Page 72 of The Obvious Check
Like she thinksI’mthe one who’s going to hurt her.
I swallow hard and force myself to stay perfectly still, my hands in tight fists at my sides. She needs to know I’m not like them. She needs to know she’s safe with me.
“Chloe said some other things, too.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah. She says she misses you and wishes you’d come back and work with her.”
“I wish I could work with her too,” she mumbles.
“Then you should go back and work with her.”
“H-ho—”
She doesn’t get the chance to finish her sentence before footsteps sound outside the door. Her entire body locks up, and her eyes dart to the red light in the room’s corner. The camera. The one I’m not supposed to know about.
Luke.
Her expression shifts. Panic. Resignation. She moves quickly like she’s made some kind of decision, but I don’t realize what it is until she’s right in front of me, standing between my legs.
Her eyes meet mine, and there’s something in them that I don’t like. They’re distant and hollow. Not the warm, deep eyes I’ve been used to seeing.
“Hey, Pretty Girl,” I joke, trying to break the tension and get her back before she disappears inside herself like she does on that stage.
And then she straddles me. Her body presses against mine, her hands gripping my shoulders, andfuck, my body reacts on instinct. She’s warm, soft, and exactly where I want her, where I’ve always wanted her, but not like this.
My hands shoot up immediately, palms facing outward, careful not to touch her. “Whoa.” My voice is low, controlled, despite the burning in my gut. “What’s going on?”
“I’m giving you everything you paid for,” she whispers, her voice hollow. I’m on the brink of losing her. I can feel it. “Everything Luke told me you wanted.”
I feel her shaking against me. This isn’t her.This is survival, and I need to find a way to get her out of this before she convinces herself there’s no other way.
I drop my hands, bringing them to my side even though I’m desperate to touch her and hold her. I can’t. Not when I know Luke is watching and waiting for her to mess up. I’m not worried about what he’d do to me, I’m worried about what he’d do toher.
“That’s not why I came here, Sav,” I say, my voice softer because I need her to hear and believe me.
Her body remains stiff, her fingers digging into my shoulders like she’s bracing for something, and I’m worried I’m too late. She’s already gone, her mind drifting off into that place I’ve seen her go when she’s dancing.
“I paid Luke to get you in here, yeah,” I admit, watching her closely for any reaction. “But not forthis. Not for you to—” I exhale sharply, forcing down my frustration. “I just wanted to have dinner with you.”
“D-dinner?” she asks as though I haven’t already explained it to her.
“Yes, Sav. Dinner.”
I nod toward the takeout bag still sitting on the table, untouched. “That’s it. I don’t give a fuck what Luke thinks. I don’t give a fuck about his rules. I just—” I inhale deeply, jawtightening. “If you let me, I’ll get you out of this.” Then I think about it. “Even if you don’t marry me, I’m getting that bastard out of your life.”
Her breath hitches, and there are small semblances that make me think she’s coming back to me. Her eyes are deeper, her brows crossed.
“You’re better than this place, Sav.”
She swallows, blinking like she’s trying to process my words.
Then, barely above a whisper, she asks, “Am I?”
Her voice is different this time.
Crushed. Defeated.Broken.
