Trapped (Bullied Book 4) (Bullied Series) Vera Hollins (best large ereader txt) 📖

had to finish a school project and asked them to let me sleep over at her place because they didn’t question it one bit.

I wrestled with my contradicting thoughts during the entire ride to the track. I didn’t want to be near Blake, but at the same time, I wanted to know more about him. I wanted to put an end to the mystery that he was.

Why couldn’t he love? Why had he been so gentle in the basement? He’d clearly dropped his guard, just like on New Year’s Eve, but such drastic changes in his attitude gave me whiplash. Either he hated me or…

No. That was a dangerous way of thinking. It didn’t matter. However he felt didn’t matter, because I couldn’t get over everything he’d done to me.

Or could I? I didn’t know if I was capable of wiping the slate clean. He didn’t deserve me. He was obviously so full of anger, and I took the brunt of it, and for that sole reason, I knew I had to get away from him. He wasn’t good for my sanity…yet I wanted to help him.

“You’re awfully quiet,” Mel told me, her gaze unmoving from the dark road ahead. This area outside of Enfield was unfamiliar, dotted by woods that provoked fear and unease, and once more, I asked myself why I was going to a place where nothing good dwelled.

“I’m still not sure this is a good idea.”

“What exactly?”

“Prying into Blake’s business. I should stay away from him, not chase him.”

“You’re not chasing him.”

“I know, but I feel like I am. So what if he’s in a gang? That doesn’t concern me.”

Oh, what a lie that was. I even had nightmares that revolved around Blake’s life in the gang, and it made me want to wrap my arms around him and protect him somehow.

“Tell that to your heart,” Mel said as she headed down a bumpy pathway in the woods that only led us deeper and deeper into encompassing darkness.

After ten minutes of rocky ride, the forest gave way to a clearing filled with parked cars. In the distance, a crowd of people stood by what I assumed was a track, which ran around a farm.

Mel parked her Volvo next to a red Sedan, and we stepped out onto a thin layer of snow, greeted by the icy cold air. I shivered, but it wasn’t only because of the low temperature. Adrenaline pumped through me as I took in the people surrounding us.

They looked like the kind of people I would never willingly associate myself with. Most of them were dressed fully in black and wearing leather jackets, looking like they could crush me with their little finger if they wanted to. A lot of them were much older than us, with menace carved into their faces along with the scars that testified to cruelty.

Following Mel’s suggestion, I’d worn all black too, which allowed me to blend in easily. I double-checked that my phone was in my pocket in case something went wrong and followed Mel to a nearby group of guys.

Steven was the tallest of them and easily the loudest; his high-pitched laugh grated on my ears. Masen stood next to him with a cigarette in his hand as he talked to a short guy on his other side. Blake was nowhere in sight, and the ball of tension in my stomach shrunk a bit.

“Oh look. Here’s my nosy bodyguard,” Steven said out loud and pointed at Mel, the bruise on his nose impossible to miss.

The whole group turned to look at us, and I blushed to the roots of my hair. I got the urge to hide behind Melissa as they checked us out. Masen raised his eyebrows, clearly surprised to see me. I would have felt the same if I were him. I felt like a fish out of water here.

“Oh look, it’s the brain fart! Oops. I mean, my brother.”

The group burst out laughing, everyone except Steven, whose eyes turned into slits. “I told you not to come here.”

“Yeah? And I told you I don’t follow anyone’s orders. I just want to make sure you don’t break a bone or two.”

“Cue the eye roll,” Steven said to Masen, matching his smirk. He turned his gaze back to Mel. “Yes, Mommy. Anything else, Mommy?”

She slapped the back of his head. “Get serious, you jerk.”

“Ouch! Your signs of affection never fail to amaze me, sis. I wouldn’t be surprised if I woke up with bruises tomorrow.” He pointed at his nose. “You already gave me one.”

Mel grimaced but covered it quickly. “You’ll end up with broken bones or worse if you race while you’re this stoned.”

“Shiiit, Brooks. Why didn’t you tell us your sister was a savage?” The guy standing next to Masen winked at her. “So hot. I’d totally do you.”

Mel gave him a murderous glare that made even me shrink with apprehension.

“You don’t know what you’d be getting yourself into,” Masen said to him, his smirk long gone. “She’d chew you out before you even took your dick out.”

Mel fisted her hands. “Steven, give me your knife.”

Steven tipped his chin down. “And why would I do that?”

“Because I want to cut this asshole up,” she said with her glare fixed on Masen.

“Sheesh! They’re at each other’s throats, but the sexual tension between them is off the charts! Kinky,” a redhaired guy on Steven’s other side said to another guy. He smirked at Masen. “Why don’t you two blow off some steam in the back seat?”

If Mel was furious before, now I was sure she was on the path of becoming a murderer.

“Mel—” I started, wanting to reason with her, but she didn’t pay attention to me.

“And why don’t you shut up and stop sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong, you stupid asshole?” she bit out, ready to swing at him.

The redhead’s smile dropped, and he drew himself up to his full height. “What the…? I’m gonna knock this bitch out.”

He lunged at her,