An Act of Obsession (Acts of Honor Book 3) (20 page)

With a steeled breath, I wait for some kind of communication on what’s happening. It isn’t until minutes later that Kolan finally comes over and lets me out of the truck. “Come on, baby. No one’s inside.”

I’m on guard as I make my way into the house, ready at any given moment if I need to run. Cooper gives me a short greeting that I quietly return, my throat tight and dry. When he leads us into my kitchen, I see the package sitting on top of the table, unwrapped. I come to a hard stop, my knees threatening to buckle beneath me. Not from the portable DVD player that sits open with the message
‘play me’
on it. But the white paper that lies next to it with the words,
“For you, my love.”

My heart begins to hammer in my chest, blood roaring with a vengeance. “It’s him,” I choke out, my breathing as rapid as my furious heartbeat. I begin to backpedal out of the room but end up knocking into something hard. I spin around with a scream and realize it’s Kolan.

He reaches for me, his mouth moving, but I can’t hear anything he says from the thundering in my ears. My arms stretch out in front of me to keep everyone back, eyes shifting all around the room, waiting for Daniel to emerge from the shadows. Kolan doesn’t allow me to keep him at arm’s length. He breaks into my personal space, grabbing my upper arms to give me a shake. “Snap out of it, Sophie!”

I try pulling away but his grip is like steel bars, holding me in place. “We need to go. We need to run. He’s here right now, hiding.”

He shakes his head. “No, he isn’t.”

“Yes, he is,” I fire back, continuing to scan all around me. “If we don’t leave now he’ll kill us.”

“Look at me!” he bellows. I swing my gaze back to his. “He’s not here. Cooper searched this place. No one is in this house right now but us.”

“He’s right,” Cooper says, coming to stand next to him. “No one is here. I checked every inch of this place. I promise.”

My eyes shift back to Kolan, watching him blur in front of me.

“Don’t let it pull you in,” he says. “You’re stronger than this, Soph.”

His undeserving words have a sob shattering my chest. My fingers curl into the fabric of his shirt when he pulls me against him. He holds me close, his hand rubbing my back until I’m able to collect myself.

Eventually, he takes a step back to look at me. “You good now?”

“Yes. I’m sorry I panicked.”

“Don’t be. I know you’re scared but you need to fight it. I’m here. Cooper’s here. Nick,” he says, alerting me of Nick’s presence.

I look behind him to see Nick standing next to the table. He gives me a small wave before I bring my attention back to Kolan.

“We’re not going to let anything happen to you,” he finishes, his words a solemn vow to my frightened heart.

I nod and try to inhale a deep breath through my tight chest.

“Why don’t you take her out of here while we watch this,” Cooper suggests.

“No. I’m okay. Really.” They look at me with uncertainty. “Listen, I had a moment, but this is my life and my problem. I have a right to know what’s on it.”

“You’re right,” Cooper says. “You do. It was just a suggestion, if you’re up for it, let’s see what’s on it.”

With a deep breath, I take a seat at the kitchen table. Kolan stands behind me, his large hands resting on my shoulders, the comforting touch conveying the strength I need.

I reach for the DVD player but Cooper stops me. “Just let me touch it. I don’t want any other fingerprints on it.”

At my nod, he brings the screen in front of me and hits the play button.

The first few seconds is static and snow before it switches to video footage. Footage of a man dressed in black, a white mask adorning his face. Even though he is covered from head to toe, there is no doubt in my mind that it’s Daniel. He stands at my kitchen table with my pitcher of brewed tea in front of him, dumping something inside.

My eyes fall closed as my worst fear is confirmed. The next piece of footage is of me in my pajamas, pouring myself a cup before bed and drinking it. The scene after shows me entering my room on wobbly legs. My stomach rebels as I realize there’s a camera in there, too. I watch in horror as I fall onto the bed, my legs hanging halfway off the mattress.

Then it happens. Daniel walks in, standing over me. He was near me, in the same room as me and I had no idea.

I was completely vulnerable to him—at his mercy.

“Jesus,” Nick breathes in disbelief.

Kolan’s fingers dig into my shoulders, but I can’t feel the strength of them. I can’t feel much of anything except for the pieces of my soul crumbling away into a pit of despair.

After arranging my limp body, Daniel gives a taunting wave to the camera before dragging his finger along my cheek. I flinch as if feeling his unwanted touch this very moment.

Next, he leans over me, his face a mere inch from mine. He does nothing but stare at me. Then he pulls the scarf from my neck, brushing his finger along the mangled mess he created, trailing lower to between my breasts.

“Sophie, look away,” Kolan grinds out, but I refuse to follow the order. I can’t. My heart is lodged in my throat, shivers of terror racking my body as I wait for the unthinkable to happen. For a far even greater violation. Something I couldn’t possibly fathom.

Please, God, not that.

Daniel straightens, his hands moving to the zipper of his pants before he lowers it. My hands slam over my mouth, muffling my sound of disgust, as I fight to keep the bile down my throat when he begins to masturbate. He never touches me but the violation is still the same.

“Fucking turn it off now!” Kolan bellows. He moves for the screen but Cooper stops him, and that’s when the footage flashes to the next scene. It’s of Kolan and me in my bedroom the morning after I showed him my scars. My head is thrown back, lost in the pleasure he was giving me. I’ve barely registered what I’m looking at when it cuts out and shows Daniel’s masked face inches from the camera.

A scream of terror shreds from my throat. I flinch back in my chair as if he’s about to jump out at any given moment, his crazy, clear blue eyes bulging out through the holes of the mask.

“Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!” he screams over and over again, his words a deranged mantra.

“Motherfucker!” Kolan’s roar penetrates the insanity of the moment, his hand flying out to pick up the machine and throw it against the wall. I cover my ears as it smashes.

“Fuck, Slade, that’s evidence,” Cooper snaps.

He tears out of the kitchen and down the hall. When Nick and Cooper follow, I do, too. My legs are weak as I move down the long stretch, feeling completely detached from my body.

As I make it to my room, I watch in stunned disbelief while Kolan rips apart my wall in a fit of fury, his fists bloody from where he broke through the drywall. It doesn’t take long before the camera is found.

“I’m going to fucking kill you,” he thunders to the machine. “Do you hear me, motherfucker? When I find you, you’re dead!”

His violence penetrates my hands, where I cover my ears. Ripping the camera out, he launches it behind him before swinging open my closet.

“Pack!” he orders, tossing my suitcase on the bed. “We’re getting the fuck out of here.”

I do as he says, my body stiff and heart numb. As I throw my clothes into the suitcase, I look over to see him get up in Nick’s face.

“Find him! Otherwise, he’s as good as dead.”

His words hold conviction. It’s no threat.

It’s a promise.

Kolan

H
ours later, the rage simmering beneath my skin has only eased slightly. I’ve seen a lot of fucked-up shit in my life—have even lived it—but nothing compares to what I saw on that monitor hours ago. The only thing stopping me from finding that twisted fuck this very second is leaving Sophie.

She hasn’t said more than two words since we got to my house. The light that had finally found its way into her eyes is now gone. That alone makes me want to kill the bastard. It probably didn’t help when she saw me lose control and destroy her room like that. My red, swollen fists a constant reminder of the violence that exploded from me earlier.

I meant every word I said. If I find that asshole first, he’s as good as dead. I have a pretty damn good feeling that what happened to the gym and my truck was not Cortez after all but was this asshole.

My security system is good, but now I want the best. I want cameras around the perimeter of my house. Turn the tables on that piece of shit. I send a text to Cade, knowing the guys will hook me up with whatever they have running at their properties. After pocketing my cell, I hear the shower has stopped.

I head out of my room and find the hall bathroom door open, the smell of citrus wafting from the dark, empty space. Seeing my patio door half open, I walk out into the humid night air and find her sitting on one of the lounge chairs next to the pool. She’s curled up with her arms wrapped around her delicate body, the pool lights dancing across her sullen face as she stares straight ahead. She looks…lost.

Broken.

I drop down next to her, my hands going on either side of her hips. “You feel any better after having a shower?”

She shakes her head, keeping her gaze trained ahead.

“Say something, Soph. You’re scaring the shit out of me.”

Her eyes swing to mine, despair and agony reflecting back at me. “I shouldn’t be here.”

“What the hell are you talking about? Of course you should be. You can’t stay there.”

“I should be running as fast and as far away as I can.”

I shake my head in frustration. “We talked about this, Soph. No more running.”

“No!
You
talked about it.
You
told me not to run. This isn’t your problem, Kolan. It’s not Cooper’s or Nick’s either. It’s mine.”

“The hell it is. It’s all of our problem, especially mine.”

“How can you say that?”

“Because I fucking made it my problem,” I snap. She looks away, pressing her lips together. “What are you going to do, Sophie? Huh? How long can you keep running before he finally catches up to you? Because he will, it’s only a matter of time. Running isn’t the answer. Staying and fighting is the only way you’re going to beat him.”

“You saw what he did,” she says, her voice strangled. “He can’t be beat.”

“He hasn’t fought me yet.”

Her eyes drift back to mine, desperation heavy in their depths. “I don’t want to belong to him,” she chokes out on a shattering sob. “I’ve never wanted to be his.”

Her broken cries hit me like a punch to the chest. Lifting her, I bring her over to straddle me. Her arms lock around my neck, face burying in my shoulder as she cries for the first time since seeing the video.

“You do not belong to him,” I grind out. “Do you hear me? You never have and you never will. I will not let him take you from me.” The last words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

She pulls back to look at me, her cheeks stained with her misery. “I’m so sorry I brought this to you.”

“I’m glad you did. Otherwise, I would have never met you.” Her eyes soften. “I would have never got to see you dance,” I continue, reaching up to push her damp hair out of her face. “Never know what it was like to touch you.” Leaning in, I trail my lips across her wet cheek, eliminating the tears before resting them at the corner of her mouth. “To taste you,” I murmur, brushing a kiss gently across her lips before forcing myself to back away. “Meeting you, Soph, was the best fucking thing to ever happen to me. I’m not sorry for any of it.”

Her hand encircles my wrist, forehead gently falling to mine. “Make me yours.”

My muscles coil tight, fingers digging into her hips as I fight to restrain the need pounding through my veins. I shake my head, regret thick in my throat. “I want to. So fucking bad, but…I can’t.”

That sadness in her eyes deepens, making me feel like an asshole. “Why? I can tell you want me. I can feel it.” Driving her point home, she grinds down on my raging hard cock.

I halt her sweet torture, my forehead dropping to her shoulder. If I look at her, I won’t be able to hold back.

She curls an arm around my neck, turning her face in. “Talk to me, Kolan. Please.”

I debate how to go about this then settle on the truth. Lifting my head, I find her eyes, bracing myself for the disappointment I’ll be sure to see. “I can’t give you what you want. I’m not capable of it. My lifestyle is the only one I know and it doesn’t mix with yours. Do you understand that?”

“Not really. I don’t see what that has to do with us. I want you to make love to me.”

“That’s just it. I can’t,” I tell her on a crushing breath, every word making me feel like the fucked-up asshole I am. “I have never made love to anyone before, Soph.” Her eyes widen in disbelief. “That’s not what I’m saying.” I shake my head, hating that I’m fucking this up. “I’m a dominant. It’s all I’ve ever known, and it’s what I need.”

I wait for judgment to enter her eyes. Usually, I don’t give a shit what people think of me, but with her I care. I care too fucking much. Strangely though, I see no judgment. Not even surprise.

“Why do you do it?” she asks.

“Because I need control. I won’t give it up to anyone.”

Not even her.

“Control I can handle, Kolan. Pain, I cannot. I’ve had too much in this lifetime.”

Her words hit me like a painful blow. “I’d never hurt you.”

“I know. I wouldn’t be here right now if I wasn’t sure of that.” Her fingers fan my jaw. “I want you, more than I’ve ever wanted anyone. I’d never ask you to change. To me, you’re perfect just the way you are.”

I’m far from fucking perfect. Actually, I’m the complete opposite, but when her tentative lips press against mine, it destroys my resolve. My hand cups the back of her head, not allowing her the chance to escape as I seal my fate.

I can’t hold back any longer.

I need this girl as much as the air I breathe.

I just hope I can keep the beast caged long enough to give her what she deserves.

Sophie

T
he part of my soul that I thought died earlier today flares with hope and life, reminding me that not all is lost.