Page 30 of Their Stolen Obsession (Phantoms and Obsession Duet #2)

Their Universe

Liv

L oud sounds had me shooting up on the mattress. I wiped drool away with the back of my hand, but I hadn’t been asleep for long because my eyes weren’t crusty. They would’ve been from the tears I had quietly cried before I had passed out.

The thought of never seeing Sin and Saint again plagued me. I knew they wouldn’t abandon me, but I was afraid they’d never find me. I’d remain in this hellhole in the middle of nowhere until I took my final breath. Hours had passed, and I had drowned in sorrow after no one came for me.

I was certain they’d find me, and when they didn’t, a brief nightmare consumed me—threw me deeper into the arms of evil with faceless monsters, eeriness, and loud banging. Before I woke up and realized the mayhem was real.

Sharp popping noises came closer, along with yelling, as footsteps ran down the hallway outside of my door.

Goosebumps came alive on my skin, curiosity set in, and I scurried from the floor.

My ears perked as the shouting faded and turned into screams. Grown men howled in pain, but their anguish didn’t bother me.

Every one of these fuckers deserved to hurt and feel every single emotion I had while stuck inside this fortress of constant dread.

Of being on my toes twenty-four-seven while walking on eggshells and praying I didn’t stumble on a landmine which would blow me to smithereens.

I stood in the middle of my captivity and listened to chaos all around me, shocked by the horrific sounds, terrified by the unknown, and unable to process if this madness was even real.

This could all be an elaborate ruse to entertain a sick, twisted game I wanted no part of, but the Pitrone brothers were psychotic and got off on cruelty.

They played on one’s emotional stability and shot every sense of sanity to hell.

They completely ruined a prisoner from ever wanting to escape these four lonely, diminishing walls.

Suddenly, the door rattled, and fear took over me.

Someone came for me within this insanity, this bloodshed, and I didn’t want to leave.

The gunshots were real and echoed endlessly.

I wasn’t ready to die. I wanted to live.

If I had to remain locked up here until my phantoms came for me, then so be it.

I wasn’t about to risk my life and have anyone force me to leave. I didn’t want to abandon safety.

Fuck. I was far gone enough to call this shithole safe, but it was the truth. This room, my prison, had kept me protected. Unharmed from everything on the outside for weeks when I thought I’d rather die. Yes, the space was degrading, inhumane, but I was alive . That had to mean something.

“No, please…” I begged as the door opened, and I held my hands up to my face to block the light from streaming in. “Don’t make me go.”

The illumination was bright. I couldn’t make out the figure who stood in the doorway. Not understanding why the person didn’t move, didn’t grab me and hurl me into the hallway.

Desperately, I squinted, trying to see the individual who had unlocked my cell.

I backed up further until my back hit the wall, and I had nowhere else to go.

Blurriness turned into focus, and I saw the person swing their head from left to right.

Long hair swayed in both directions, and I realized it was a woman.

Not a man, but a female, and there wasn’t anyone around here except…

“Come on!” Knoxlee yelled at me over the loud blasts of gunshots. “You need to go now! ”

What? Leave? Knoxlee had ingrained in my brain to never try to flee.

Something wasn’t right.

I argued, “But you always said—”

“Goddamn it. Forget what I said!” She shook her head in frustration and hurried into the room. “You have to leave.”

Knoxlee held out her hand to me, and her catlike facial features were striking.

Sharp green eyes, high cheekbones and full of expression.

With her up this close, the light illuminating behind her figure, she was equal to a feline Egyptian goddess.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out and every fear went away.

I was mystified by her and bound to kneel at her feet until she slapped me.

“Liv? Did you hear me?” Knoxlee asked with narrowed eyes full of desperation.

“I can’t,” I mumbled on repeat and shook my head.

“Yes, you can, Liv…” Knoxlee said as she took my face in between her hands and stared me straight in the eyes. “Someone broke into Pitrone’s territory, and they are taking them down.”

I whispered, “What?”

“Preston’s fucked,” Knoxlee answered, letting go of my face and grabbing my shoulders, “But you have to run. ”

The gunfire came closer. Fear came back and haunted every fiber of my being.

I shook my head. “No. It’s not safe out there.”

“I know, but it’s not safe—” A loud bang that made my eardrums ring interrupted her explanation.

We ducked down, held our ears with our hands, and I realized there was an explosion. Holy shit! This was crazy!

Knoxlee pulled at my arm. She forced me to my feet and closer to the door.

My eyes went wide with fright at the sight of smoke coming from outside and common sense hit me.

I couldn’t stay put. There was bound to be a fire somewhere, and it was only a matter of time before flames consumed my prison. I had no choice. I had to escape.

Knoxlee pushed me out into the hallway.

“Run! Don’t look back!” she shouted at me as her voice echoed down the hallway, and my legs sprang into action.

Tears of terror streamed down my face, and I didn’t stop running. Smoke had me choking until it had dissipated. I didn’t turn back as I heard Knoxlee’s continuing efforts encouraging me toward my freedom. The voice of an angel I’d never forget as her motivation cut off, and I was alone again.

Knoxlee ?

She wasn’t behind me. Knoxlee must’ve gone in the opposite direction.

Horrified, I ran faster. My bare feet hit the floor with the notion of eyes targeting me. The sensation crept up my back as I sprinted into a vast room with long dinette sets and chandeliers overhead. The gunfire was all around me, and I had to ignore the panic because I couldn’t stop. I’d be dead.

There. Up ahead. A door.

I had to reach for the handle. I must get out of danger before I meet a gruesome fate.

There was no time to pause, make up another plan, or second guess anything.

My racing heart and heaving chest propelled me forward; I could only run.

One beat. Two beats. Three. Four. Five. I counted the organ beating inside of me to ensure I was still alive.

Suddenly, the watchful stares locked on me and crept deep into my core, into my soul, and latched on, unable to let me go. My gut screamed at me to stop, and my body reacted. I came to a screeching halt right in front of a gigantic mirror. The two men I’d longed for reflected back at me.

Sin and Saint. My phantoms. The predators had found me, and they locked onto their prey.

Wide-eyed, shocked, and trembling with disbelief, tears of joy streamed down my cheeks. They saved me. The men who haunted me, owned me, and loved me were taking me home.

Bullets flew past me in slow motion, like a fucking action movie.

I wasn’t Trinity from the freaking Matrix and couldn’t dodge worth shit as the mirror came crashing down, and I let out a blood-curdling scream.

The glass hit the floor, and chandeliers overhead came collapsing all around me.

I realized my mistake as soon as pain pierced me, and agony wreaked havoc on my body.

I fell to the ground, realizing a bullet had struck me.

“No!” I heard my phantoms shout.

The sound of gunfire was intense. Everything was a blur as stars danced and made me want to black out, but I wasn’t ready. I didn’t want to go.

I curled up into the fetal position, trying to shield myself from harm because I was still breathing. I hadn’t died. Not yet.