Lovely obsession

Chapter 5

Melissa

"Death? I already know what that is."

"So what? Will there really be a war?" And here we are again. What cruel irony. Again these two, again this house, this damn office, and once more I have to find a match. Because there's never just one box, right?

"Yes," Kirill answered.

"Shut up, I wasn't asking you." My gaze was fully fixed on Roman.

"You need to go back to the hospital. Things could go bad for you."

I scoffed and, with my left hand, tore the tape along with the needle, tossing the IV out the door. Gathering all my strength, I took a step forward, but I didn't close the door.

"Am I mistaken, or will it be you who's feeling unwell soon?" I smirked and walked slowly—perhaps too slowly—toward the table. "Kirill, leave."

"You can't give me orders."

"Oh, really?" I raised an eyebrow and pushed the chair aside. "As long as I'm the lady of this house, I'm your momma, Kirill, so get your angry butt out and close the door from the other side."

I bent over slightly from the pain but still saw Roman nod towards Kirill, who hurried out. Just before he did, I heard him whisper to me, "I'll be waiting for you in the living room, baby."

I let myself frown and start breathing heavily as the door shut. Damn. Roman immediately jumped up from his seat and stood beside me.

"Leave me alone." I tried to brush him off.

"Stop playing the stoic hero for one damn minute and tell me where it hurts."

"There's something fundamentally wrong with you."

"Because of you."

I rolled my eyes as he picked me up.

"Is it a new tradition to carry me around? I mean... I wasn't shot in the legs." I didn't resist as he carried me further into the office like a bride. Roman sat me on the table, standing between my legs, towering over me.

"But you nearly died."

"Does that concern you?"

"Oh, God, aren't you tired of hating me yet?" he exhaled, with both hands in his pockets. I studied his face. Huge dark circles under his eyes, his cheekbones hollow as if he hadn't eaten or slept in days. I frowned. "You... were worried."

"Of course."

"Why?"

"God, Melissa." He leaned in, looking into my eyes. "Don't you understand that even though you once broke my heart, made me hate you, I wouldn't be able to live on this earth if you weren't on it."

I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Me? I broke your heart? Seriously?"

"It wasn't me pretending to be happy and then telling my mother I hate my husband."

"What?"

"I heard your conversation with your mom. I heard everything."

I tried to understand what he was talking about, but it took me a moment to piece it together. Then everything clicked. The last piece fell into place. I remembered my final conversation with my mother many years ago.

***

Five Years Ago...

I kept pacing around the room Roman and I shared, staring at my phone screen. My mom had called me five times already. She hadn't done that even once since I left her home a year ago, and now I was curious why she was reaching out after all this time.