Beneath his gaze

Almost unmasked

Isabella

Time seems to stand still for a moment as he looks at me. My bravado failing me at his calm measured response.

“You’re crazy,” I whisper, shaking my head in disbelief at his audacity. “Absolutely f*****g crazy.”

“Am I, Bella? Or am I just stating the truth we both know?”

He moves closer again like he’s testing me. This time I don’t flinch back as much as my body wants to, I stand my ground.

“You don’t know me” I hiss.

His eyes sharpen at my words, visibly gleaming like I’ve given him something valuable.

“Oh, but I do, Bella.”He strokes my cheek gently as he maintains eye contact causing me to bite my lower lip.

“I know enough,” he murmurs, “like how you have a habit of biting your lower lip when you’re nervous.”

I instantly release my lip.

He chuckles and shakes his head.“So predictable, princess.”

His voice turns softer, too soft, as his thumb brushes over my lip, lingering on the spot I’d just bitten.

Something in me is already starting to crack.

“You shouldn’t be like this.”

His eyes narrow slightly.

“And how should I be, princess? Hmm?” He tilts his head to the side and hums causing me to bite my lower lip again.

“Not like this… You should scare me… Make me feel repulsed…”

I stop.

Dammit, I’ve given him ammunition and he knows it. The way his eyes light up tells me all I need to know.

“So, I don’t scare you?”

I can practically hear the smirk in his voice and it makes my blood boil.

“I never said that!” I snap, my cheeks red with anger.

“Yes, you did, princess.” he draws out the pet name making me shiver.

“You said,” he says slowly like it would be easier for me to understand “you should scare me, that implies I don’t.”

He tilts his head again slightly as he moves closer. His hand coming to his mask making my heart stop. My eyes widen.

Is he going to reveal himself? Show me the man behind the mask?

I lean in, waiting on bated breath to finally see him before he chuckles. He pulls his hand back just as quickly as he placed it there and tsk. Waving his index finger side to side, leaving me almost disappointed.

“Not yet,Bella, but soon. I promise.”

He says, before he stands. Placing a kiss to my forehead through the mask. Inhaling deeply as his face presses against my hair, making my brows furrow.

Without another word he’s gone.

No big goodbye, no vanishing act. Just gone.