Page 38 of Veil of Obsession

The cops are on me in seconds.

“Out of the vehicle! Hands where we can see them!”

I shove the door open, stepping out slowly and rolling my shoulders back. My chest rises and falls steadily, my pulse still roaring from the high of the chase.

Two officers. One reaches for his cuffs, the other keeps his hand on his gun. Smart.

I smirk. “Bit dramatic for a speeding ticket, don’t you think?”

The first officer narrows his eyes. “You ran three red lights, nearly crashed into two vehicles, and refused to pull over. That’s reckless endangerment.”

“Right.” I exhale, wiping a hand over my jaw. “Guess that does sound bad when you say it like that.”

“Turn around.”

I don’t. Not immediately.

Instead, I hold his stare, letting the moment drag. Then I tilt my head slightly, lifting my hands halfheartedly before turning—slow, deliberate. A hand grabs my wrist.

Too tight. I don’t like being touched.

The second he tries to twist my arm, my body reacts. Fast. Sharp. Vicious.

I move before I think, jerking forward and slamming my elbow into his gut. He stumbles back, swearing, but before I can do anything else, something heavy slams into my ribs.

A baton. Fucking hell.

I stagger slightly, but it’s the distraction they need. The second officer shoves me against the hood of my car, my cheek scraping against the cool metal. My wrist is wrenched back, the bite of steel clicking around it and locking tight. I let out a slow exhale, the sting of the impact settling into my bone.

The first officer grips my arm, his breathing sharp, pissed. “That was assaulting an officer. You just made this a hell of a lot worse for yourself, asshole.”

I let out a low chuckle, my breath still steady. “Oh no. Not that.”

He wrenches my other hand back harder than necessary, snapping the other cuff into place. “You’re under arrest for reckless driving, running a red light, resisting arrest, and assaulting an officer.”

I don’t fight as they haul me toward the patrol car, shoving me inside.

The door slams shut. The sirens wail again, this time around me, swallowing me whole as the car pulls away from the street.

I let my head fall back against the seat, exhaling through my nose.

Tonight just got a hell of a lot more interesting.

13

Princess

Islip out of the front entrance, avoiding anyone who might recognize me. The night is alive with distant music and the murmur of conversation, but out here—in the shadows, beyond the reach of glittering chandeliers and polite smiles—it’s different.

Quieter. Darker.

Making my escape through the stone archway leading outside, I step out into the cold night air. The sharp contrast between the warmth of the ballroom and the crisp evening chill makes my skin prickle beneath the silk of my gown.

I’ve left Lucio behind. For now. I have something else to deal with.

Taking off my heels, I descend the marble stairs in silence, my bare feet soundless against the cold stone. The air is damp with the scent of rain that hasn’t fallen yet, thick with the weight of something unseen.

Then, voices.