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

lined his mouth. My stomach crawled, and when he met my gaze, his eyes bloodshot and pupils dilated, I actually recoiled, wanting to be at least a mile away from him. His look screamed danger, but most of all, it was alarming since it was obvious he was ensnared by something that led nowhere good.

“Who are you?” Steven asked her as he licked his lips, completely serious. He glanced at Masen while pointing at Melissa with his cigarette. “Do you know her?”

Masen snorted and took a drag of his cigarette, but his eyes remained hard as he looked at Melissa. He let out the smoke through his nose. “She’s Fart Stench.”

Mel moved to Masen with a sneer and slammed her hand on the hood next to his thigh, getting into his face. “Why are you letting him be like this?”

Masen glared at her, but he didn’t back away, only inches separating their faces now. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

She smacked the hood with her open palm. “Aren’t you supposed to be his friend? What kind of friend just stands by and does nothing to help someone who’s ruining his life right in front of their eyes? Look at him!” Melissa gestured at Steven, who observed their interaction with no emotion on his face. “He’s completely high and looks like he’s about to dissolve into nothing! Don’t tell me you’d let him get in his car and race in this condition?!”

Steven rolled his eyes. “Sis, you’re making a big deal—”

Masen moved so quickly Mel couldn’t even react, throwing the cigarette on the ground and flipping them around so that she was pressed between the hood and him.

“I’m sick and tired of you jumping to conclusions,” he told her, pressing her hands together against the hood behind her back. “You don’t know shit about me, so don’t act like a know-it-all.”

His tone of voice and the expression on his face were unlike his usual easygoing, playboy attitude, and it chilled me even though his anger wasn’t directed at me. It reminded me of that day when I met Eli and Masen flew off the handle. He could be terribly scary when he wanted to.

“Get away from me, you germ container!” She thrashed against him to set herself free, but Masen predicted all her self-defense moves and caged her in using his strength and experience. She had no advantage over him, even with her Krav Maga skills, and a sudden fear flickered on her face.

“I never hit girls, but when it comes to you, I want to the slap the shit out of you,” he growled into her face.

Steven slid off the hood and placed his hand on Masen’s shoulder. “Bro, let her go. You know how she is. I’m used to it, so just drop it.”

Masen didn’t move immediately, each of them glaring at the other with undiluted hatred. After a few seconds of high tension, he released Melissa and pushed himself away from her.

“Fuck this shit,” he muttered, walking away.

Mel frowned at Steven, her face cracking to reveal pain. “Real nice. You really know how to pick friends, Steven. You nailed it with this one,” she said in a shaky voice and lifted her chin toward Masen.

“Are you okay?” Steven asked, ignoring her remark, and I raised my eyebrows at the concern in his voice.

She looked away and rubbed her upper arms. “Yep. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”

“Because he pinned you down and you couldn’t—”

“We won’t talk about that now,” she said, glancing at me, which only sparked my curiosity. Steven also glanced at me, and understanding dawned on his face. Mel was hiding something from me, and I didn’t know how I felt about that.

“Fine, but will you stop jumping on Mace every single time?” he asked her. “I’m getting new grays every time I see you two fighting. And I want my hair to be perfect, thank you very much.”

Mel rolled her eyes. “What are you complaining about? Aren’t you always the one who can’t wait to grab his popcorn and enjoy the drama?”

“That’s true. I’m always up for some drama, but your drama got old a long time ago, sis. And FYI, I’m not racing tonight. Mace, who is a good buddy—oh, the shocker!—talked me out of it.”

I didn’t hear Mel’s answer, because Blake’s voice reached me from behind. “What are you doing here?”

I turned around, my throat turning dry at the sight of him. His smoldering eyes slid down my body in tight black jeans and a black jacket, and I got strong flutters in my belly. His gaze told me everything—he liked what he saw. A lot.

The old insecurities kicked in, and I folded my arms across my chest, feeling the need to hide myself. I wanted to suck in my belly, hoping the two pounds I’d lost over the last week were showing on my body, but then I remembered I should embrace myself the way I was and stop feeling less adequate than others, especially in front of Blake. He could like my looks or not, but that didn’t change the fact that I should love myself however I looked and whatever others said.

I looked at the redhead, who now stood next to Blake. Blake patted his shoulder. “Isaac, go on. I need to talk with her.”

So, he was the Isaac I’d heard Blake mention on the phone at school and after the previous week’s race. He seemed to be at least ten years older. He gave me a quick once-over, suddenly looking curious about me. There was something calculative in his gaze that didn’t inspire anything good in me.

“Sure,” he said as he smirked at Blake. “Good luck with the race.”

“Thanks,” Blake replied, watching him leave before he turned to face me. “So? What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to watch the race.” The excuse came out of my mouth too quickly.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me. You can’t be here.”

I knew that very well, but that didn’t stop me from challenging