Imprisoned Obsession

By Celia Crown

"Deny me, and you will never be forgiven, darling girl."

 

He's violent, selfish, and obsessive.

 

Elio, a man with means and wealth, planned Willa's demise. Every calculated step into her life is a necessary evil to touch her naivety and curse her innocence.

 

The moment his amber eyes stole her breath away, Willa knew that massive man was just eerily enigmatic.

 

Elio was something—dangerous, surreal, and viscerally demonic.

 

She would soon realize how sinister Elio is, but it would be too late by then. He won't be remorseful for manipulating her into being his good little darling.

 

She's his masterpiece, a pretty little girl to feed his obsession.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Celia Crown
• Release date: Apr 19, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223563969

Book preview

IMPRISONED OBSESSION

____________________

CELIA CROWN

Copyright © 2020 by Celia Crown.

All rights reserved.

This book is a work of fiction.

The book or any portion of the book may not be reproduced or used under any circumstances, except with the written permission from the author. Public names, movies, televisions, locations, or any references are used for atmospheric purposes. Any similarities and resemblances to alive or dead people, events, brands, and locales are all complete coincidences.

Contents

Imprisoned Obsession

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Epilogue

Afterword

More Books

Imprisoned Obsession

By Celia Crown

Deny me, and you will never be forgiven, darling girl.

He’s violent, selfish, and obsessive.

Elio, a man with means and wealth, planned Willa’s demise. Every calculated step into her life is a necessary evil to touch her naivety and curse her innocence.

The moment his amber eyes stole her breath away, Willa knew that massive man was just eerily enigmatic.

Elio was something—dangerous, surreal, and viscerally demonic.

She would soon realize how sinister Elio is, but it would be too late by then. He won’t be remorseful for manipulating her into being his good little darling.

She’s his masterpiece, a pretty little girl to feed his obsession.

Chapter One

___________

Willa

Hey, hey!

A frantic voice buzzes from above me, overriding the screeching alarms.

My eyes burn from the smoke as bitter ash clusters in my lungs, forcing me to wheeze and cough painfully.

The man shakes my shoulders to keep me awake while ensuring that I don’t panic. He hoists me into his arms, the pressure crushing my ribs as my chest heaves.

Hold your breath! the fireman shouts, his oxygen mask muffling his voice.

I turn my head toward his chest and close my mouth. A wave of nausea hits the back of my throat as the bitter taste of smoke lingers on my tongue. I twist his uniform in my hands, the rough fabric chafing my skin. I use that aching sensation to keep my mind clear.

As clear as it can be when the building is burning to a crisp.

Then, an icy wind kicks the heat away from my scorched skin. Fresh oxygen soothes my sweltering throat, but it doesn’t help my hysterical heartbeat.

Dizziness blurs my vision, altering the shapes and coloring over them with a white haze. I slump against the man as his hurried steps jolt my aching muscles, but they keep me awake until the paramedics take me away.

My ears hum loudly, blocking the exchange between the fireman and the paramedic. I would have slumped backward if it weren’t for the paramedic putting her hand on the small of my back as she brought the oxygen mask to my face.

I’m going to check your vitals, ma’am, the paramedic warns.

I blink sluggishly as the burning sensation in my eyes worsens. Tears spill onto my hand as I shakily hold the mask tightly to my face. The edges cut into my skin, but I pay no attention.

Are you in pain? she asks.

I manage to croak, No.

I’m not in pain, but there is an indescribable weakness in my bones. I could fall over at any moment, my arms trembling when I try to adjust my position in the back of the ambulance.

We need help over here! someone shouts from a distance.

I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing the tears to run down my cheeks. When my vision clears, the severity of the damage makes it hard to catch my breath.

The building is engulfed in flames. The flashing lights and roaring flames are smothered by ribbons of charcoal smoke dancing aimlessly in the midnight sky.

A body is wheeled out of the apartment complex. Paramedics follow the stretcher to another ambulance as the firemen help them towards it.

It is burned beyond recognition as the paramedics wipe the blood off the face. My heart falls to the pit of my stomach, fear striking as I hold the oxygen mask more tightly to my face.

As they push the burn victim into the ambulance, one hand tumbles off the stretcher.

A brittle bracelet. The same one that Janice wears.

The mask drops from my hand as disbelief crashes over me. One foot hits the ground as the other gets ready to make a run toward her, but the paramedic holds me back.

You can’t move, ma’am. You’re hurt!

I try to shake her off, but her hand locks firmly on my elbow. She pushes me back and secures me in the ambulance again.

I need— I rasp distressingly.

Your friend is in good hands! the paramedic shouts.

They put Janice in the ambulance and drive off in a matter of seconds. Dust kicks up, but it’s the light gray smoke that steals my attention. I follow the hypnotic swirl and watch it blend into the air.

My neighbors are here watching, but then my eyes travel across a sea of unfamiliar faces.

Tyrannical amber eyes meet mine.

Consuming fear grips my throat. Tremors strike my unstable hands as anxiety pinches at my waist. Unbearable claustrophobia becomes overwhelming when his attention swallows everything around me.

He’s big. He stands in the back, but still towers over the blathering crowd. An unmarked cap shadows the beautiful glow of his eyes, but it doesn’t disguise his predatory stare.

My heart wrenches for unfathomable reasons.

Why can’t I look away?

Why am I so afraid of him?

We need to take you to the hospital, the paramedic says.

Instinctively, I snap my head toward her. Her voice nearly slips my mind as if I don’t grasp her words. She doesn’t wait for me to answer before tapping the window behind the driver.

I turn to look over my shoulder. The man’s gone, and another person has taken his place as if he were never there.

Did I imagine him?

The door slams shut, the vibration rocking the tempo of my agitated heart. The ambulance’s siren shrills above me as the vehicle drives away from the burning building.

The paramedic keeps an eye on me. Every twitch of my body is followed by her concerned voice as she monitors my oxygen level.

I could use a statement from you, someone says.

I am startled out of my trance by the voice. Whipping my head towards the newcomer, I gasp in shock as my back collides with the plastic divider behind me.

The cop and the paramedic argue about the bad timing as we turn a corner. I close my fingers around the mask and scoot myself away from him.

They argue about the fact that he is a rookie, and she is a pain in the ass. It occurs to me that they knew each other before today.

I prefer that they argue with each other instead of with me. I’m still trying to wrap my head around what just happened.

I came back early from class to change for work. Everything was fine, and Janice had already fought off her fever. I didn’t have to worry; she assured me that she hadn’t lived for thirty-five years without learning how to take medicine.

I’m just subleasing from her previous housemate, so the three of us aren’t close. We’re cordial, but we all mind our own business. I think our age difference has also kept us apart.

I wouldn’t even call us friends.

The fire started on the seventh floor. The Chief said it originated in her apartment! the cop yells heatedly. I need to find out!

You don’t need to do anything! the paramedic snaps. You’re only this diligent because you want the credit!

So what? The man bristles defensively. I want to become a detective next year!

The fire had started in my apartment. It’s no wonder Janice had more injuries than those who had escaped from the fire.

If an elevator malfunction hadn’t forced me to take the stairs, I would have been stuck there too. I would have been caught inside the apartment, trapped by the fire. So I could have been wheeled out on a stretcher just like Janice was.

I hate comparing our situations, but I can’t help but feel lucky.

The Chief said it wasn’t an accident; there was flammable material! the man shouts again.

It doesn’t take a genius to know the implications of his words. The accusation sits at the bottom of my stomach as I focus on replenishing my oxygen.

It still hurts to breathe. The acidity of