with the sales clerk over every piece.
