Darkness clung to me like a second skin. My head pounded, a dull ache radiating from the side of my skull where they'd likely struck me. A sudden, icy splash of water against my face yanked me from unconsciousness, forcing a sharp gasp from my lips. The cold bit into my skin, sending a shiver down my spine as I tried to gather my bearings.
My wrists and ankles throbbed, bound tightly to a rusted metal chair. The rough rope bit into my skin, unyielding, cutting off any chance of movement. A filthy handkerchief was tied around my mouth, the sour taste of sweat and grime coating my tongue. My breathing was slow, controlled—but my pulse was a different story, hammering beneath my skin with the undeniable thrill of what was to come.
As my vision cleared, I took in my surroundings. The place was a half-built skeleton of a building, an abandoned, unfinished construction site where rusted beams stretched toward the ceiling like skeletal fingers. The air reeked of damp cement, rust, and something metallic—blood, perhaps. Flickering, dying lights barely pushed back the thick shadows, casting eerie, elongated figures along the cracked concrete floor.
I wasn't alone.
They surrounded me—twenty men, maybe more, all armed, their sharp eyes watching me like a pack of predators closing in on their prey. Their postures reeked of arrogance, of certainty, as if they had already won.
Fools.
One of them, a broad-shouldered brute with a scar carving through his cheek, stepped forward. Without warning, he grabbed my jaw, forcing my head to meet his cold, assessing stare. With a harsh tug, he ripped the gag from my mouth.
"Now," he drawled, his voice laced with venom. "Tell us who you are."
I blinked at him, my lips twitching between a smirk and a sneer. "You kidnapped me… and you don't even know who I am?" I let out a breathy chuckle, tilting my head slightly. "Pathetic."
His grip tightened. The air between us tensed, thick with unspoken threats.
A second man—a towering figure with dead, shark-like eyes—moved without warning. An iron rod swung through the air, colliding brutally against my face. Pain exploded through my jaw, rattling my skull. I tasted copper, the sharp tang of blood coating my tongue.
I exhaled slowly, letting the pain settle into my bones as I lifted my gaze to the man who hit me. If they thought pain would break me, they were sorely mistaken.
He crouched down; his breath hot against my skin. "You think we're fools?" he growled, his fingers ghosting over the iron rod as if itching to use it again.
I let out a soft, playful laugh, despite the lingering sting on my cheek. "Oh, I don't think," I murmured, licking the blood from my lip, "I know."
The amusement vanished from his face. His eyes darkened, his grip on the rod tightening before he brought it down again—this time against my ribs. A sharp crack echoed through the open space, but I barely flinched. The pain was temporary.
"Enough games," he spat. "Tell us the truth. Who are you?" His voice dropped lower, more menacing. "Don't get clever with me—you have no idea who we are or what we're capable of. No one's coming to save you. We can end you right here, right now."
I tilted my head back slightly, drawing in a slow, steady breath through my nose before locking eyes with him once again. "Oh?" I murmured, a slow, dangerous smile creeping onto my lips. "Wanna bet?"
Before he could respond, a deafening crash shattered through the silence.
The ground trembled. A wall caved in with a thunderous roar, bricks, and metal beams collapsing in a cloud of dust and debris. The overhead lights flickered wildly, casting the warehouse into momentary chaos.
The men froze, their bodies tensing as their eyes snapped toward the wreckage. Muted, urgent whispers rippled through the air. Unease crept through their ranks like a deadly snake ready to strike.
A man rushed in, his face pale, his breathing uneven as if he had just seen a ghost."Boss! A car—" he panted, stumbling over his words. "A car crashed through the wall with a deafening roar, and behind the wheel sat a woman—calm, ruthless, and utterly unfazed!"
The leader furrowed his brows before letting out a mocking laugh."Must be some crazy woman who lost her way." He turned to his men, shaking his head. "Women and their terrible driving skills—typical."
Some of them chuckled, blissfully unaware of the carnage about to unfold.
"Bring her inside," he said with a wicked grin. "Might as well have some fun before we put an end to this guy."
I chuckled under my breath, rolling my shoulders slightly despite the restraints. "You still have time to run," I murmured, voice calm, too calm. "If you leave now, you might just live to see tomorrow."
His smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he scowled. "Why?" he snapped. "Who the hell is coming?"
I let out a slow breath, savouring the weight of the moment.
"I know exactly who's coming." I met his gaze, my smile widening. Slow. Sinister. I wanted them to feel it—the fear creeping into their bones.
"She's, my wife."
The air shifted.
A ripple of confusion passed through them before the leader let out a barking laugh."Oh, so your weakness is coming straight to us?" He turned to his men, waving a lazy hand. "Looks like our job just got easier. Get ready, boys—tonight, We're in for some fun now."
I smiled. Cold. Cruel. Knowing.
"You poor, stupid men."
I leaned in closer, my voice a mere whisper.
"She's not my weakness." I tilted my head, my smirk turning razor-sharp. "She's going to be your worst nightmare."
Then she arrived—Eva.
A force of nature wrapped in leather and fury.
She stormed into the chaos, a rifle gripped firmly in her hands, her eyes ablaze with a dangerous glint. The moment she pulled the trigger; all hell broke loose. Gunfire erupted in every direction, bullets slicing through the air with lethal precision. Men fell like dominos, their screams swallowed by the deafening roar of destruction.
Panic spread like wildfire. They ran in every direction—stumbling, tripping over their fear, desperate to escape the unstoppable storm that had just descended upon them. And the one man—the filthy bastard who had dared to say he was going to have fun with her?
He was hiding.
Coward.
I felt his trembling form pressed against my back, using me as a human shield. The irony almost made me laugh.
Eva moved through the chaos like a goddess of destruction, each step deliberate, confident, and untouchable. The dim light flickered against the sleek curve of her rifle, the barrel still smoking as she advanced toward me.
"How are you, Partner?" she called out over the gunfire, her voice laced with amusement as she shot another man without so much as a second glance.
I smirked, flexing my wrists as she effortlessly freed my hands. "I'm alright," I murmured, watching her closely—because, God, she was magnificent when she was like this.
Her lips curled into a slow, wicked smile. "Good."
Then she tilted her head, scanning the wreckage around us before speaking again, her voice drenched in mock sweetness.
"So… where's that idiot who was so eager to have fun with me?" She let out a soft chuckle, tilting her rifle over her shoulder. "Let's have some fun together, shall we?"
I didn't say a word. I didn't have to.
Instead, I merely arched an eyebrow, letting my gaze flick toward the chair behind me.
She understood instantly.
Her smirk deepened, amusement dancing in her eyes as she stepped forward at a leisurely, deliberate pace. She made a show of cocking her gun, the sharp click echoing through the space like a predator's growl.
"You know," she mused, voice dripping with false innocence, "I'd hate to disappoint him, seeing as he was so excited."
The man behind me flinched. I felt it—his entire body trembling like a cornered rat.
Then she suddenly moved, letting out a sharp, playful "Whooo! See, I found you!" her voice echoing through the room, laced with a fusion of amusement and threat.
Eva let out a soft laugh, dark and dangerous. "Oh? What's wrong?" she taunted, her steps slow and deliberate. "You were so bold a moment ago. Where did all that confidence go, hmm?"
Silence.
"Oh?" she gasped suddenly, feigning surprise. "Don't tell me you're scared of me? Over just a little joke?"
Her laughter filled the space, light and airy—but the malice underneath it was unmistakable.
In a swift, merciless movement, Eva lunged forward.
Her fingers curled into his collar, yanking him up with a strength that shouldn't have been possible for someone her size. He barely had time to gasp before—
Crack.
She slammed the butt of her rifle into his face.
Blood splattered. His head snapped back. He stumbled, but before he could even process the pain, she drove her knee straight between his legs.
He let out a strangled scream, dropping to the floor in a pathetic heap. His body curled inward, hands cupping his bruised ego as he gasped for breath.
Eva crouched beside him, gripping his hair, forcing him to look up at her.
"This," she purred, her tone dripping with amusement, "is for daring to put your filthy hands on my husband."
The man whimpered, blood dribbling down his chin as he turned to me with glassy, desperate eyes.
"P-Please!" he choked out, his voice ragged from pain. "Tell your wife to stop! I-I'm sorry!"
I exhaled slowly, rolling my shoulders as I looked down at him.
"Oh, I don't think she's done yet."
Eva's smirk widened, her grip tightening in his hair.
"Not even close."
A low, dark chuckle escaped my lips as I tilted my head, watching him tremble beneath my gaze. "Oh? You wanted fun, didn't you? And now you're giving up so easily? That's not fair. The fun's only just begun."
Before he could react, I grabbed his collar and slammed my fist into his face, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone beneath my knuckles. He staggered back, clutching his nose, but I wasn't done. A ruthless kick to his ribs sent him sprawling, his breath leaving his body in a ragged gasp.
"That," I sneered, towering over him, "was for speaking filth about my wife. You dared to taint her name with your dirty mouth—this is your punishment."
Eva stepped forward, her steps were lethal and mesmerizing, her heels clicking ominously against the concrete floor. With slow, deliberate grace, she pressed the pointed tip of her heel against his throat, forcing his chin upward.
"This," she murmured, her voice like silk laced with venom, "was the worst mistake of your miserable life. And there will be no second chances."
A slow, wicked smile curved her lips, pulling out a gleaming knife. She crouched beside him, forcing his trembling hand to the ground, her fingers trailing over his as if savouring the moment.
I watched, utterly transfixed, as she closed her eyes, a serene expression crossing her face—like an artist about to begin a masterpiece. Then, without warning, the blade flicked between his fingers in a deadly, calculated game.
She's enjoying this.
Then, finally, she brought her deadly game to the end, tilting her head with a satisfied smirk. "Huh… I'm so damn good at this. I've been wanting to do it for so long."
The man exhaled sharply, a fleeting moment of relief washing over his battered face—until her voice cut through the air like a blade.
"No, no… It's not over yet. That's all it takes to break you? How disappointing."
Her eyes darkened, lips curling into something sinister before she hissed, "And I don't tolerate disappointment."
Without warning, the knife in her hand slashed across his face, carving into his skin with ruthless precision. He screamed, thrashing in agony, but she only leaned in closer, her breath warm against his bloodied cheek.
"This," she whispered, dragging the blade slowly, "is for the scratch you dared to leave on my husband's face."
Her grip tightened. A low, amused chuckle escaped her lips as she watched him tremble beneath her. "You deserve ten times the pain."
And then, she lost herself to the brutality. The knife plunged into him—again, again—each strike fuelled by something raw, something primal. Blood sprayed in violent arcs, staining her hands, and splattering across her face like war paint. His gurgled pleas meant nothing. His suffering was a mere symphony to her, the crescendo of a punishment long overdue.
By the time she finally stepped back, breath heaving, body drenched in crimson, he was nothing more than a mutilated, lifeless heap. She exhaled, wiping a streak of blood from her cheek with the back of her hand, before turning her gaze toward me—dark, wild, breathtakingly lethal.
Something was intoxicating about how she danced on the edge of cruelty and control. She was chaos-wrapped in elegance, a force that simultaneously terrified and captivated me. And every time I thought I had seen all of her, she revealed a new, darker shade—one that only made me fall harder.
With a sigh, Eva finally stood. "Let's keep this short," she said, glancing at me with a smirk. "My husband's injured. I need to take care of him."
Then, without a second glance at the man, she turned to me, her steps slow, deliberate— predatory. Her gaze locked onto mine, dark and unreadable, pulling me into the abyss of whatever wicked thrill burned within her.
And then, without breaking eye contact, without even turning her body, she casually swung her arm backward—finger pressing the trigger in a single, effortless motion.
The deafening crack of the gunshot echoed through the air.
BANG!
The man behind her crumpled instantly, his body hitting the ground in a lifeless heap.
She didn't flinch. Didn't look back.
The scent of gunpowder lingered in the air as she turned back to me, tossing me the rifle.
"Let's go, baby," she murmured, slipping her arm through mine and resting her head against my shoulder as if the past few minutes hadn't been drenched in blood.
We were almost out when a noise stopped us.
A voice—hoarse, desperate.
Spinning around, I saw a man slumped against the wall, clutching a phone. His lips barely moved, but I heard it. "A... woman..." Then his body went still.
I picked up the phone—it was Andrew's assistant. Without hesitation, I cut the call immediately.
Turning to Eva, I expected concern, maybe frustration—but she only grinned.
"No problem," she purred, adjusting the strap of her dress. "He still doesn't know who we are. This made the game more interesting."
And with that, we decided to leave.
Then she said, "Wait, we can't leave like that"
I frowned, "Why?"
A wicked smirk curled on her lips as she stepped closer, her voice dripping with dark amusement. "I've travelled this far, and you think I'm leaving empty-handed? Oh no... we need to make this count."
Then she looked around, her gaze landing on a row of metal drums nearby. Her eyes gleamed as she spotted one in particular, and a slow, sinister smile spread across her lips. "Ah… this is exactly what I need."
Without hesitation, she shoved the drum over, sending its contents cascading across the ground. The sharp scent hit me instantly—gasoline. My pulse quickened as I watched the liquid seep into every crevice, drenching the floor in impending devastation.
She reached for my hand, lacing her fingers through mine as she led me toward the exit. But as we walked, she smoothly pulled a lighter from her pocket, flicking it opens with a soft click. The flame danced in her eyes, reflecting the pure, chaotic thrill surging through her veins.
She glanced down at it, her cruel smile deepening before she flung it over her shoulder with effortless ease.
The instant the flame met the petrol, the world behind us erupted. The fire roared to life, devouring the space in a heartbeat, consuming everything in a symphony of crackling chaos and searing devastation. The heat licked at our backs as we stepped away, the screams of the dying lost beneath the thunderous collapse of burning ruin.
She didn't look back. She didn't need to. Instead, she squeezed my hand, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Now, we can leave."
By the time we got home, her entire demeanour had shifted. Gone was the lethal seductress with a gun in her hand. Now, she is gentle, attentive— tending to my wounds with quiet devotion, as if I were something fragile, something precious in her hands.
"You're full of surprises, Eva," I murmured, watching her through half-lidded eyes.
She merely smiled, brushing a soft kiss over my forehead.
And damn it, I believed her. Because every side of her—dangerous, seductive, secretive—only made me fall for her even more.