Page 70 of Darkest Obsession

“Because black girls have bigger lips?” Thomas asks. My shoulders tense immediately. See, this is why I need to learn my lessons with these white boys.

“That’s…”

“Racist?” Thomas offers hopefully.

“Yeah. Kinda.”

“I mean it in a good way. Sorry. I mean… They’re soft. And really big.”

I feel self-conscious about the way he says it, but I notice his cheeks turning red. I don’t think that’s something white guys can control. I’m not extremely experienced with white boys enough to know.

We arrive at Thomas’ car.

“Seriously? You’re hiding a Range Rover in the woods? Why did you get it in this color?”

I did not expect his car to be a custom camouflage Range Rover.

Thomas grins. “I like going off-road. Come on.”

He clicks the keys in his pockets and I bound over leaves to get to his car. I open the passenger side and the smell hits me — the smell of the man who attacked me. It’s like the seat in Thomas’ car sucks me back against it and steals the air from my lungs.

Instant panic. Thomas slides into the driver’s side and gives me a funny look.

“You alright?”

But honestly? I can’t get air into my lungs. The reaction goes beyond me and spirals out of control. I don’t want him to see me like this.

Chapter Thirty-One

Thomas

“Yes,” she says. “I’m fine.”

I want to put my hands out to touch her, but I know I haven’t earned the right or any of her trust enough for her to allow that. I’ve been foolish and reckless with her. I can’t blame her for not having an iota of trust in me.

“You look…”

“It’s that smell,” she snaps. “It’s what you did to me. It’s just⁠—

“I really hurt you that bad?”

“Yes, you idiot. Don’t you have any idea what it feels like to be trapped? To be violated like that?”

I hate the look on her face when I answer.

“I do. Actually.”

“Wait. What?”

“Breakfast,” I mutter. “We have to off road a bit.”

“I didn’t see a road.”

“Some trees might be destroyed in the removal of this vehicle… hang tight…”

Clover screams the entire way out of the woods until we get to the road. Am I that horrible of a driver? Once we bounce onto the main road, she shrieks and smacks my forearm.

“ARE YOU CRAZY?”