Hidden Obsession (The Club #2) (3 page)

“We’ll get him, I promise you that. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll make sure this all stops, okay?”

I sigh as his strong arms wrap around me. He pulls me closer to him and I snuggle into his embrace. I’ve only known him a short while, but I feel blessed that I have him to turn to. How much of what I’m feeling centers around my stalker? If I was just a normal girl with a normal life, would I be feeling this drawn to a total stranger?

But that’s the thing: nothing about my life is normal.

Chapter Five

By Sunday I’m feeling much better, and my day improves when I spy Conrad at work. I try to keep my expression stoic, knowing full well I’m not supposed to engage with the members of the club.

He spots me and his face lights up. I roll my eyes as he walks toward me, a smirk on his face. I force myself not to swoon over the way his pants hug his frame, or how sexy he looks in a simple charcoal shirt, the first button open.

I wonder what he looks like under those clothes?

My cheeks heat as I chastise my line of thought. The last thing I need in my life right now is more complications, but after that kiss I know I need more of this guy.

“Are you here to tell me I now have two stalkers?” I tease.

“What do you mean?” he asks, a twinkle in his eye.

“Well, I’ve been working here for nearly two months, and these past two nights are the only time I’ve ever seen you here,” I reply, narrowing my eyes. “I suppose it’s another coincidence you’re here tonight?”

“It’s a big place, Raven.”

Shivers run through me as my name leaves his lips.

“Maybe I’ve been hiding in the shadows and you haven’t noticed me?”

“Maybe,” I agree, “But unlikely. A good-looking guy like you stands out.” As soon as the words leave my lips I want to dive through the air and catch them.

His eyes light up as he chuckles. “You find me attractive? I’m not sure that’s appropriate. I wouldn’t want to take advantage of you in your delicate state.”

“Give me a break,” I scoff. “I’ve lived with this guy fucking with my life for two goddamn years. I’m hardly falling apart over it.”

“I wouldn’t blame you if you were,” he says, his sincerity catching me off guard.

“So, what do you do here?” I ask, aptly changing the subject. “What kind of kink are you into?”

He bows his head as if he’s trying not to laugh and then raises his eyes to mine. “Come and I’ll show you.”

“What?” I laugh, taken aback by his comment. “I can’t. I’m working.”

“Sounds like an excuse to me,” he teases. “I’m not propositioning you. At least, not yet. I just wanted to show you something.”

“Fine,” I sigh. “Just to prove to you I’m not scared of you, I’ll bite.” I motion for him to lead the way. I glance around to make sure none of my managers are in sight.

“I hope you do,” he murmurs, wetting his lips. “Bite, that is.”

I can’t help but laugh as I tag along behind him through the small crowd of people. I notice how tonight there seems to be more women than men. That’s unusual, because more often than not it’s the other way around. As we weave through the crowd I see more than one woman take an interest in Conrad. My primal instincts kick in and I stake my claim on him by draping my arm around his neck.

He raises his eyebrows as if surprised by my action, but he doesn’t question it. He nods in the direction of a man discreetly fingering a woman who is sitting on his lap in the corner of the room.

“Having the confidence to do that in public is a huge turn-on, I think,” he says, his voice gravelly.

“So, is that what you like?” I ask. I can feel my face heating as the words tumble out.
God, did I just ask him if he likes having sex in public?

He laughs. “I like many things.” He pauses for a moment, then turns to me with a twinkle in his eye. “You know the best way for me to show you what I like, don’t you?” He creeps his arm around my neck.

I stiffen, his touch electric against my skin. I whimper as his fingers gently caress my collarbone, inching down to my breasts.

“How?” I say, managing to find my voice. I swallow hard, my heart racing as I wait for his reply. At this point, anything he suggests I’m ready to submit to.

“By letting me fuck you.”

I groan as his mouth closes over my earlobe.

Oh God.
My knees buckle as he whispers in my ear, the sound of his voice almost enough to make me orgasm on the spot. I gasp, arching my back as he unzips the back of my corset, his fingers stroking my skin.

“This neck,” he murmurs, rolling his tongue along its length, “is fucking amazing. Almost as amazing as these.” I gasp as my corset falls to the ground, his hands finding my breasts. My nipples harden as he rolls them over his fingers. I can’t move. Hell, I can’t even speak. I’m completely under his spell.

My back presses against the wall as he locks my wrists above my head. I feel so vulnerable, but at the same time I don’t think I’ve ever felt so sexy. His lips connect with mine in a deep and sensual kiss.

“I want to taste these nipples,” he mumbles.

I groan as he kisses around my breast before taking my nipple in his mouth.

“I’ve got…” Words escape me as his tongue flicks my nipple. My back arches as I struggle not to lose my footing. “I’ve got to get back to work,” I finish, alarmed.
Shit
. I’d let this guy distract me. If my boss, Preston, realizes I’m gone, there goes my job.

He stares at me in disbelief, then laughs. “You really know how to kill the mood,” he comments.

“Sorry,” I wince, “but I can’t afford to lose this job.” I pull away from him, fixing my clothes in the process.

He leans against the wall behind him and laughs, his eyes shining. “Maybe we’ll need to continue this later? I’ll hang around until you finish.”

I grin and cock my head. “I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

The shift creeps along at a snail’s pace. Every now and then I catch a glimpse of Conrad, which sends my heart racing. Near the end of my shift I spy some blonde trying to chat him up. My hands clench into fists by my side. The irrational side of me wants to pound her head into the wall she’s leaning against. I study his face for a moment. He’s being polite and laughing, but his eyes catch mine and he winks. Immediately I relax and force myself to look away.

At the end of my shift I punch out and go in search of Conrad. I’m nervous as fuck because it’s been a while since I’ve been with a guy. Even though he claims this is all to annoy my stalker, I know he likes me and the feeling is mutual. This whole thing would probably be easier if I was one of those girls who could have sex with random guys—and girls—at the drop of a hat. But I’m not.

After crawling through the club in search of him, I start to wonder if I’ve been stood up. This prompts me to check my messages, where I see a text waiting from him.

Conrad: Sorry, I got called out to a case. Maybe we can continue this tomorrow?

I’m both relieved and disappointed—disappointed that I’m not going to be fucked senseless by him and relieved that I have a day to prepare myself.

Me: Sure, I’ll see you later.

I stop off for some dinner on the way home at another fast food place that is open all night. I can’t stop thinking about Conrad and what he wants from me. Was it really a coincidence that he showed up at my work? He’s a cop; it wouldn’t have been too hard for him to figure out where I work.

I sit down in a booth at the back of the diner with my tray of food. For five a.m., the place is surprisingly busy—mainly with young people starving after a night out partying. I quickly eat my food and then head for my car. It’s hard not to let having a stalker rule my life. Every moment I wonder if he’s out there, watching me. It’s so easy for me to freak myself out, especially when I’m alone at night.

Chapter Six

It’s Monday, and I wake early that afternoon and spend a few hours studying, aware that I’m underprepared for the exam I have next week for one of my classes. It’s nearly three p.m. when I close my books. My head feels like it’s about to burst and I’m in desperate need of caffeine.

Walking into the kitchen, I turn the coffee pot on only to realize I’m out of coffee.

“Shit,” I mutter. I weigh up my options. I either go down to the grocer’s or I walk the two blocks to the café and treat myself to a double mocha. I decide on the latter. After a quick shower, I change into a pair of jeans and a sweater then grab my purse and keys as I head for the door.

I’m lucky that one of my favorite cafés in the whole town is literally a few doors down. It’s a small place just off the main road, and walking past it you probably wouldn’t even realize what it was. I push open the door and walk inside. For midday, they’re pretty quiet, which suits me fine. I contemplate drinking here or taking a cup back home so I can keep studying. In the end I decide on the latter. As much as I want to slack off, I know I’ll regret it when I’m sitting in that room staring at my exam paper.

“Hey, Raven.”

I smile at Steven and lean against the counter as he prepares my coffee. I love that he knows my order without me even needing to ask. Yep, I’m a double-strength mocha kind of girl every time.

“How’s things?” I ask.

Steven always makes me feel relaxed—another reason why I like this place. He and his wife own and run the business, and their two little girls can often be seen running around the shop. Both are adorable and make me miss my cousins back home.

“Great. The usual chaos with two young kids,” he jokes, but his eyes are smiling and I can see how much he loves his family. “I hope you’re not studying too hard,” he warns, pushing my cup across the counter.

I smile and take the coffee, the smell of the beans making my mouth water. “Unfortunately, around exams I always study too hard,” I laugh. I push a bill across to him and head for the door. “Say hi to Kary for me.”

My coffee in one hand, I unlock the front door and walk inside, closing it behind me. The eerie silence of my apartment is freaking me out, and I find myself wishing I’d left the television on or something. I walk through to the kitchen, stopping in my tracks when I see what’s sitting on the table.

Most women would be thrilled to receive a huge billowing array of flowers. Me, not so much. My stomach turns as I approach them. They’re pink roses, my favorites. Next to them sits an envelope with my name on it.

Do I open it or call someone?

I grab my phone and dial Conrad, not wanting to contaminate any fingerprints that might be on the envelope. My heart races as his phone rings out. I sit the phone on the table, unsure of what to do now. I’m dying to read the letter, but terrified at the same time. My phone rings and I scream. My heart on my chest, I pick it up and laugh. It’s Conrad.

“Hey, what’s up?” he asks, his voice expressing mild concern.

“I just arrived home to flowers on my kitchen table. There’s a letter too. I haven’t opened it—”

“Don’t touch it, I’ll be right there. You sure you’re alone?”

The hairs on the back of my neck stand up as I glance around. The idea that he might still be here hadn’t occurred to me. “I-I think so.”

“Good. I’m about five minutes away, okay? See you soon.”

Chapter Seven

“It was on the table when you came home?” he asks, examining the bouquet.

I nod, my arms crossed over my chest.

“How long were you gone for?”

“Twenty minutes, if that,” I reply. I hate this, knowing he’s been here again. If I can’t feel safe in my own fucking home, what hope do I have?

“He had to have come in from the window again,” he mutters, shaking his head. “Either that or your doorman is a fucknut.” He looks up at me, his brow creased like a thought just jumped into his head. “When you’ve called the police in the past, did they check out your neighbors?”

My body goes cold. “You think it might be someone in the building?” I squeak.

He shrugs. “Just a suggestion. It would explain how he’s getting in here unseen. I’ll get my guys to look into it, see if anyone living here stands out.”

I nod and sit down, pushing my cup away. Suddenly I’m not so thirsty.

“It might be an idea for you to stay with a friend or in a hotel for a few days. I’ll organize someone to park out front of this place to see if we can see anything suspicious, but we really have no idea what this guy is capable of.”

Nice idea, but it’s not going to happen. I can’t afford a hotel and I don’t know anyone in the area well enough to stay at their place.

“What is it?” he asks, noticing my expression.

“I don’t really know anyone and I can’t afford a hotel,” I mumble, wishing this whole mess would just go away.

“You can stay with me.”

I raise my eyebrows. After last night, that sounds like a bad idea. Getting involved with a detective is a bad idea, no matter how irresistible he is. Staying with him is only going to lead to more issues, but what choice do I have? I can stay with him or I can stay here and risk not waking up one morning. I shudder at the thought.

“If you’re worried about what happened last night, you don’t need to,” he says, his tone serious. “I was way out of line. I shouldn’t have done what I did and I’m sorry. I can promise you it won’t happen again.”

My heart sinks.
Jesus, Raven, you’re upset because he wants you and then you’re upset because he doesn’t?
What I need is to get a fucking grip and stop overanalyzing things, which of course is impossible for me.

“Okay.”

His eyebrows shoot up and I can tell I’ve surprised him. For a second I’m worried. He obviously wasn’t expecting me to say yes. What if it was an empty gesture, a suggestion he’d only made assuming I’d say no?

“Great,” he says. His smile puts me at ease. “Give me half an hour to tidy up and I’ll text you my address? I’m not exactly prepared for company.” His face reddens and I laugh. Typical male.

“Sounds good. Are you sure I won’t be intruding?” I ask, biting my lip.

“Trust me, it’s no problem.”

His apartment is on the other side of town. In a new complex, I can already tell his place is going to be nice—much nicer than mine. Considering how much I pay, I can only imagine how much he does. Detective work must pay better than I thought.

I press the intercom and wait for him to answer. He buzzes me up, which unlocks the front door. I walk in, past the doorman who smiles at me curiously. Already I feel safer and vow to look into other, more secure living arrangements. I can’t live here forever, after all.

Conrad stands leaning against his doorframe as I exit the elevator. He looks hot, and it’s hard not to notice the way his abs ripple against the soft cotton of his shirt. I raise my eyes, trying not to blush as he ushers me inside.

“You didn’t pack much,” he says, noting my small bag.

I shrug. “I don’t plan on staying that long.”

“Seriously, stay as long as you like. Here,” he says, taking my bag. “The layout is pretty simple: kitchen through there, living room, bedrooms and bathroom are down the hall. The guest room is to the right.”

The place is stunning, and I can’t help but notice how immaculate everything is. What did he race back here to do, exactly? He couldn’t have done much in the time before I arrived.
Porn. And probably toys.
I smirk to myself as I walk down the hall. We’ve already established he’s kinky.

He walks into the room behind me and places my bag on the bed.

“Towels are in the bathroom, help yourself to anything you need. Oh, and I’ve organized for you to park in my spot. I figured it’s safer considering your hours.”

I resist the urge to swoon at his consideration. It’s been a while since anybody has thought about my needs. He walks out, leaving me alone in my room. I sigh and lie down on the bed, trying to process all that has happened today.

I feel so awful thinking it, but a small part of me is happy to be here. My stalker is pushing me closer to Conrad and I can’t deny that I like how that feels. The only problem is I have no idea what I’m doing. I feel like I’m swimming, struggling to keep my head above water and at any moment I could go under.