Mask Beneath The Shadows

In Her Eyes

2

ASHER RAKE

I arrived back at my dull, drab wooden house nestled in the woods after completing a hectic mission to rescue innocent children from a gang of child traffickers. Accompanied by the three men of my team for the job, we had been outnumbered, yet we had prevailed. For a former member of the Australian military's Special Operations Forces, it was a relatively straightforward task. I was now a black market mercenary who charged millions for a single mission. I was in high demand in black market for my services. I had taken retirement from military at the age of 31. I wanted to have experience from the military.. Once I had it, I resigned immediately and started working as a mercenary. I pretty much enjoyed my job that always had me in danger. But I always liked playing with fire.

My safe house stood alone in the woods, far removed from the bustle of the city. The nearest restaurant was a four to five-hour drive away. I had no desire to prepare something for myself, and ordering in felt risky; I didn’t want to disclose my location to those who hunted me.

I sighed, “Ah, peace. I’ve missed this so much. At least there won’t be any more gunshots for a few days.” I looked down at my stomach. “Except for your rumbling sounds.”

Throwing my hands in the air, I groaned, “Great! Now I have to drive four hours just to get something to eat.”

Already dressed in my bike gear, I donned my helmet, grabbed the keys, and started my KTM 1920. The engine roared to life as I hit the road. I arrived at my destination in one hour and fifteen minutes, checking the time it took to get from my safe house to the café.

A smirk formed on my face as I removed my helmet and headed straight to the counter, where I spotted a beautiful, young, petite girl rummaging through her personal bag.

I approached the counter to place my order and cleared my throat. Her stunning, round brown eyes met mine, taking my breath away for a moment.

I cleared my throat again. “Black regular coffee and a regular cheeseburger.”

I preferred my meals simple. I wasn’t much of a foodie; just like my meals, my life was uncomplicated. I was a millionaire in disguise, and very few people knew it.

With a soft, gentle voice and a hint of a smile, she asked, “Anything else, sir?”

“No, thank you.”

I took a seat at an empty table right in front of the counter where she stood. A few moments later, she returned with my food. My gaze lingered on the freckles dotting her face as she placed my meal on the table. I nodded at her, and she smiled back.

Damn, she was f*****g beautiful.

After finishing my burger and coffee, I stayed put, unable to tear my eyes away from her. Every movement she made was ingrained in my mind—the way her small frame shifted as she worked, her fingers tapping lightly on the counter. Her hair, a sleek with the color of reddish-blonde, fell perfectly over her shoulders, taunting me. It took every ounce of restraint not to reach out, run my fingers through it, and inhale her scent deeply, like it was the only thing that could sustain me.

Her name—Ava Evans—was written on the small nameplate pinned to her uniform, as if inviting me to speak it. But I didn’t need to. I simply took out my phone and snapped a picture of her as she stared at the monitor. That image would be mine now, to carry with me whenever I needed it. A token of what would soon belong to me.

I was going to take her.

Make her mine.

Whether she liked it or not, didn’t matter. She wouldn’t have a choice. She didn’t know it yet, but I had already decided her fate. She was my newest obsession. And when I wanted something, I never let it go. Never.

Every flicker of her eyelashes, the way her lips curved when she smiled at a customer, only pulled me in deeper. The more I watched her, the more I was convinced—she was made for me. She just didn’t know it, yet.

But I would make her understand.

I always got what I wanted, and this time would be no different.

Time passed, but I barely noticed. My mind was consumed with thoughts of her—of us. I pictured her little body fitting perfectly in my arms. The bell above the door rang, pulling me out from my thoughts, signaling the restaurant’s closing. I watched as she sighed, her body easing into the relief of the day’s end.

"You will be mine, Ava Evans. Soon,"

I murmured under my breath, feeling a dark satisfaction as the words left my lips.

She had no idea how close she was to being consumed by me, how close I was to possessing her entirely.

I tossed the money onto the table and stood up, but not before giving her one last lingering look. My eyes traced the curve of her neck, the slope of her shoulders. She didn’t even realize that her fate had been sealed the moment I walked in.

As I slipped on my helmet and revved up the engine of my bike, my thoughts spun in one direction. Her. She would fill every corner of my mind until I had her.

No other thought mattered.

No other desire existed.