Chapter 3

Evelyn

I wash my hands in the basin, silently cursing myself for the bad job I’m doing. If my uncle were to see me in this state, he would be highly disappointed. For a second, in that man’s presence, I completely forgot about the mission. I felt alive under his gaze—something that has never happened to me before. And I’m so confused because I don’t know if I like it or hate it.

But one thing I’m certain of is that I need to avoid him. And I need to find Xander. Fast.

My phone rings, and I pull it out of my purse, answering immediately.

“Yes, Uncle?”

“What’s the update?”

“Everything is under control, except I’m finding it really hard to locate him,” I say.

“Fortunately for us, we got a recent picture of him. I’ll send it to you in a short while.”

“Okay.” I hang up and bend down to fix the dagger strapped to my thigh. It’s what I’ll use to carry out my mission tonight.

I plan to terminate Xander, then move on to his father. I want Stephen Black to know what it feels like to lose a loved one—especially one he cherishes so much.

Fixing my mask back in place, I leave the restroom. As I turn the corner leading to the ballroom, I freeze. The man from earlier is leaning against the wall, tapping on his phone. He lifts his head immediately, locking eyes with me.

“Finally. I thought you were never going to come out,” his deep voice is firm in the empty hallway.

“Have you been waiting for me?” I ask, surprised.

He slips his phone into his pocket and pushes off the wall, walking toward me. His strides are lazy, his hands tucked in his pockets—like he’s got all the time in the world.

“Yes. Are you all right? You walked out so fast, I thought something was wrong.”

“I’m fine,” I reply. Why is he concerned? And why is he so set on me? “I just needed some air.”

“We could go to the balcony. There’s plenty of air there, and you seem like you need the peace and quiet.”

That sounds tempting. But I can’t lose focus again. And I need to be on guard when Uncle sends the picture.

“No, thank you. I’m perfectly fine, and I really need to get back out there,” I say, stepping forward, but he sidesteps me, blocking my path.

“I insist. Nothing is happening out there for the time being—same boring men and women having boring conversations. I’m sure outside would be more fun than being in there. Don’t you think?”

Well, he’s right. I could definitely kill some time until Uncle sends the picture. Just five minutes.

“Okay,” I say quietly.

“Good girl,” he whispers, smiling as he walks away.

**********

I fix my mask properly and follow his retreating figure.

The air out here is good—exactly what I needed. I close my eyes, enjoying the breeze and the silence. I know I shouldn’t be out here, and if my uncle were to see me now, he’d be disappointed.

But he’s not here. And he won’t know.

I’m just taking a few minutes to cool off.

“What’s your name?”

I open my eyes to find my stranger watching me, his hair tousled by the wind. He looks more relaxed—less imposing than he did in the ballroom.

“Why do you want to know? It’s not like we’re going to see each other again,” I reply.

His eyes twinkle, and he gives me that confident smile. “You can never be too sure. Life can be tricky sometimes. And I definitely want to see you again… But if you don’t want to, can you at least take off your mask?”

He must be crazy if he thinks I’m taking off my mask. I don’t know who he is, and I have to be careful.

“If I won’t give you my name, do you think I would take off my mask?” I ask.

“Not at all. I was only trying my luck.”

“Better luck next time,” I say, smiling.

He scoffs and leans his head back against the wall, his eyes never leaving me.

There’s something dark and exciting about the way he looks at me. No one has ever given me this much attention before, and it’s overwhelming.

His stare doesn’t make my skin crawl like everyone else’s in the ballroom. Instead, it makes me feel alive.

I’m trying so hard to appear unaffected by him. But I can’t help the heat spreading all over me.

I look away and focus on the sky, enjoying the silence. After a moment, I feel his presence behind me. He doesn’t touch me, but I can tell he’s close—so close. I can feel his hot breath fanning the back of my neck.

I stiffen slightly, anticipating his next move. Slowly, he leans in, bringing his head close to the side of my neck and inhaling deeply.

“Hmm,” he hums. “Your scent is intoxicating.”

I feel his lips brush against my neck for just a fraction of a second, and I shiver.

“You know,” he starts, “I was really skeptical about coming tonight. I haven’t been to a social gathering in a long time, and I’m not exactly a fan of them. But for some reason, I couldn’t miss this one. And I’m glad I didn’t... because I got to meet you.”

He places his hands on the railing, one on each side of me, caging me in.

I gasp softly as he leans in further, his front brushing against my back.

“For some reason, I feel drawn to you. And it’s confusing because I’ve never felt this way toward anyone—especially someone I’m meeting for the first time. I want to live in this feeling forever, drown in it. Drown in you.”

I don’t know what to say.

He’s a stranger, but he doesn’t feel like one. His emotions are so intense, so raw. It’s overwhelming—but in a good way.

His words make me feel something I can’t explain. It’s new. Foreign.

“I... I want—”

The sudden ring of a phone cuts me off.

He curses under his breath and reaches into his pocket, pulling out his phone. The light from the screen illuminates his face as he answers.

“Yes?”

Whoever is on the other end must have said something unpleasant because his entire body tenses, his lips pressing into a firm line.

“I’ll be there soon.”

He hangs up and stares at his phone for a moment.

“Are you all right?” I ask softly, touching his arm.

He pulls away from my touch and forces a smile. “I’m fine. I have to go.”

Without waiting for me to reply, he walks away.

I stand there, confused, wondering what caused the sudden shift in him.

My phone beeps.

I pull it out and open the message from my uncle.

An image file.

I tap on it and stare at the photo looking back at me. It’s not very clear, but I can make out the face.

Another message pops up.

“This is him.”