Page 13 of His Obsession

“Do you really want an answer to that, Elise?” he asks, pulling the passenger door open to his Audi.

“Kind of,” I say.

“How doyouthink I know what your house looks like?” he questions.

“I don’t know how to answer that without sounding like a nutcase,” I say honestly.

“Meaning?”

“Sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between a dream and reality,” I say vaguely.

“I understand,” he says. “We can discuss it another time when you are less reluctant.”

I nod and sit in the car. When he gets in, he opens the garage and we pull out into the street. We are quiet as he drives, and I focus on the town passing by. I look over at him and he has a pleasant look on his face. He is comfortable with my presence, and I am finding that I am with his as well. It makes me consider Bradley’s questions.

I do like the attention he gives me, if I’m being honest. I do feel safe or I wouldn’t allow myself to be alone with him like this. I don’t know why I feel like pushing him away. Other than being persistent, he hasn’t done anything wrong, per se. I am resistant to everyone, so I don’t think it’s actually him. I definitely have abandonment issues. It’s the main reason I’ve been broken up with. It makes me overly paranoid, so I just avoid connections all around. I have inadvertently made myself a loner by trying to avoid getting hurt.

“Something on your mind, Elise?” Lucian asks, glancing at me.

“Laura said you own most of Maple Falls. Is that true?” I ask.

“I do,” he says.

“So are you like the mayor or something?” I ask.

“I suppose so. It’s generational, so I would say I am more of a leader. I have people who advise me on things, like Bradley. Carol is in charge of keeping the community orderly, but she doesn’t have nearly as much power as she thinks she does,” he explains.

“Does Carol get railed in public too?” I ask. “Don’t answer that.”

“Was that a genuine question or was that your way of trying to make a stab at what you were a part of last night?” he asks.

“I don’t know, honestly. I don’t know what to even make of that, so I am ignoring it,” I say. “She wasn’t down there, so I assume she isn’t a part of it.”

“She is witness to a lot of things, but she doesn’t participate anymore. Not since her husband passed a few years ago,” Lucian says.

“So… I don’t know how to word my thoughts,” I say. “What exactly was that?”

“That was one of many things we do,” he says. “Sometimes everyone has a partner. Sometimes it’s a celebration. Sometimesit’s a punishment. As a community, we are very open sexually. Within reason, of course. Participants have to be of age, and everyone has to be consenting.”

“I feel like that is a very vague overview,” I reply.

“Extremely vague, but I will explain more as I think you are ready,” he says as he shifts the car into park.

“Why not explain it all now?” I ask.

“Because you’ll run,” he says bluntly. “Let’s go.”

I sigh heavily and get out of the car. We go inside and the same lady from yesterday greets us. “Hello,” she says happily.

“Hi, Barbara. We are going to be in the files room,” he says, and she nods. I follow Lucian down, and we go to the the far corner of the basement. He unlocks the door, and we walk in. It’s a small room with shelves lining the walls with a square table in the center with one chair.

“What year were you born?” Lucian asks. “1999, right?”

“Yeah,” I say. “You grew up here, right?”

“I did,” he says as he starts searching the shelves.

“So you know the information I am looking for,” I say.

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