Obsession

She grinned. “You shouldn’t have done this, Mom. You know how hard I’m fighting this freshman fifteen. I swear, I just look at food and gain five pounds.”

Jocelyn affectionately tweaked her daughter’s nose. “You’re gorgeous, no matter what. Now, blow out the candles before all that delicious icing is ruined by melting wax.”

“Those things are going up in flames faster than your mom’s golf score,” Dad added with his usual booming laughter. Extra lines of fatigue etched his features, the result of working himself half to death on Kingston Winter’s behalf over the past two years. He was still cleaning up messes for Kingston.

Whenever Kingston visited their home, his dark blue eyes were shuttered yet piercing. He watched Ava as if considering how he might make use of her. Every time their gazes clashed, Ava looked away first. He scared her now more than ever although she couldn’t place a finger on why. He seemed… darker somehow. As if violence and evil had finally caught up to him.

It was