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He sets me down on my unsteady legs as he leans forward, crowding my space. I back up until my body is pressed against the cool metal of the car. I feel nauseous from the sudden movement. I think I’m going to throw up.

“Your friends are wasted. No one’s coming.” He lets out a dark, haunting laugh. His veins in his arms are prominent as he clenches his fists. I swallow nervously, unable to think of any words right now. He is really fucking scary when he is mad. My body is as stiff as a board.

He reaches his hand up and traces my jaw, from my ear to my chin, in an excruciatingly slow motion. Leaving a trail of fire in its wake. My legs clench together as I feel a familiar warmth creeping its way into my core. The same warmth I felt in the voyeur room.

“They left you alone, little princess. I have come to collect you, so no other man would.”

His words are confusing. He came to get me so no one else would. That can’t be right. He doesn’t like me. Then the thought of clarity hits me like an aftershock from an earthquake— he thinks I am his possession. Shit.

“You will never escape me, Evelyn.” His tone is threatening yet sincere.

I feel tears stinging the back of my eyes as he moves his hand to my throat, possessively tightening his hold. My chest tightens as the fear creeps into my drunken mind. I grab onto his wrist, trying to free myself.

“P-please.. let… me go.” My plea comes out in ragged breaths.

He pauses for a moment, letting the silence snake around us.

“No.” His sharp tone alerted the hairs on my body to stand on end.

Tears stream down my face as I stare into the face of danger. No. Not danger. The Devil. Panic settles deep in my chest. I need to escape. I don’t care how, but I know he isn’t someone who makes an empty threat.

“P-please…” I sob.

“Why would I let you go?”

He wants me to explain myself? He is the one who ambushed me from the side of an alley and has his hand around my throat right now, and he wants to know why the Hell I want to be let go. Fucking psycho. He’s such a narcissist. I need to inflate his ego. That’s the only way he will let me out of this— alive at least.

“Because…”

He cocks his head to the side, slightly easing the pressure he is putting on my neck. A part of me wishes the pressure didn’t ease up. A twisted, fucked up part of me.

“Because you like chasing me. Right? If you don’t let me go, you won’t get to play your game.” The words flow from my lips seamlessly, as I suppress the tears.

He lets out a low chuckle.

“I do like chasing you, princess, but this is my game.”

He releases my neck, and I choke on the air as it rushesto fill my deprived lungs.

He leans close to me, his mask grazing my ear delicately. His voice comes out dark, as if it is pure evil.

“Now run.”

My instincts take over, and I swiftly take off towards the main street, not looking back. I can’t risk him catching me. If he does, I’ll never survive.

He had me fearful for my life, and my body reacted in ways I don’t want to accept. He applied pressure to my neck, and I felt that forbidden desire. Then I didn’t want it to stop, but it had to. I will never give in to him. He is the Devil, and I am no sinner.

5

The Masked Man

I stand in the basement of our compound, looking at a dead man. Well, he’s not dead yet— but he will be soon enough.

His name is Kyle or some shit. He thought it would be really fucking clever if he tried to intercept a shipment from Alaric, Lucien’s father. It took me exactly two days to track him down and bring him back to get what he deserves. Death.

I’m not a good person, never claimed to be. I know what needs to be done, and I get it done. Simple. I never understood people who make up excuses. There are no excuses. Not whenever your life is on the line. If I ever make a simple fucking mistake, my father will skin me alive.

So, it’s simple—do it right the first time.