Page 9 of His Wicked Obsession

There’s a pause before Maso answers. “He’ll live.”

Pushing through the door, my companions’ whispers echo throughout the space. Reaching the second floor, I peek through the hole in the door to find more staff up here. Glancing back at Clara, I tell her, “You all stay here. There are too many people on this floor. Got it?”

She bites her lip, looking like she wants to argue but, eventually, nods. “We’ll wait for you.”

Opening the door, I slip through unnoticed for a minute before someone stops and looks me up and down. “You aren’t supposed to be up here,” the man says.

Withdrawing my gun, I wave it in his face. “I’m wherever I’d like to be. Turn around.” Several others look our way. Some appear frightened and stand stone-still, while others, the ones who know what really goes on here, begin shouting.

Firing a single shot at the ground, I hear screaming before silence encompasses the floor. “I have six magazines with a dozen shots each. Who wants to tell me where Bella is?” Looks pass between a few before finally, a younger nurse comes forward, her hands shaking as she raises a hand.

“I’ll take you.”

“Clara!” I shout, and the door pops open behind me. Pulling the zip ties from my pants, I offer them to her. “Hands behind their backs. Anyone fights you, call for me, and they’ll find themselves with a new hole to contend with instead.”

“Okay,” she nods, passing them around to the other girls. I wait a minute to make sure they can figure it out before following the nurse.

“Lead the way.” I wave the muzzle of my gun forward.

I’m taken to the end of the hall, the very last door with poor flickering lights and a loud buzzing. “Open it,” I order, peering back to see Clara and the other girls working still.

Everything moves in slow motion as she unlocks the bar across the door and pushes the heavy metal open, the rusty hinges letting out a whine that grates on the nerves.

What I see, though…that fucking kills me.

Bella is restrained to the bed, her eyes glazed over and a blank look on her angelic face. Her wrists and ankles are red, raw, and have dried blood from the bindings. Her beautiful green eyes are lifeless, and the lush lips I’ve been dying to get another taste of are cracked and dry.

“What the fuck did you guys do to her?” I hiss to the nurse who is about to bear the brunt of my unfettered rage. “Find Dr. Aimes and bring him to me.” She doesn’t move. “Now!” I shout so loud it echoes around the walls.

As she scurries off, I communicate to Maso, “Second floor, west wing, the end of the hall.” He responds, but I don’t hear him as I enter the room, approaching Bella quietly so I don’t startle her.

“Cara mia, what did they do to you?” Stroking a finger down her cheek, her unfocused gaze attempts to capture me as a lone tear slides down her temple.

“Are you real?” she whispers, and my legs give out. Dropping to the hard floor next to her bed, I cup her face, caressing the apples of her plump cheeks with my thumbs. I don’t know what the fuck to say to her. How can she think I’m anything but real? What the fuck have they done to my precious girl?

“Donato?” I hear Clara from behind. “Someone’s coming.”

Looking back, she’s hiding halfway in the door frame with her head peeking out. “It’s Dr. Aimes,” the nurse who brought me here says.

Unconstrained fury builds in my chest and flows through my veins like lava as I get to my feet. Kissing Bella on the cheek, I tell her, “I’ll be right back.” Storming to where the girls are, I pull out my Glock and the combat knife from my Army days. Staring at the nurse, I ask her, “Do you know what they’ve been giving Bella?” She is clearly drugged.

Reaching forward, she plucks a chart off the wall and flips through it. “It’s all here.” Her eyes widen as they roam down the list.

“Give it to Clara,” I instruct. “Maso, you there?” I’m about to murder this fool doctor, and I need to know he’ll be around to help with cleanup.

“Yup. Coming up to you now. Had some trouble with security,” he explains.

“You good now?” He affirms. “I have Dr. Aimes in my sights.”

There’s a pause before he answers. “What are you going to do?”

Red clouds my vision as I watch him backhand one of the teens Clara and I set free. Raising my gun, I take aim. “Kill him.” It’s what he deserves.

CHAPTER 5

Bella

Stars float in and out of my vision, but not in the sky. Not the pretty ones you make a wish on and dream of, nor the ones you can purchase and name. No, these are the ones that let you know something is wrong. The world is not right when you see these stars.

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