Page 10 of Their Stolen Obsession

He inhaled another puff of his cigar.

“Well, I’m here to get you cleaned up because you fucking reek,” he said as he dropped his cigar into my makeshift toilet and held out his hand. “I’m Zane.”

Seven

Their Universe

Liv

Isimply stared down at his hand. He waited a few seconds before he took the hint that I had no interest in a handshake. This asshole must be fucking crazy. Either that or he was completely desensitized from everything he had done while working for the Pitrones.

“Li—” I didn’t get to finish the introduction because he blew smoke in my face and sent me into a coughing fit. “Fuck!”

The aroma of his stogie smelled good, but the smoke didn’t.

“I know your name already, Miss Valencia…” Zane muttered and grabbed my forearm. “Just screwing with you.”

He pulled me in close, and I could see the fire in his smoky eyes. The swirl of somethingdangerous sent a chill through my bones. He caught me by surprise. Not from the threat he posed to my life, but from something else. An aspect to Zane I couldn’t explain. He hid something deep inside, this much I knew, and he left that awareness tingling down to my toes. No one should mess with this dude, but here I was, being dragged from my dungeon in his master’s fortress.

“Let go of me, jerk,” I seethed.

His quick release surprised me after I tugged at his grip on my arm until he let me go. I expected him to hold on to me until the bitter end and instead, Zane pushed me forward in front of him. I had the urge to run free.

“Don’t even think about it.” Zane pointed a gun at my backside.

Was this guy a fucking psychic?

No. It was a natural reaction for anyone held captive to take any chance they had of freedom. He’d probably seen a lot of victims, not only me, and watched many succumb to their gruesome fate at the hands of his boss.

I almost was sorry for him.Not.Since he got himself entangled with the mob.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to. I have no fucking clue where I am,” I shot back with sass.

God. I had a big fucking mouth.

I should’ve learned my lesson when I got mixed up with Sin and Saint. Mouthing back never got me anywhere except into trouble. But now I see their torturous ways weren’t anything like this. I had never felt more alone in my entire life, and I wanted them back. I craved their darkness and wanted it to swallow me whole and never let go. I needed them to find me and bring me home to them.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way,” Zane muttered in a low husky tone and poked me with the barrel of his weapon. “Move.”

I did as instructed and walked forward while Zane followed closely behind, carrying the bucket by the handle. We walked down the hallway I had seen through the hole in the wall. I had wondered where it would lead, and I was about to find out, but for some strange reason, that frightened me.

The unknown left me uneasy, and I almost wanted to head back to my prison, away from the uncertainty. There, I had been shielded from danger and protected by those walls. I fought against the fear with strength and forced my wobbling legs to continue on.

A screwed up mix of emotions stirred through me as I took in the gray walls with crown moldings. I expected this fortress to be as cold and desolate as my confinement, but it wasn’t. The luxurious corridorhoused a library, an art room displaying paintings, a theater, and many other areas whose purposes I didn’t understand. The space was massive, and even if I broke free, I’d get lost in here. Only destined to be found by one of Preston’s thugs he had roaming the hallways.

Embarrassment crept up my spine as each armed man we passed peered at me with barely anything on. Their eyes burned my skin as pupils roamed over me like I was fresh meat, ripe for the taking. I was sure if Zane was with me, they wouldn’t pounce.

Unfortunately, Zane was the only thing protecting me from these animals, and he fucking knew it. I threw glances back at him, a smug-ass smirk on his face as we walked past and men whistled at me. He’d made vulgar remarks, which made me want to hurt him.

God, I wanted to punch Zane right in the face.

We got to a space which resembled a garage, and I searched around, only to realize there was no way out except the way we’d come. I stopped, but Zane pushed me forward. I supposed I could escape out the garage doors, but I had no clue where the switch was. Not a single vehicle was in sight, but there were tire treads on the cement floor, and the smell of gasoline was strong.

Two men stepped out from behind a big stack of used tires. One held a hose while the other stared at me with hunger in his eyes. Bile collected in my throat. I was trapped, with Zane behind me and these other two in front of me. I wouldn’t be able to fight them all off if I tried.

“She’s here as the boss instructed…” Zane announced and put his gun back in his waistband. “You’re up.”

“I think we’re going to have fun.” The man with the starved gaze moved forward, licking his lips.