Their Secret Obsession (A Reverse Harem) by Pippa Moon novel Chapter 262

Adam POV

Looking down at Lottie, who slept cradled in my arms, I found myself wondering if she realised she might have been on the brink of death. Did she understand that by throwing herself into the fray to protect me, she had endangered herself and her unborn children? Why did she feel the need to protect me—a grown man who had consciously decided to engage in that fight? She was an innocent who had already suffered enough at the hands of fate.

The silent drive in Liam's car was a heavy one, the quiet only amplifying the turmoil churning inside me. The darkness outside mirrored the dark thoughts swirling through my mind, punctuated by the soft rise and fall of Lottie's breathing. The guilt of seeing her in harm's way because of me gnawed at my insides; I should have been the one protecting her, not the other way around.

"Wow, you are stupid," Astaroth's voice cut through the quiet, his tone laced with disdain. I bristled at his presence—a demon entwined not only with my sister's fate but now seemingly with mine as well. There was something unnervingly familiar about him that set my nerves on edge, a recognition in the depths of his eyes that I couldn't quite place but that made me deeply uncomfortable.

"Because for some unknown reason, she loves you," he stated, the tension in his voice suggesting he was holding back more. Part of me wondered if I even wanted to know what else he might say. I trusted nothing that slithered out from between those sharp, demon lips.

"She doesn't know me," I muttered, returning my gaze to Lottie, who slept obliviously across my lap. I was convinced that if she really knew me, knew the depths of darkness that lurked in my past and the blood that stained my hands, she would recoil in horror. I resolved once again to keep my distance, to shield her from the tainted world I inhabited. Yet, Savage, my wolf, stirred within, disagreeing. The rage and impulsiveness that usually characterised him were muted, subdued by Lottie's calming presence. But I shut him out, unwilling to confront the implications and calmness her presence had on him.

I brushed a stray hair from Lottie's face, my fingers lingering slightly as I marvelled at how much she resembled our mother. Her gentle features, framed by soft blonde hairs that curled in the dried blood, brought back a flood of memories—memories of a love and warmth brutally snatched away by violence.

"Does she know how much of her mother is in her?" I wondered through mindlink to Liam, a smile touching my lips at the thought.

"She doesn't know the true things," Astaroth announced abruptly, pulling me from my reverie. I looked up sharply, realising he was responding to the thoughts and private conversations I had with Liam.

"Perk of the job, great when you have chicks checking you out, not so good now when you have to listen to your whiny ass moan that she tried to save you," he continued, his smug smile framed by those unsettling red eyes. He stood there in his sharply tailored suit, looking every bit the part of a demon who had walked straight out of a high-stakes boardroom deal into our lives.

"I am not moaning," I snapped back, irritation flaring at his accurate yet unwanted intrusion into my thoughts.

"I am with Astaroth!" Liam chimed in from the driver's seat, his eyes meeting mine in the rearview mirror. There was concern etched across his face, a silent questioning of my state of mind.

"Thank you, at least someone in this family has common fucking sense," Astaroth growled in response. I ignored him, turning to meet Liam's gaze once more, searching for some understanding in his expression, hoping he might see the conflict that tore at my soul—a conflict born of love, guilt, and an unbearable sense of loss.

"She is exhausted. Do you know how hard it was for her to watch that? Her body went through trauma today, trauma those pups don't need," Astaroth suddenly interjected, his tone shifting from mocking to serious. "When I charged you fucking high and mighty 'Sparrow brothers' with protecting her, I really thought you would step up your game. Instead, here she is, with emotional pain and heartbreak tearing through her body, rendering her utterly spent."

His words cut deep, and for a fleeting second, guilt washed over me. Astaroth was right—this wasn't the deal we had made with him. I caught Liam's reflection in the mirror, his eyes also clouded with regret.

"We will fix it," I muttered, more to myself than to anyone else, turning my attention back to the little warrior in my lap. It was astounding how this small, seemingly fragile woman, who I had been determined not to care for, had shown such fierce loyalty and kindness.

"She should have let me die," I whispered, the words heavy with the weight of what could have been, tightening the already tense atmosphere in the car.

"Morbid much?" Astaroth quipped after a heavy pause. "But be careful what you wish for, Adam. Who knows what the future has in store for you?" His words, grumbled with a mix of annoyance and perhaps unintended concern, strangely brought me a sliver of relief.

In that charged silence, I contemplated the tangled web of duty, love, and guilt that bound me. Whatever the future held, it was clear that the path I walked was forever altered by the bravery and heart of the woman who now slept, exhausted, by my side.