Rose felt herself being lifted, her body weightless in Elijah's arms. She let her head fall against his chest, her breaths shallow as her body remained limp. He hesitated for a moment, and she felt his chest rise and fall in a sharp sigh.
"I heard everything," he muttered, almost to himself. "Guess they'll be fine."
Everything?
Her heart lurched.
Had he also watched?
A shiver ran down her spine. She hadn't felt him... She knew it was her marks burning out.
She felt him adjust his grip, cradling her closer. To her surprise, he reached for something nearby. She heard the sound of metal scraping, and when she peeked through barely-open eyes, she saw him lifting the Longinus Spear.
He slung it across his back, securing it beneath his cloak, as though it were a weapon meant for him.
A warrior. She resisted the urge to swallow because it was as if he had claimed back what she had given him.
The rain fell harder as he began to move, the droplets splashing against her skin.
Was he really leaving the others behind?
Her mind spun.
Since when had he—
He's obsessed with you, a voice in her mind whispered.
That much? To leave behind the friends she thought he cared about so deeply? She hadn't inflicted serious harm on them—she knew they'd recover—but still, the fact he was prioritizing her above everyone else was unnerving.
He moved faster than she expected, his steps sure, his pace urgent.
To her disbelief, he carried her effortlessly, as though she weighed nothing at all.
She felt his cloak shift around her, shielding her from the rain, and then she heard it—
"Detective," he whispered, his voice low but steady. "If you're somewhere in there... I want my Rose back."
Her heart twisted.
My Rose?
"I didn't know about the whole plan to keep you busy," he continued, his voice strained. "If I had known, I would've stopped them. A war like this leaves orphans—it's so obvious."
His words struck her like a blow. She had figured much but confirming it... it... she was confused over him.
"The moment I found out this had been done by your father, I knew something terrible would happen." His voice softened, almost trembling. "Then you appeared and left me thinking that night... and I trusted you. Trusted what you said."
Rose felt her chest tighten.
Trusted me?
"I used my own program to alert every country to get into bunkers."
The words hit her like a thunderclap.
"You have no blood on your hands."
Her breath caught.
No blood?
She had thought—had convinced herself—she was drowning in guilt.
And now this?
"While your father was busy being distracted, I stole the Blue Program."
Her heart skipped.
"And the Lampstand."
A wave of disbelief surged through her.
He did what?
"I need you back."
YOU ARE READING
Found Obsession
Mystery / ThrillerDetective Roselyn Hansley wakes up to a nightmare she can't remember. Drowned by a serial killer and left for dead, her body survived-but her memories didn't. Stripped of her past and thrust into a life of uncertainty.. As Rose returns to her work...
