Page 97 of Darkest Obsession

I need to go after her. But there’s no getting through the brick wall of Crispin Barclay. His nose is so sharp, it could cut me. I don’t dare push past him.

“What?” I grunt instead.

“I asked you to look after Sylvia and she’s spent the past three months banging Theo Hargreaves. How long have you known?”

Typical Barclay, searching for someone to punish. Kit’s just as petty, he’s just too much of a drunken fuck to keep track of his enemies.

“Listen, I didn’t know. Sylvia’s secrets aren’t mine to uncover. She’s not my responsibility, anyway.”

Crispin’s face turns bright red, even if I’m just being truthful.

“Is that so, Thomas?”

“I swear, I didn’t know.”

“I’m going to kill him. He’s twenty-four years old and she’s only eighteen. She’s Amina’s sister for fuck’s sake.”

“I have to go,” I mutter.

Crispin looks like he’s going to barbecue me.

“Go where?”

“After Clover. I’m sorry…”

He stretches his arm out and grabs me hard. I give him a look and he lets go, but he keeps his threatening gaze fixed on me.

“Sylvia’s awake,” Crispin says. “You’re coming with me. I am not going to let Theodore get away with this and you’re in trouble too.”

“Why the fuck am I in trouble?”

“I saw that girl fleeing from the loo in tears,” Crispin says. “I don’t know how or why, but you’re in trouble.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong.”

I thought everything was going right between us for a change. But Crispin won’t let me out of trouble. I walk back into Sylvia’s hospital room. Theo has his hand on her shoulder, but Amina looks like she’s going to burst with outrage.

“I know I kidnapped you,” Theo says to Amina. “I know she’s too young for me.”

“When the hell did this start?” Amina asks. “My sister was sixteen when you met her, Theo. Sixteen!”

Amina folds her arms and Theo actually looks scared. Bloody hell. He’s a wanker. I would never keep Clover a secret – not like there’s anything going on between us.

“I’m grown, Amina,” Sylvia says. “I didn’t want you to find out because… we know what’s going to happen next semester.”

“Exactly why this is a horrible idea,” Amina says. “Theo, how could you do this?”

This goes on for quite some time. I stop listening as Clover draws all my attention. She listens to the argument, putting her hand on Sylvia’s shoulder, but careful not to get overly involved.

I can tell she’s upset with Sylvia for the secret, even if she doesn’t speak up and she offers her friend support. She doesn’t trust Theo. I don’t care enough to trust Hargreaves or not. Who cares about him? I don’t. I just care about Clover and what might happen to her and whoever attacked Sylvia. We have bigger problems than whoever Sylvia wants to sleep with.

Fuck. Can we please talk about something important?

“Amina,” I interrupt, earning a popped hip and a glare from Amina Hewett.

“What do you want, Thomas?”

“Shouldn’t we focus less on Sylvia’s secret and more about who did this to her?”