Page 127 of Abundance of Obsession

“I’m not babysitting you, Zoe. I’m taking care of you. I’m right where I should be—by your side. And that’s the difference. Besides, I’m here because I want to be, not because I have to be.”

“You know…” She starts uncertainly and drops her gaze. “I’ve been thinking about it. I think it’s time. The nightmares are getting milder, and some nights they don’t happen at all. Thanks to you, and I thank you for that. But I feel like I’m slowly standing on my own two feet again.”

What she says makes me happier than anything else. “Time for what, sweetheart?” I rub my forehead with my hand.

“Damn, how long has it been? A month? You gave up everything for me…” She clenches her fingers on the sweatshirt. “I don’t want to be the reason you’ve stopped. You gave up everything for me, and I think it’s time to slowly get things back on track.”

I blink, not believing what I’m hearing.

So, I walk up to her, grab her by the waist, and gently pull her close to me.

Our physical contact is always like this—delicate. I can imply that I want to hug her, kiss her, but at the same time, she knows she’s in complete control. I gave it to her because she needs to feel it in her fingertips. That she’s in control. At every moment.

Zoe takes a small step, and for the first time since that day, our bodies consciously touch fully. It’s a huge step for her, but for me as well.

My girlfriend wraps her arms around my neck and lets me hold her tighter.

I’m over the moon.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

“I mean it’s time for us to get our lives back, Eli. And time for Damien Estrada to get what he deserves.”

My eyes widen in surprise. I’m not sure if I misheard her. Am I understanding her correctly?

“First, we haven’t lost our lives. This is our life. And as for Damien—”

“I’m not a victim!” she bursts out, then repeats the same thing more calmly. “I’m not a victim. Back when we were sitting there crying, you promised me he’d pay for this. You promised it. And I think that time has come.”

I’ve been waiting for this day. I won’t deny that I’ve been waiting patiently.

“Are you sure about this? Are you ready?”

“I’m sure. I don’t feel ready. But I feel like I have to do this.” As she says this, her eyes sparkle and a sinister smile spreads across my face.

“Get dressed, Raven.”

“What?”

“I have a surprise for you. Come on, get dressed.”

Zoe lets go of me and takes two steps back to look at me again. “What kind of surprise is it?”

I sigh because I can’t keep secrets from her. Keeping this from her for so long has cost me a hell of a lot. “What you want to do with him is up to you. You’ve wanted to take revenge on him for years, not just now. His fate is in your hands. He’s waiting for you.”

Zoe narrows her eyes and immediately guesses the truth. “You have him... How long have you had him?”

I shrug. “We’ve had him…” Silence. “From the third day. We’ve been holding him in one of our special places ever since. The only reason he’s still alive is that he’s waiting. Waiting until you’re ready.”

The smile that appears on Zoe’s face is just as sinister as mine.

“Thank you, Eli.”

And finally, ever since that night… I don’t see fear in her.

A moment later, she’s gone.

We've got it. The worst is now behind us.