His Obsession, My Curse

a moment, she forgot where she was-forgot the betrayal, the heartbreak, the storm. But reality

t her skin too soft to be her own. The room was dimly lit, th

it hi

t n

ho

ni

i

er heart thudding

he bedside-coffee, fruit, a croissant untouched. She hesitated before pulling

quiet, too quiet.

she s

ablet. He was dressed in a crisp white shirt and slacks, hair perfectly in place, as if the chaos of the

is world ever slip

moment she entere

arms around hersel

is head sligh

t I don't belong here." Her voice was sof

the tab

d into this place, you became mine to protect.

led. "Ex

ly, deliberately, his presence comm

He stopped just a few feet in front of her, voice lowering. "I brought you he

d her eyes.

ty. Obedience. Fire. You might be drowning in pain, but underneath it all

erstand," sh

r this time, not whiskey. When he returned, he handed one t

hat," h

and pulled out several pages of printed text.

a con

binding a

rted down t

ency in Liam Kn

ip-no contact with Da

nd discreti

ial support, protection, and

d as she looked up a

joke," sh

der my terms, or you can walk out that door with nothing and re

y would you want this?

lbows on his knees,

d a need to feel something-anything again." His jaw clenched. "You don't trust

know what you're asking. I'm not.

already are. Broken. Alone. Angry." His voice dropped. "But under my roof

the contract agai

ll myself to you

. "I'm offering to rebuild you. Piece

d hard. "And

ms across his chest. "Then you're fre

ere would she go? Back to her apartment, filled with memories of Daniel? B

o "back." N

k she couldn't measure. A fire she could

know you," she

unreadable smile. "T

of the couch, finger

ime," she

" Liam replied, rising to his fee

umbly. "And

s didn'

u belong

room. She didn't eat. She didn't cry. She simply sat in silence, re

g, she wa

for making he

e saw right

as when her whole wor

hated that a part of

ght didn't just

fered

a world that had strip

remember who she was before she gave

d barefoot into the livi

g. He looked up as she entere

voice firm. "For thir

smile. Did

om his chair and

n si

e

oss the page like a surren

gave i

ed the papers carefully, then met her eye

n the master ro

inked.

eed to m

d. "That wasn't

you from yourself." His lips quirked

ossible," s

w," he said softly.

hudded agai

realized this wasn't about c

wer play. A d

just agree