Page 165 of Obsessed by My Ex's Mafia Uncle

Robert is just inside the doorway, flowers in one hand, exhaustion plastered on his face in ways I’ve never seen before.

And for one terrible second, all I can see is fire.

Smoke.

Messages.

Blood.

“No.” I fire at him, the word scraping out instantly as panic floods me so fast it steals the air from my lungs.

Robert freezes completely.

“Christine…”

“No.” I step back immediately, my pulse exploding beneath my skin. “No, no, no…”

Aisha moves at once, placing herself between us instinctively.

“Hey,” she starts carefully, one hand lifting toward me. “Hey, breathe.”

“He can’t be here.” My voice starts shaking harder. “He can’t…”

“Christine.” Robert’s voice breaks softly through it.

I hate that it still affects me.

I hate that even now my body recognizes it.

“He needs to leave,” I whisper desperately, tears burning again. “Please, Aisha…”

Robert sets the flowers down slowly near the door like even sudden movements might shatter something.

And maybe they will.

Because I feel seconds away from coming apart completely.

“I know you’re scared of me right now.” He holds up his hands.

“You should stay away from us.” I hold firm to my position. “This is all your fault.” I stab a finger at him.

The grief in his face melts instantly into something uglier. Something guilty. Like he’s been saying the same thing to himself since the accident happened.

“I know.” He exhales, deflating.

“No, you don’t!”

“I do.”

“You bring danger everywhere…” My voice rises uncontrollably now. “You said it yourself… You knew this could happen!”

Aisha glances back at me carefully.

Then at him.

Not sure which one of us is bleeding worse internally.

Robert takes one slow step forward and Aisha blocks him immediately with a hand against his chest.