Devious Obsession

DEVIOUS OBSESSION S. MASSERY Copyright © 2023 by S. Massery All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Edited by Studio ENP Proofread by Paige Sayer Proofreading Cover photo by Michelle Lancaster (www.michellelancaster.com) Cover design by Qamber Design To the devious ones who satisfy our dark desires CONTENTS Introduction Steele Aspen SIX MONTHS LATER 1. Aspen 2. Steele 3. Aspen 4. Steele 5. Aspen 6. Aspen 7. Steele 8. Aspen 9. Steele 10. Aspen 11. Steele 12. Aspen 13. Aspen 14. Steele 15. Aspen 16. Aspen 17. Steele 18. Aspen 19. Steele 20. Aspen 21. Steele 22. Aspen 23. Steele 24. Aspen 25. Aspen 26. Steele 27. Aspen 28. Steele 29. Aspen 30. Steele 31. Aspen 32. Miles 33. Steele 34. Aspen 35. Aspen 36. Steele 37. Aspen 38. Steele 39. Aspen 40. Aspen 41. Steele 42. Aspen 43. Steele 44. Aspen 45. Steele 46. Aspen 47. Steele 48. Aspen 49. Aspen 50. Steele 51. Aspen Aspen Acknowledgments Also by S. Massery About the Author INTRODUCTION Hello dear reader! Devious Obsession is a dark bully romance. Steele is not a hero… well, not most of the time, anyway. Please be aware if you have triggers that are common to dark romance/bully romance, this story checks quite a few of those boxes! (Including: dubious consent, consensual non-consent, somnophilia, primal play, mental/physical/emotional bullying, and voyeurism.) There are also brief mentions of child abuse. Steele’s message for you: he will not apologize for his actions. And he hopes you’ve picked a memorable safe word. Thank you and happy reading! xoxo, Sara STEELE I adjust my position in my chair by the window, exhaling smoke. One of the graduated seniors is hosting his annual summer party at his parents’ lake house. His last party ever, by the size of it. Like a final hurrah before he goes off and does whatever the fuck he’s planning on accomplishing with his life. Because of that sentiment, it’s chaos downstairs. Everyone is getting riled up by the alcohol, drugs, music. There’s a free flow of all three. This year, it coincided with my return from the summer intensive hockey camp. A month spent sweating and skating and working my ass off with some of my teammates—only to return to shocking news. My dad got married on a whim. Almost three weeks ago. So instead of going home, I’m here. Stewing on the woman who managed to steal my father’s common sense. Because it certainly isn’t love that has him captivated. Is she a con artist? After his money? But why did he do it? Does she have something on him? Blackmail? A golden cunt? I take another hit and stub out my joint on the arm of the chair. Getting high is a summer luxury. During the school year? Absolutely not. Hockey camp? Nope. The few weeks I’m free, though, I take full advantage. Dad would skin me alive if he knew I was ruining my body with weed. But it relaxes the constant worry in my mind. The part of my brain that never fucking shuts up. Well, now it’s quiet. Ish. The door cracks open, and Finch sticks his head in. “Erik wanted me to round everyone up for his game.” I raise my eyebrow, unmoving. Finch is a junior—well, fuck, he’s going to be a senior now, just like me—at Crown Point University. He’s one of my teammates. He’s always had potential to be a starter, and after what Coach saw at hockey camp, he might just make it this time. He’s a good guy. Which is why we don’t hang out much. Me and good don’t mesh. “So…?” He shifts on his feet. “Yeah, yeah,” I say, standing and tucking the joint back in my pocket. Except Finch steps farther into the room, twisting his hands together. “I don’t normally stay once Erik starts rounding everyone up. I’ve heard the stories. Is it… worth it? To stay?” I focus on him, my lips pressing into a thin line. Erik’s afterparties, his games… there are rumors that float around, but it’s one thing to hear about it and another entirely to live it. To experience the rush. He creates nightmares and marries them with fantasies, and somehow it works. “Do whatever the fuck you want, Hudson, but if you do stay, don’t chicken out halfway through.” No one ever calls him by his first name, and it startles him into moving out of my way. I pull the door open wide, letting light into the dark room. The music is ten times louder in the hall, but I ignore the way the bass vibrates my chest and assaults my eardrums. Finch follows me down to the basement, where Erik stands amongst a relatively even split of guys and girls. My gaze zeroes in on a girl who I’ve never seen before. Long dark hair. High cheekbones. Full lips. Full figure. Tits. Hips. Ass. Her gaze slams into mine, and we just stare at each other. My heart beats uncomfortably hard. Insistent. I move toward her like I’m being reeled in, almost against my will. Until I stop just in front of her. “Hey, babe.” Amanda flips her hair off her shoulder. She’s a graduated senior, like Erik. “Are you playing?” I ignore her, staring at the new girl. Taking in more of her appearance. Her tight white shirt, long-sleeved and off-the-shoulder. It’s cropped, exposing a slice of skin. Ripped high-waisted black jean shorts. Boots. Rings and thin necklaces, a watch on her slim wrist. A sense of style and a pretty face. “What’s your problem, dude?” It takes me a second to register the guy who’s slung his arm around her shoulders. Her green eyes bore into mine, and neither of us acknowledge the asshole trying to claim