Page 144 of Merciless Obsession
I wasn’t sure if anyone else noticed but Inaya had Emmet’s full attention right now. I chuckled.
“A’right. Find out what he has to say.” Nazai’s eyes roamed the room.
I stared at my big brother with pride. Determination was written all in his eyes. It was clear he was growing impatient and frustrated about all the dead ends we kept running into and was ready for a win so we could move forward.
____
When I stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around my waist, I paused as my lips hiked upward. It’d never get old seeing Ziora in my bed and knowing she would be here permanently caused my dick to stir. She was propped up on a few pillows with a book in hand.
“Did you take your medicine?” I asked.
Ziora’s eyes lifted from the book and focused on me. Exhaustion rested in the pockets of her lids. It was clear it would take some time for her to feel like her old self. I made Lucas look at her incisions before leaving. I know they didn’t want her to leave the hospital yet, but since she insisted, I would make sure she was taken care of.
“We need to talk,” she replied instead. She closed the book and set it on her lap. Her eyes trailed over my body. Her tongue swiped between her lips. Heat emerged in her orbs.
For a second I zeroed in on the healing bruises on her face. Even though they were healing, seeing the greenish yellow marks on her face made me burn with anger. It didn’t take away from her beauty, but it made me want to bash someone’s head in with Wilma until they were nothing but splattered matter.
Shaking the dark thoughts out of my head, I smiled at her. “Whatever you want, baby. I’m all ears.” I walked to the bed and took a seat on edge.
Ziora pursed her lips for a second and narrowed her eyes on me. Her finger tapped on the book and her lips twitched.
“I didn’t agree to move in here,” she started, her voice tight but steady. “When you brought it up I told you I didn’t want that. I told you that?—”
“That was before I learned you were being threatened.”
Her mouth snapped closed and her nostrils flared. “Regardless, that doesn’t mean you had the right to pack up my home and force me into yours. There were measures I could have taken to ensure I was safe.”
“Because my brother is just as easily skilled in computers as you, I was easily able to get into your house many times without you knowing to the point where I took you. The guys we’re after have just as many Zioras and Emmets on their side. They could easily get through any system you install and get to you. I wasn’t taking that risk.”
“But I’m safe here? The same thing could happen to me here!”
I chuckled and dragged my hand down my mouth. “The day someone attempts to come in here and cause you any harm will be the biggest mistake of their life. River and Emmet personally set up my system to make it so no one can get past. River also has some of his best guys keeping an eye on you.”
“All that could have been done at my house! I don’t need to be saved, Ezra. I’m not fragile. If we’re going to work together then you need to understand that. I’ve been protecting and looking after myself my whole life. These people wanted to scare me, but in reality, they just made my attention on them increase.”
When I didn’t respond, she continued, “I want to go back home. Move all my?—”
“No.”
Her face balled up, her eyes tightened, and her mouth twisted in a deep scowl. “No? You can’t tell me no! You can’t force me to stay here against my will either!” She winced and clenched her chest.
“If it means keeping you safe then I can and will. If I have to take other measures to do so then I can do that too.”
Her eyes flashed. “Like drugging me and tying me up?”
A deadpan expression rested on my face while I blinked slowly.
Ziora tilted her chin upward, closed her eyes, and mumbled something under breath. She exhaled a deep breath and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand.
“Ezra.” Prostration dripped from her voice and shadowed her face. “I appreciate you wanting to protect me. I’m flattered actually, but if this thing between us is gonna make it, then you need to stop dictating everything and include me. I don’t like being forced to uproot my life, my home, without having a say so. You do understand, in relationships, communication is important. You listening and not just making decisions for meis important.You’re smart, Ezra, even with your…condition I know you are. Hell, you’re probably even smarter because of it, so you know that what you did isnotokay.”
I heard everything she was saying but it was going in one ear and out the other. If she thought I was going to apologize, she was wrong. I didn’t feel bad and I wasn’t going to go back on my decision to bring her here. “I’m not sorry for what I did. This is your new home so you need to get used to it. You’re still recovering and you need to rest.”
I stood. “Ezra, have you heard anything I said!” She slapped the bed.
“I did, but it’s not going to change my mind. Someone tried to take you from me. You’re sitting in my bed hurt, wheezing, and damaged because they wanted to kill you. You received threats. Your life is in danger and I don’t take that lightly. I’m here to take care of you. Plus, waking up to you and going to sleep next to you every day is a personal treat for me.” I smirked.
Ziora sighed and her shoulders fell forward. “I’ll stay here until my foot heals, and when it does, I’m going home. I don’t know where you put my furniture and stuff but I want it back in my house waiting for me.”
