I’ve never been this close to death.

Not even when I was younger, running through dark alleys after the sun set, trying to outrun my fears, my thoughts, my life. But this, this is different.

Kael. He’s the kind of guy who could kill you with a flick of his wrist and make you thank him for it.

And yet, here I am, in the back of a sleek black car, the engine purring like a predator.

I’m sitting upright, bound with tight ropes, but not for long. Kael had moved me from the cold, abandoned room, with a dangerous ease that had made my heart race.

He keeps the door open, but his gaze never leaves me. There’s that unreadable expression on his face, the one that could kill if looks could pierce.

“Get in,” he ordered when he opened the car door, and it wasn’t even a suggestion. I had no choice but to follow.

Now, I’m sitting in the driver’s seat. His hands had been all over me, just enough to keep me in check, to remind me that I wasn’t in control.

The leather seat is cold beneath me, and the smell of him—dark, intoxicating—lingers in the air around me.

Kael slides into the passenger seat, still towering over me, still a reminder that he could break me in an instant.

I turn my head to face him, but his eyes are still locked on the road ahead, and his jaw is tight. There’s an intensity there, the kind of energy that’s almost suffocating.

“How are we doing this?” I finally manage to ask, my voice coming out hoarse. “Where are we going?”

He doesn’t even flinch. His eyes flicker over to me for a moment, then he glances back at the road. “Do I look like the type to kill without a reason?”

I swallow hard. It’s a simple question, but I feel the weight of it.

He glances over at me, his gaze hard, calculating, but there’s no warmth there. “You’re asking too many questions for someone in your position.”

I bite my lip, trying to steady my breath. “I’m just trying to figure out what happens next,” I say, the uncertainty creeping into my voice.

Kael's gaze flickers to me, briefly. “You won’t figure me out.”

The car seems to close in on me, his presence heavy, like a storm hanging just above my head. The silence between us stretches, thick and suffocating.

I don’t dare ask any more questions. Not when I can practically feel the weight of his anger, his indifference.

"You should be glad I’m not just killing you," he says, breaking the silence like it’s nothing. “Could’ve left you there, tied up in the dark.”

My heart skips a beat at the casualness in his voice. The thought of him leaving me in that cold, isolated room... It sends a chill down my spine.

“Why didn’t you?” I ask, my voice cracking just a little.

Kael’s eyes flicker to me, his expression unreadable. “Because I’m not some monster,” he says, though his tone is almost dismissive. “I don’t kill without a reason. You’re not in my way yet, but you will be.”

I swallow hard, the tension between us stretching tighter. “In your way?”

He doesn’t answer right away, his gaze still fixed on the road. His fingers tap rhythmically against the side of the car, a reminder of just how much control he has over everything right now.

“You’ll find out soon enough,” he says, his tone almost a warning. There’s no amusement in his voice, just the cold certainty of someone who knows exactly what he’s doing.

I turn away, feeling the weight of his eyes on me. His presence is suffocating, unrelenting.

“Why am I still here?” I ask quietly, the words slipping out before I can stop them.

Kael shifts in his seat, his movements fluid but still predatory, like he’s sizing me up with every glance. His voice is low, his words careful, like he’s saying just enough to keep me on edge. “Because you’re not worth killing yet.”

The silence stretches between us again, thick and heavy, like the air itself is charged with something unspoken.

I want to say something, anything, but his coldness makes the words catch in my throat. So, I stay silent.

For now, I’m not in control. And with Kael, I don’t know if I ever will be.

Hey, Luvs!

Just wanted to say a big thank you for making it this far! I’m so glad you’re here, and I can’t wait to see where this journey goes. I’m still new to writing and I’m learning as I go, so your support means everything to me.

If you're enjoying the story, drop a comment—I’d love to hear your thoughts! Thanks for being here and for your patience!

Xoxo 

  ~Winnie