Page 60 of The Dark Obsession

“What do you think?” I ask Adriel.

Adriel’s eyes are sympathetic. “I think you should take extra care, just to be on the safe side.”

His words ring in my ears. The simple fact he thinks I need to be careful sends a convulsion down my spine. I pull my phone from my pocket, and text my father and brother, asking how they are.

I receive a text almost instantly from my father.“All’s fine, Rosa. You take care of yourself there. Let’s get through this together. Love you.”

His text warms my heart. I miss him. I always miss him; I never had a bond with my mother as I do with my father. My father is warm and loving, and my mother, well, she was warm and loving, just not to me.

I am in my own world, staring at my phone, when a cool hand brushes my hair off my face and startles me back to reality.

“That was the detective working on your mother’s case. There’s nothing. They’re currently searching through CCTV. I told them I wanted an update today. I’m sorry.”

Adriel walks towards the kitchen, saying something about food.

I’m much too preoccupied to hear much of anything.

Rafael’s fingers trace my frown lines, leaving a trail of cold behind. “It’s okay.” He wipes a tear from the corner of my eye.

My eyes blur with the tears I hold back. “Do you think Dale will keep bothering me? It’s just too much.”

“I spoke to your father. He doesn’t think it was Dale who was in the house. He says whoever it was wasn’t tall enough.” His finger trails down my cheek and onto my neck.

I lift my hand and hold his hand on my neck. If he’d only make a move, pull me closer. Until then, I’ll be good.

He steps forward, closing what little gap remain between us, as if he heard my thoughts.

“Here,” Adriel says from behind me.

Rafael frowns and turns his face towards his brother. Through his serious expression, I can see the slightest smirk. He looks back down at me through his unhappy green eyes, then turns, fixing a big fake smile on his face.

We sit around the table in the garden, snacking on a variety of sandwiches and cakes. The mood lightens as Adriel tells stories from their childhood. The laughter grows as the minutes pass and sounds throughout the garden. “He turned up to school in a mini skirt and a bikini top,” Adriel says, chuckling hard.

Rafael is sitting next to me, his face bright red, as he holds his breath.

I hold my ribs and wipe a tear of laughter from my cheek.

“He walks straight up to Brian in the middle of an awards assembly and kisses him,” Adriel says as calmly as possible.

Rafael’s lips turn up to a smirk. “It wasn’t half bad either. I’m sure he slipped his tongue in there.”

“That’s what you get for trying to steal Rafael’s girl.” Adriel snickers.

I take a deep breath and try to imagine a young and hot Rafael walking past his whole school to kiss the captain of the football team. “Well,” I say, finally able to breathe, “you two were crazy.”

Adriel laughs. “We still are, when we aren’t caught up in life.”

A red-faced Rafael slaps Adriel’s arm.

“I definitely want to be there to witness it next time.” I grin at Rafael.

He beams at me with warm eyes, and under the table, he gently squeezes my knee.

My heart jumps into my throat at his casual touch.

Adriel watches carefully as my face heats up, obviously reddening. “You okay?” Adriel asks, his voice coloured with concern.

Rafael chuckles. “I’ve arranged for us to meet your father and brother in an hour. We better get ready.”

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