Page 96 of Darkest Obsession

“What happened?” I ask her, because I really fucking care and I really fucking mean it. “Why do you hate hospitals?”

I know she doesn’t want to answer me, but I want her to stop running. If she stops running, I can stop chasing. I can stop listening to my wild heart and be the man she wants. Stable. Calm. Patient.

“Sylvia needs us,” Clover says, her chest shaking. “We can go.”

She shoves those little signs of weakness away, like she’s so fucking scared I’ll hurt her if she just shows me that she’s human. She’s always had to be tough, hasn’t she? That makes her special. She’s different from girls I’ve known before.

Her pain is nothing like Amelia’s. Clover’s face contorts in anguish as I won’t let her past, and she fights back tears.

“We’re not friends,” she whispers, looking down and away from me. “I can’t tell you all my problems. So chill.”

“You’re crying.”

“I’m not,” she snarls as her eyes redden.

“Fucking tell me, or I’ll scream ‘rape’.”

Clover glares at me, completely unappreciative of my sense of humor. At least she isn’t crying.

“You are so annoying.”

“Tell me the truth.”

“Why the fuck do you want to know?”

“Because. I care.”

Clover starts to say something rude, but then she bites her lip and looks down again. She draws her sleeve to her eye to wipe away her definitely-not-tears.

“My mom tried to kill herself three years ago. She took a bunch of pills and she cut herself and… I found her.”

I don’t wait for her to say more. I wrap my arms around her, squeezing Clover against my chest. She squeaks slightly as I knock the wind out of her. I loosen my grasp, but not enough that she can get away. I just fucking hold her because I really really wanted to and holy shit, I didn’t expect her to say that. She doesn’t wriggle away.

Clover puts her head on my chest and then I feel warm liquid dampening my shirt. She’s crying. My little fighter’s crying.

“Please,” she whispers. “Please don’t tell anyone that you saw me cry.”

She has her priorities straight, that’s certain. I don’t answer her yet. I kiss the top of Clover’s beautiful head and I keep her tightly against my chest. Why does she draw this weird person out of me? I’m a monster. A sociopath. I completely ruined a girl’s life. I told myself I’d stay away from Clover and not let the same thing happen, but I don’t want to let her go.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I’m so fucking sorry.”

Her body shudders against mine. I love sharing our warmth like this. I don’t want to let her go.

“I’m fine,” she breathes. “I swear, I’m fine.”

Her chest shudders again and she doesn’t seem fine at all.

“I don’t want Sylvia to die,” she whispers. “I really don’t.”

“We won’t let that happen,” I tell her. “We have a plan. You, me, Kola, Sylvia… We have a plan.”

“Yeah,” Clover whispers. She clutches my shirt and keeps her head against my chest. I don’t want her to stop resting her head against my chest. I hold her head against my chest and the thought of letting her go… I kiss her forehead again and she sniffles before pulling away.

“Thomas…” she says. “I can’t do this. You and me… we just can’t.”

She pushes the door open and races away, the bathroom door slamming behind her as I lean against the sink. Numb. What the hell did I do wrong? I want to go after her, but I open the bathroom door and Crispin’s standing right there, glaring as usual. His glare is even more terrifying than before with that false eye.

“How long have you known about Theo?” he snaps.