Page 67 of Their Stolen Obsession

Thirty-Six

Her Predator

Sin

Fuck. Someone knocked loudly at the door.

I jerked up off the couch and almost landed on my ass on the floor. Jesus Christ! I hated a fucking jump scare while I slept. Especially when my nightmares haunted me.

The knocking persisted until the noise stopped. I got up from the couch, wiped the perspiration off my forehead, and took off my suit jacket. I must’ve passed out while Liv slept in my bed after I had tucked her in and the doctor examined her. There was a slight infection in her arm from the dog bite, and it needed antibiotics, and the wound would leave a terrible scar. She had bruises and scratches and needed proper nutrition to regain her energy. Rest was best for the time being to help her body heal. But the doctor couldn’t give us adiagnosis on her mental state and suggested we talk with her about counseling.

Liv was bullheaded, strong, and she’d fight us, but that was why we loved her so damn much. Her spunk, sass, and stubbornness drew us to her. The obsession had never stopped.

Now Liv was in my bed, fast asleep. Safe. Right where she belonged.

“Where is she? I want to see my daughter!” a voice called out.

There was a commotion at the door.

Frank cursed. “We can’t just barge into someone’s home.”

Heels stomped down the hallway.

“Gloria! Wait!”

Mrs. Valencia. Liv’s mother was here. Shit. Saint had caved and called her parents. He was a goddamn softie underneath all the wrath.

I mouthed at Saint, “What the fuck?” I gave him the middle finger.

Saint mouthed back, “Fuck off.”

“I’m not waiting, Frank. This isourdaughter,” Gloria expressed as she entered the room I was in and turned around to hit her husband in the chest with her purse. “You should be more concerned.”

“I am!” Frank said with raised hands.

Fuck. I didn’t want to deal with any of this, but the problem had stirred me from sleep and stared me dead in the eyes. Gloria wanted answers.

I ran my hands through my hair. “Mrs. Valencia. Liv is sleeping. Please quiet down.”

“No. I want to see Liv right now.” Gloria pointed at the floor.

Mrs. Valencia was a mess. She was frantic, as I imagined any mother would be after her child had been missing for weeks. She had followed the instructions of two men she had only met once to not call the police and report her daughter as a missing person. I could only dream of all the horrible nightmares she must’ve had when she fell asleep.Ifshe even slept.

Gloria’s appearance suggested she hadn’t slept in days. Her short curly hair was unruly, and she had bags under her eyes. Goddamn, the tiny pitter patters of my heart shouldn’t give a fuck, but I couldn’t help myself. This was Liv’s mother. The one woman I wanted to impress besides her beautiful daughter, who had beaten life into my dead heart and made me want a soul again.

I was a pathetic fuck. Look what Liv had turned me into, a pleading man who wanted peace. Christ. I was pitiful, desperate, and willing to do anything forher.

“Now, Gloria—” She hit Frank with her purse again.

I grabbed the damn handbag right from her claws.

“That’s enough. From both of you,” I whispered harshly. “Please keep your voices down.”

“Liv needs rest,” Saint added and yanked the purse from me. “Is what my friend here was trying to say.”

Saint made eye contact with me, and he flashed me a warning glare as he handed Gloria back her purse. She brushed her hair back and sized me up, a chill running up my spine. I didn’t like the way she made me feel. Anxious. Uncertain. Damn it. I hated trying to impress anybody. I enjoyed giving people the heebie jeebies, not the other way around.

“Right. Rest is best.” I chuckled softly. “That’s what the doc ordered.”