Page 46 of Hidden Obsession

The dawning reality was hard to fathom as she looked into the eyes of a man clearly in love. A man in love with Mason! Had this been about Mason all along? But that didn’t make sense with Spears. Travis seemed to shake off the feelings overwhelming him and pushed her into the empty bathtub. Her shoulder hit the edge, jarring her with pain, her face barely missing the taps.

Not wanting her back to him and knowing this could be her final few moments, Cleo turned and faced him. The gun he now held on her was as steady as she knew his shot would be. Cleo looked down the barrel, hiding the grief that her life would end today. She would never get to tell Mason she loved him again. To hold his hand as they walked on the beach, to play with their children and watch them grow with the man she loved beside her.

“I wish this could have ended differently, Cleo. That you would end things with Mason on your own accord. I don’t hate you, you seem like a nice person, but I can’t let you take him from me. He’s all I have. If you’d just finished that hot chocolate from last night, we wouldn’t be in this position now.”

She sat forward in the bath, shocked at his words. “You drugged me last night and now you’re just going to kill me and leave me here?”

“Yes, your team will believe it’s the stalker, and we will mourn your loss. Eventually Mason and I will rebuild our lives away from here.”

He lifted the gun, and she held his eyes not willing to die like a coward. If he wanted her dead, he would have to look her in the eye as he did it.

Cleo waited for the pain and the sound of the gun to fire and nearly puked on herself when a loud banging ricocheted into the small bathroom.

“Cleo, open up. It’s Nick.”

Her eyes darted to the door, and she seized her chance opening her mouth and screaming. “Nick, help me.”

“Bitch!” Travis spat and hit her with the butt of the gun, opening her cheek. Warm blood oozed down her face as he glared at her with hatred.

With gunfire resonating from the front door, Travis turned and ran for the living room as the banging from the door intensified, loud shouts of concern from Nick. Stumbling from the bath with one shoe off, Cleo ran for the front door. She heard the glass being broken and thought about Travis escaping. How would he do it so far up? He could break his neck for all she cared.

Gripping the handle, she took two tries to slide the lock open before falling into Nick, who grabbed her. Taking in her appearance in a second, he glanced around his entire body on alert.

“Travis. He has Mason. You have to stop him.” She pointed to the living room where Travis had gone.

Nick steadied her and handed her his phone. “Call Shane now.” Then he was gone in pursuit of Travis.