Page 63 of Twisted Obsession

“I want Melody to come to New York.”

Silence.

“And you’re flying commercial…”

“Oh.” Violet laughs. “That’s why he’s happier, Grey. He wants to keep her.”

“I am keeping her,” I interrupt. “Jesus, I should’ve called Steele.” Or Miles. “I just need to know if you can get her on the plane.”

“Yeah, yeah. No worries.”

“And be nice to her,” I add. Because… fuck. I don’t know. I just want her to like them. I want her to start to likeme, and my friends are an extension of that.

“Fine,” Greyson says.

Violet scoffs. “We’ll be nice to the professor.”

I bite the inside of my cheek. “But you can’t tell her you know her.”

“Oh my God,” Greyson mutters. “It’ll be fine. We’re hanging up now.”

22

MELODY

Teacher.

Professor.

Ex-husband.

Restraining order.

Jacob.

What the fuck am I doing?

I peel my eyes open. It takes a moment, as it seems to do these days, for me to figure out where I am. Like my mind was sleeping a little too hard, and now it’s playing catch-up. It isn’t until I spot the painting that my location registers.

Jacob’s room.

But there’s no Jacob.

I stretch out and close my eyes again. Like most mornings, I spend a few minutes just trying to remember.Anything.

The word ‘darling’ keeps echoing in my head, and I don’t like it. My skin crawls, enough that I abandon pressing for more memories and hop out of bed. I slip down the hall and into my bathroom, taking a cold shower. It soothes my hot skin, and I tip my head back under the water.

Did I really try to seduce Jacob last night?

“I’m a mess,” I groan, covering my face.

How much more fucked up can I get?

When I can’t bear any more cold water, I jump out and get dressed. I need to leave the apartment. I need to answer the texts and calls from Thomas and Natalie. They started off with light concern, but now it seems like full-tilt worry.

I just can’t tell if it’s real or forced.

I brush out my hair, examining the blonde. Maybe I’d feel better going back to my natural color?

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