Page 47 of Hunted Obsession

Pressing my lips together, I rock back on my heels. “Apparently, we help out with surveillance for the drug packaging that they’re doing and then the trafficking. Maybe we’ll get in… eventually.”

“I don’t want it eventually,” I growl.

“Lucille looked good tonight,” Merrick murmurs, pushing off the wall as he walks toward me.

When he’s a few feet away from me, he stops. His eyes search mine for a moment, but I give him nothing.

“I’ve called her off her little detective job,” I state.

Merrick lets out a chuckle. “I may not have known Lucille well, but I know enough about her to know that she isn’t going to stop doing anything just because you tell her to.”

He’s not wrong.

Lucille isn’t one to give up anything. Hell, here we are, ten years later, and she’s still right here waiting for me and fighting for me. She shouldn’t be. I’m not fucking worth it. Never was and sure as shit never will be.

Chapter Twenty-One

LUCILLE

Anger consumes me.

I know it should be directed at Theron, but I can’t help it. I’m fucking pissed at Emmie. I hate her. I hate everything about her, but mostly, I hate that she has Theron. That’s what I hate the most.

Even though I know her shit is sketchy as hell and that her family is, too, it doesn’t compare to the fact that she has Theron. She has the one thing that I want. Even if he’s only with her for some kind of vendetta, which is what it seems,

After a restless night, I force myself out of bed and into the kitchen. I make a cup of coffee and walk over to the window and look at everything and nothing. Lifting my cup to my lips, I take a drink. The warm liquid slides down my throat, and I can’t stop thinking about my visit with Theron.

Turning around, I walk over to my phone that’s sitting on the kitchen counter and pull up my fake social media. Finding Emmie’s name, I scroll through all the photos and videos of last night. One catches my eye.

There’s a photo of Theron standing in the background while I’m off to the side as Charlie and Emmie take a selfie. Theron’s eyes are focused on me. The way he’s watching me, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him look at me like that.

It’s love.

Pure love.

My breath hitches at the sight.

He does love me. I can see it in his eyes. I can feel it in my soul. Downloading that picture to my phone, I crop it so that I can always keep him close to me. So that I can see the love in his eyes. Even if I’m not able to have him in person, I can watch from a distance and look at this photo.

Once the picture is downloaded onto my phone, I do something that I should have done a long time ago. I delete my fake profile. I confirm everything and then place my phone back down on the counter.

Finishing my coffee, I place my cup down and walk back into my bedroom. I start the shower, step inside, and close my eyes as the warm water washes over my body. Letting out a heavy sigh, I wash my hair. I have work tonight.

Once I’ve finished showering, I dress in something comfortable and head out of the apartment for grocery shopping. I can’t remember the last time I went, but I’ve been so obsessed with Theron and Emmie that I haven’t been taking care of myself.

It’s time for me to start doing that.

As I walk through the aisles of Harris Teeter, I put a few things in my cart. I grab some fruit, cheese, and salami, and then I put in a box of cookies, but they don’t seem very appealing. Rounding out my shopping, I add some coffee creamer and a new box of coffee pods.

When I check myself out, I wince at the cost. It’s fifty bucks. It’s not even going to feed me for a few days, let alone a wholeweek. I’m not sure I care, though. This wasn’t really about food as much as it was about distracting me and getting me out of the apartment.

Taking my bags from the cart, I carry them out to my car. As I drive home, I try to think of anything else, but I’m stuck on Theron and Emmie. I hate them together. Her family is suspicious, but for what? I don’t know, and it’s killing me.

Pulling into my apartment parking spot, I gather my things before I head upstairs, but something causes me to pause. I look over my shoulder, in the middle of the staircase, and try to find the thing that is out of place.

I see nothing.

However, there is one thing that does not match the rest of the parking lot.

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