Looking around the ballroom, I surveyed the sea of smiling faces. The turnout was better than I expected; when I sent out the invitations, I wasn’t sure anyone would actually show up.
After all, this was a small town, and I was the outsider—a stranger who had dared to make this place my home. Well, at least for now.
Hollow Hills was the perfect hiding spot, a place where I could lie low and let the dust settle before rejoining the suffocating stench of society. The town, steeped in superstition, feared this house like it was alive. Funny, really—so much energy wasted fearing a house when the real monster they should be wary of was standing among them.
One by one, I’d watched them arrive, slipping into the shadows to observe their entrance. They probably expected me to greet them at the door, but that wasn’t my style. Hospitality might earn me points in this tightly knit community, but hosting this little soiree wasn’t about blendingin—it was about filling the void, curing the creeping boredom that had begun to gnaw at me.
Still, only one guest truly mattered.
I’d seen her on my first day here, walking down the cobbled streets, her hands lightly grazing the fresh produce at the market. Her long, dark hair flowed in loose waves, catching the afternoon light, and her tongue had slid over her plump, pink lips as she pondered her choices. She had no idea anyone was watching her.
She had no idea I was watching her.
I’d come here to hide, to slip into obscurity, but now all I could think about was coming out of the shadows to trace every line of her delicate body. She didn’t even know how seductive she was. That simple act of licking her lips had undone me completely.
But tonight? She was late.
The guests mingled, laughed, and danced, but I kept to the edges of the room, scanning the crowd for her. My patience wore thin as the hours dragged on. Then I saw her.
She’d arrived quietly, slipping through the door with her friend by her side. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her autumnal eyes—flecked with green and gold—darted around the room as though searching for an escape. She shifted uncomfortably, her posture tense, betraying her unease.
Even from across the room, I could see how the white dress clung to her figure, highlighting every curve. It took everything in me not to stride over and claim her right then and there. But I had to bide my time. I didn’t want to scare her off. Not yet.
Instead, I stayed in the shadows, watching her move. Then I saw something that made my blood boil.
Large hands wrapped around her waist, pinning her against the wall. I froze, my eyes narrowing as I gauged herreaction. Her face was unreadable, her expression carefully neutral.
“Andy!” her friend, Christina, yelled, her voice cutting through the music. “Let her go, you big brute!”
“Did I scare you this time?” Andy asked eagerly, his grin wide.
“Oh, I was absolutely terrified,” she said, laughing softly. “You got me.”
Interesting. Why would she lie?
“She’s quite something, isn’t she?” A sultry voice whispered in my ear, breaking my focus. I turned to find a woman standing far too close, her lips curling into a practiced smile.
“Excuse me?” I said, my tone sharp.
“Dove,” she said, gesturing toward the girl. “She’s like a ghost. Nobody really knows her.”
I cocked a brow. “And what about you? What makes you so insightful?”
She smirked, leaning closer. “Small towns, darling. We know everyone’s secrets.” Her eyes flicked back toward Dove.
She went on, her jealousy practically dripping from every word. “Her friend, Christina, is the town slut. And Andy? A little… simple. I’d stay away from them if I were you. You wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation.”
“Wouldn’t I?” I said, smirking.
Her hand moved toward my arm, but I caught it before she could touch me. “I’d hate to ruin my reputation,” I said mockingly. “Why don’t you go join your little friends?”
Her expression soured, but she didn’t argue. She turned and stalked off, and I felt no regret. Women like her were a dime a dozen—vapid, shallow, and desperate for attention. They bored me.
But Dove? She intrigued me. Even the people in this town,the ones who had grown up with her, didn’t know anything about her. A ghost, they called her.
I planned to change that.
As the night wore on, I grew restless. I wanted to meet her, to see that spark of life in her eyes when she looked at me. But her friend stayed glued to her side, frustratingly protective. I couldn’t risk approaching her yet. Not in the crowd.
