Page 6 of Their Stolen Obsession
Their naughty obsession with me, I prayed, had turned lethal upon my disappearance and made them into predators. They were dangerous men who’d hunt me, track me, and die for me. Only I knew how unhinged Sin Cruz and Saint Sullivan couldtruly be, and I needed them more than I ever needed anyone in my life.
Preston pushed her forward as he turned away and left the room. The woman with the needle only glanced his way after the door slammed shut, and she eyed the goon who took his place. One of Preston’s thugs crossed his brawny arms in front of him, blocked the door, and left no room for an escape. She couldn’t get past him, especially when he wouldn’t take his evil eyes off her.
“You heard the boss,” he grumbled with a grunt of unappreciated encouragement.
She turned her full attention toward me. Her chest heaved as much as mine now that Preston was out of sight. We didn’t have to calm our breaths, no longer shielding our fear with the determination to survive. We could be ourselves. Weak, uncertain of the future, and vulnerable. We could be victims.
I whispered, “I’m Liv.”
She wouldn’t make a peep. Instead, she grabbed a bandage and some alcohol. She poured the booze onto a crisp cloth and pressed it up against my wound.Son of a bitch, that stung!
Tears blurred my vision to the point bile built up in my throat, but I wouldn’t puke. I swallowed the nausea back down and clenched my teeth through the pain. My nails dug into the armrest, and Ireminded myself I had been through much worse. I was strong, my willpower would get me through, and I’d have a nasty scar to prove it.
She removed the cloth that would save me from an infection, cleansing the injury and wrapping a bandage around it. I watched her work in silence until I couldn’t take it anymore.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
Again, she was quiet. Not one word left her full lips painted with black lipstick. She wore makeup, giving the impression that she was cared for, but I knew the truth. The cosmetics hid the damage, and she’d need more for tomorrow once those blows Preston gave her set in.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Preston’s goon opened the door a crack. My ears perked as I tried to tune in, but whatever was spoken, I couldn’t make out. I imagined their brief words, and my curiosity ran wild.
My mind reeled with the thought of two men dressed in black, my dark knights with tortured souls. They were here in their Mustang, ready to kill with their bare hands. Prepared to end anyone who stood in their way and paint this shithole red with blood. They’d seek vengeance for me, unbinding my chains and wrapping me in their addictive arms.
Had my phantoms found me?
Four
Their Universe
Liv
My heart hammered with adrenaline in my chest. The organ made an erratic beat in my eardrums as I watched the door and prayed this would be all over in a matter of minutes. I hoped that the moment had arrived when all hell would break loose, bones would crack, and limbs would be severed. Hearts would stop beating and mine would be saved from captivity.
Frantically, I stared at the door for any movement outside of the frosted privacy glass window, but nothing happened. Nobody came. My heart skipped a beat, steadied, and waited to die.
“I’ll be right back,” the brawny, ugly-ass thug announced like we gave two shits. “Make a run for it, and I’ll gladly shove my dick down yourthroats.”
On the verge of tears, I watched him leave the room only to take guard on the other side of the door. I blinked several times to keep the wetness at bay, but one slipped away and fell down my cheek. Only for the woman in front of me to grab my chin and make me turn to her. I peered into those green eyes as tortured as mine, and she pleaded with me not to crumble. Not to cave and fall apart at the seams.
“My name is Knoxlee,” she whispered.
Knoxlee saved me in my moments of despair.
Knoxlee had seen my weakness, had witnessed my last shreds of hope fade in the blink of an eye as I realized no one came to rescue me. She caught my tear with the pad of her thumb and wiped the droplet away. There was no room for weakness, and she gave me strength.
“Knoxlee…” I whispered with a smile. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Knoxlee silently applied medical tape to my bandage, and her calmness helped me. She soothed me without understanding how much her strong will meant to me. This woman amazed me, and I didn’t even know her.
Talk about a girl crush leaving me weak in my seat.
Captivity had either gone to my head or Knoxlee influenced me. Of course she had. She was at my aid,tending to my wound and about to administer a needle she clearly didn’t know how to. Her hand shook, a clear sign she wasn’t kidding when she expressed she wasn’t a nurse. It was my turn to put her at ease with a decision she had no choice over.
“It’s okay. I’ll be all right,” I lied as I nodded toward the syringe and hoped I could help her. “I promise.”
Knoxlee closed her eyes, took a deep, shaky breath, and exhaled through her nose. The ends of her nostrils flared, her eyes shot open, and she injected me. The initial prick stunned me, the flush from the vaccine stung and instantly made me dizzy. Black dots danced over Knoxlee’s fearful face as I lost my grip on reality. I fought to keep my eyes open, but I lost the battle.
The aroma of sweat mixed with body odor was all I could smell. Quickly, I realized the stench came from me. The days’ worth of grime that had built up as the hours went by and I didn’t know how much time I had lost being kept from the world I had once known. Despite the arranged engagement and my futile attempts to correct my father’s errors, I missedmy life, even though it was off track, and I paid the ultimate price. But I did not miss Sebastian.
