The Prey: A Dark Enemies to Lovers Romance (Oakmount Elite Book 3)

She’s the fucking maid. Just the fucking maid.

I shake my head as I cross the street, walking back toward campus. There’s a shorter route, but I could use the walking time to clear my head right now.

I can’t let what Sebastian said bother me. Even if it really fucking does.

Not when I know deep down what I felt couldn’t possibly have been fake. Yeah, he might see me as “just the maid,” but he definitely feels something for me. He’s just too stubborn to admit it. A shiver skates down my spine, courtesy of my constant paranoia, and I turn to look over my shoulder, reminding myself to stay vigilant. Yanov is still out there, and I don’t intend to fall into his hands again.

I sip my iced coffee, but I’ve lost my appetite after Sebastian’s words. It’s not the part about calling me a maid or even the part where he said I meant nothing that really hurt. It’s the coldness in his tone when he spoke about me. Completely devoid of warmth, of the heat he had in his voice that night at the club as I stared up at him.

I shake the memory away and take another sip of the coffee.

A hand lands on my shoulder, and I spin, slapping the hold away.

Bel bounces back, hands up in surrender. “Whoa, ninja, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

My heart is still clogging my throat, leaving me unable to speak once I realize it’s her. When I shake the fear off, I brace my free hand against my belly and breathe. Crap. She wouldn’t have scared me so much if I hadn’t been thinking about Yanov literally two seconds ago.

Once I catch my breath and my heart rate returns to a normal rhythm, I give her a small smile. “No, it’s okay. Sorry I’m so jumpy. I don’t know what’s gotten into me,” I lie.

She smiles, dropping her hands. “Don’t apologize, girl. You have no reason to be sorry. If anything, it’s me who should be sorry. For my brother’s shitty attitude and poor manners.”

I frown. “I didn’t mean to ruin your dinner.”

She waves me off. “You didn’t ruin anything. He did. Plus, he was super late and irritated before you even appeared.”

I let out a long sigh, finally feeling calmer. “Yeah. Okay.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Do I want to talk about the fact that my super-hot boss, who I want to climb like a tree, is disgusted by my presence? No. Not really.

“I don’t see the point in talking about it. It seems pretty straightforward to me. No need to beat a dead horse.”

She tilts her head to study me. “Are you sure? I thought something was developing between you two.”

“We aren’t even friends, Bel. He’s been kind most of the time, but that’s it. And that’s probably only because you and I are friends.”

I’m not sure if she buys it. A glint of suspicion lingers in her eyes. “Okay, well, would you want to go”—she waves at my still mostly full coffee—“get some food with that coffee?”

This is to keep me awake, in the hopes I can try to sleep in my own room tonight. Sleeping on the floor in the closet is killing me. Not that I’m about to tell her that. “I would love to, but I had a late lunch.”

We stand together on the sidewalk. I can feel her gaze roving over me, but I can’t look at her. “Did you need something else?”

She shakes her head, and then a shadow cuts between us. I nearly startle but calm myself when I see it’s just Drew, her obsessed boyfriend, walking up behind her. He snakes an arm around her waist and tugs her back into his chest. She smiles, and I can see the love shining in her eyes. His nose skims the side of her throat, and his lips move against her ear, but I don’t know what he says.

Whatever it is makes Bel’s cheeks pinken.

Pulling back with a smirk, he finds my eyes immediately, pinning me to the spot. “Elyse, right?”

I nod once, swallowing nervously. It’s not an easy thing being the focus of Drew’s attention. I’m not sure how Bel can stand it.

“What’s going on?” he questions, sensing my dismay.

Bel chimes in first. “Sebastian. He’s being an asshole again, so I’m being a good friend and making sure I don’t have to get a shovel and start digging him an early grave.” She winks at me.

Drew’s gaze roves over me again, but not in a sexual way. It’s more like he’s assessing me. “Unfortunately, asshole is his default setting. All I can say is don’t take it personally. It’s definitely a Sebastian problem and no one else’s.”

I shrug. “Yeah, I don’t. If I did, then I’d be in a mental hospital with the shit he puts me through, but anyway… you two get back to doing whatever it is you were doing.”

Bel reaches out and snags my free hand. “Wait. Please. Are you sure you’re okay? Is there anything we can do to help?”

Drew glances at her over her head like he did not sign up for helping the maid, but Bel plows on, oblivious to him. “I mean it. We’re friends, and I’m here for you.”

I nod once, trying to give her the smile that I know will ease some of her worries. “I’m okay, Bel. I’ve dealt with worse people in my life than your brother. He can’t say or do anything that hasn’t already happened to me or that I haven’t heard at least once before.” Even as I say the words, the echo of him calling me nothing plays on repeat in my head.

It’s going to be a while until I come to terms with it. It doesn’t matter. I’ve done my best to avoid him lately, and I’ll continue to do so until my debt is paid or I find another way to clear it and get out of this whole terrible town.

Bel sighs, and Drew tugs her hand away from mine. “I know you want to save everyone, but you can’t. Leave the girl alone, Wallflower.”

The slight edge to his tone scares me, but Bel doesn’t seem to notice or care, for that matter, because her eyes remain on me.

“Stay out of it,” Bel mumbles to him. Then she continues to me, “If you need anything, and I mean anything at all, you know where to find me. I’m always here for you.”

“I know, and I appreciate your friendship, but I’m okay. I promise.”

She hugs me wearily and then releases me, and I turn and start walking again. After a few minutes, I turn around, half expecting her to chase me, but she and Drew are gone now. I can finally relax. I love Bel and her kind little heart, but she tries too hard sometimes. Some people you just can’t fix; they have to fix themselves, and while I might be in need of fixing myself, I like all my broken pieces just fine. Sometimes it’s not the whole pieces that make you who you are, but the broken, chipped, and mismatched pieces you force together that make you…you.

I won’t deny that I thought maybe Sebastian and I might fit our broken pieces together in a way that might make a whole, but that ship has sailed now. I refuse to pine after a man who clearly doesn’t want me. I pick up my pace, trying to get back home.

No. Not home. It’s just the place where I’m keeping a few destroyed things for now. Sebastian’s house is no longer my home, and I’ll never be safe inside those four walls again. Not with the knowledge that Yanov got inside, even if it was only long enough to destroy my room. It leaves me wondering how safe I am in other parts of the house.

Yanov isn’t afraid of anything, and I know he’ll do it again. Hurting and scaring me are all he lives for. I just hope, even if I’m nothing to Sebastian, that he won’t let Yanov take me. Even if it’s only out of a sense of challenge…to his property, no doubt—even if that’s all it is, I’ll take it.

After a few minutes, I find myself back on the estate grounds. I jog up the driveway, and when I reach the front door, I slip inside. I head straight through the kitchen, down the back hall, and into the hallway leading to my room. It’s chilly down here since I haven’t turned the heat on.

With trembling fingers, I unlock the door to my room, shove it open, and survey the scene.

I check the toothpick I placed at the top hinge. It’s not broken, so…no one was here.

The relief I feel makes me lightheaded. Inside the room, I stare at the neatly made bed and then back at the stack of ripped-up books. I’ll have to use them for now since I can’t afford to get different ones.

Gingerly, I take a seat on the edge of the bed and place my plastic coffee cup on the bedside table before I fall back against the mattress. I stare up at the ceiling, wondering what the hell I’m doing. This room has lost its appeal, its safe aura. But it’s the first place that was all mine, where I felt okay for a period. Now it’s been tainted, and I don’t know how to fix it. Or if I even can.

The only way I’ll feel secure again is if Yanov disappears, if he forgets my existence.

Did he come at my father’s order?

I haven’t seen him since the night he beat me into unconsciousness and shot me. Thankfully. But just because he hasn’t reached out or initiated a conversation doesn’t mean he’s not out there, looking for a way to make my life worse hell than it already is.

You’re going to be okay. Everything is going to be okay.

That’s been my mantra for months, and it’s worked well until that night at the club. I wrap my arms around myself, trying to shake away the feeling of being watched. Ants march down my spine, making me shiver. The longer I think about it, the worse my thoughts become. Fear begins to claw open my chest, and I heave myself off the bed, crashing into the opposite wall.

I tried to do it. I tried, but I can’t. I can’t stay in this room.

What if he finds me while I’m sleeping? The fear spikes, reaching its height, and I rush into the hall, up the stairs, and into the kitchen. It’s a relief that it’s still empty. The last thing I need is to run into Sebastian or Tanya right now.

Not wanting to chance a run-in with either of them, I grab some leftovers I know neither will touch and slip out the side door onto the patio that leads out to the lawn. There’s one other place I can go to hide away from the rest of the world that makes me calm and brings me joy. A place that I doubt Yanov would ever think to look for me.

The abandoned groundskeeper’s cottage. It’s where I house all my “pets,” as Sebastian calls them. The mere reminder of his name sends me into a tizzy. He’s so patronizing and dismissive. Why does he care if rescuing little animals and nursing them back to health makes me feel better?

It’s not my fault he doesn’t have the ability to show compassion, at least outside his own needs. I’m glad no one told him about the dog I’ve been caring for.

I found him wandering the property a couple of nights ago. He was limping, so I assume he has a sprained paw or something. I’ve been trying to get out to the cottage to check on him more than once a day, but that’s proven to be difficult.

I’ll just have to try harder.

I rush down the slope of the lawn toward the old groundskeeper’s cottage. I’m focused on the task of getting there inside, so much so that I miss the man dressed in all black popping up out of nowhere.

He cuts into my path, forcing me to stop or run directly into him. I dig my feet into the ground, stopping at the last second. I’m a bubble of fear that’s ready to pop. I only manage to pull myself together when I realize it’s just one of the security guards and not some masked stalker who’s coming to kidnap me. One glance at the guard’s face and recognition blooms.

He’s the usual guard on patrol when I sneak out here. His blue eyes fill with concern as they roam my face. Robin…I think is his name.

“You okay?” He greets me.

I straighten my shoulders and stand a little taller, trying to look less exhausted and afraid. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just checking on Cobalt.”

“I heard him barking earlier, but I didn’t know if you had told the boss about him yet, so I led the other guard away just in case. Hopefully, he’s feeling better soon.”

I beam up at him. “Thank you. It looks like it’s just a sprain. I’m hoping he’ll be all healed up in a couple of days. I’m sure it helps that he doesn’t have to go scavenge for food.”

He tucks his hands into his protective vest and nods. “Of course. Just try to keep him from barking.”

I nod once and head to the cottage.

It’s a rustic place but serviceable. There are two rooms, one a big open space where I spot Cobalt sitting on a worn rug. A sleeping bag is rolled up on the hearth, and I tug on it and lay it out flat.

“Come here, boy. Lie down. You need to rest.”

Cobalt lets out a loud yipping bark, and I clamp my hand over his muzzle.

“Shhhh, Buddy. Be quiet. If Mr. Grumpypants finds out I’ve rescued another animal, he’s going to lose his mind.” I check his brace, which looks good. “There. Good boy. I’ll lie down with you for a while. I could use the company.”

I run my hand up his long muzzle to the top of his head and then to his left ear and give him some scratches. He leans into my touch, and that makes me smile as well as eases some of the tension in my muscles. Why are animals so much easier to deal with than humans? At least with animals, I know what they want from me. Food. Care. Attention. Easy enough.

People are the hard ones.

I use both hands to scratch his ears, and then I place a kiss on the top of his muzzle. It’s a little dusty, so I bet he was sniffing around this place while I was gone.

Once I take a seat on the bag, he turns, scruffs his feet into the fabric to bunch it up, turns again, and then lies down right over my ankles.

All I can do is laugh. “You dork. Those are my feet. They will fall asleep if you lie on them.”

He regards me with steady brown eyes, and I imagine him telling me he doesn’t give a shit. I snuggle into the sleeping bag, exhaustion pressing down on me.

If I lie here for a bit, I’ll feel better.

I can always go back into the house in a couple of hours. It’s not like I can sneak into the closet to sleep until everyone else is in bed, anyway, or at least retreating to their rooms for the night.

I tug Cobalt closer so I can nuzzle him. He obliges, curling his body against mine, and I stroke his back gently. With each stroke, my eyes grow heavier. It doesn’t take long for my exhaustion to overpower the caffeine roaring in my veins.

Okay, maybe I lied. I’ll just take a tiny nap.