Page 119 of My Sweetest Obsession

I knew it was my fault, fuck, Iknew.

Gigi tore herself from my grasp. “Why? You don’t want to hear how he forced himself on me?”

“Stop,” I said in a calm tone.

“How about how beat me so bad that I lo—lost our baby,” she stammered.

“Stop,” I pleaded.

“No! He killed our baby! He?—”

I fucking lost it. I lunged, grasping her arms, my grip firm. Her eyes, usually so full of life, remained fixed on the floor, avoiding mine.

“How could he do this to us? I—our baby,” she stammered, her voice cracking.

“I know, baby, I know,” I whispered. “I’m so fucking sorry I couldn’t save you or our baby.”

Her shoulders began to tremble violently as she collapsed against me, sobbing uncontrollably; her cries piercing through my heart were killing me. Each wail sank deep into my soul, reminding me of the horror that had unfolded that night, an unforgettable mark she would bear forever. I held her tight, rubbing her back gently, whispering how much I loved her as she mourned.

Once her sobs subsided to just a sniffle, I knew it was time to bring her back to the present. I needed her to reignite that firewithin her, as it would provide the strength she needed to move forward.

“I want your eyes on me,” I demanded.

Defiant as ever, my angel refused to meet my gaze.

“I’ll make sure they pay, every last one of them. I will skin them alive until there’s nothing left.” She still wouldn’t look at me.

“Look at me,” I growled, my breath hot against her cheek as I leaned in closer.

Finally, she turned, her eyes meeting mine. “You are safe now. No one will ever hurt you again. I will protect you with my life,” I vowed. “I would take a bullet for you. I would walk through fire to get to you. I would drown for you so you could live. I would suck every drop of poison from your veins if it meant keeping you safe.”

Tears streamed down her face, each one a testament to her pain, but I pressed on, my words urgent and raw. “Do you understand? I would go to the depths of hell for you.”

“Why would you want me? I’m ruined,” she whispered, her voice cracking.

“The fuck you are,” I snarled, wrapping my hands around her neck, backing her up against the wall. “Your pain. Your scars. Your trauma. Your fears. The demons inside you that are screaming to be set free are the many reasons why I fucking love you. I want it all.”

I leaned in closer, my lips hovering just above hers. “Let me teach you to embrace the darkness, to transform it into power. Let me give you back the control that was ripped from you.”

I wanted to be the one to guide her through it, to give her back the power she thought she had lost. I wanted my Gigi back.

GIGI

His tender words chipped away at the barriers I’d erected to protect my fragile heart. I found myself believing them, each one carrying the weight of his conviction behind them. He was going to help me take back control. And God, did I need a release.

Nico represented the perfect spark, a beacon to liberate me from the constricting prison I had lived in for these last months. Now it was time to unleash the darkness that had lain dormant, to rise and reclaim my power.

He gazed into my eyes, and a grin gradually spread across his face. “Are you ready to fly, my angel?” he whispered.

I responded with a subtle nod, his hand still wrapped around my neck.

“Good. Take what you need from me. You’re running the show,” he murmured.

“Just because we’re about to fuck doesn’t mean I forgive you,” I said with conviction.

Even though deep down I’d already forgiven him but he didn’t need to know that.

His eyes flashed with a mixture of curiosity and passion. “Then what the fuck would it mean?”