Page 3 of The Predator

“Sebastian. This is absurd. You can’t throw me out ofmyown house. Legally I’m allowed to stay here.”

“Need I remind you that it’s only half yours?” I raise my voice to make sure she hears me. “Now, fuck off.”

The door knob rattles again. “Please, Sebby. I don’t even have my phone. I won’t be able to call for help. What if something happens to me? Come on.”

“I’ll send it,” I say, this time not raising my voice because I don’t care if she hears me or not.

I’ll need to ensure security knows she is not allowed on the property. At this point though, I’m looking at a complete security overhaul considering all the slip-ups lately.

I flip the lights on as I enter the kitchen, the overheads gleaming off stainless steel and granite. It only takes a second to jog down the stairs to the long hallway ending with the security room. As soon as I reach the door, I pause.

The monitors are on, but the room is empty. A ceramic mug sits on the workstation, steam wafting off of it. Whoever was in here hasn’t been gone long, so maybe they’re doing their rounds? Or maybe they went to see what kind of commotion was happening with Tanya pounding on the front door.

For some reason, a shiver rolls down my spine, setting off internal alarms as I inspect the empty room. Whatever these fucks are doing, they need to get back here now.

It’s eerily quiet in the back halls as I survey the line of rooms on my way back upstairs. A prickling sense of dread seeps into my mind. There’s no one around. No one downstairs. No one in the kitchen.

It’s like everyone has disappeared.

Back in the foyer, I do a little spin, pausing and listening for any sign of Tanya, but I hear nothing. No yelling or pounding on the door. Could she have finally taken the hint and left? When she woke me with a call in the middle of the night, I knew it would be something stupid.

I just never thought it would bethisstupid.

Fucking pregnant.

Did she think I’m an idiot? I would never sleep with her, let alone without protection. Not in a million fucking years.

But what if I did?

Doubt creeps in. It wasn’t more than a few weeks ago that I drank too much, and she was nearby to take advantage. I was trying to drown out my desire and need for Elyse and inevitably fucked myself over. It wouldn’t surprise me if shehaddone something so vindictive. Really, I would expect it of her, like the first time she plied me with wine after my uncle’s funeral when I was sixteen. The night she took my virginity.

I push the memories away, refusing to let them drag me back to that dark place.

I take a moment to shove Tanya into that tiny box in my gut and move towards the stairs. I know it’s stupid of me, that I should go outside and wrangle up security, but I can’t be bothered. Not when all I want is to do is climb into bed next to Elyse.

She’s the only reminder I need that everything is going to be okay.

Once upstairs, I pause outside the bedroom, the air warmer up here thanks to the fire still roaring in the bedroom fireplace.It hits me then how out of control I am, how ramped up with anger and emotion I am.Fuck.I don’t want to carry this into that room. I take a couple of calming breaths. There’s no reason to take all of what I’m feeling in there with her. No reason to threaten this precious peace between us with the truth of my past.

She doesn’t need to know all the vile details. I won’t let Tanya’s darkness taint yet another good thing in my life. I brace my back against the wall and close my eyes, focusing on how Ely feels in my hands. HowmyEly feels underneath me, how perfectly she opens for me, letting me fuck her, own her, after so many nights of fantasizing about it.

Elyse is everything. Everything I need. Everything I want.

With her by my side, I can survive this. I just need to keep my head out of my ass and ensure she doesn’t run off. My little prey has a habit of getting spooked, and I know with all these feelings running rampant it will be the first thing she does.

Fuck, that would be both a great and terrible idea. If she ran from me… I’m not sure I’d be able to stop myself from hunting her down and dragging her back to the bed. Of course I wouldn’t end it there. I’d have to chain her to the bed, teach her a lesson, and force her to rely solely on me for her every want and need. I’d fuck her senseless and own every inch of her body, reminding her over and over again she belongs to me.

The longer I think about it, the more appealing the idea becomes. My cock strains against my pajama bottoms. Before we fell asleep everything was good—or it seemed that way, at least. But everyone knows decisions made in the dark can easily become regrets in the light of day.

And the mere thought of Elyse regretting anything we did makes me sick to my stomach.

I don’t know what I’ll do if she rejects me…us. To even consider it is madness. The manic need to claim her, to possessher in every way I can, to embed myself beneath her skin like a tattoo she’ll never be able to erase grips me.

This is stupid.I’m worrying for nothing. Elyse is mine, no matter what, and I won’t let anyone take her from me. Not Yanov, not her father. Not even Tanya.

My phone pings loudly in my pocket and I tug it out. Lee’s name flashes across the screen, and I smile and roll my eyes.

Lee: You left early, you dickhole. Get back here.

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