The Object of His Obsession: The Alexander Series, #4

By Tina Martin

Tyson and Gabrielle Alexander are expecting a baby soon and, along with their family and friends, they are beyond excited to welcome the newest Alexander to the family. But when Lalita finally drops the bombshell to Padma of the secret she's been keeping, the family begins to fall apart.

Padma tries to hold everything together and keep the revelation from Lalita under wraps until the time is right, but bits and pieces of the story gets out and the butchered version Tyson overhears from Heshan has him ready to walk away from his marriage to Gabrielle and confront Dilvan for the last time.

Friendship and family loyalty is put to the ultimate test in book four. Will Dilvan ever leave Gabrielle alone? Will Gabrielle's baby shower be ruined? Is Gabrielle and Tyson's marriage strong enough to survive the fallout from yet another invasion from an obsessed, Dilvan Alexander? Can Tyson ever trust Padma, Heshan and Lalita again, or are there just some things that are not forgivable?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tina Martin
• Release date: Oct 8, 2014
• ISBN: 9781386937531

Tina Martin

TINA MARTIN is the author of over 80 romance, romantic suspense and women’s fiction titles and has been writing full-time since 2013. Readers praise Tina for her strong heroes, sweet heroines and beautifully crafted stories. When she’s not writing, Tina enjoys watching movies, traveling, cooking and spending time with her family. For more information, visit www.tinamartin.net

Book preview

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The Alexander Family

Colin Alexander & Padma Alexander

Children:

-Heshan Alexander

-Prasad Alexander

-Dilvan Alexander

John Alexander & Rena Alexander

Children:

-Tyson Alexander

-Tamera Alexander

John and Colin Alexander are brothers.

Henry Robinson

Children:

-Gabrielle Robinson-Alexander (Tyson’s wife)

-Carmen Robinson

-Destiny Robinson

Others:

Lalita Alexander (Prasad’s wife)

Beatrice – Dilvan’s housekeeper

Patrick Goodwin – Manager at Tyson’s Atlanta restaurant

Charity Eason – Volunteer waitress

Chapter 1

"I really think something is wrong with me," Dilvan admitted, sitting on a white, leather couch with his fingers interlocked, talking openly with his therapist who was sitting in a recliner across from him. This was his second session with Dr. Alexa Nash, and surprisingly, no one had to beg him to go and get help. Actually, no one knew he was seeing a psychiatrist. Not his mother, father or brothers. Beatrice, his housekeeper, didn’t even know. He made the decision on his own accord to seek help from a professional, especially after he realized that his fixation with his ex-girlfriend, Gabrielle, wasn’t going away. He thought spending time with her in Chicago would give him the clean slate he needed to start over. All it did was fill him with regrets. Who knew Dilvan Alexander had a conscience under all that thick, wavy hair?

He found Dr. Nash via an internet search and made an initial appointment to meet her a week ago. Today, they would be getting down to business – to the inner workings of his mind. He felt comfortable telling a complete stranger things he dared not tell anyone else. He couldn’t trust this information with anyone else, not even with his father. Why say anything to his family when they wouldn’t understand?

"Why do you think something is wrong, Dilvan? Wait, you did say it was okay to call you by your first name, correct?"

Yes, that’s fine.

Alright. Explain what you mean by stating that something is wrong with you.

Dilvan sighed. I...um...I... The motion of her crossing her legs and pulling the handle back to extend the footrest of the recliner took him aback. Usually, it was the patient who was invited to get comfortable in such tense, high-stress situations, right? Lay on the couch and take a load off. Not the doctor. Um...jeez. I don’t know where to begin.

Just take your time, Dilvan, she said, sliding her blonde hair behind her ears and adjusting the gold-rimmed, sleek glasses on her face. She gripped a pen like it provided her with some sort of stress relief and secured the clipboard on her lap. We’re in no hurry here. Just take your time, and let whatever it is you need to get off of your chest flow out in words.

Dilvan frowned slightly. When the doctor said the word ‘flow’, she did a weird motion with her hands. He hadn’t remembered her being so animated during his initial assessment.

She continued, That’s the only way healing and a new beginning will come your way, okay? We have to communicate...openly and honestly.

Okay, he said, strumming his hands through his hair that hadn’t been cut in weeks, but it did nothing to take away from his appearance.

And remember, I’m here to help, not condemn, Dr. Nash said, smiling wide.

That was when Dilvan noticed the doctor had on bright red lipstick that matched the bottom of her shoes as her legs remained crossed at the ankles on the footrest of the recliner.

I appreciate that, was his response because he’d been condemned enough by his family. Things were somewhat back on track with his mother, his brothers were starting to come around and even Tyson would speak every now and then. Still, he felt like he was on the outside looking in at times. He was the joke of the family, the black sheep, and instead of uplifting him, everyone was waiting for him to make the next dumb mistake. No one knew he’d already made it, only it wasn’t a mistake. It was deliberate – deliberate when he slipped drugs in Gabrielle’s wine. Deliberate when he took her room key from her purse.

Okay, so whenever you’re ready, Dr. Nash said, then flashed a smile – one of those fakes ones that people who you know dislike you would give you.

Alright. I’ll just start it off like this. Eight months ago, I saw her—

"Wait...by her, you’re referring to your ex?"

Who else would I be referring to? Yes. Gabrielle.

Okay. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page. Continue.

I saw her, Gabrielle, in Chicago. I went there to do a photo shoot. Wait, let me rewind...the only reason I took the job is because I knew Gabrielle would be there.

And why was she there?

She attended a seminar with my mother.

So Gabrielle is still friends with your mother?

Dilvan nodded. "Yes. She loves my mother, and my mother loves her like a daughter. They have a great relationship. In fact, her relationship with my mother is better than my relationship with my mother. Anyway, uh...we all met up for breakfast...lunch...I don’t remember, and—"

Who met up for lunch? Yourself, your mother and Gabrielle? Is that correct?

And my sister-in-law, Lalita, was there, too, and actually, we didn’t meet up per se. They met. I just sort of invited myself.

Because you wanted to see Gabrielle.

Very much so.

Dr. Nash scribbled a note then said, Okay. Continue.

So my mother was going on and on about something...I don’t remember what she was talking about, partially due to the fact that I was staring at Gabrielle. She was looking especially beautiful. Even her hair, the way it fell around her face made her absolutely stunning.

Do you think you’re in love with Gabrielle, or are you just obsessed with her?

Both.

Dr. Nash narrowed her eyes at him. You’re in love and obsessed?

He smirked. Yes, and the sad part is, my mother hand-picked Gabrielle for me. See, our culture is one that believes in arranged marriages, so my mother chose Gabrielle for me.

Tell me about that. How did that work? Did you actually marry Gabrielle? Did she move in with you?

Yes and yes. I met her the same day we got married. Then I found out we weren’t officially married because some paperwork hadn’t been filed, but that’s a whole other story.

So you and Gabrielle lived together?

Yes, for about eight or nine months. I gave her a bedroom in my home.

So you didn’t share a bed?

No. I didn’t want anything to do with Gabrielle when we were living together. I didn’t want her there. I wanted her to leave. Tears fell from his eyes.

Dr. Nash slid a box of Kleenex across the coffee table to him. Had she ever seen a man so emotional? And now Gabrielle and Tyson are married, Dr. Nash asked.

Dilvan frowned. Yeah. They’re married, he said bitterly.

Dr. Nash noticed the anger in his eyes when he had to admit that.

So continue on about what happened in Chicago?

Dilvan rubbed his hands over his face, got his words together, then said, The first night I saw Gabrielle by the pool we talked for a few minutes, then went our separate ways. The second night, he said with tears in his eyes, tears that had yet to fall. Uh...the second night we had small talk over wine. I thought everything was going well and I wish I hadn’t did what I did but—

What did you do? she asked, shaking the pen between her index and middle fingers.

"I slipped something in her drink to make her pass out. She had no idea I’d drugged her. She still doesn’t know, even to this day. Anyway...uh, before she could completely pass out, I scooped her up in my arms and took the elevator to her floor. I removed her room key from her purse, unlocked the door and laid her on the bed, but I didn’t want to leave.

Dilvan shook his head, clearly in distress. Even his face was a flushed, reddish color. I didn’t mean to hurt her. I just simply wanted to be close to her.

Wait...so she was passed out?

Yes. I tried to apologize to her. I tried to talk to her the day before. Tried to tell her to give me another chance.

Wait...let me stop you again for a moment. Can you see why she wouldn’t give you another chance? Dr. Nash quietly shook her head and a thought came to her mind – maybe Dilvan should be seeing a psychologist instead of a psychiatrist. He told the truth when he said something was wrong with him, especially if he was going to rationalize drugging a woman because she wouldn’t accept his apologies and unwanted advances. Spoken like a true stalker...

She continued, You can’t rush her to forgive you, nor can you make her forget what you did to her.

I know that. And I’m not happy about what I did by any means, and if you feel so obliged to turn me in to the authorities, I’m willing to accept whatever punishment that’s coming my way. I just need to talk about this. I’ve been holding this in for too long and I need to get it off of my chest—

Dr. Nash slid her glasses from her face and said, Dilvan, first off, you can talk to me openly and honestly about any and everything you want. I am under no obligation to turn you into the authorities. However, if you would like, you’re free to turn in yourself. Please understand...I am here to help you. My questions may be forthcoming and my assessment may be brutally honest, but overall, my job is to assist you as much as I possibly can, and if you can’t talk openly, I can’t do that, now can I?

Dilvan shook his head.

Okay, now let’s get back to the subject. Dr. Nash slid her glasses on again. Tell me exactly what you did to Gabrielle in Chicago.

Ah...I took her to her room. I kissed her. Played with her hair.

Is that it?

He nodded. Yes. Um...yes, I think so.

Dr. Nash tried to disguise a frown the best way she could. "You think so? What do you mean you think so?"

He looked rattled. Confused. I mean...that’s what I did, okay. Dilvan sighed and buried his face in his hands briefly before looking at Dr. Nash again, watching her write a note. I know you’re judging me, but I came to you because I want you to fix me, doc. I can’t get over Gabrielle and I’ve had plenty of girlfriends before. I had one who was completely infatuated with me, women who loved me. I had women who I thought I would spend the rest of my life with but, when the relationships went south, I never once tried to get back with any of them. But Gabrielle...she’s different. Maybe it’s the fact that my mother chose her for me. Maybe it’s because I messed up by hurting her in the past, and it could be that I was never given a chance to redeem myself to her, to show her I could be a good man to her.

Could it be that she’s married to your cousin, Tyson, and you want to take her back from him? Is this about revenge?

No. That’s not it at all.

The more Dilvan talked, the more Dr. Nash wrote in her notebook.

Dilvan continued, "I want to let Gabrielle go so I don’t hurt