Obsession (Temptation Series Book 4) Read online

  OBSESSION

  TEMPTATION SERIES #4

  T.K. LEIGH

  OBSESSION

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes. If you are reading this book and you have not purchased it or won it in an author/publisher contest, this book has been pirated. Please delete and support the author by purchasing the ebook from one of its many distributors.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental or, if an actual place, are used fictitiously. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The use of these trademarks is not sponsored, associated, or endorsed by the trademark owner.

  Published by Carpe Per Diem, Inc

  Edited by Kim Young, Kim’s Editing Services

  Cover Design: Cat Head Biscuit, Inc.

  Cover assets:

  © VitalikRadko

  Used under license from Deposit Photos.

  Copyright © 2022 Tracy Kellam

  All rights reserved.

  OBSESSION

  One week. No names. No expectations.

  That was our agreement.

  We were supposed to walk away after our time in Hawaii was over.

  No matter what.

  That was before…

  Before I learned who she is.

  Before I realized how interconnected our lives are.

  Before I fell in love.

  But our love isn’t the stuff fairy tales are made of.

  Demons lurk around every corner.

  Good doesn’t necessarily prevail over evil.

  And the knight in shining armor may not save the day. Not if her murderous ex-husband has anything to do with it.

  But Julia’s never been the type of woman who needs a knight in shining armor to save the day.

  She’s the type of woman who will pick up her own sword and fight for what she believes in.

  I just hope she’s finally learned to believe in herself.

  BOOKS BY T.K. LEIGH

  CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE

  The Dating Games Series

  Dating Games

  Wicked Games

  Mind Games

  Dangerous Games

  Royal Games

  Tangled Games

  The Redemption Series

  Commitment (Redemption Duet #1)

  Redemption (Redemption Duet #2)

  Possession (Possession Duet #1)

  Atonement (Possession Duet #2)

  ROMANTIC COMEDY

  The Book Boyfriend Chronicles

  The Other Side of Someday

  Writing Mr. Right

  ROMANTIC SUSPENSE

  The Temptation Series

  Temptation

  Persuasion

  Provocation

  Obsession

  The Vault

  Inferno: Part 1

  Inferno: Part 2

  Inferno: Part 3

  Inferno: Part 4

  The Beautiful Mess Series

  A Beautiful Mess (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #1)

  A Tragic Wreck (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #2)

  Gorgeous Chaos (Beautiful Mess Trilogy #3)

  Chasing the Dragon (Deception Duet #1)

  Slaying The Dragon (Deception Duet #2)

  Vanished (A Beautiful Mess Novel)

  Heart of Light (A Beautiful Mess Novel)

  Mature Young Adult

  Heart of Marley

  For more information on any of these titles and upcoming releases, please visit T.K.’s website:

  www.tkleighauthor.com

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  Sign Up Here.

  CONTENTS

  A Note from the Author

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Cruel Saint

  Playlist

  Connect with Me

  Free Book!

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you so much for picking up a copy of Obsession. Your support means a lot.

  Before you dive in, I just wanted to issue a bit of a warning. If you’ve made it this far in the series, you’re aware that the subject matter is slightly dark and contains certain content that may be triggering for particularly sensitive readers. So far, it’s been relatively tame.

  Until now.

  This final chapter of Julia and Lachlan’s story will be a bit more violent than the previous books. While I do my best not to glorify violence, there will be a few scenes that may be triggering for particularly sensitive individuals. Please keep this in mind as you are reading.

  Thank you and I hope you enjoy Obsession!

  PROLOGUE

  END OF PROVOCATION

  Julia

  “I’m going to kill him.” Lachlan’s voice was eerily calm as he stared into space. “But first, I’m going to make him suffer for every woman he hurt. For Piper. For Claire. For all of them. By the time I’m done with him, he’s going to be begging me to put him out of his misery.”

  “Lachlan…”

  When I placed my hand on his leg, his gaze shot to mine, snapping out of whatever trance he was in.

  “It could be nothing, like Ethan said.” I flashed Ethan a smile, begging him to help me talk Lachlan down from choosing a course of action he’d eventually come to regret. “There’s nothing definitive here. So what? Daxton was born only seven months after his parents married. Nine months after his mother filed an incident report alleging sexual assault.”

  “Sexual assault that has your ex-husband’s signature all over it,” Lachlan snipped back.

  “True.” I inhaled a calming breath, attempting to be the voice of reason when it felt like all reason had officially left the room. “But that still doesn’t mean—”

  “And how about the fact he obviously knew Autumn Quinn?” he spat, nostrils flaring, spittle forming in the corners of his mouth. “Is that also a coincidence? Not to mention he just so happens to volunteer for a fucking prison program and has had access to your ex. Is that all a coincidence, too?”

  Hearing footsteps padding on the second floor, I glanced over my shoulder at the stairs before refocusing my attention on Lachlan, lowering my voice. “Please keep it down. For Imogene. She can’t know about this. Not yet.”

  He squeezed his eyes shut, digging his fingers through his hair. “I introduced them.”

  “Who?”

  “Dax and Piper. And Claire.” He laughed to himself. “I should have—”

  “We still don’t know anything for certain.” I held his gaze for a moment before facing Ethan again.

  “With this new…development, is that enough to involve the FBI? Or, at the very least, reopen the investigation into Claire’s death? And perhaps Autumn’s?” I gestured to her photo.

  “I put a call into Agent Curran this morning and am waiting to hear back. I’m sure he’ll be of the same mindset we are.” Ethan glanced at Lachlan. “That it is suspicious.”

  “Damn straight it is,” he growled.

  “Still… Whatever we do, we need to be delicate about this.”

  Ethan looked toward the front windows as sirens blared in the distance. It was strange to hear them this far out in the suburbs. Then again, as I’d learned, bad shit could happen anywhere.

  “Daxton isn’t your run-of-the-mill criminal. If he is the one behind this, he’s gotten away with it for five years now. And with his wealth, he has limitless resources that have probably helped him do that. Based on the profile I’ve put together over the months, I’m all but certain he’s already several steps ahead of us. We need to be careful to not…poke the beast.” He gave Lachlan a knowing look, eyebrow raised.

  “What are you getting at?”

  “You can’t just go into his office and accuse him of being a goddamn serial killer. We need ironclad evidence. Need to try to…catch him in the act.”

  “Catch him in the act?” Lachlan shot back with a disbe
lieving laugh. “So… What? We’re supposed to wait until October thirteenth and hope we know exactly when and where he plans on killing another innocent woman?”

  “Without definitive evidence implicating him otherwise, I don’t see any other option,” Ethan argued as the sirens grew closer.

  With each second that passed, my pulse increased. Hearing sirens wasn’t an odd occurrence. Not in this city. There were areas of Atlanta that had pretty high crime rates. Still, I couldn’t shake the premonition deep in my gut that something horrible was about to happen.

  When the sirens came to a stop in front of my house, tires screeching, I knew it for certain.

  “Mama!” Imogene shouted, darting down the stairs, eyes wide, panicked. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know, baby.” I wrapped her in my arms, a chill washing over me when an incessant knock sounded from my front door.

  “Julia Prescott? Georgia State Patrol. I’m here to do a welfare check. It’s important I speak with you immediately.”

  Heart in my throat, I swung my eyes to Lachlan’s, both of us frozen in place.

  “Please, ma’am. This is an emergency. I need to make sure both you and your daughter are okay.”

  Without waiting for me to give him permission, Lachlan strode toward the front door, while Ethan calmly collected his papers, returning them to his file. I kept my arm around Imogene, our steps slow as we walked into the foyer.

  Lachlan pulled open the door, a large, Black man in a state trooper’s uniform standing there. Recognition briefly flashed in his gaze when he saw Lachlan. Then he shifted his eyes to Imogene and me, a hint of relief within before his expression turned stoic once more.

  Removing his hat, he squared his shoulders. “Ma’am, I’m Captain Patrick Dawson of the Georgia State Patrol.”

  I nodded slightly, not saying anything, fear snaking through me with every second that passed.

  “I regret to be the one to inform you…” He glanced at Imogene before returning his gaze to mine, “but at approximately seven hundred hours this morning, the prison transport vehicle carrying Domenic Jaskulski crashed, resulting in several casualties.”

  I exhaled a tiny breath. “Nick’s…dead?” Hope filled my voice, desperate to hear those words fall from his lips.

  He slowly shook his head. “No, ma’am.” He swallowed hard. “The prisoner… He wasn’t found in the wreckage.”

  My breathing increased, heart racing as tremors overtook my body. Imogene tightened her hold on me, tears filling her eyes.

  “What are you saying?”

  “Your ex-husband has escaped custody and his whereabouts are currently unknown.”

  ONE

  Nick

  The constant sound of helicopters and sirens wailing in the distance settled over the suburban community, neighbors stopping neighbors in the grocery store parking lot to comment on how scary it was.

  How they struggled to comprehend how something like this could happen.

  How they planned to go home and pray “that horrible man” was found.

  How they’d also pray for his wife’s and daughter’s safety.

  Domenic Jaskulski never understood how someone could truly believe all they had to do was pray and everything would be resolved.

  He’d tried that when he was younger.

  But no amount of praying ever rectified his situation.

  “Pray all you want,” he muttered, laughing to himself as two women passed, looking his way and smiling. Yet they didn’t recognize him. “It’s not going to help.”

  The women walked to their separate cars, putting their groceries into the trunk before driving out of the lot. He briefly considered following the blonde with the obviously fake lips and augmented breasts, just to see the look on her face when he asked if she thought praying would help when he had her tied up, a knife marring her skin.

  But she wasn’t what Nick desired. He had very particular tastes. He either did this right or not at all.

  That was another lesson he was forced to learn early in life.

  Settling into the seat of the work truck, he resumed his search, listening to the morning news on the radio. As expected, the main story of the day was his escape.

  And, as the media was prone to do, they reported it to death, telling the world of his supposed crimes, causing mass hysteria and panic in the immediate area surrounding where he’d escaped custody.

  But the authorities could comb through those woods for hours. Days.

  They wouldn’t find anything.

  Well, that wasn’t entirely true.

  They’d eventually find his prison jumpsuit, socks, and slippers.

  Nick had made sure of it.

  Then the trail would go cold.

  He had made sure of that, too.

  As the reporter went on to detail Nick’s crimes of stalking, raping, and murdering women, the terminology Nick took issue with, he kept his attention focused on the parking lot, more and more people arriving to do their weekly shopping, mostly women, some with kids in tow.

  Which was why Nick chose this location for his…surveillance.

  And the work truck that had been waiting was the perfect cover vehicle. No one questioned seeing a work truck sitting in a parking lot. Over the years, Nick had learned most people were completely oblivious to their surroundings, too consumed by their own lives to open their eyes and look around.

  It was this lack of awareness he often used for his own purposes.

  Like he planned to do today.

  As he analyzed every person coming and going from the grocery store, he kept a clipboard in front of him to make it appear as if he were writing up a report from his latest job. In a way, he was. Or he would be once he found what he was looking for. Although the longer he sat here, the more he worried he never would.

  He was about to give up and try a different location, perhaps a gym or beauty salon, when he finally saw her.

  Long, blonde hair. Mid-thirties. Face sporting a touch of makeup, but her natural beauty didn’t require much. She was dressed in capri pants and a tight-fitting tank top, giving the impression she’d just come from the gym.

  Nick sat up, spine straight, slight smile curling his lips when she stopped her cart by a dark SUV just a few spots down and across the aisle, allowing him the perfect view as she loaded her groceries into her car.

  Once she was finished, she pushed her cart to one of the return areas, a rarity Nick had noticed over the past few hours. Most people just left them in the parking lot, too selfish to push their cart a few extra feet.

  Not this woman, though.

  Which confirmed that she was perfect.

  Compassionate.

  Agreeable.

  Subservient.

  Returning to her car, the woman jumped into the driver’s seat and cranked the ignition, reversing out of her spot before making her way out of the parking lot.

  Nick sat there a moment, not wanting to be obvious. But she was too perfect to let out of his sight for long. She even looked like Julia. Same eyes. Same smile. Same petite build. She’d have to do until he could get to the real thing.