Page 115 of Prey for You

Jeremy’s expression tightened as I stalked up to him, but he stayed leaning back on my car, his arms folded.

“I always knew you got off on being a creeper, but this is getting ridiculous,” I spat.

His jaw went tight. “I was pinged this morning when your plate was identified entering the State Park at the same time your phone’s location said you were safely at home. Imagine my surprise…”

Shit shit shit!“So, you’re following me on an unplugged picnicnow?”

“A picnic, Bridge? Seriously?”

I rolled my eyes. “What do youwant?”

“I could ask you the same thing, but I already know the answer,” he muttered as I got close. He pushed off the car and loomed over me, scowling. “I knowexactlywhat’s been going on here and I can’t believe you’re that fucking stupid. Is it Sam I’d find out there, or did you find yourself another stalker?”

“The only stalker here isyou.”

Jeremy shook his head his expression tight and angry. “I was too late to catch you—or him—this time, but it won’t happen again, Bridget. You’ve got my word on that.”

“You areunhinged—”I began, but startled when Jeremyexploded.

“Unhinged? You’re callingmeunhinged? Are youfuckingkidding me?!”

I went still, body rushing with fear, my heart banging. “Do you see me laughing?”

Jeremy opened his mouth and shook his head, then drew back, raking a hand through his hair and turning away for a second like he was pulling himself together. When he locked eyes on me again, I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him so furious. But he had lowered his voice so that the family packing up their car on the other side of the parking lot couldn’t hear him. He pointed at me as he spoke, though.

“Help me, Bridget. Help me get a fucking clue—”

“You could start with not following me when I’m just living my life.”

“But that’s the thing, Bridget. Youaren’t.I wish you were living your life—Iwish!”

I laughed, but it was brittle. My breath was shallow and my vision narrowed. But I pretended I was unflustered. “Where did the drama llama come from, Jer?”

“Do not laugh at me, Bridget. Don’t fucking do it.”

“It’s either laugh or scream. You’re so out of line right now I don’t even know where to start. I always knew you were a controlling bastard, but this? You get pings on my car? What the fuck!?”

“Controlling?”he barked. “You want to knowwhat the fuck,Bridget?How about I’mcontrollingyou not fucking dying? And yet, even after I saved you from that psycho, you put your life out for sale on theopen fucking market?I’ve been below the cliff busting my ass to save you since you were sixteen years old, and it wasso close,Bridget. Sofuckingclose—I decided I wasn’t waiting at the bottom anymore. So now I’m standing at the top, trying to yank you back you before youthrow yourself off,and you’re fighting me. You’re fuckingfighting.”

I stared at him. His face was pale. His hair sticking out in five different directions. His eyes blazed with fury, but there was something else there too… Fear?

“Jeremy—”

“But now I get it,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “Now it’s clear—that’s what you like, right? Youwantthe fight. You wantresistance?Is it just so you can convince yourself I still care?Is that it? Are you looking for some guy to smack you around until you can’t take it anymore,thenyou’ll call me? Tell me, what happens the day you get it wrong? Or God forbid,Ido? What happens the day I don’t catch the call in time—or you don’t make it to the phone? What happens the day I don’t get the ping, Bridget? Huh? What then?! Because this is twice now we’ve beenso fucking close.”

“Sam wasn’t going to kill me—”

“And you’re still fucking lying to yourself about it, my God!”he roared.

The family across the parking lot froze. I looked at them warily, and Jeremy caught himself. He straightened, rubbed his face with both hands, then turned around without another word and stalked across the parking lot towards the woman who now stood next to her trunk, watching him approach like he was a snake she couldn’t decide was poisonous or not.

With his back to me I didn’t hear his words, but I saw him reach into his inside jacket pocket. She relaxed then, until he pointed back to me and gestured towards the forest.

Her eyes widened and she looked at the trees, then turned to her kids and hissed at them, hurrying them into the car.

Was he…?

She nodded at Jeremy, thanking him, I thought, then the car doors slammed as everyone piled into the vehicle and moments later they were pulling out to the road.

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