Page 79 of Unapologetic Obsession

My phone buzzed, and I was disappointed to find another unregistered number flashing across the screen.

Poppy closed her laptop. “You’re staring at your phone like it’s a bomb.”

“I’m getting calls from random numbers again.”

“Block them.”

“I did.”

“Then why are you still upset?”

If Poppy were opening herself up for an emotional exchange, I must look like an absolute wreck. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t muster a smile to reassure her. “It’s nothing.”

Her eyes softened, and I didn’t take the small gesture lightly. She kept her feelings locked away, so her offering any form of comfort was significant. “He’ll get his head out of his ass soon.”

For a moment, I was speechless, then I realized she was referring to my father. My father cutting me off suddenly seemed trivial compared to losing my virginity and then losing, well, the guy.

“Thanks, Poppy.” I smiled gratefully. “Hey, can I crash in your guest room this weekend?”

She shrugged. “Knock yourself out. Mom and Zane are away on vacation.”

Zane was Poppy’s stepfather. It was a relief to hear they were away. My aunt, Piya, was the opposite of Poppy and had too much empathy. If she saw me in this condition, she would pester me relentlessly until I cracked and told her what was wrong. I wasn’t ready to talk about it.

I stayed cooped up in Poppy’s guest room for the rest of the day. I had a daily ritual: wake up at exactly eight in the morning, make the bed with my pillows aligned with my sheets, brush myteeth with my favorite toothpaste, and drink my morning coffee. I hadn’t done any of those things today. Any interruption to my routine generally left me unsettled and restless. But for the first time in years, it didn’t feel like the world would fall apart because I skipped a few mundane tasks.

Instead, I had found a new thing to obsess over—my phone. Something bad must have happened at Ambani Corp. My phone wouldn’t stop ringing with calls from unregistered numbers, all of which I promptly blocked.

I texted Damon a few more times to ensure he was all right. In case his phone fell into the wrong hands, I kept the messages nondescript and sexless. However, he left each message on read. My heart sank, and I finally accepted the harsh truth—last night meant nothing to him. He took my virginity, then regretted it so profusely that he couldn’t be bothered with letting me down gently. I felt used and discarded.

Apparently, even good guys treated you like shit after getting what they wanted.

Chapter

Twenty-Seven

CADEN

Leaving my bed,while Rose was keeping it warm, was a testament in self-control. But it was important to keep up with her nutrient-dense diet, and she didn’t eat much last night. She generally followed a poor diet, often missing meals unless we ate together.

I doubt there was much I could do to make her appreciate food, but I still decided to do a breakfast run before she woke up.

There weren’t any restaurants around the dock, only a wellness café a short drive away. My strides to my car were long, and though the café was relatively close, it seemed miles in the opposite direction from Rose.

Last night replayed in my mind as I waited impatiently in the morning line, glancing repeatedly in the direction of the harbor. My lack of restraint around Rose was astounding. She was wary of physical contact, and I had initially intended on easing her into it. But seeing her with that asshole Doyle had broken my willpower.

I paused, my jaw clenching involuntarily.

Who else was sniffing around Rose? I only knew of that prick Doyle because of class, but there could be others. Rose wouldnever tell me if there were other men chasing her. And hadn’t Alex mentioned her family only approved of matches with Indian men in the upper one percentile? It hadn’t crossed my mind until now that they might be setting her up on dates.

Fuck.

My hands aggressively fisted into the brown bag with our breakfast sandwiches as I paid for our order. Every muscle in my body tensed as though bracing for impact while heat crawled up my neck. Once more, I was crashing into a wave of jealousy and possessiveness where Rose was concerned. The only thing keeping me sane was last night’s memories. The way she trembled and grabbed my shoulders when I was inside her for the first time. Rose wouldn’t have broken herno touchingrule unless she wanted me just as badly and was willing to fight her family.

So, imagine my surprise when I sped back to the boat, only to find an empty bedroom. My hand roamed the empty sheets where Rose had been. The darkness behind the blackout curtains couldn’t hide her absence. Last night’s high faded as I rapped on the bathroom door.

“Rose?”

Silence.