Aksh held her hand for a moment longer than he should have. It was dangerous—this connection, this warmth—but he couldn't bring himself to let go just yet.
Then, as if reality had finally caught up, he exhaled and stepped back. "You should eat something," he said, his voice quieter than before. "We might have to leave again soon."
She studied him, noting the faint circles under his eyes, the rigid way he held himself. "You're not planning to eat?"
"I will," he replied, but she could tell he was lying.
Before she could argue, his phone vibrated in his pocket again. This time, he pulled it out instantly, his posture shifting into something colder, sharper.
She watched as he answered.
"Speak," he said, his voice void of any warmth.
She couldn't hear the response, but she didn't need to—she saw the way his expression darkened.
Aksh's grip on his phone tightened as he read the message.
They're here.
His lips curved into a slow, lethal smirk. Good.
He slipped the phone back into his pocket, the weight of his gun resting comfortably against his back. If they thought they could hunt him, they were about to learn the hard way—he was the one who did the hunting.
She watched him carefully, sensing the shift in the air. "Aksh?"
He turned, his gaze sharper, darker. "Change of plans," he murmured. "They're close."
Her stomach twisted. "Who?"
His smirk didn't falter, but there was something cold in his eyes. "I don't know yet. But I will soon."
Her breath caught. He wasn't running. He was waiting.
For them.
"You're not scared," she realized.
Aksh took a slow step toward her, his presence commanding, his energy crackling with a deadly kind of confidence. "Scared?" His voice was soft, dangerous. "They should be."
A shiver ran down her spine.
He reached for her, his fingers grazing her wrist before trailing up to her jaw, tilting her face toward his. "Stay inside," he ordered. It wasn't a plea—it was an undeniable command. "Lock the doors. Don't open them for anyone but me."
She swallowed hard, but she wasn't going to let him shut her out completely. "And if you don't come back?"
A dark chuckle escaped him. "They'd have to kill me first."
Her chest tightened, but before she could say anything, he turned and strode toward the door, his movements fluid, precise.
The hunter was stepping into the night.
But she wasn't sure who the real prey was anymore.
The night air was cool, but the tension crackled like an approaching storm.
Aksh moved through the darkness like a shadow, his steps silent, his presence lethal. He didn't need backup. He didn't need an escape plan.
They thought they were coming for him.
They had no idea he was already waiting.
A black SUV sat idling at the end of the street, its headlights off. He felt their on him he saw movement-a figure slipping out from the passenger side, followed by two more.
Cowards always moved in packs.
Aksh smirked.
"Bold of you to show up in my city," he
called out, his voice low but carrying through the silence. "Not very smart, though."
The tallest man stepped forward, his face half-hidden in the shadows. "You're a hard man to find, Ryu Aksh."
Aksh's smirk didn't waver. "That's because I don't like being found."
Another figure shifted, muscles tensing, fingers twitching near his waistband. A gun. Amateurs. They had no idea they were already dead men walking.
"Relax," the leader said smoothly, though there was an edge to his tone. "We're just here to talk."
Aksh tilted his head, amusement flickering in his sharp gaze. "You don't bring extra bodies for a conversation. Try again." bring extra bodies for a conversation.
Try again."
A chuckle. "Alright, no more games. been interfering in business that isn't yours. Our employer doesn't like that."
Ah. So that was it.
Aksh exhaled, shaking his head. "And is this employer of yours?"
A pause. Hesitation.
took a step forward, his presence pressing down on them like a crushing weight. Then I'll guess. Someone desperate enough to send idiots like you to test me." His voice dropped, turning razor-sharp. "You don't even know what you're dying for, do you?"
The leader stiffened."We're just delivering a message."
Aksh smiled, slow and cold. "Then let me send one back."
Before they could react, he moved.
A sharp twist-one man's wrist snapped, the gun clattering to the ground before he could even draw it. A brutal kick- another man staggered back, wheezing.
The leader bumbled for his weapon, but Aksh was faster.
A single shot rang out.
The bullet lodged into the SUV's side, a deliberate miss, but close enough to make them freeze.
The leader paled.
Aksh stepped closer, pressing the barrel of his gun under the man's chin. "You walk into my city, bring weapons, and expect me to play nice?" He leaned in, his voice almost a whisper. "Run back to whoever sent you. Tell them I'm coming."
He let go, shoving the man backward.
The three of them scrambled, dragging their wounded with them as they rushed to the SUV. Tires screeched as they sped off into the night.
Aksh watched them go, rolling his shoulders as if he had just finished a workout.
He pulled out his phone. One call. That's all it would take to track them. But first
He turned back toward the house, his smirk fading as a new thought struck him.
If they were here for him, why mention Interference? He hadn't touched anyone's business. Not recently.
Which meant...
His eyes darkened.
They weren't just watching him. They were watching her.
The hunt wasn't over.
It was just beginning.
By the time Aksh returned to the house, his expression was unreadable, his presence as controlled as ever. If not for the slight stiffness in his shoulders, no one would have guessed he had just sent a warning to the men foolish enough to cross him.
But she was waiting.
The moment he stepped inside, she stood from the couch, her eyes filled with silent questions. "Are you okay. Did you find them? Who were they?"
Aksh didn't hesitate. He shrugged off his jacket, tossing it over the back of a chair. "Just some business rival."
She frowned. " what?"
His lips curved slightly—gentle, reassuring. A mask. "Nothing important Just know that you are safe with me now."
Her frown deepened. She wasn't convinced, but he had spent years perfecting the art of deception. He wasn't about to let her see the storm brewing beneath his calm exterior.
She stepped closer, tilting her head. "Aksh… are you hiding something from me?"
His jaw clenched, but he kept his voice light. "You worry too much, little one."
Her lips parted, as if she wanted to argue, but then his fingers brushed her cheek—soft, reverent. The fight drained out of her as he traced his thumb along her jawline.
That was the thing about her. She trusted him. And trust was dangerous.
Because if she knew what had just happened—if she knew that men were hunting him, watching her—she would be terrified. And he would rather burn the world down than see fear in her eyes.
So he did what he did best. He lied.
"Come here," he murmured, pulling her against his chest. She hesitated for only a moment before melting into him.
He exhaled slowly, pressing his chin to the top of her head. She doesn't need to know. She doesn't need to carry this weight.
That was his burden.
And he would bear it alone.
He held her for a long moment, her warmth sinking into his skin, grounding him. She fit so perfectly against him, small and delicate, like she belonged there. Like she was meant to be protected.
But then—
Her stomach growled.
Loudly.
She stiffened. He blinked. And then, slowly, his lips curled into a smirk. "Was that…?"
She pushed away, her cheeks burning. "No, it wasn't!"
He crossed his arms, amusement dancing in his dark eyes. "Oh? So if I go to the kitchen right now, you won't want anything?"
She huffed, turning her face away. "I wasn't hungry before, but now that you mention it…"
Chuckling, he shook his head and strolled toward the kitchen. "Come on, little one. Let's feed you before you start growling at me."
"I do not growl!"
He tossed a glance over his shoulder, mischief glinting in his gaze. "Hmm… I don't know. Sounded pretty feral to me."
She grabbed a throw pillow and launched it at him. He dodged effortlessly, laughing as he disappeared into the kitchen.
And just like that, the tension in the air faded.
For now, she was safe. And as long as he was breathing, she would stay that way.
Even if she never knew the danger lurking just beyond the door.