Page 123 of Shadows of Obsession

"He made his choices," Jaxon cut in. "Those choices got Nikki killed and put Anna in danger. I'm done making excuses for him."

Connor nodded, accepting that. His gaze returned to me. "And you two?" He gestured between us. "How long has this been going on?"

Heat crept up my neck. "It's... recent. Just over two weeks. But we'd been getting closer even before you left."

"Since she showed up at my door with breakfast," Jaxon added with a small smile. "The morning after Choco got loose."

Connor raised an eyebrow. "That long?"

"We took it slow," I said quickly. "We were figuring things out, and then everything happened so fast—"

Connor sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, part of me wants to be the overprotective big brother and tell Jaxon I'll break his legs if he hurts you."

Jaxon's lips twitched despite himself.

"But I can see you're happy," Connor continued. "Happier than you've been in years, Anna. And Jaxon…" He met his friend's eyes. "You're different too. More alive. Like you finally let yourself breathe again."

"She makes me want to live again," Jaxon said quietly. "After Nikki, I was just... existing. But Anna—she makes me want to build a future."

Tears pricked at my eyes, and I blinked them back.

Connor nodded slowly. "Then I'm happy for you. Both of you. Just—" His tone hardened. "Jaxon, if you hurt her—"

"You'll break my legs, I know," Jaxon finished with a faint smile. "But I promise you, Connor, I'd rather die than hurt her. After everything she's been through, everything we've both been through, she deserves happiness. And I'll spend every day trying to give that to her."

The sincerity in his voice made my chest tighten. I squeezed his hand beneath the table, letting him feel the words I couldn't say aloud.

Connor studied us both for a long moment, then nodded. "Okay. Then you have my blessing. Not that you needed it, but you have it."

"Thank you," I whispered. "That means everything to me."

"Just promise me something," Connor said, his tone softening again. "Both of you. Talk to someone—a therapist. What you went through was traumatic. You'll need help processing it."

"We already talked about that," I assured him. "We're finding someone this week."

"Good." Connor finally took another bite of lasagna, nodding in approval. "Now eat. This is too good to let go cold, and I'm starving after that drive."

The tension that had held the room so tightly began to ease. The conversation shifted then. Connor talked about the horse show, the deals he'd made; us sharing how Denny and the others had kept things running.

It felt normal. Peaceful, even.

Almost like nothing had happened.

CHAPTER 33

Daniel

Daniel's rage consumed him as he sat in his car, the leather seat creaking beneath his weight as he shifted with barely contained fury. The door slammed shut with a resounding bang that echoed across the nearly empty parking lot, the sound sharp and violent in the early morning stillness.

His fist collided with the steering wheel once, twice, three times, each impact sending jolts of pain up his arm. But the physical pain was nothing, just a pinprick compared to the seething anger coursing through his veins like molten lava, burning away rational thought and leaving only white-hot fury in its wake.

He stared, trying to comprehend how this colossal failure could have happened.

He had been so careful. So methodical. So patient. For an entire week, he'd lurked at the horse show like a ghost, blending into the crowds of spectators and competitors. He'd bided his time under the oppressive sun, waiting for the perfect opportunity to follow Connor back to wherever he was hiding Anna.

Seven days of watching. Seven days of planning. Seven days of imagining the moment he'd finally have her back where she belonged.

And for what?