Page 140 of The Obsession
My talk with Lucia helped somewhat, but I can tell Dominic is worried this has changed things between us. I don’t think it has.
I see the way his eyes linger every time I enter the room, or in the careful distance he keeps, like he’s bracing for something to break.
I miss being in his arms, and still love him more thanI’ve ever loved anyone. But if this thing between us is going to work, I’ll have to come to terms with what I saw.
I’m currently sitting alone on the back patio looking out over the beautiful scenery, revelling in the quiet the countryside brings. The men are out somewhere, doing God only knows what. Lucia is trying to get Gabe down for a nap, and Lil’ Peach is in the main room watching cartoons on the television.
She seems to be adjusting to being here better than I am. Kids are so resilient. Or maybe she’s just too young to understand what’s really going on behind the scenes.
The sound of the French doors swinging open pulls me from my thoughts. I expect to see Lucia when I glance over my shoulder, but it’s Dominic who steps through instead.
“Hey,” he says, and I can hear the trepidation in his voice.
“Hey.”
“Do you mind if I sit with you?”
“Of course not,” I reply as I sit straighter.
He takes the seat closest to me, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees. He’s close enough that I can see the flecks of gold in his brown eyes.
“You okay,mia tortina?”
I force out a smile. “I will be.”
“You don’t want to go back to the house, do you?”
“I’m not sure if I can.”
Dominic sits back in his seat, scrubbing his hand down his face. “I had a feeling that was the case.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. I’m sorry you had to see …” His words drift off as he turns his head and gazes out towards the mountains in the distance. “I thought I was going to lose you both. I could hear it all through the doorbell app. Every hit … Lil’ Peach’s screams.”
When his voice cracks, I reach out and place my hand on his leg. “It’s okay, Dom.”
His gaze snaps back to me, eyes flicking from my hand on his leg before settling on my face. “Is it though?”
“Yes.”
“Can you ever forgive me?”
“There’s nothing to forgive. I may not like what you did, but I understand why you did it.”
His large hand covers mine where it rests. “I love you, Em, so fucking much. You may have seen a side of me you didn’t like, but please believe me when I say I’d never hurt you.”
“I know,” I say, and I mean it. I feel it deep in my bones, in the quietest, truest part of me. “And I love you too.”
His brows jump, like my confession is news to him. “You still love me?”
“Of course I do,” I say, rising from my chair and settling on his lap.
“Fuck, cupcake,” he murmurs, burying his face in the crook of my neck as his arms circle my waist, pulling me closer. “I thought I was going to lose you.”
“I just needed a moment to breathe … to digest the fact that I’m going to marry a cold-blooded killer.”
He draws back and meets my eyes. “That’s a little harsh.”
