Page 60 of Double Obsession

“I hate you, you evil demon.” She slashed at the serpent, cutting it into two. “I am writing to Jenna Gibson and marrying Hunter Stone.” Again, her knife swished.

She fought like the Level Twelve Cutter that she was. “Zimani fe hempta,” she sang while dancing and twirling around the kitchen like a warrior princess.

Once she defeated the shadow demon from hell, she raised her arms triumphantly. She had saved Hunter and the dogs. Hunter would again be the duke, and she was a heroine.

She held her hands to her heart. “I love you, William Chester. I’m coming. Just give me a minute.”

Joy bubbled through her as she typed a message to her best friend, Jenna Gibson.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Tap, tap, tap.Like a finely tuned metronome, Jenna’s flip-flop hit the tiles in time to her frantic heartbeat.

Her frowning father leaned back in his chair. One arm was in a sling; the other held an old-school olive-green phone to his ear. He wore a ratty t-shirt, and his gray hair hadn’t been combed over his bald spot.

Stacie had thrown a sweatshirt over her silk PJs and shoved her feet into pink high-heeled slippers. Pouring three cups of coffee, she placed one in front of their father, handed one to Jenna, leaned against the counter, and sipped the last one.

“For Christ’s sake, Frank. The kid is fifteen, and we were worried.” Her father’s jaw tensed. “Yeah, she was drinking at a frat party. She’s fine. Yeah, she’s grounded until she is thirty.” He grunted. “This woman might be seriously mentally ill. She has sent my daughter dozens—”

“Hundreds,” corrected Stacie.

“—hundreds of messages.” Her father’s lip vibrated with his irritated exhale. “Jenna thinks that she’s got this model imprisoned somewhere.” He grunted. “How in the hell would I know if he’s gay, and what difference does that make?”

“He’s poking Jenna, so I think he’s straight.” Stacie fanned a pretend flame, then mouthed a sarcastic, “Thanks for telling me sooner, sis.”

Jenna moaned.

Her father cringed and dismissed them with a wave and a shush. “Because he isn’t responding,” he said into the phone. “And yeah, Jenna’s the famous one.”

Good Old Boy Sergeant Frank had a reputation for saying things like “If he’s one of them homosexuals, he’s probably just off being a pervert,” “Which daughter is the wild hot one? Is that Stacie?” and “Should you believe the author? Doesn’t she write pornographic smut?”

“Well, I guess the guy is on that damn social media stuff all the time, and all of a sudden, he just stopped... I don’t get it either, but that’s how this generation is… The only proof we have is that she sent Jenna some messages.” He inclined his chin toward Jenna’s phone. She hesitated before sliding it in his direction.

With coffee in hand, Stacie leaned over their father’s shoulder and pointed to the messages.

“There are a shitload here. The last one she sent says…” He squinted on the text. “I am keeping Hunter safe until you send me the book.”

Whatever his partner said caused her father to huff in disgust. He banged the receiver on the table before holding it back to his ear. “Safedoesn’t fucking meansafeif the guy disappeared.” He sucked on his jaw. “Thanks for nothin’, Frank.” After slamming the receiver into place, he stood. He walked to the counter, opened a drawer, took out his badge, and shoved it into his jeans pocket.

Stacie put down her cup. “Not without me, Dad?”

He grunted and pulled out his police-issued firearm. “Fine. You’re driving. Grab the keys off the hook in the garage.”

“Where are you guys going?” Jenna asked.

“You said this guy lives in Brooklyn.”

Jenna stilled her foot. “How do we know if he’s in Brooklyn right now?”

“He sure as hell didn’t go to the psycho’s place, which means she went to him.” Her father aimed the gun at the wall, lifted the hooky-looking thing, dropped it, and placed his eye above the barrel like he meant to shoot.

Jenna burrowed into her jacket and shivered. “Do you think taking a gun is a good idea?”

Her father tucked the weapon into his waistband.

“Are you coming?” Stacie asked.

With her face tingling and her throat closing, Jenna leaned forward and took deep breaths. Any second she was going to need a paper bag.