Page 32 of Dark Torment

JONATHAN

I could feelmyself getting angry as I watched them interview her.

I know they aren’t bad guys, and that technically, it’s my involvement in her life that has them questioning her in the first place, but fuck.

I wanted to walk across the street from my hiding place and deck them both for even going near my woman. I won’t, though.

I’m beyond proud of her for how well she handled them. She would make an incredible attorney if that’s what she chose to do with her life, but I doubt she would. She’s happy running her business, and I would never get in the way of her dreams.

Okay, slight lie considering I plan on taking her to my home, most likely against her will and keeping her there until she realizes she loves me.

The desire is already there. I could practically taste it when I was with her last. The way her body responded to my voice and nearness. Even the thought has my dick thickening.

“Fuck off,” I hiss at my cock. I don’t want to be sitting here with a boner all fucking day.

“Shelbs, I’m getting drunk,” I hear Olivia say in my earpiece.

I look down at my phone again and see her on the phone, already kicking back said wine via the bottle.

Right. I was going to need to stay close tonight.

On any other night, I usually leave her be because I have the silent alarms to warn me if anything happens, but with her drinking I don’t want to chance it.

Ben wasn’t giving me many answers right now, anyway, so maybe a full day and night without food or water is exactly the motivation he needs to tell me what I need to know.

Every time I ask, Ben just laughs and shakes his head. I think he believes delaying will save him, but it won’t. No one would ever suspect me of the things I’ve done, including keeping him locked in a cell underground.

I can’t hear Shelby on the other line, but Olivia confirms my suspicions by telling her she’ll see her soon, and I know she’s on her way. That means a lot of girly chatter, alcohol, and true crime.

It won’t be the first night I’ve watched them together, but it’s never that entertaining to me. Not when Shelby is here, but this might be different.

Pulling up my contacts, I hit Devlin’s number.

“Hey, what’s happening?” he asks.

“Your woman is coming here and they’re about to get drunk. You busy?” I ask, and he snorts.

“Never too busy to stalk that beautiful woman. Shoot me the address.” He’s cheery.

“Meet me at the grocery store around the corner from the address I’m sending your way. Two of us across the street could get us caught in this neighbourhood,” I state, and he agrees before hanging up the phone.

Taking a moment to shoot off a text with Olivia’s address, I watch and wait until Shelby arrives and heads inside. I watch the surrounding houses, making sure some nosy old neighbour isn’t watching from their window, before I walk down the street to my car and wait for Devlin to show up.

* * *

“This is some next level shit,”Devlin says to me as we watch the girls’ flit from room to room and I change the camera screen.

“I need to know she’s protected.” I shrug, like my obsession isn’t a big deal.

They’re beyond drunk at this point. I wouldn’t even know how to begin describing what they are. Wasted, maybe? I could say sloshed, but is that really any different from wasted?

“They need a fucking keeper. What is that? Their fifth bottle?” he hisses as they go into the kitchen and pull out yet another bottle of wine.

I wince. “She’s going to be sick tomorrow,” I say, shaking my head.

I’m slightly pissed off at how drunk she is, but I know it’s not really a big deal. It happens all the time when you’re younger. I know I had my fair share of hangovers in my early twenties.

At least she’s at home with a friend and safe, rather than in a bar where I’d have to kill anyone who even chanced a look at my girl. It would make for a long and bloody night, and one I most likely wouldn’t walk away from without being caught.

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