Page 52 of Abundance of Obsession

Looking at her, I’m tempted to grab her, pull her close, and knock those stupid ideas right out of her head.

Right now, I can’t talk her out of it. I know that. So, I go for the next best option.

“Ry, I can’t believe you’re even considering this.” I appeal to his better judgment. “We’re talking about Damien Estrada here.”

“You think I don’t know that? Believe me, at first I reacted exactly the same way you did—”

I clap my hands and put on a wide, albeit fake, smile. “Perfect. In that case, we’re all set. Zoe will never go near that scumbag again. We can come up with another plan.”

“I’m not finished.” He glares at me, but it doesn’t faze me in the slightest. “It’s just that—”

“Don’t even finish that sentence, bro. Don’t do it,” I warn.

But he doesn’t listen. “When you really think about it, Zoe’s actually right about this. She’s close. Damien’s smitten with her.”

Before I can think, I snarl, “He just wants to sleep with her.”

“And even if he does, why does it matter to you, Eli? Come on, buddy. Tell me what this is really about.”

Ryker’s provoking me; that much is obvious. He wants to see how I react to his words. How much I hate the thought of Damien touching Zoe. Of her wanting the same thing.

But instead of giving him words, I act on instinct and lunge. In two strides, I’m in front of him. Grabbing the lapels of his jacket, I pull him close. The urge to shove him against the wall and punch that smug grin off his face is overwhelming. That would be worth more than a million words.

And yet I hold back when I hear Zoe whisper my name. I stop because that’s exactly what she wants from me.

Ryker smiles wider. He sees way too much, and I don’t like it one bit. He sees what I can’t bring myself to admit out loud.

I care.

With burning hands, I let go of him and take a step back. “I can’t believe you’re actually considering this. What if something happens to her? What if he hurts her? How do you plan to protect her from a distance when she can’t defend herself?”

“You’re the tech expert, Eli. We can equip her with tracking devices. Bugs and locators.”

“And what if he scans her? It’s still too risky, Ry.”

“Eli,” Zoe interjects. “Listen, I’ll take care of myself. Nothing’s going to happen to me. I went on one date with him and nothing like that happened. Nobody checked up on me.”

“Oh, really?” I turn to her. “What will you do, Zoe, when on the second or third date he decides he wants something more from you? Hmm? Are you prepared for when this man doesn’t accept your next excuse? When he pins you down with his weight? Takes you against your will?”

“Eli!” Ryker’s shout snaps me back to reality. My mind is racing with worst-case scenarios. They circle in my head like hungry vultures searching for prey.

My eyes plead with my brother not to do this. Not to agree to it. I know he can see it in my eyes.

And then he opens his damn mouth. “You were supposed to keep an eye on her. And you’re going to keep doing it.”

I close my eyes because, once again, I can’t believe what’s happening. Those words left his lips. Out loud. In front of her.

I run my hand over my face as Zoe asks in a weak voice, “What? What does that mean?”

“It’s nothing. Ash and I were worried about you,” Ry clarifies.

“You were supposed to watch over me? Be my babysitter?” She glares at me.

A sharp stab appears in my stomach. What the hell is this? I don’t know. But it’s burrowing into my insides, trying to break through to the outside.

Slowly, I raise my gaze to this woman. To the woman who possesses such immense and incredible power. Power over me. And she doesn’t even know it yet.

In her pupils, I see hurt. Maybe disappointment too. Or perhaps a mixture of both.