Page 119 of Haunted Prey

She laughed low again. “Micheal was too scared to get the job done. He was too fucking soft. He didn’t like my idea because he didn’t want to give you up, knowing it would make him feel guilty and piss Emery off. It was bullshit all around. This is what matters, getting what we deserve. Not sparing you, the fucking kid of the bastard who tortured us. I’m getting what’s mine. We all will. The ones who lost everything. And if you think I give a shit what happens to the rest, I don’t. No one is getting in our way.”

I leaned back in my seat as she sped up, flying down the two-lane road, the same one Marcus had raced down in Lena’s car when they came to rescue me. Seeing it again while going back the way toward Severfalls felt like a nightmare.

The road curved around a bend before straightening out. Few cars passed by, and this time, I was hoping to see Dom’s Mustang. Instead, I saw in the distance the lights of a large building on a small hill. I saw the familiar wall that hugged the grounds fly by. Beyond it, looming like a terrible giant in the dark, was Severfalls.

The car slowed as it reached the drive, turning in and coming to a halt at the gate. Cassidy rolled her window, allowing the camera beside the speakerbox to see her.

“What can we do for you?” came a deep voice.

“This is Officer Hawkins. I’m here with an escapee.”

“Name?” the voice asked after a pause.

“Eve Martel.”

I held my breath as we waited. Then a few seconds later there was a buzz and loud click and the gates started to open.

Cassidy pulled through as the gates swung far enough apart. The road up to Severfalls was dark with only dim streetlamps along either side. Around them the trees swayed and shook from the wind.

I kept still in the back seat as we made our way up, trying to not let the fear take hold. Knowing if I panicked, I’d only make things worse. The mansion-like building came into view, a smattering of lights showing through windows on each floor. I felt my stomach lurch as the car turned into the circular lot and parked in front of the steps.

“I shouldn’t be long. I’ll signal when I’m ready,” Cassidy told Leslie as she opened the car door. “And bring those,” she ordered, pointing to the masks above the dash.

She shut the door and came around to me. As she opened my side, she pulled me out, keeping a firm grip on my bad arm, making me hiss as the sharp pain burned up my shoulder.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” she said as she tugged me up the steps. “The sooner we get Kennedy and histeam, the sooner this will be over and you might actually make it out unscathed. Just like you did all those years ago, lucky you.”

Except if they got themselves killed then I was stuck here, and I feared even Emery wouldn’t be able to get me out. Still, I didn’t scream. I hardly made a sound as the doors were opened by a ward employee and a security guard.

I needed to stay calm. If I got hysterical, they would have me drugged up in no time and tied to a bed, locked in a room where no one could find me.

As we rushed inside against the wind, the two employees closed the door behind us. The first thing I saw within the dimly lit entrance hall was Nurse Jackie coming down the stairs with two other staff behind her.

Cassidy pulled me toward her as I dragged my feet. To the left I saw the security office where several guards sat by watching.

“Oh, Eve.” Jackie reached for me as we got closer. I stiffened as she put her arms around me. “So glad to have you back.” She pulled away and I saw her bright eyes shining as she smiled at me. Her gaze turned to Cassidy. “Thank you for looking for her, we were so worried.”

Cassidy fixed her with a tight smile. “No problem, Ma’am.” Her eyes flicked around. “I just need to talk to your director, Mr. Kennedy. Is he around? I need his signature for Eve’s records, showing that she’s been placed back in Severfalls care.”

Jackie’s brows rose. “He is here, but he is currently in a meeting.” She turned back to me. “It’s about Adrien. She had her baby early this morning. He’s a little premature but beautiful and…perfect. Mr. Kennedy is just speaking with the doctors now.” She sniffed. “The others are here too. You’ll see them in no time. We will get a room ready for you, your old one has been occupied by someone else. But no worries, after your exam—”

“I’m not taking an exam,” I said, cutting her off.

The staff around us moved in closer. Jackie’s smile widened. “I’m sorry, Eve, but it’s standard procedure to make sure you’re clean and haven’t acquired any other issues. It will only take a few minutes.”

I was about to scream in her face that I didn’t care when a familiar face caught my eye behind her.

“Hello, Eve,” Leo said.

I said nothing, just stared into his black gaze, seeing a flicker of disappointment.

The door was right behind me. But there were guards and staff in my way. And even if I miraculously made it past them, there was Leslie and the gate.

“We’ll get her to medical, if you want to wait for Mr. Kennedy here,” Jackie said, eyeing Cassidy’s grip on my arm.

Cassidy uncuffed my hands and let go, practically pushing me into one of the ward nurses. “Fine by me.”

They surrounded me, one male nurse wrapping an arm around me to hold me tight. I thought to elbow him then remembered if I got hostile, I’d be drugged and I needed to stay alert, needed to keep my head clear. Still, I dragged my feet like I had with Cassidy as they walked me toward the medical ward. I kept Leo’s gaze as we passed him.

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