Where Obsession Begins
Lila Sinclair stepped into her godfather’s villa, the click of her heels echoing softly against polished marble floors. The house smelled faintly of fresh flowers and aged wood, with carved pillars and tall arched windows that reached toward the ceiling.
The villa had the warmth and quiet elegance of a rich old Italian home, the kind built in another era but still breathing with life.
Sunlight poured through the tall arched windows, painting golden patterns across the entrance hall but it was her radiant smile that seemed to light up the space. She held her suitcase in one hand, her posture relaxed, her eyes bright with what looked like excitement.
“Look who we finally have here.”
Lila heard his voice, smooth and unmistakably familiar, and her smile widened as she turned around. He was descending the grand staircase, every step as confident and elegant as she remembered.
“Uncle,” she called out. Dropping her suitcase without a second thought, she hurried over and wrapped her arms around him.
He had raised Lila since she was a toddler. He was practically a father to her, but he had always insisted on being called Uncle instead of Dad, so Lila had to get used to calling him Uncle.
“Oh my, little Lila. I missed you so much,” he murmured, holding her with ease as they both descended the remaining steps.
Lila grinned, her white teeth flashing as she looked up at him. “I missed you more, Uncle.” She turned slightly and pointed toward her suitcase by the door. “See? I’m going to spend the break with you. How does that sound?”
He followed her gaze to the big pink suitcase, then looked back at her face. The joy in his eyes dimmed just slightly.
“I’m sorry, Lila. I know how much you need this break, and how much you want us to be together, but we can’t spend this summer together.”
Lila frowned and took a small step back, her eyes searching his face.
“Why, Uncle? I thought you missed me.”
“Of course I missed you, Lila. But as we speak, I need to catch the next flight to China for an urgent business matter. I’ll be gone for at least six months.”
Lila scoffed and crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
A slow grin crept onto her uncle’s lips. “But I’ve arranged a place for you to spend the summer, and I’m sure you’ll be very happy about it.”
She looked up at him, studying his cute and not too old face and the broad grin it now wore. “Where?”
“Damien Wolfe’s place,” he replied with a grin.
Lila’s eyes widened in disbelief. She straightened up and stared hard at his face.
“Are you serious?” Lila asked, her voice dropping to a breathless hush. “You really told Damien? That I’m coming?”
Lucien smiled and shook his head.
“No, Lila. I’ve already told him, and he’s expecting you already.”
The words had barely left his mouth when Lila stepped forward and embraced him tightly.
“Thank you, Uncle Lucien,” she said with a soft smile, her voice sincere.
Lucien chuckled, steadying her gently as she pulled back, her hands still holding his.
“So, I’m finally going to meet Damien Wolfe. And not just meet him but stay at his place for almost three months?” Lila asked, her tone calm but laced with curiosity and anticipation.
Lucien’s smile faltered slightly as he looked at Lila’s smiling face. Even now, he still couldn’t understand her sudden obsession with Damien. She had never shown the slightest interest in him until three years ago.
Lila had been barely seventeen when she came to Lucien in the middle of the night, asking questions about Damien. Since then, her obsession had grown stronger with each passing day.
“Lila,” he said gently, taking her small hands in his. “You’re my little girl, aren’t you?”
She nodded quickly, her eyes shining with innocent affection.
“Damien is my friend, and he’s twice your age. You do know that, right?”
Lila hesitated for a moment, then nodded again.
“He might look younger than he is, and yes, he might be every woman’s fantasy, but he’s not someone you can fall in love with. He’s… how do I put this…” Lucien trailed off, struggling to find the right words as concern clouded his expression.
“I know Damien’s reputation, Uncle. A little dangerous and a little untouchable,” Lila said, her tone more intrigued than dismissive. “But if someone like you is friends with him, then he can’t be all that bad, right? And if he’s your friend, that practically makes him an uncle to me. So stop overthinking.” She chuckled softly, masking her nervousness.
Then Lucien let out a quiet sigh of relief.
“I’ll have someone take you there now. Take care of yourself, alright? Damien will look after you, but if you feel like you can’t stay with him for any reason, just call me, okay?”
Lila gave him an assurance nod before throwing her arms around him in a warm hug.
Lila couldn’t help but admire every detail of the villa as she followed the housekeeper, who had come to fetch her at the gate. The bungalow looked simple at first glance, but everything about it whispered luxury in a quiet way.
The living room was just as modest, yet elegant. On one of the walls hung a painting of a baby with a sweet, cheerful smile. Lila paused, her lips curling into a smile of her own as she stared at the portrait.
She was still looking at it when the woman’s voice interrupted her thoughts.
“Mr. Damien will not be coming back today, but he assigned me to take care of your needs.”
Lila’s smile faded, and the disappointment was clear on her face.
“I’ve prepared your room. It’s the door on the left, just around the corner. Dinner will be ready soon,” the woman added, her words laced with a soft Colombian accent, sounding efficient but kind. She looked to be in her early forties with a calm aura about her, and after speaking, she turned and walked away.
“Why isn’t he coming back today, huh?” Lila muttered under her breath as she watched the woman’s retreating figure.
Later that night…
Lila couldn’t sleep as she kept rolling from one side of the bed to the other, restless and frustrated.
Eventually, she sat up, threw the covers aside, and stepped out of her room in her red two-piece satin nightwear.
The house was quiet, with only a few lights glowing softly in the distance. She glanced around, then moved silently toward a small staircase that led to the second floor.
There were three doors up there. One of them was slightly open.
“Huh?” she murmured, stepping closer. She peeked in and saw it was a study.
A smile curled on her lips as she slipped inside. The room was lined with two tall shelves, one on each side. A desk and chair sat neatly in the center.
“So he does read, huh?” she whispered with admiration as she strolled to one of the shelves and pulled out a book.
Night Sky with Exit Wounds by Ocean Vuong.
Lila wrinkled her nose and placed it back. “Not my type.” She reached for another one.
The Collected Poems of Sylvia Plath.
“Why are they all poems?” she frowned and muttered to herself.
Suddenly, she felt a presence behind her. A large figure moved close, and a deep voice followed.
“What are you doing here, kid?”
She shrieked and spun around, nearly jumping out of her skin. Her eyes met a pair of piercing blue ones.
He was standing close…too close. She had no idea how he had gotten behind her without making a sound.
Lila stood frozen, heart pounding in her chest as her gaze locked with his. He was tall, his build solid and commanding.
His blue-black hair was cropped in a style that suited only him.
His face was sharp, almost sculpted, every edge perfectly placed. He was effortlessly gorgeous. Too gorgeous.
This was him… the man whispered about in dark corners, the one known for crimes no one could prove, yet everyone feared.
Her eyes dropped, unable to help themselves. The top buttons of his shirt were undone, revealing smooth, toned skin and just beneath his collarbone was a faint line of ink and her heart skipped. There was handwriting there. She couldn’t make out the words, but the sight of it only stirred her curiosity more. It was intimate and strange and dangerously attractive.
Her hands suddenly felt clammy, and warmth crawled up her neck as her breath turned shallow. She shifted slightly on her feet, almost forgetting how to stand still. Then her gaze slowly returned to his face, and he was still watching her, his expression calm but full of heat.
“Damien Wolfe?” she whispered, her throat tightening as she swallowed hard.
