Page 74 of Shadows of Obsession

Jaxon walked out onto the porch, and I followed a few steps behind, my heart picking up speed with every movement. The morning air was already warm, carrying the scent of dust and hay from the barn. As I moved toward the passenger side of the truck, gravel crunching under my boots, my gaze flicked toward the windshield.

My stomach dropped.

Jared was watching me through the glass. Not leering like before, this was different. Worse. His eyes were cold, calculating, filled with something dark that made my skin prickle.That look.It was the same way Daniel used to look at me sometimes, right before things got bad. That cold assessment, like I was a problem to be solved or an obstacle to remove.

I looked away quickly, a sheen of cold sweat forming on my brow despite the warm morning air. My hands trembled slightly as I climbed into the passenger seat, the leather cool against my palms.

Jaxon went around to the back, shutting the tailgate with a firm bang before sliding into the driver's seat. The truck smelled like him, that clean soap scent mixed with something earthy, masculine. It should have been comforting, but anxiety thrummed through my veins like an electric current.

As we backed out and headed for the road, I kept my eyes forward, staring at the dashboard, the horizon, anywhere but the rearview mirror, where I might catch Jared's reflection. I focused on getting through the trip without looking back or engaging.

My hands fidgeted in my lap, picking at the skin around my nails, worrying at a hangnail, anything to dispel the restless energy coursing through me. The skin was already red and irritated, but I couldn't stop.

Jaxon, ever observant, reached across the center console without a word. His hand closed around mine, warm and solid, stilling my franticmovements. His thumb began tracing slow, soothing circles over my knuckles.

The gentle pressure was immediately grounding, a steady reassurance against the rising tide of anxiety threatening to pull me under. His thumb's rhythmic motion anchored me in the present, in this quiet, safe moment, away from the ghosts Jared's presence threatened to awaken.

My heartbeat slowed. My breathing steadied. The warmth of his hand radiated through me, solid and real and safe.

I glanced at him from the corner of my eye, taking in his profile. The set of his jaw, the intensity in his gaze as he focused on the road, and the underlying calm that belied whatever turmoil he must have been feeling about his brother.

I squeezed his hand lightly, grateful for the quiet strength he offered as the truck rolled on toward town.

"So, what did you need to do while in town?" I asked as we neared the outskirts, needing to break the silence, to focus on something other than the weight of Jared's presence behind us.

Jaxon glanced in the rearview mirror, his gaze flickering to the back where Jared sat. His voice lowered, taking on a grim tone. "I'm dropping Jared off at the motel so he can start finding a job and housing. He's not doing it while crashing at my place."

The words caught me completely off guard. I whipped my head toward Jaxon, my eyes wide with surprise, my mouth falling open as questions swirled in my mind.

Jaxon chuckled softly, the sound rich and warm, and reached out to gently push my chin up with his fingertip, closing my parted lips. The brief touch sent a shiver through me.

"Does he know about this plan?" I asked, my voice a mix of curiosity and concern as I studied Jaxon's tense expression and the tight lines bracketing his mouth.

"Yup. He's not happy about it, but he'll get over it," Jaxon said, his jaw tightening as something unpleasant flickered across his features. "It's not the first time I've had to kick him out."

The slight clench of his jaw told me there was a deeper story beneath the surface. I reached across the console and placed my hand on his forearm, feeling the taut muscles beneath his sun-kissed skin,still warm from the sunlight streaming through the window. I gave a reassuring squeeze.

"Will you tell me about it?" I asked quietly.

Jaxon hesitated, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, his hands tightening almost imperceptibly on the steering wheel. After a tense moment that stretched between us, he sighed heavily and gave a small nod.

"When I was with Nikki, before I deployed, Jared lived with us for a while. He'd lost his job and had nowhere to go, so I let him crash there until he got back on his feet. But I didn't realize how bad his drug habit had spiraled…"

His voice trailed off, the muscle in his jaw flexing as he clenched his teeth. I could see the pain playing out behind his eyes, memories he'd rather keep buried surfacing despite his efforts.

I didn't push. I already knew the tragic ending. Nikki's death and Jaxon's devastation upon returning home. But hearing that he had kicked Jared out before shed new light on the deep rift between the brothers. My heart ached for how strained and fragile family bonds could become under such immense pressure.

I kept my hand on his arm, an anchor, letting him know I was here without demanding more than he was ready to give.

Jaxon seemed to draw strength from my touch, his breathing evening out. He fixed his gaze on the yellow lines stretching endlessly before us, the rhythmic thrum of the tires filling the silence.

"It was a brutal decision," he continued, his voice low and controlled, yet laced with lingering pain. "But I couldn't risk Nikki's well-being with Jared so far gone. I knew he couldn't be trusted in that state. As much as it killed me, I had to protect her…"

He trailed off, and the unspoken ending hung heavily between us. I knew the guilt that haunted him: that she died anyway.

I nodded slowly, my fingers curling around the solid curve of his bicep in a silent gesture of understanding and support. I could sense the guilt he still harbored, the agonizing burden of decisions made with the best intentions yet ending in tragedy.

It struck a resonant chord deep within me, reminding me of the overwhelming turmoil that came with loving someone battling theirown demons. How easily it could twist and warp even the strongest bonds, leaving scars that never fully healed.