Page 57 of Darkest Obsession

“Never mind,” Kit says. “Are you going to help me, or not?”

I don’t know if I can. Clover and I have to sort out this blackmail situation. She sent me £500 electronically and I sorted out where the whispering bench was from her description. Perhaps I can catch a glimpse of whoever might be messaging us. They would have to be watching fairly closely. Whoever it is — they’ll slip up eventually.

She doesn’t want me watching her all day, but that’s impossible. If there’s any truth to the emails, I need to pay close attention. I also need to pay close attention to Sylvia.

“Are you dating Sylvia?” I ask him.

“What?” Kit asks, sounding genuinely surprised.

“You heard me.”

“Jealous?”

“I’m serious.”

“Fuck no. I’m not like Crispin. I can’t get away with that. If there’s one thing that would bring dad running back from Vienna, it’s shagging an American.”

I don’t bother pointing out that he heavily implied that he already shagged an American — Clover. Perhaps she was telling the truth. At least Kit doesn’t bring up revenge on Clover again, so I consider him successfully distracted and talk to him about rowing instead.

We enter the dining hall and I half expect to see her there. She isn’t. She’s probably in her bedroom with her knickers on, trotting over to her closet to put on her skirt. Her arse looks incredible in that skirt.

I have a bloody problem. I spend too much time staring at her and imagining all the things I want to do to her. If I wasn’t so lost in my fantasy of her… I’d realize that she doesn’t like me at all. I don’t deserve her liking me, I get that.

I still want her.

Jude sits at the rowing table already with a spread of eggs and bacon in front of him. No carbs in sight.

“G’morning,” he grunts. “What are you stupid fucks doing up so early?”

Typical Fox.

After I’m done eating, I want to go to the whispering bench, but I can’t help worrying about Clover. She must still be in her bedroom if she hasn’t eaten yet. I make some stupid excuse to Kit about Ethics homework and wander over towards the girls’ dorm. I tell myself I’m not going to Clover’s window and apparently, I’m not. Halfway to the girls’ dorm, a short girl with glasses bounds over to me, her backpack bouncing.

I think I recognize her…

“Thomas!” she gasps. “Have you had breakfast?”

“Er… yes.”

“It’s Molly. We met?”

Fuck, she seems proper offended and now that she says it, we’ve definitely met.

“Right.”

Do we have any classes together? Fuck, I feel stupid for not remembering.

“I’m Clover’s roommate. She’s told me about you.”

“Uh… she has?”

“Yeah. She thinks you’re fit and everything.”

I wrinkle my nose. I struggle to believe that Clover ‘thinks I’m fit’ or that she would talk about me at all.

“Cool.”

“So um… do you mind walking me to breakfast, or are you busy?”