Page 57 of Their Stolen Obsession (Phantoms and Obsession Duet #2)
Their Universe
Liv
F inally, my new cell phone arrived. I’d been waiting for the damn device for a while after it had been on back order because of a shipment issue.
Sin and Saint had bought the phone for me after mine went missing during my kidnapping, and I wanted to pay them back for their generosity, but I had no access to money.
My mom would try to help, but thanks to my father, my parents weren’t in a financial position to do that.
I wondered if my dad had cracked on the real reason I had stayed with Sebastian.
My parents knew the mistreatment and pure hell that asshole had put me through.
He had put my life in danger, and he’d do the same to my family, too.
I’d never go back to him, not even for money.
Speaking of that jerk off… Sebastian had been si lent for weeks.
Sebastian had kept tabs on me all the fucking time. Sure, he had no clue I was up to no damn good. Random men giving me multiple orgasms, two stalkers following me twenty-four seven, and having their way with me any way they had wanted.
But deep down I had been wanting my shadows too.
I had desired everything Sin and Saint threw at me, even though I had fought them.
Sebastian knew nothing about any of my affairs behind his back, and I didn’t give a damn if he ever found out the truth.
The fact was, someone had found me, and he would contact my parents.
My mom would tell him everything, but I’ve heard nothing from him.
I should be dead in the ground with Sebastian making good on his promise. There was no way he’d let me live with his former business partners without putting a hit on them. I should be dead, and Sin and Saint not far behind me.
Something was up.
I remembered my parents’ number like the back of my hand and dialed it into my cell phone.
Eager to get an answer about the whereabouts of Sebastian Chamberlain, but also not wanting to talk to them.
I didn’t want to dig up the decision I had made to stay at the penthouse with two men who my parents barely knew .
One ring. Two rings. Come on, someone pick up the damn phone.
“Hello?” my dad answered.
I sighed, “Dad? It’s me. Liv.”
“Sweetheart! Is everything okay? Are you coming home? Have those men hurt you in—” My dad stopped talking, and I heard my mom. “Liv’s on the phone, Gloria. Let me speak to her. I’ll handle this.”
I imagined my father waving his hand at my mom and trying to calm her down while she had her little freak out.
The image in my head made me smile, and I missed home.
I didn’t forget their strict rules, and the thought made me cringe.
Never did I want to move backward because too much had changed in my life for me to go back and be their perfect daughter ever again.
“Dad. Stop with the interrogation over the phone. I’m fine,” I replied.
“Oh, thank goodness.” My dad heaved a relieved sigh. “When are you coming home?”
“I’m not, Dad…” Nervously, I twirled a strand of hair between my fingers. “I called to ask something.”
“Okay… What is it?” Frank questioned.
“Have you or Mom heard from Sebastian?”
“No. But if I did, I’d have a few choice words for that dickhead after what he did to you,” he replied angrily and took a quick pause to catch his breath. “ Sebastian put you through hell, and he deserves to be in a jail cell, not out walking as a free man.”
Oh, trust me, Dad. I had a gut intuition Sebastian wasn’t out walking anywhere . I believed he was six feet under, his corpse rotting as animals ate his decaying flesh.
“Okay, thanks, Dad,” I mumbled.
“Wait, sweetheart, don’t hang up.” Silence for a few seconds. “Your mom and I would love for you to come home instead of living in a penthouse. We aren’t comfortable with your decision, and we are worried about you.”
“Don’t be. I’m fine,” I answered without hesitation.
“But you barely know these men, Liv. They’re dangerous,” Frank stated.
The risk I took was a fact I was all too aware of. I knew how deadly these men could be, but they weren’t murderous toward me. Sin and Saint held my best interests at heart.
Right?
Gah! Thanks, Dad.
I let him dip deep into my psyche, and he screwed with everything. He made me second-guess my decision to stay with these unhinged, possessive men who wanted to own every single piece of me, to fuse themselves to me and be one for the rest of our lives .
Did I truly want to be with Sin and Saint forever?
“I know Sin and Saint are dangerous, but I’m still here.” I tried to convince my dad and reassure myself. “Everything will be all right.”
“You aren’t yourself, Liv. All your judgments are mixed up. You’re confused after all the trauma you’ve been through, and we, as your parents, believe it’s in your best interest to be with family, or at least on your own to figure shit out,” Frank added.
My dad cared. I could hear he did, not only through his words but through his voice.
My mom probably had her damn ear up to the speaker, listening in on the entire conversation with a hand over her mouth.
My parents loved me. I knew this was the genuine truth, but I needed space from them. I had to do this my way. Not theirs.
“If you hear from Sebastian, let me know, please,” I simply said.
“I see…” My dad exhaled a long sigh. “If I hear from that bastard, I’ll immediately call the police.”
“That works too,” I agreed with a nod. “Love you, Dad. Mom? I know you’re there, and I love you too.”
I hung up the phone before my parents could speak because I had made my choice.
They didn’t want to accept my decision to be with two billionaire men who were older than me and I had fallen in love with.
That affection scared the shit out of me.
I was unsure if I should walk straight into the flames of devotion or run as fast as I could while they chased me, caught me, and kept me in their darkness. Either way, I’d end up with them.
Was I ready?
I had no fucking clue.
Suddenly, Sin walked into the room. I watched him come right toward me with Saint in tow. They both plopped down on either side of me on the couch.
“Who was that on the phone?” Sin raised an eyebrow.
I replied, “My parents.”
Saint plucked the cell phone out of my hand. “We should call them back. I want to get to know them better.”
“No. Not yet.” I took the device back. “I don’t think they are ready for that.”
“Fine.” Saint crossed his arms over his chest. “Some other time.”
“What did the family talk about?” Sin questioned while he sprawled an arm across the back of the couch, and he slowly rested his hand on my shoulder. “I bet you had a chit chat about us?”
“We did.” I nodded and pulled away from his touch. “But mainly we had a discussion about Sebastian. You know my ex? ”
“Yep.” Sin popped the P and didn’t bat an eye. “Can’t forget that asshole.”
I stood up.
“Why the distance, darling?” Saint asked as he uncrossed his arms and leaned forward. “Afraid we might bite?”
Kinda. Plus, I might enjoy their markings too much, and these men would end up distracting me from the important question that had been looming over all our heads. Where the hell was my ex-fiancé?
“No…” I lied. The fib would make my nose as long as Pinocchio’s if I starred in the goddamn movie. “I just want to see both of your reactions when I ask you something important.”
“Such as?” Sin asked with a tilt of his head.
I crossed my arms. “Do either of you know where Sebastian is?” I tapped the tip of my shoe against the floor.
Saint turned to his best friend. “Should we tell her?”
“I don’t know if she’s ready yet,” Sin mouthed to Saint.
“Hello? I’m standing right here, and I can read lips, Mr. Cruz,” I huffed with annoyance.
Sin snapped his head in my direction. He mouthed something fast that I couldn’t understand and then raised his eyebrows. He pushed up his sleeves and sat back into the cushions of the couch. Clearly comfortable and full of himself. One hundred percent fucking Sin Cruz fashion.
Sin asked, “Did you get all of that, sweetheart?”
“Hell, no!” I untucked my crossed arms and threw them up in the air. “You went way too fast on purpose. What did you say?”
Sin stood up and faced me. “We have a surprise for our darling, sweetheart.”
“A surprise?” My forehead wrinkled in confusion, and I peered down at Saint. “What surprise?”
Saint grinned. “Sebastian.”