Page 46 of The English Billionaire's Obsession

“I’ll come to join you, yeah? I don’t want you to be alone.”

My thoughts stray to Ollie with the black-and-tan dog, but I can’t let myself think about what might happen.

“I’ve already sent a car,” he tells me. “I need you right now.”

Despite the circumstances, my chest whelms with warmth. Heneedsme.

“I’m here for you.”

I always will be.

“Do you want me to bring anything?”

The question seems ridiculous the moment I ask it, as if there’s anything I could grab from the apartment he can’t get for himself. When he replies, there’s a smile in his voice. “Just yourself. That’s all I need. Just you, Ami.”

I hang up the phone, closing my eyes momentarily, dozens, hundreds of future family scenes sparkling across my imagination. Then Loki and Ollie return, and ugly things pop up instead. I change my clothes quickly, then walk downstairs to the car.

CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE

Thomas

I’m pacing the bloody office, thoughts of Loki on my mind.

Ollie made a mistake when he killed that shop owner, but I’ve always believed it was a reflex, a reaction he couldn’t control. Now I’m thinking about him sadistically pulling the trigger and what that means for my dog. If Ollie is an evil bastard, it means Loki is in the worst situation he could be in. It means there’s so much pain… No, I can’t go there.

I’m at my office, not Realization Global’s, so I’m surprised when George walks in, his lean features folded into a frown. He’s got his hands on his hips as he walks over to me.

“You didn’t have to come,” I tell him. “I only mentioned it so you’d know why I might miss squash tomorrow morning.”

“Yeah, but you’re my mate, and you’d be getting out lucky, anyway. I’m tired of kicking your arse on the court.”

“Ha bloody ha,” I say. “Don’t forget who won last week.”

He grins tightly, nodding, then says, “I’m sorry, mate. This is just awful.”

“Some people would sayHe’s just a dog, but I know what he’s like. I know where he came from. For months, I had to train him on that slip leash. Time and time again, he’d go mental if he saw another dog. He’d explode like there was this fire in him.”

George looks at me, wondering if we’re talking about me or the dog.

“But finally, he learned to calm down. Just enough to be happy, and now all that could be ruined.Fuck.”

“Have you contacted the dog sitter yet?”

“No answer.”

There’s a knock at the door, followed by Steve’s voice.

“Come in,” I tell him.

“The dog sitter is with one of our men now.”

“And?”

“No Loki, but she’s in pieces, sir. Oliver threatened her niece. He had photos outside the girl’s house and everything.”

“That piece offilth,” I growl. “I’m going to wring his neck.”

I return to my previous thought. He’s sicker than I ever realized.

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