Page 22 of Securing His Obsession

“It’s all so hazy. I was scared and hurt, and Camille was going on and on about how she was going to get extra money for me. Then you guys came and Wilt took her down. You had me, but I saw a glint of something. Like the sun hitting a bottle, and then she went down. I was still looking in that direction when I thought I saw someone run, then you tugged me to the ground. None of you hadn’t been able to place where the shot had come from. I figured my mind was playing tricks on me. Making me see something that wasn’t there.”

Damon remembered that day, it was one he tried hard not to recall. His heart had been in his throat when the news had come through that Margot had been taken along with Narelle. Seeing the blood running down her arm, the fear in her eyes, was imprinted in his brain.

His back had been to the commotion of Wilt and a policeman trying to hold Camille down. Her screaming had filled the air. He’d heard the shot and then silence. After that, all his attention had been on protecting Margot in case the person tried to shoot someone else.

Whoever they were, they’d moved quickly, and had taken the single shell casing they’d used on Camille. The police had conducted a search of the area and had reported that they’d found a footprint and a broken bush, but nothing else. At the time, the team had been focused on Narelle, Margot, and Wilt. All worried about what was happening to them. In hindsight, one of them should’ve stayed behind to help the police. It was in the past though, so nothing could be changed. Even if they went back, the chances of finding anything useful was slim.

“Can you describe what you saw?” Reluctantly, he let go of her hand and got up to grab a notepad and pen from the sideboard.

He wasn’t the world’s best sketcher, but he could attempt to draw what Margot told him.

“There’s nothing more to say. I didn’t really see a face, just a blur of movement. I don’t even know if the person paid any attention to me looking in their direction. Also, what happened that day may not be related to what is happening now. It’s so far-fetched to think someone is threatened by me, when I really didn’t see anything of substance. I don’t think they’re related.”

“Sometimes the unlikeliest of things are connected. They may not know that you didn’t see anything identifiable about them. The person who shot Camille has never been found, and we put it down to the traffickers she was working with wanting to keep her quiet. Which could still be the case. We can’t discount it. And yes, you may be right. It could all not be related, but this is a starting point, and we can go from there.” He clicked the pen. “I know you probably don’t want to, but I need to you tell me everything you remember from that day, and I’m going to take it down. And anything you think you can recall about the person you thought you saw, let me know, and I’ll try and draw them.”

Not once had they spoken to Margot about what had happened that day. There had been a lot going on with needing to get everyone treated for their injuries. Perhaps if they had spoken to Margot immediately, it may have helped her process what had happened, and she wouldn’t be having the episodes she now experienced. Although, that wasn’t likely either. No matter how much work a person could do with a therapist, they were never fully recovered. There would always be PTSD when it came to emotional events.

They spent the next hour going over everything that happened that day. There were many times when it looked like she was about to cry, but somehow she swallowed the tears down and continued on. She was so fucking strong, but he had an idea she didn’t know that. Didn’t know she had an inner strength some people lacked.

“I’m done,” she announced and slumped back. “I can’t go over it anymore.”

Damon pushed his chair back and then grabbed the back of hers and did the same. Once there was enough room he pulled her from her seat and sat her on his lap, engulfing her in his embrace.

His eyelids drifted down when she snuggled into him and her arms closed around him. This was a moment he didn’t want to forget. She’d been so open and raw with him. Hearing her relive the moment that Camille had turned up at Andy and Narelle’s place the same time as her, made him want to kill the dead woman all over again.

It had been a classic case of Margot being in the wrong place at the wrong time, but nothing could be changed about it.

After a few moments, she pulled away from him. The last thing he wanted to do was let her go, but he wasn’t going to be an asshole either. He released his grip and she stood.

“I should get back to my desk.”

He wanted to tell her to stay with him, but instead, he nodded. “If you want, but I don’t think anyone will be mad if you decided to go home.” Wait, the asshole knew where she lived. “Actually, you can’t go home.”

“Excuse me? Why can’t I go home?” Some of her sadness had disappeared, and annoyance flashed in her eyes. He welcomed it, and much preferred to see the fire there.

Damon picked up the photo of her outside of her house. It took everything he had in him to not crumple it between his fingers as he held it out to her. “This person knows where you live. Being at your home makes you vulnerable to whoever is trying to scare you.”

Fuck, as quickly as the fire had sparked in her eyes, with a few placed sentences, he’d doused it, and the fear was back in her eyes.

“Where am I going to go? I can’t afford to stay in a hotel indefinitely. That’s a waste of money. It’s not like I have family here to stay with either. Although, I don’t think I’d stay there and potentially put them in danger too.”

“You can stay at my place. I have plenty of room.” He didn’t even think about it, he just blurted it out and he wasn’t even sorry.

Her eyes widened at his announcement. “You have got to be joking. I can’t stay with you.”

“Why not?” He should take her reluctance as a good thing and should jump on it.

To her, his offer would seem random. It wasn’t though. The very thought of someone else looking after her instead of him, didn’t sit well. No one would look after her with the same care as he would. But how did he convince her of that? Especially after the way he’d continually blown hot and cold with her.

Although she hadn’t balked when he pulled her into his arms just before. She’d come willingly. He had to show her that he finally had his head out of his ass because, now after these photos, he needed her close. Needed to show her that he wanted more than the breadcrumbs he’d given her. He wanted it all, because having nothing wasn’t an option anymore.

“Because it’s ridiculous. I’ll find someone else to stay with. Maybe Steve and Tabitha will be okay with me staying with them.”

If she asked, Steve wouldn’t object, he’d be more than happy to open his home to her, but that wasn’t an option he liked. He wanted to be the one to protect her. To keep her safe. Only he could do a good job. Which was total bullshit, because his friends were just as capable as him to look after Margot.

“You know them, if you ask them, I’m sure they’ll say yes. But I don’t want you to do that.” He closed the distance between them, resting his hands on her hips. She didn’t pull away, and he took that as a good sign. He waited for her to lift her head so that she was looking at him. Damon needed her to watch him as he spoke. To know that what he was saying was coming from the depths of his soul.

Once he was sure that he had her attention, he looked down into her eyes. “I want you to stay with me. I will keep you safe. You have my word.”