Prey Drive by Jen Stevens
Chapter 28
the lamb
blur. I'm sitting in my chair, eating my food, and talking to Kennedy and Halen like nothing is wrong. But my eyes keep finding the dark-haired man seated at the table directly across from us and the beautiful woman he’s eating with. They don’t appear to have any friendly conversation, though that doesn’t make me feel any better about hooking up with him in the bathroom while she waited out here for him alone.
I tried to convince myself she was a family member—a sister or cousin, maybe. But that idea doesn't hold up when their food is cleared away and she reaches across the table to caress his forearm. The moment their skin touches, his eyes flick over to mine, and I have to turn away before my emotions play out across my face.
She’s the one he takes out in broad daylight. The one he wines and dines as he keeps me tucked away in the darkness. I’m more furious with myself than anything. I don’t support cheating of any kind. Men can be pigs. They’ll wring women out for all their worth, and then toss them aside whenever something new and shiny comes along. It should come as no surprise that the creepy stalker dude who crossed numerous boundaries would also be cheating on his girlfriend.
“What’s up with you?” Halen finally asks in an irritated tone.
Bash and his date have just walked past us to leave and all thoughts cleared from my mind. Unfortunately, I was in the middle of explaining my new role to Halen and Kennedy when it happened, and had clamped my mouth shut mid-sentence.
“I’m just distracted,” I admit, finally able to breathe now that he’s gone from the vicinity.
“I’ll say,” Kennedy mutters.
I force a sheepish smile, pushing Bash out of my mind completely to finish my story. I’ve allowed him to affect me too much already. “It’s just so hard to believe it’s true. I’ve been running myself ragged trying to make ends meet, and then this perfect job just fell into my lap. I’m struggling to wrap my mind around it all.”
It’s the truth, delivered on a platter of lies.
I am tired, and it’s truly unbelievable. But I’ve hardly been able to focus on anything they’ve said all night because of Bash. They deserve better than that.
Halen tilts her head, her icy stare thawing a bit. “I know, Jov,” she soothes, patting my shoulder. “But if anyone deserves a break like this, it's you.”
I hate playing on her emotions, tugging at her heartstrings in the exact tune that will get her to melt into my hands. It’s almost too easy to do.
“Maybe we’ll have to have a do-over dinner once you’re able to rest a bit and actually accept the job,” Kennedy softly offers the not-so-subtle push, and I nod.
They drop it after that, returning to their usual teasing conversation and I do my best to stay in the moment. It’s difficult when my mind wants to obsess over what might happen once I get home, but I somehow manage to make it without any more incidents. We finish our meals and leave shortly after, promising to meet up more often. I end the dinner with the hope that I can lay this whole thing with Bash to rest, so I can return to my normal life.
Of course, all of my resolve melts away when I walk through my front door and his dark silhouette is leaning against the kitchen counter, waiting for me.