Page 40 of The Dark Obsession

We listen to Dale stomp down the stairs.

My father’s head pokes around the bathroom door, his eyes wide and face pale. “What the bloody hell just happened, Rosalie?”

“Let her get dressed, then we can talk about it,” Ben mutters to our father. Benjamin’s face is purple with anger, and he straightens his shirt. He squints inquiringly at Rafael.

Rafael nods and watches them through the door as they leave my room. “Can I help you, Rosa?” Rafael’s gaze falls to his feet.

I grip my towel uncertainly as I rise off the floor. Rafael still doesn’t look my way as I cross the bathroom and stand opposite him. My legs are trembling, my stomach somersaulting again and again as I reach for his face.

Chapter 16

“Rosa,” he says with an unsteady and hot breath against my wrist. His cheeks burn where my hands rest on either side.

I tilt up his head enough to look at me. His green eyes lock with mine for a small moment. A curly lock of his dark brown hair drops in front of his eye, and I brush it back, my fingers trembling. I watch his Adam’s apple jolt with a hard swallow as he collects his thoughts, and he exhales an exasperated sigh.

“It’s all right.” He strokes my head like a dog. “Get dressed. I’ll wait in your bedroom.” He turns his head, not looking at me, his gaze still on his feet, takes my hands off his face, and holds them. “It’ll be okay,” he whispers, turns to the bedroom, and gently closes the door behind him.

I hide my head in my hands as I try to calm my erratic breathing. I bang my hands on the wall, horrified I’d made a mindless move on Rafael. As terrified as I am, Rafael makes me feel safe, like I mean something to the world, like he truly cares. I long to feel the fire in the pit of my stomach which only his presence can seemingly ignite. I shake my head again, staring at the door.

“I’m being irrational,” I whisper to myself and get dressed as fast as possible. The black skinny jeans and green buttoned shirt will have to do. I apply only eyeliner and mascara and flatten my hair with a brush before I open the bathroom door.

I stand in the doorway and stare at Rafael, who’s lying on my bed, hands behind his head.

He flashes a smirk at me before sitting upright, his lips forming a straight line. “How do you feel?”

I sit next to him at the end of my bed. My breathing shakes loudly, and he rests a hand on my shoulder. “I don’t feel safe.”

“Would …” He clears his throat, surveying my face. “Would you like to stay with me for a few nights? I’ve taken the week off work. We can’t do much until the police get back to us anyway.”

I nod silently; my tears are all he needs to see.

He stands, proffering me a hand, and together we go downstairs to explain the problem with Dale to my family. I’m pretty sure Rafael has rehearsed the story; he tells it perfectly. He graciously skips over anything too intimate, maybe to protect my feelings. He tells them about how he noticed Dale’s attitude and offered to help, that I want to be away from Dale.

Benjamin stands in frustration as Rafael recounts the confrontation in the car park. He reiterates how I was safely locked in the car. He tells my father how his priority is my safety right now, because not only is he worried someone had targeted my mother, he’s worried Dale will try again.

“Targeted?” my father stutters.

“The police mentioned this morning that one of Eleanor’s coworkers told them that Eleanor had received a call before she went missing, telling her to come to Woodbury. They don’t have much information yet, but, of course, I’ll tell you when I know.”

“And you believe Rosalie—”

“I believe Dale will be back, and I’d like to offer her the protection of my home so you can both focus on coming to terms with what has happened to your wife.”

“You’re Rosalie’s boss?” My father stands.

Rafael steps forward, his hand extended. “Forgive me, sir. I’m Rafael Alcazar. I am her boss. She works with me in my law firm.”

My father grasps Rafael’s hand and firmly shakes it. His eyes lock onto Rafael’s. “I’m Walter Lockwood.” My father smiles. “Rosalie, I’m pretty sure you chose the wrong man.”

No one notices Rafael’s rapidly reddening cheeks; my father is too interested in chuckling at his own joke. He slaps Rafael’s shoulder in a friendly manner, and the chatter soon begins. Rafael reveals information he’s heard concerning my mother’s murder.

I ignore their talk and sit, silently letting my tears sting my eyes and topple unsteadily down my cheek. “I’m going to get some bits together.”

“I’ll come up soon and help.” Rafael glances at me, too immersed in conversation to fully stop.

I drag my feet up the stairs. My body still hasn’t completely stopped shaking as I reach my bedroom and grab my phone off the side. I see several texts from Dale and lie back on my bed to start with the first.

“Rosa, I have my father’s funeral this morning. Please accompany me.”

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