Page 6 of Merciless Obsession (The Bloodline #2)

Quickly I flipped the box over and another hand fell out.

The hands were crusted with dried blood and one still had the wrist bone attached and sticking out.

A scream left my mouth and I dropped the glass of tea, causing it to splatter at my feet when the glass shattered.

I stumbled back, feeling uneasy on my feet.

My body suddenly felt as if I was lit on fire, my head became woozy, and my eyes heavy.

“Wh-what.” I struggled to get out.

Everything became blurry and I attempted to reach for the chair in front of me when my legs gave out and I collapsed on the ground. I tried to tell my body to move but it refused to listen. My eyes darted around when the sound of footprints sounded behind me.

Panic shot through me.

I tried to open my mouth but even that wouldn’t work. Black boots appeared in front of me. Scaling my eyes up, I couldn’t make out the person. My vision had grown blurrier.

“It’s okay, Bumblebee. I’ll take care of you,” he assured me. “Did you like my present? It’s a shame James couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”

I yelled out in my mind and fought to try to get myself to move.

Blinking rapidly, I felt my heart rate slow down and my body growing weak.

The guy, who now was more of a blob, bent down and I felt myself being lifted in the air.

I didn’t know what was going on but it felt like I was floating.

My body was now limp in my abductor’s arms. I fought to keep my eyes open but each second I could feel them growing heavier until I was surrounded by darkness.

____

My eyes slowly fluttered open, temples pounding and vision hazy as I started to gain consciousness. My mouth was as dry as the Sahara dessert. I blinked a few times and attempted to sit up but my eyes snapped open when my arms refused to move.

“What…” I mumbled, yanking my arms. Realizing they were cuffed made my breathing quicken.

When I tried to stand I realized my legs were also bound.

My eyes darted around and my brows furrowed, taking in the unfamiliar room.

“What the hell!” I fought against the restraints as my heart pounded wildly inside my chest. Soon it became hard to breathe as my throat constricted. The air in the room was suffocating.

Blinking rapidly, I tried to think of the last thing I remembered, but my memory was hazy. I knew I was at my house but everything after that was lost to me.

A sound to the right of me caused my head to snap in that direction.

My eyes ballooned, noticing a figure sitting in a chair.

It was a man dressed in a white shirt that hugged his biceps.

His arms, lean but toned, were decorated in colorful ink, barely leaving any of his russet colored skin visible.

He wore gray sweatpants and rested his right ankle on his left knee.

Squinting, I dragged my eyes up to his face.

It took no time for me to recognize the man. My eyes widened and lips parted.

Ezra Tavarez.

I had studied this family long enough to easily recognize each member.

“What the hell did you do to me? Why am I here?” I fought against the restraints.

His mouth tilted in a smirk. Deep brown eyes beamed with amusement.

“Relax, Bumblebee! You don’t want to hurt yourself.” His voice was husky and assertive.

Bumblebee.

My stomach flipped and I froze hearing that name fall from his lips. I attempted to swallow as the realization slammed into me.

“It’s been you,” I whispered.

For over a month I’d been trying to figure out who was behind the roses and notes left on my doorstep, now putting the face to it made my heart threaten to leap out my chest. Out of all the people in the world I would have never expected a Tavarez to be behind them, especially not the lawyer.

Ezra’s mouth split into a full, toothy grin.

He dropped his leg and slowly pushed up to full height and made his way to the bed.

He shoved his hands into his sweats pockets.

My stomach trembled and my body steeled when he towered over the bed.

He didn’t speak right away, only stared at me with a piercing expression on his face.

He was handsome, just like the other three brothers.

My pulse raced and my hands balled tightly.

“Let me go, muthafucker!” I bellowed.

“Such a dirty mouth from such beautiful lips.” Slowly he dragged his eyes down my body, causing me to feel too open and exposed. I didn’t like this. Feeling powerless and at someone’s mercy made me angry and sick to my stomach.

Removing one of his hands from his pockets, he moved it toward me, causing my breath to catch.

His fingers brushed over my bottom lip, and for a second my mind went blank, but it didn’t last long.

My nostrils flared and my eyes narrowed as I opened my mouth and snapped my teeth down, trapping his finger in my mouth.

While I thought he would be upset at me biting him, the opposite happened.

Mirth overtook his face. I bit harder. I knew I probably looked crazy but I didn’t care.

Since my sister had been taken and murdered, I’d trained for this.

Always prepared in case I found myself in a situation like this.

My main goal was to fight. If death followed that, then so be it, but I wasn’t going down easily.

Whatever soap he used to wash his hands landed on my tongue.

Ezra used his other hand to cover my nose and squeeze my nostrils. Eventually I released him.

“I knew your sting would hurt, Bumblebee.” He examined his finger.

“And I knew your family was scum! Release me.”

“Tsk, tsk. That mouth. You really should watch what you say, mami.” He spoke in Spanish. His head tilted to the side.

I wasn’t sure what he said exactly but it sounded like it would piss me off. “Fuck you!”

“Eventually.” He grinned.

“I’d fuck a dog before I let you touch me.”

“Woof, woof.” He chuckled and stroked his square jaw.

An exasperated breath pushed out of my flaring nostrils.

Although I’d never met Ezra before I’d done my research.

I heard he was charming and a huge flirt.

Out of all of his brothers he seemed like the least serious of the four, yet in the courtroom I heard he could rip you a new one without even breaking a sweat.

His track record was remarkable I must admit.

If his family wasn’t trash I would have him on retainer in case I ever got caught with my hacking.

“Before we get to that however, let’s talk. Did you enjoy my present today?”

My face balled in confusion. I didn’t remember receiving a rose and note today. It took a couple seconds but it came back to me.

The box.

The hands.

“You psycho! Who the hell sends someone severed hands?”

This smile on Ezra’s face twisted into one that made my stomach tighten with dread. It was anything but nice. His eyes darkened.

“He touched something that didn’t belong to him. I play about a lot of things but my toys aren’t one of them.”

My brows bunched. “I don’t belong to you.” This man was out of his mind.

Ezra ignored me and reached out, touching the crease between my breasts and slowly dragging his finger down.

I was wearing a V-neck shirt, causing his hand to land on my skin.

For a second my body stilled and my breath caught.

His hand on my skin felt like fire. My stomach twisted in a ball of knots, not knowing what he was going to do next.

I attempted to snatch out of his touch. “Don’t touch me,” I gritted.

“Do you know what happens to a Bumblebee after it stings you?” he questioned with a raised brow. Obviously the question wasn’t for me to answer because he answered right away. “They lose their stinger and eventually die.”

Goosebumps covered my skin under my shirt. The hair on my arms rose.

His hands left my body and he straightened his spine. “Get comfy, you’re gonna be here a while.”

Without waiting for me to respond, he turned on his heels and started for the door.

“Hey! You can’t just leave me here! Hey, asshole!” I shouted behind him.

Ezra ignored me and closed the door behind him. I stared at it for a few seconds before throwing myself back on the pillow and releasing a heavy breath.

I couldn’t believe this was happening. For years I told myself to stay alert and always be prepared for anything.

I regretted not taking the roses and notes more seriously.

I was smarter than that. Knowing what happened to Charlie caused me to look at things differently.

To be more alert and aware. I spent the past nine years exposing the predators and scum of Silver Stone.

While nothing had ever been proven, I’d seen the Tavarez name come up more than once on forums. There was never anything concrete.

Whatever they were into, they made sure to cover their tracks. Still, I knew they were shady people.

In no way did I plan on folding to Ezra Tavarez.

People thought I was just some geeky girl who was intelligent and great with computers.

They had no idea I was hardened and scarred.

Life trampled over me and forced me to learn to survive.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to get out of here, but I planned on giving hell until it happened.