Page 3 of Their Stolen Obsession (Phantoms and Obsession Duet #2)

Their Universe

Liv

M y entire body hurt. Pain blasted through my skull when I tried to open my eyes, so I settled for glancing through tiny slits instead. I had to see where I was. I had to keep my guard up.

Someone had tied me to a chair, my wrists bound with rope to the armrests and my ankles fastened to the legs. I was weak, fucking tired and hungry. I couldn’t remember the last thing I ate, but I could remember the smell of coffee.

Goddamn, I missed the taste.

I could use a cup of java right now to give me a burst of energy, get my thought process back on track, and get the hell out of this place.

My fiancé owed the Mafia money he shouldn’t have taken, and he had threatened my life as his soon-to-be bride.

His greed had placed a target directly on my back, and I paid the price.

Suddenly, I heard the smack of skin. A harsh slap that caused me to turn my attention to the scene in front of me. The bright light caused an ache in my temple, but I forced myself to focus.

“Don’t get mouthy with me,” Preston seethed through clenched teeth and struck again. “Give her the damn needle.”

I recognized the same woman from before.

I imagined her being frazzled, scared, and frail after being abused the way she had.

Not only by one brother, but by two. Phoenix had physically assaulted her right in front of me, and now Preston was hitting her.

Instead of standing before him a broken woman, she stood there emotionless, but deep down, I knew her pain because I had been there too.

Beaten, shattered to pieces, but our attackers could never see our torment.

Never experience their twisted accomplishments because they’d win, and women like us wouldn’t let men like them win.

Inside the broken depths of our souls, we were desperately trying to piece ourselves back together because we wanted to live.

She took the second blow as if it was nothing.

Her head jerked slightly in my direction, but her fierce green eyes peered down at the floor.

I knew she experienced shame, embarrassment from letting Preston do such a thing, but she had no choice if she wanted to survive.

I got her. Her name was unknown to me, yet I understood her.

This secret bond made me want to get to know and understand her.

I wanted to know how she’d ended up with these brothers—these monsters.

While facing her offender, she argued, “I’m not a damn nurse, Preston.”

“I don’t give a fuck.” Preston spit in her face and placed a needle in her hand, clamping her fingers around the syringe. “We can’t have our ransom sick with rabies.”

“Then you shouldn’t have put her in the pit,” she said. She wouldn’t meet his stare and peered down at the needle. “Everyone knows what happens there.”

“Well, I didn’t kill her, did I?” Preston questioned.

His chest heaved, and he grabbed her by the shoulders.

He shook her until she squeaked out a wobbly, “No. ”

“She got off lucky, but you might not if you don’t do as you’re damn well told.”

“You wouldn’t dare. Phoenix would kill you,” she challenged him.

Her strong-willed, striking emerald gaze met Preston’s.

“He’s not here to save you. I could make your death a terrible accident with my beloved dogs simply escaping their cage,” Preston explained and turned her roughly toward me. “Now, go play nurse and give her the rabies shot.”

Rabies? Right. A possibly rabid dog had bitten me.

The Pitrones couldn’t risk me getting sick because that would be a deal breaker.

No ransom would mean no money for them. Little did imbeciles like these brothers know, Sebastian doesn’t give a rat’s ass about me.

He wouldn’t pay them shit. I was as good as dead in his eyes.

He might have only wanted me back to torture me some more while he thought no one was watching.

Except my phantoms were.

Their naughty obsession with me, I prayed, had turned lethal upon my disappearance and made them into predators.

They were dangerous men who’d hunt me, track me, and die for me.

Only I knew how unhinged Sin Cruz and Saint Sullivan could truly be, and I needed them more than I ever needed anyone in my life.

Preston pushed her forward as he turned away and left the room.

The woman with the needle only glanced his way after the door slammed shut, and she eyed the goon who took his place.

One of Preston’s thugs crossed his brawny arms in front of him, blocked the door, and left no room for an escape.

She couldn’t get past him, especially when he wouldn’t take his evil eyes off her.

“You heard the boss,” he grumbled with a grunt of unappreciated encouragement.

She turned her full attention toward me. Her chest heaved as much as mine now that Preston was out of sight. We didn’t have to calm our breaths, no longer shielding our fear with the determination to survive. We could be ourselves. Weak, uncertain of the future, and vulnerable. We could be victims.

I whispered, “I’m Liv.”

She wouldn’t make a peep. Instead, she grabbed a bandage and some alcohol. She poured the booze onto a crisp cloth and pressed it up against my wound. Son of a bitch, that stung!

Tears blurred my vision to the point bile built up in my throat, but I wouldn’t puke.

I swallowed the nausea back down and clenched my teeth through the pain.

My nails dug into the armrest, and I reminded myself I had been through much worse.

I was strong, my willpower would get me through, and I’d have a nasty scar to prove it.

She removed the cloth that would save me from an infection, cleansing the injury and wrapping a bandage around it. I watched her work in silence until I couldn’t take it anymore.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

Again, she was quiet. Not one word left her full lips painted with black lipstick. She wore makeup, giving the impression that she was cared for, but I knew the truth. The cosmetics hid the damage, and she’d need more for tomorrow once those blows Preston gave her set in.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door and Preston’s goon opened the door a crack. My ears perked as I tried to tune in, but whatever was spoken, I couldn’t make out. I imagined their brief words, and my curiosity ran wild.

My mind reeled with the thought of two men dressed in black, my dark knights with tortured souls.

They were here in their Mustang, ready to kill with their bare hands.

Prepared to end anyone who stood in their way and paint this shithole red with blood.

They’d seek vengeance for me, unbinding my chains and wrapping me in their addictive arms.

Had my phantoms found me?