Page 74 of Deepest Obsession

Dominic nods in agreement. “And we need to be careful. Tristan is a trained killer, and so are his men. We’re good at what we do, but we aren’t perfect. Keep Sophia close. Do you want a detail on your mother?”

I rub my face. My mother is more of a nuisance to me than anything else, but she’s still my mother. And Brooke would be devastated if anything happened to her. “Just keep an eye on her. She doesn’t need to know anything’s up.”

With a curt nod, Dom turns to go. But he pauses. “Look, I know it’s none of my business. But Sophia—”

“You’re right. None of your business.”

He whips back around at my harsh tone. “I care about her too, Alex. And the less you tell her, the more she’ll look for answers on her own.”

He’s right and we both know it. She already tried. But I don’t care. The less she knows, the less likely she is to get scared off. I need her close right now.

“Alex, just tell her something. Anything to keep her at bay.”

“I’ll think of something.”

Dominic shakes his head and leaves, slamming the door behind him.

I drain the rest of my coffee. I’ve got to get to work, but there’s something I need to do first.

Upstairs, I find my bed empty. The bathroom door opens, and Sophia slips through, only half-dressed in leggings and a bra.

“Good morning,” I say, and she jumps.

“Oh—Xander. I woke up and you were gone. I overslept.”

“You needed it.” I’m in front of her in a few steps, pulling her into my chest and planting a kiss on the top of her head. “Do you feel rested?”

She shrugs, pulling away. “Xander, about last night—I’m sorry for breaking into your office. I’m just scared, and I want to know—”

I press a finger to her soft lips. “Not now. Later.” Leaning down, I kiss her gently until she moans. When I feel her arms encircle my neck, I lift her up until her legs are wrapped around me, too.

“Xander,” she whispers before I capture her lips in another kiss.

Years ago, I wondered if I’d ever be able to get enough of Sophia. Now that I have her back, older and even more beautiful, I know I never will. The way she feels against me, the way she moans softly whenever I touch her—it’ll never become less addictive.

Sophia’s kisses slow to a stop, and she rests her head on my shoulder. “I missed you this morning.”

“I had some things I had to deal with. I promise it won’t become a habit.” It won’t. Waking up with Sophia next to me is a bliss I thought I’d lost forever. I’ll never stop cherishing it.

Her stomach growls, and I smile. “Dominic dropped off coffee and donuts. They’re in the kitchen.”

She moans, nestling her face into the crook of my neck. Holding her close, I carry her downstairs. When I set her on the counter, she lets go reluctantly.

I watch her as she nibbles on a donut, taking sips of coffee in between. Her blonde hair is in a loose ponytail, and the morning sun catches it perfectly, giving it a soft glow.

She smiles up at me. “Do you have an update on Brooke?”

“She got a little beat up, but other than a minor concussion, she’s fine.”

“Do you want to see her?”

“No, we’ll see her at my mother’s birthday party tomorrow. Ah, fuck. I meant to tell you about it earlier this week.”

Sophia grimaces. “I don’t think Everly will appreciate me showing up to her party. And since when do you forget things? You have a scarily-good memory.”

I pull her coffee cup from her hands and set it on the counter. Cupping her cheeks, I lean my forehead against hers. “I have no need to remember things I don’t care about.”

She bites her lip. Her blue eyes are shining up at me, innocent and hopeful. She doesn’t say anything—doesn’t tell me that I should care about my mother. Doesn’t tell me that I’m an awful son. Instead, she just nods.

---