Page 32 of Ours (The Possession Duology #2)

Clutching a bloodied bundle in her left hand, Lexi silently followed Cyris as he led her down the dark corridor.

Keeping her gaze centered on the back of his tattooed head, she readied herself for the meeting that lay ahead.

Although she dreaded seeing Bloodbayne’s deformed face, it was a necessary evil.

Once he had his confirmation, he would let her see Loey.

She hated his twisted game but hated herself more for playing it.

Don’t, Lexi, Nikki said from the back of her mind. Quit blaming yourself. I’m the one that killed him, yeah? I’m the one that kills them all. I do that so you don’t feel like shit. So stop feeling sorry for yourself and get on with it.

Taking her alter’s words to heart, she lifted her chin and squared her shoulders. Never in her entire life did she think she would ever be grateful for the little bitch in her head. She had been her saving grace on multiple occasions over the past few months.

Reaching the end of the suffocating hallway, Cyris stopped his hulking body. Standing in front of the heavy metal door, he turned to look at Lexi over his leather clad shoulder. Arching a shaved brow, he motioned towards the cement floor.

“If you’re gonna puke again, do it now,” he ordered. “Bloodbayne’s gonna be pissed if you ruin another one of his rugs.”

Trying to look unbothered, she narrowed her green eyes.

As if she cared about Bloodbayne’s feelings or his precious carpet.

She wished her morning sickness would kick in.

It would please her immensely to see his disgusting face recoil as she vomited what was left of her lunch all over his Serapi wool rug.

“I’m fine,” she replied.

Reaching for the silver doorknob, he offered a warning. “Yeah? Well, you’d better be. I’m not cleaning up that shit, again.”

Taken aback by the asshole’s words, a thoroughly amused look flashed over her face. This was brand new information for her. Now she really wished the baby would make her violently sick.

“Wait...he made you clean it up?” she asked, trying her best not to laugh.

Pausing a moment before opening the door, Cyris nodded his head.

He was really starting to hate the little slut.

Bloodbayne promised him that once Kade was dead, he would be second in command after Valentina.

But once he found out she was carrying yet another spawn, he delegated him to be her bitch instead of leading the Skulls.

He should have killed her when he had the chance.

“I know, it’s so fucking hilarious, huh? But I swear to God, Lexi. If you do that again, I’m going to punch that fucking baby out of you, got it?” he said bitterly.

Hardening her fine features, she bristled with instant rage. He threatened her with that at least twice a day and it was growing old. She ought to tear his windpipe from his throat and be done with it.

“I’d love to see you try,” she hissed through gritted teeth.

Laughing at the angry spitfire, he brushed off her weak dare. Times like these he could understand what Kade saw in her. He had to admit, she was kind of hot when she was pissed. Giving her a condescending smile, he pushed open the door.

“After you, darlin,” he said, holding the slab of metal so she could pass through.

Squeezing past him, she crossed the threshold of Bloodbayne’s newly acquired Manhattan office. Quickly ignoring her meathead shadow, she focused her attention on the scarred shell of a man sitting behind his gilded desk. Waiting for him to acknowledge her, she put on a faux air of confidence.

Good girl. Don’t you dare show him any weakness, Nikki said.

Signing his name on the document before him, Bloodbayne cleared his throat.

Dropping his pen onto the desktop, he lifted his clear blue eyes towards Lexi.

Dragging his gaze up and down her form, he straightened his bony back in the leather chair.

Finally, he thought to himself. She had kept him waiting long enough.

“Alexandria,” he purred, urging her forward with a flick of his hand. “Lovely as ever. Come closer, my girl. I expect you to have a present for me?”

Raising her rounded chin, she stepped towards the crime boss. Paying no mind to the handful of Skulls that lined the perimeter of the room, she nodded a reply.

“I do,” she said.

Clapping his hands together, he flashed her a devilish grin. Even in her delicate condition, she was proving to be a useful tool in the expansion of his territory. He knew he had done the right thing by not killing her, just yet.

“Splendid! Let me see.”

Wanting to rid herself of the disgusting parcel in her hand, she tossed the bloodied bundle onto his desk. Knowing her stomach would turn the moment he opened the soiled newspaper, she dropped her eyes to the floor. She didn’t need to see what Nikki had been forced to do.

Eager to have his confirmation, Bloodbayne unceremoniously ripped into the wet paper.

Peeling away the sticky newsprint bit by bit, he let out a dark chuckle as his macabre gift came into view.

Once again picking up his pen, he poked at the human tongue and uncircumcised penis with the writing instrument.

“Good girl,” he praised. “Very good girl. Did you make a good example out of poor Miguel, here?”

Breathing in the rancid smell of death and decay, she instinctively snapped her mouth shut.

Swallowing down the bile rising in her throat, she could only nod.

Nikki had bowed out as soon as the grisly deed was done, leaving her to deal with the politics that came with the aftermath.

Lucky for her, the cocaine kingpin’s men were terrified to the core and didn’t need much persuasion.

Her alter must have done one hell of a job on handsome Miguel.

You have no idea, Nikki said with a laugh. You’re welcome, by the way. Now get your daughter.

Breathing through her nausea, Lexi lifted her watery eyes. Taking another step closer towards the desk, she tried to look as hard and as intimidating as she could muster.

“I did what you asked of me...Tijuana belongs to the Bloodbayne Organization. Now give me my daughter you son-of-a-bitch!” she demanded, her voice low and hard.

Slightly humored by her little display, Bloodbayne leaned back in his chair. Slouching his curved spine to one side, he gave the bitter girl a tiny grin. She was too fiery for her own good. Perhaps she needed yet another lesson so she might finally learn her place.

“Toku,” he began, keeping his intense stare on her flushing face. “Fetch Valentina for me.”

“Yes, Sir,” Toku replied. Moving away from the corner of the square room, Toku quickly spanned the manicured space. Giving Lexi a heated glare, he quietly slipped through the side door leading to an adjacent room.

Narrowing her eyes, Lexi refused to be intimidated.

They danced this insane waltz every time she came home from a mission.

Soon, he would threaten to make an example out of her, just as he had with Kade.

It was all just a pathetic show of pseudo power, she knew and he knew it.

As long as the ‘true’ heir continued to grow in her belly, she would always have the upper hand.

Silently staring at her, Bloodbayne kept his composure surprisingly cool and calm.

He would love nothing more than to reach across the desk and backhand the smirk from her face.

He couldn’t physically harm her, though.

No, that would have to wait. He would, however, dole out emotional punishment. She had to learn somehow.

Glowering at the fire kissed man before her, she mentally plotted fifty different ways of killing him.

Thoroughly enjoying her wicked fantasies, she blinked back to reality once she heard the door open.

Turning her head towards the sound, her whole demeanor changed as her eyes settled on Valentina holding her beautiful daughter.

“Loey!” she exclaimed, her face instantly brightening. “My princess! My sweet princess!”

Taking a handful of steps towards her child, she was caught off guard by the sound of Bloodbayne pounding his closed fist upon his desk. Halting her movement, she glanced back at him with a confused look. What the hell was he doing? He knew her daughter was terrified of loud noises.

“No! No! Don’t you move!” he barked. “Valentina, bring her to me !”

Startled by the loud sounds filling the space, Loella’s face scrunched as she began to cry. Reaching her tiny hands towards her mama, she squirmed in Valentina’s arms.

Holding the wriggling child tightly against her chest, Valentina limped her way over to Bloodbayne.

Looking at Lexi from the corners of her eyes, she kept her expression blank.

With every short step, the tension in the room grew, causing the Skulls to close in around the brunette in anticipation of what she might do.

Frozen in place, Lexi’s heart tore in two as her daughter tried to reach for her. Knowing she wouldn’t be able to overpower the four Skulls behind her, she attempted to soothe her baby with a loving smile.

“It’s ok, Princess! Shh, shh! It’s ok! I love you! Everything is going to be just fine!”

“Mama! Mama! Mama!” Loey wailed.

Urging Valentina closer, Bloodbayne chided himself for breaking her legs as punishment for allowing Kade to escape. Nearly fifteen months later and she was still having problems walking.

“Give her to me!” he demanded.

“Yes, Sir,” she replied.

Bending down slightly, Valentina eased the crying child into his spindly hands.

Making sure he had a good hold on her, she reluctantly took a step backwards.

Lifting her eyes towards Lexi, she felt pain and pity for the woman.

She didn’t care for her, but she hated to see her being tortured again and again.

She didn’t deserve this, and neither did that precious child.

Squeezing his fingers around Loey’s torso, Bloodbayne held the whimpering baby in his lap. Forcing her to stay still, he kept his beady gaze on her mother.