Page 9 of Tainted Obsession 1
I force my jaw to unclench and refocus my wayward thoughts. Evelyn is a beautiful distraction I can’t afford. I promised Duarte that I’ll handle the threat to his organization, and I can’t wait forever before eliminating the DEA agent.
Enzo and Gian have almost sealed our deal with Duarte and his Colombian partner, Adrián Rodríguez. Soon, they’ll return toItaly to set up the cocaine trafficking route on our end, and I’ll be alone as Duarte’s guest.
But in reality, I’ll stay behind as leverage to ensure that my friends uphold their end of the bargain. The cartel bosses won’t ship their product to Europe without getting paid, so I’ll remain here until the transaction is complete. Once the infrastructure is in place, I can return to Naples, and my friends and I will be richer than we’ve ever dreamed.
I just have to navigate the next few weeks with Duarte. If I leave George breathing for much longer, that won’t help solidify our new friendship. I have to follow through on my promise, or it’ll be my life on the line. Leaving George Crawford alive and well is bad for my health.
My fists clench at my sides when the bastard finally emerges from his apartment building, stepping out into the bright morning light. I don’t see any of his fellow agents nearby. This might be my opportunity to get him alone in a quiet alley and…
Fuck.
Sunlight flashes over Evelyn’s platinum hair as she follows him out onto the street, tucking her body close to his for protection. It seems she’s finally ready to venture out into the world after her ordeal, but she’ll still be jumpy from the violence she’d suffered.
I have to admire her bravery. After her isolation for the last week, I’d assumed she was becoming reclusive because of what she suffered.
My eyes narrow on him. The motherfucker doesn’t deserve a woman like her. But judging by the way she presses her body close to his side, she loves the bastard.
She’ll probably weep when he dies. But I can at least spare her the trauma of seeing his dead body.
Is the coward intentionally using her presence as a shield?
I shake my head to clear the thoughts away before my ire can rise and blot out rationality. I can’ lose my composure like I did when I found her bound and bleeding in that basement.
His motives don’t matter. I have a job to do, and if I manage to find an opening, I’ll kill him today.
I just have to hope that Evelyn will be separated from him at some point. She doesn’t deserve to watch the man she loves die violently right in front of her. Even if she will be better off without him in her life.
I’ll spare her the nightmares.
I roll the tension from my shoulders and began to follow them through the bustling city streets. Anger heats my chest as I watch them together: she clings to him, and he holds her as though he has every right to own the innocent heart of this fragile woman. Physically, he’s probably strong enough to defend her from most men, but he’ll be no match for me.
As I stalk them through the market, my attention remains fixed on Evelyn. I ignore the various vendors calling out to me, hawking their wares. I don’t give a shit about the fresh melons, handmade textiles, or fragrant flowers. The crowd is thick enough that I have difficulty keeping her in my line of sight, but I move through the throng of people with practiced ease; this isn’t the first time I’ve marked a target.
Her shining hair is a beacon through the crowd, keeping my attention fixed on her blonde head.
I’m supposed to be hunting him, but my gaze doesn’t waver from her. She hovers close enough to the bastard’s side that I tell myself that I’m sticking to my task.
But I keep watching her, my fascination deepening. She moves with graceful confidence, her shoulders straight and steps steady. Her head is held high, the sunlight illuminating her platinum hair like a halo. She doesn’t cower or cringe inthe aftermath of her ordeal, even though this is her first time venturing back outside.
Does she find that inner strength becausehe’swith her? Does she think he’ll protect her if she’s threatened again?
My teeth cut the inside of my cheek. The way she looks to him to keep her safe makes my blood boil, and the red haze of my rage hovers at the edges of my mind. The sight of her small hand clasped possessively in his is almost enough to make me snap.
I haven’t been this unstable since the night I killed her kidnappers. It isn’t like me to lose my shit, not unless my life is in danger. But now, I hover on the edge of murderous violence.
Luckily for Crawford, she releases his hand when they reach a produce stall. Some of the tension eases from my muscles, and I manage to calm my most feral urges. Watching her rather than my enemy soothes the beast inside me, preventing me from recklessly attacking the motherfucker.
As she reaches for an apple, I note the white flash of the bandage that encircles her wrist. A shadow of my rage tightens my fists. She’s still recovering from what those bastards did to her—what her piece of shit fiancé allowed to happen to her.
I take a breath and force my fists to unfurl, but my attention remains fixed on her.
She moves with a dancer’s grace. Even the way her slender fingers trail over the produce is alluring, her touch gentle as she considers the fruit, hunting for the best apple in the bunch.
Unbidden, a memory I’ve long suppressed stirs at the back of my mind.
My mother had been graceful like that, beautiful and pure hearted, despite the grubby neighborhood we’d lived in. She’d helped my father at the grocery store, tidying the space whenever she took me to visit him during one of his long shifts.
I shake my head sharply, dashing the memories away. That was a different lifetime; I’d been a different person back then, a sheltered, naïve child.
