Page 48 of The Dark Obsession

“Right,” I say, still looking ahead.

“Look, someone has just smashed my window in the room where you were staying.” His voice rises again. “Though, at almost the same time that happened, your home got broken into.”

His voice shakes, and I put my other hand on his face. The quiet of the night is more prominent now I’ve only got his steady breathing to listen to, the smell of whiskey still lingers on Rafael.

“This can’t have been a coincidence. It doesn’t feel like your mother’s murder was random. It feels like your family is a target.” His jaw tenses beneath my hand, and my breathing stops. Pain floods his face, and my heart aches to see him like this. “Forgive me.” He holds my hand against his cheek. The raw reminder of my mother sinks deeply into the scars on my heart.

“Already forgiven.”

His lips graze my hand before he lets me go.

My heart pounds, and electricity shoots into my elbow from where his plump lips touched my hand. The car moves again whilst I sit in my own little dazed bubble. Targets, that’s what Rafael thinks. But maybe Dale went to my house and Rafael’s attack was purely coincidental. Guilt evades me like a dark cloud, and before I know it, Rafael is standing at my door with an outstretched hand.

“Do you mind?” he asks, as he unusually entwines our hands after helping me from the car.

I stare at him speechlessly and nod.

He tries to smile, but it becomes a painful grimace, and he leads me up the path to my house.

Two large police officers stand outside the front door. “Rafael.” The largest of the two nods knowingly, then eyes me. “Rosalie, I guess?”

“Yes, is everyone okay? Was anything taken?” Rafael questions.

The officer’s eyes bulge at our laced hands, then his large forehead creases when he focuses on Rafael. “The ladies’ room, her wardrobes were all opened. The father was left unharmed though.” He moves out the way for us to enter.

Rafael releases my hand once we’re in the house, and I rush into the kitchen where I can hear my father’s voice.

Benjamin’s sitting on the countertop with a bag of frozen peas on his hand, and my father is sitting at the table.

“Father. Ben.” I rush in and wrap my arms first around my father.

Ben hops down and stands next to Rafael. “Thank you so much for having Rosa with you.”

Rafael nods with a grimace. “What happened to your hand?”

“He punched whoever broke into the house,” my father says proudly and stands.

“Yeah, he wore a mask. He wasn’t as tall as me; that’s all I could see. I fell asleep downstairs and woke to someone trying to get out the back door. I threw a punch, but they got away,” Ben says angrily and puts an arm around me.

My father shakes Rafael’s hand, saying something about him being happy I could be safe with Rafael.

“Rosa, do you want to check your room? See if anything is missing?” Rafael asks.

“Yeah, but not alone,” I whisper to him, my hand tightening on his jacket.

My brother and father leave with a police officer to go to the hospital after the officer notices Ben’s hand has swollen to double its usual size.

Rafael shrugs off his jacket. His thick forearms contract as he pulls up his sleeves and leads the way up the stairs.

My room looks much the same as always, except for my bed covers are on the floor and my wardrobe doors are open, as well as two of the drawers. Nothing else has changed, but I feel lost in my own room. A claim made that wasn’t me, I survey the now strange room. I peek inside the drawers and see the underwear stuffed messily back in. My cheeks burn as Rafael stands by my shoulder. I check the other drawer containing jewellery boxes, all of which they left untouched.

Rafael sits on the end of my bed as I finish checking my room. He leans back, deep in thought. His eyes are closed when I finally finish, and I stare at him in awe. How anyone can look so still and calm. His handsome features are easier to appreciate when he’s not staring at me.

“I don’t think anything has been taken,” I say, pulling him from his reverie.

He sits upright. “I don’t understand.”

“Maybe it was Dale looking for me.” I sit next to him.

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