Page 27 of The Don's Forbidden Obsession

No matter how fucking gigantic he was.

He sighed, resilient, and offered his hand again.

I looked at him for a moment and opened my mouth to pop my jaw back into place. I nodded in pure admiration for the big asshole and accepted his hand. My walls started to fall as I allowed him to guide me down the alley, toward our home.

* * *

The cold waterthat rushed from the faucet was daunting.

I knew that he was about to make me get in that shit.

I shook my head.

“That's cold water, dude.”

“It’ll sober you up,” he said.

I shook my head again.

“Either get in, or I’m going to throw you in.”

“Goddammit,” I groaned, lifting my leg over the side. I was still fully clothed.

There was nothing I hated more than sopping wet clothes.

The shock of the water jolted me back into reality, almost like his big fat punch to the face did.

“Now,” he said, “sober the fuck up.”

I could tell this was love more than anything.

And I appreciated it, but I wasn’t sure how I felt about my baby brother taking care of me. I was supposed to be the strong one. I was supposed to be the leader.

As the freezing water cascaded over me, I shivered uncontrollably. I felt my breath catch in my throat. I felt my muscles tense.

I needed to stop drinking so fucking much.

I needed to sober up.

He was right.

But I needed to figure out how the hell to deal with feeling like a failure and a way to keep my demons at bay.

I looked over at Dimitri, who held his hand out again. “You ok?” he asked supportively.

I nodded as my lips quivered and my body jerked, aching to stand and get the hell out of the icy prison the bathtub had become.

“Let’s go question this son of a bitch,” Dimitri said with a smile.

12

ANNABELLE

I was sent home again,but after the day’s events in this new case, I was too wired.

I wasn’t going to be able to sleep.

Not yet.

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