She raised her brows and clenched her jaw, clearly offended by what I’d called her. “Last time I checked, I’m already in trouble. I walked right into it the day I stepped into this hellhole.”
I closed the distance between us, my eyes pinned on her. “Tread with caution.” I leaned in, whispering in her ear. “There are far worse things than being trapped in this…‘hellhole.’”
Her expression darkened, her brows furrowing into deep creases. “I’m sure there is,” she murmured, her voice low and even.
I lingered for a moment, still towering over her as she looked right into my eyes, refusing to turn away. A crooked smirk tugged at the corners of my lips, and then quietly, I walked past her, my shoulder grazing against hers.
She didn’t say another word, and neither did I. My shoes scuffed against the fine marble floor as I retired to my bedroom without even glancing back at her. This conversation, as short as it was, managed to ignite a flame within me—primal and dangerous.
The scent of perfume clung to the fabric of my suit like a ghost that I couldn’t quite shake off. With each breath I took, I inhaled her scent, raw and intoxicating. A part of me liked it, as though I’d claimed a chunk of her for myself.
When I stepped into my master bedroom, I shut the door behind me, fingers loosening the tie around my neck. I tried to dispel the thoughts of her that had plagued my mind. But the more I tried, the more I failed.
Perhaps that was because, deep down, I knew I enjoyed entertaining myself with images of her face and the sound of her voice. It had gradually become a habit, one that I should do away with as soon as possible. Yet, for some reason, I couldn’t.
I strolled further into the room, enveloped by the chandelier’s warm glow. The couch crunched beneath my weight after I sank into it and leaned against the backrest. My fingers rubbed my tired eyes, my thoughts a tangled mess. I tried convincing myself that whatever had ignited within me was nothing but a physical attraction.
The only issue was that this physical attraction had lingered longer than every other attraction I’d ever felt in the past. I’d had countless women before—different shapes, sizes, and ethnicities. She shouldn’t be any different, especially because she wasn’t my lover.
But unfortunately for me, shewasdifferent.
I realized after a careful evaluation of our brief moment that I hadn’t felt this kind of heat before—at least not from just a conversation. I sat there on the couch, replaying the moment over and over again in my head, and it unsettled me more than I’d like to admit.
It was almost like the image of her face was tattooed on my mind. I couldn’t help reminiscing on the defiance in her gaze and the fire in her eyes. She was the most stubborn human beingI’d ever come across in my life. And I was drawn to her because of that unique character.
Despite my fascination, though, I could tell that she was hiding something. I wasn’t sure what it was, but I wasn’t ready to find out yet. I’d play her game and see how long until she unfolded right in front of me.
She was a mystery, one I would patiently unravel. Piece by piece.
“Two can play this game,” I whispered to myself, a faint smirk lining the corners of my lips.
Chapter 7 – Blair
It’s been a week already—a week where nothing good happened. Well, so far, nothing bad had happened either. Every day was the same: wake up, shower, eat, wander the halls like a lost puppy, read a few books in the library, then go back to my room at night.
At least that’s what it looked like on the outside—that’s what everyone else saw at first glance. But that wasn’t entirely true. All that time in the library, I’d been studying the mansion’s blueprint and tracing escape routes through the estate.
Each time I wandered the halls or moved around the building, it wasn’t just because I was bored out of my mind. It was to observe the security system—CCTV, guard shifts, the number of potential exits, and any pattern that could help me find a loophole in their patrol.
I found one—a minute window between 12:15 and 12:20 at midnight. During this time, the guards patrolling the service passage were usually on a break, smoking and chatting, leaving the exit unguarded.
I’d mapped out my movement for tonight, and when it was time, I snuck out of my bedroom. My bare feet were soundless against the cool marble as I hurried through the hallway. With occasional glances over my shoulders, I rushed over to the staircase leading to the living room.
The entire building was plunged into darkness, but I moved freely because I’d already memorized everything, every corner of the house. I knew how many steps it would take me to get to the staircase from my room. I’d practiced this so many times during the day.
The exact number of steps on the staircase was buried in my mind. So when I descended, I counted them quietly—onestep at a time. The polished railing was cool under my grip as I walked down the stairs.
When I reached the base, I heaved a sigh and braced myself. I was already rushing toward the door that led to the service passage when the lights came up. I stopped in my tracks, my eyes squinting at the sudden brightness that enveloped the room.
I didn’t need to turn around to sense his presence behind me. His cologne wafted through the air, and when he cleared his throat, I almost flinched.
“Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice deep and husky.
I closed my eyes, my chest rising and falling with slow breaths. “I just needed some air.”
“At this time of the night?”
I locked my jaw, then slowly turned around to face him. He was seated on a sofa, legs crossed, hands resting on the armrest, with a posture that exuded power and confidence. He was stripped from the waist upward, the chandelier’s soft light highlighting his broad chest and shoulders.
