Page 1 of Darkest Obsession

Chapter One

Thomas Bainbridge

Just breathe, Thomas. Breathe. It’s not real, it’s not happening. I reach over, expecting to feel cold stiff flesh, expecting that horrible night to reach out for me again, but there’s no one next to me. She’s gone, Thomas. She died, remember?

Yes, of course I bloody remember. I was there. I should have done something. I swing my legs over the bed, desperate for a cigarette – and something stronger. Why bother stop myself? I fumble around in bed for the flask and as my fingers clutch the silver, I notice how badly my hands shake. Fuck’s sake, I’ll need a cigarette.

My roommate sleeps through my loud thumping out of bed, through the noise of me slipping into short Hunter boots and a navy Barbour jacket.

“Kit,” I hiss at him, just in case he decides to wake up. He doesn’t. The dick drinks more than I do, though I can’t fathom what the bloody hell is wrong with him. I search his coat pocket for a box of cigarettes and find two – and an empty condom wrapper. Bastard. We’ve been here a week and he’s already found some unsuspecting girl to shag.

Not me. I need to stay away from women.

I’ve heard the Fox Academy had rules last year, when my sister Vi attended. Not like she bothered following any, judging by the stories her boyfriend tells. But this year, there are no rules.

I don’t bother waiting until I’m outside to light the cigarette. Who gives a fuck? Certainly not me. I lean against the red brick once I’m outside, puffing away and gazing at the Year 12 girls’ dorm across the way. Girls. The chapel bells ring for midnight. I tip my flask to my throat again and finish my whiskey. Fuck’s sake. How did I finish another bottle in a day? Violet’s going to kill me when she looks at my credit card bill.

The door opens behind me, which isn’t supposed to happen, because it’s midnight. Fuck’s sake… another bastard I hate, up too late and breaking the rules. Only this time, Jude Fox is with a girl. A very pretty girl.

They stumble out of the door together embracing, unaware that I’m standing a few inches off until I blow an enormous cloud of smoke over their grotesque public display. The girl coughs and pulls away from Jude, allowing me to get a bloody good look at her. Jude wraps his arm around her waist tighter once they both notice me. They both struggle to hide their surprise and the girl, well, she’s scared.

“Hello, Jude.”

“What the fuck are you doing out here?”

The girl leans into Jude’s embrace. She’s tall for a girl, and she looks strong and curvy, a nice combination. She has weird hair. I dunno how to describe it. As for her skin color. Well, let’s just say mum and dad wouldn’t approve. But she’s still pretty. I can still look at her.

“Smoking. Drinking.”

Jude glares like he wants to shove me through the wall. When I was smaller, he certainly would have. Nobody wants trouble with me now.

“You have classes tomorrow. Go to bed.”

I smirk at his impotent attempt to command me about. He’s repeating our year, that hardly makes him an authority on anything at all.

“No.”

Jude clears his throat and turns to the girl. “You’d better go.”

That doesn’t please her at all. She scrunches up that pretty face and shoves his chest until he lets go of her.

“You’re going to make me walk back alone?” She throws a furtive glance in my direction, as if I’m a threat to her. Maybe it’s my height. Maybe it’s my tattoos. Maybe it’s the way I’m staring.

I can’t bloody help it, can I? Things always get bad when I drink. It always gets harder to control myself around women, and this one is a particularly pretty one.

Her eyes are incredibly gorgeous. Wow. I don’t want to look away from her face, but fuck, she glances away from mine quickly. I can’t blame her. I look and feel like shit. I need another cigarette, but I can’t find my lighter in my pocket. Jude distracts me from my quest for a lighter when he barks at the pretty dark girl.

Jude glares at her. “This was just a hook-up, Clover. I’m not your bloody boyfriend. Walk back before someone catches you.”

Ah, Jude. He’s such a fucking Fox.. They’re tainted by their Scottish blood, according to dad. (He’s right.)

As for this lass…

“I’ll walk you back,” I offer. Her eyes narrow.

“I don’t know you. I’m not walking on a dark path with you,” she says.

“Suit yourself, Clover.”