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

I blushed, remembering well how good his hand had felt on my most sensitive part. His words had brimmed with lust, matching his ravaging gaze that was imprinted on my mind forever. No one had ever looked at me the way he had. No one, but it felt bitter. Whatever we felt for each other was pinned beneath the blocks of past hatred and his promises.

I wrung my hands together. I could see that my dad and Nathaniel had become friendlier since our first dinner, and even Daniela, who had seemed cold and distant the last time, sounded more interested in what Mom had to say now.

The maid served us our drinks—whiskey for the gentlemen, wine for the ladies, and a good old orange juice for me—and Dad and Nathaniel dived into a topic that was as old as time: politics.

I was restless as I listened to them talk, dying of boredom. I was close to taking my phone out of my backpack to spend time on Instagram, but I knew it would be impolite, so I just stared into nothing and nodded at what they were saying, pretending I knew what the conversation was all about. Blake took forever to arrive…

The heavy footsteps resonated in the hall, and my throat turned dry. Seconds passed in soaring nervousness, and then he appeared at the doorstep with a black motorcycle helmet in his hand, dressed in a black motorbike jacket and pants that left me short of breath. He was ridiculously sexy, and when he ran his hand through his disheveled hair, I stopped breathing. I couldn’t quite grasp that this guy here had been all over me the previous night and looked at me as if he’d never seen a prettier girl in his life.

He raised his head. His eyes went over my parents before they reached me, and he halted, his eyebrows drawing together as if he was surprised to see me. He looked back at my parents, and then at me again, and it seemed he was putting two and two together.

“Son. You finally decided to grace us with your presence,” Nathaniel said and stood up, wearing a smile that was easy to see through. He wasn’t pleased with Blake.

“I told you I couldn’t make it earlier,” Blake told him, not intimidated by Nathaniel in the least.

“And we told you this dinner is important,” Daniela said sweetly as she got to her feet. “Meet our son, Blake.” Her smile could have cut through ice. “Blake, this is Owen Metts. He’s one of your father’s attorneys.” She motioned at my dad, and he stood up to shake hands with Blake.

“It’s nice to meet you, Blake. Nathaniel has told me a lot about you.” My dad shook his hand firmly, and something coiled in my stomach at seeing my dad shake hands with a guy who was my bully, my crush, and my ceaseless source of contrasting emotions.

Blake, who was taller than my dad by three inches, returned his gaze with all the confidence in the world. “It’s good to meet you too, sir.” His voice was so deep, and I squirmed in my seat.

“And this is Julie Metts,” Daniela said, continuing with the introductions. Blake stopped in front of my mom, who smiled softly at him. My heart gave a kick in my chest, reacting to his nearness.

“It’s good to meet you, Mrs. Metts.”

“Likewise, Blake.” She took his hand and shook it briefly. The barely visible smile he’d had for my mom disappeared when he met my gaze.

“Blake, this is Jessica. She goes to your school,” Daniela said.

I stood up on shaky legs. I partly expected him to pretend he didn’t know me. His expression was unreadable as we stared at each other in lingering silence.

“I know her very well,” he said quietly, his gaze unblinking. He held out his hand, and for a second, I just stared at it, surprised. I licked my lips and extended my hand, captivated by his darkening eyes.

His long fingers wrapped around my hand, and I felt a tug in my stomach. His touch was warm and intoxicating. Our hands remained connected as his thumb brushed the back of my hand in slow, sensual circles. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t move a muscle as we looked at each other, lost in our own world. My chest grew so tight, and when his eyes flitted to my lips, it was like the previous night all over again. It was obvious that both of us wanted another taste.

Nathaniel said something, and Blake released my hand, bringing me back to our dull reality. He took a seat on the sofa on the other side of the room, putting distance between him and his parents. It was hard not to notice they weren’t close-knit.

Whenever his parents tried to include him in the conversation, he fired off some rude remark, openly showing what he thought about his parents’ get-togethers. I caught my parents exchanging a few furtive glances, which showed they were also bewildered by this strained family relationship.

Suddenly, disappointment flooded my chest. I hadn’t known what to expect from his parents, but I’d thought and hoped they would be more supportive of their son. After seeing that video, I had to wonder if they had ever been his pillars of support. It was obvious the event had scarred him, so he should have had someone who would help him and guide him through life.

It seemed he was alone—even with his friends.

We moved to the dining room. This time it was a different one, with a picturesque view of the outdoor pool and flowering hedges surrounding it. Somehow, Blake ended up sitting right next to me, which was a feat because the table could accommodate the whole presidential delegation and he had plenty of seats to choose from.

His fragrance dominated the air I inhaled. I was too aware of his every move, and I had to will my hands to work properly as I put food