Page 1 of His Obsession

Chapter One

Elise

“Fuck,” I groan. Icome to a stop at the corner of the block and put my hands on my knees to catch my breath. It’s early still, so I have time to get back. I hate running when others are out and moving around.

I don’t even like this fucking neighborhood, but my Aunt Jennifer insisted that I have this place when she died. Then, the bitch had to go and get terminal cancer. I’m still angry at her for dying, but it’s the only emotion I know that won’t lead me to getting lost in grief. The house, the town, the people… Everything is new. I graduated college with a master’s in computer engineering and came here, so it sat empty for a while. I came by occasionally to check on things, but I paid others to maintain it.

I took my time getting here from the other side of the country, so I have been here for a week. Everyone already gets on my nerves. The HOA president, Carol, is a raging cunt. Her husband is a dumbass. She must have some damn good pussy, because I don’t know how else he can put up with her. She never shuts the fuck up.

Everyone is weirdly nice, but secretive at the same time. They will smile and be friendly with me, but then whisper and stare at me from a distance. It’s obvious that I am an outsider to them, but they are all fake as fuck anyway. My plan is to just keep to myself and enjoy this giant, empty house in peace. I don’t need my neighbors to be my friend in order to be happy.

“Morning Elise,” Laura says with a chipper tone as she comes jogging up to me. Laura lives across the street from me and is the only one that I don’t hate entirely. I can only take her in small doses, though, because she is a bit too peppy for my liking. She seems sweet so far, but everyone here seems to be hiding something.

“Hey,” I say, smiling.

“You’re out early,” she says, as if she already knows everything about me.

“Yeah. I run pretty early every morning,” I remark. “I like to get back before the neighborhood wakes up.”

“Well, we can be running buddies,” she says with a big smile. “I like to do the same.”

“I’d love the company,” I lie with a smile.

“Oh, yay! It’ll be fun,” she says. “Just us girls.”

“Mhmm,” I say. “Well, I’m going to get back. I have some work to get done.”

“You work?” she asks.

“Mhmm. Yeah, I like to keep busy,” I say.

One of the many strange things about this place is that no one has a job. I don’t know how they all have the money they do, but they just sit around all day with their nose in the air. Who knew being haughty and uptight paid so well?

“What do you do for work?” she asks, pretending like she is interested.

“I am a computer engineer,” I say vaguely.

“Oh, well, that’s cute,” she says with a forced smile. Just another reason they see me as an outsider. God forbid I contribute to society.

“Mhmm. Well, have a good day,” I say as I put my earbuds back in and start jogging back to the house.

I let my music carry me along, ignoring the burning in my calves, and make my way back home. Luxe is a gated community and is admittedly beautiful. The lawns are perfectly manicured, and everything is pristine. The guard shack blends in perfectly but isalways staffed by armed guards. Makes me wonder why they are so paranoid.

As I am walking down the pathway to my house, I hear a voice as soon as I take my earbuds out. “And who might you be? I don’t believe we’ve met,” a man says. His voice is oozing authority and dominance. When I turn, I see a man much taller than I am, standing directly behind me. I gasp in shock, which only makes him smirk.

“Elise Hart,” I say with an attitude. “Could you not sneak up on me? That would be nice.”

“Nice to meet you, Elise,” he says, offering me his hand. I hesitantly shake his hand and he doesn’t let go right away. Not until I pull my hand away.

“… and you are?” I ask. “Besides on my property.”

“My name is Lucian Voss,” he says before pointing to the house next to mine. “I am your neighbor.”

“Wonderful,” I say flatly. “Should I expect you to sneak up on me often?”

Lucian’s smirk grows into something devious. It’s not frightening, but it’s indicative of his capabilities. He slowly drags his emerald green eyes down my body, and it sends a chill down my spine.

“Something like that,” he says simply, his eyes finally meeting mine.

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