Page 59 of Haunted Prey

Only it wasn’t just me who could use therapy. But I was no doctor, just the crazy motherfucker with a lot of problems, obsessed with his therapist. And this time, she needed someone. And I wanted it to be me.

She averted her gaze. “I can’t,” she said, her words barely audible. She looked so exhausted, like something was draining the life out of her. “You’re not real…” she repeated. She mumbled something else I didn’t catch.

Yeah, this wasn’t right.

Before I could answer, she moved off the wall. My heart leaped when she came toward me, only to sink instantly when she skirted around me to leave the room.

I went to follow, then stopped when she went into the bathroom. I placed my hand on the side of the door. Fuck.

“She has no reason to talk to you,” Lena said, her voice trembling. “You’ve done enough. You’ve broken her, can't you see that? Why can’t you let her go? Why can’t you just leave her alone?”

I bowed my head. “I can’t.”

“You’re a monster.”

“I know,” I said, numbed to that fact already. “I know I’ve scared her.”

Lena made a sound of disbelief. “Scared her? Youhurther. Are you really so blind to that? Are you really going to pretend like you didn’t ruin her whole life?” I heard her sniffle. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

I laughed a little, covering my face. “A whole lot. A whole fucking lot.”

I left the room but didn’t go far. From the hall, I heard Lena’s soft cries. Eve’s seemed to echo faintly from the bathroom, and Nina’s, mocking and cruel, lingered in the dark. Achievement unlocked: Making all the women cry. And everyone said I wouldn’t live up to anything. Well, I sure as fuck showed them.

I wanted to step out into the cold night and just walk until my legs gave out. But I couldn’t separate myself from Eve even now. Didn’t dare let her be far, didn’t want her out of my sight. So I waited instead.

I sat in the community room until she emerged and crept into the spare room. Still, I didn’t move. Andrea slipped from her room with a few pairs of spare clothes and into the kitchen, bringing the girls bottles of water. When she eventually came out of their room, she gave me a despaired look.

I rose, grabbing my chair and bringing it with me as I walked toward her. She shut the door and blocked my way.

“I don't know what your plan is,” she said. “But I’ve decided I won’t let you hurt those girls. None of you will. I don’t care what the Martel family did. No more, Emery. Let her go.”

Boy, was I already sick of hearing that.

I moved to the wall beside the door and set the seat down against it, then sat my ass back down. I reclined, resting my head against the whitewashed plaster.

She stared at me for a moment, then shook her head and turned away, walking back to her room.

I turned the mask in my lap over and over, itching to put it back on. Irritated, I flung it away.

Lez paused before me. Like me, he no longer wore his mask.

“Sitting in for the long haul?” he said.

“I’m used to it.”

“I’ll bet.”

My eyes flickered up to his cat-like green ones. “If you or Dom try anything. If you so much as look at her wrong, a forensic team will be picking glass out of your ass in the morgue, understand?”

“Kinky.”

I gave him a tight smile as a warning. “I’m serious.”

He smirked. “Would you say dead serious?”

I leaned forward. “You’ll find out. If you fuck with her.”

His eyes flickered up to the door, then back to me. “That threat extend to her friend?”

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