Page 19 of Professor Obsessed

I recognized some of them from his wall, found their social media and could confirm they were still alive and well.

Except one.

Lacey Micheals.

That was a case he had to hire a lawyer for. Seattle’s best criminal defense lawyer, Matt Duquesne, was his representation. Looking at his photo made my insides curl. The Duquesne and Jefferson lawyers both looked evil. There was something about them that made me want to vomit. Anna kept scrolling looking for information on the missing girl.

“It says here Mr. Duquesne was able to get Chase off due to lack of evidence,” she murmured, skimming another article, “apparently Lacey partied a lot in college with the wrong crowd. She was found stuffed with rocks and drowned in Lake Washington.”

My pulse kicked up a bit at her words.

“She was naked, her body was carved up, and her insides were shoved full of rocks and debris,” I was going to be sick as Anna continued, “Apparently she…”

“Please,” I held both hands up in surrender, “Please no more details. I can’t.”

The article continued on to who they ended up arresting, one of her ex’s that had a criminal history already, “Says the arrest was made by Chief Lampton and his team in Seattle,” Anna read out loud showing me a photo of who I assumed to be the Chief standing next to two officers, both attractive with dark hair, next to them sat a bulky looking dog.

This entire situation was giving me chills. Chase had never been anything but gentle with me. Did I really know what he was capable of after just a short amount of time?

Did I even care?

“Nate’s been around a lot more lately,” Anna said, thankfully switching topics, “I haven’t seen him with any women now that I think about it,” she said resting her chin on her hands and looking at me with a sparkle in her eyes. “Word on the street is that he might be wanting to rekindle things with his ex lover,” she mewed, dragging out the word.

I looked at her blankly, “What street do you live on where that was the word?”

“Just,” she sputtered, “who cares, what do you think of that?”

“I think after he cheated on me, I’m confused on why you’re even entertaining the thought,” I said sharply. It was one thing for her to dislike Chase, but to suggest Nate and I get back together solely so she can be sure I don’t go back to Chase was absurd.

She spent the next several minutes convincing me that Nate came to her, admitting that he was a pig back then, and how he couldn’t stop thinking about me.

“Come on,” she whined, “don’t roll your eyes. What about those second chance romances you love so much! This could be your story Emma!”

Oh God. “The difference is, I don’t really want Nate,” I let out a breath, I wanted Chase.

I was about to excuse myself when I felt the hairs on the back of my neck prickle, “Ladies,” came a recognizable voice.

I turned and was greeted with Nate. His freckles were more prominent from the sun exposure and his red hair was almost blinding.

“Emma,” he said, pulling up a chair next to me. “I came to ask if you’d like to give me another chance.”

“No.”

He frowned and so did Anna. I was beginning to feel like this was a set up. “Please, just one date, we can start over and I'll do better this time.” Anna sat beside us eagerly watching.

“I don’t know. I just got out of a,” I thought for a moment, “somethingship.” I finished with the made up word.

“Oh please Emma,” Anna chimed in grinning from ear to ear, “the man is groveling.”

I didn’t want to go out with Nate, I wanted to go home and read. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry at the empty feeling that sat in the pit of my stomach at the loss of Chase. I wanted to wallow in disappointment at myself for feeling envious of the girls Chase used to be infatuated with. Including the dead one.

God, I was fucked in the head.

But I was also broke, hungry, and was going to live off of canned veggies until payday. “One dinner,” I said waving my finger in his face, “that’s it. No promises.”

His crooked grin spread across his face as he nodded his head and pulled me into a gentle hug, one that didn’t consume my body the way Chase’s did, “You won’t regret it Ems, I swear it!” He ran off immediately texting me the location and time.

I highly doubted he was right.

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