Page 130 of Unapologetic Obsession

“When were you happier—then or now?”

“Now.” The answer was immediate and reflexive.

His lips curved into a knowing smile. “Sounds like you know what you want.”

Chapter

Forty-One

ROSE

“When were you happier—thenor now?”

“Now.”

Funny how much clarity a simple question could provide you. While the general outline of my former self had resurfaced and the mystery of my past had been solved, I never wanted to be Rose A again. Before, my trauma had turned me into a shell of a person. Now, I only had fragments of my memories, and I was grateful. My life no longer revolved around fear and the limitations I had placed on myself based on those vivid images.

Lifting a chocolate chip cookie to my mouth—one of many the chef had let me steal—I stared out into the water. After leaving the kitchen, I had drifted up to the upper deck.

In hindsight, this was fitting. “This scene feels awfully familiar.” My voice was barely above a whisper. Leaning against the handrail, I looked out into the water. It appeared almost black under the moonless night.

Caden hadn’t made a sound, but I knew he had been nearby. The weight of his gaze was impossible to ignore. He had lingered in the shadows, caught between wanting to give me what I wanted—space—and his need to be near me.

“If you’re wondering, I won’t half-ass it. I’ll be sure to aim for the deepest part of the water when I jump,” I told him.

“Don’t joke about that.” He sounded unimpressed, and I felt him creeping closer, as if getting ready to tackle me if necessary. “Give me your hand, Little Rose.”

“Relax. I didn’t come here to jump.”

Did he think I’d jump because I was upset with him? Despite the glimpses into our tumultuous past, I was shockingly fine. There was only one thing that was truly bothering me.

He was right behind me now. I turned, staring up at blue eyes that had held me captive for over a decade. I didn’t want to jump into the water; I wanted to jump into his arms. I had finally found the boy who rescued me on that roof, and this time, he hadn’t traumatized me into hating him.

“I’m not suicidal,” I clarified. “Nor am I mad that you withheld the truth. I was angry and scared before, but I get it now.” I shrugged. “We needed the fresh start, and I’m grateful for however we got it. There’s only one thing that’s bothering me.”

He nodded, encouraging me to continue.

I wanted to—no, I needed to—understand why he had felt such a desperate need for me that he had crossed every boundary without caring about the repercussions. If I couldn’t reconcile the cruelest parts of him with the tender glimpses he had shown me, I would always fear him. I needed a valid reason why he had acted like a monster in the past. He snapped after I ended things with him.

I was drawn to him because he saved me. But why had he become so obsessed with me? Sure, we had a bond, but there was something more he wasn’t telling me. There was a reason I had affected him so deeply.

“I know you think that I lost the memory of meeting you on that roof, but I never did. I forgot almost everything else, butyou, I remembered. I felt an undeniable pull toward that boy because he saved me. What I can’t understand is why you felt the same attachment to me.” Something didn’t add up with our story. “Even before you got to know me, you were all in. Why?”

His gaze lingered on my face, caught between revelation and retreat. “Because you weren’t the only person trying to jump off that roof. In fact, I got there first.”

Chapter

Forty-Two

CADEN

Past

“He did it,I know he did. He killed your mother.” Joe’s face was comically pinched. My father was an idiot, but for the first time in his life, he had made a clever allegation.

I did it.

Lord Damon, the savior, was quick to come to my defense. “Dad.” He sounded exhausted, his red-rimmed eyes making him seem older than a teenager. “That’s so fucked up. Our mother just died, and you’re blaming Caden for it. He was the one who brought her to the hospital.”