Evelyn stood frozen at the door. The man's presence filled the small space between them, his scent a mix of dark cologne and something purely masculine.
"I—" she struggled to find words, her pulse erratic.
He lifted her wallet, tilting his head slightly. "You should take better care of yourself, Evelyn."
Her breath hitched. How did he know her name?
She hadn't told him.
A shiver ran down her spine—not from fear, but from something else entirely.
"Who are you?" she finally managed, gripping the doorframe as if it could keep her grounded.
For a moment, he just looked at her, his gaze unreadable, intense. Then, a slow smirk curved his lips. "You'll find out soon enough."
And just like that, he placed the wallet in her hand and walked away.
Evelyn stood there, her fingers gripping the leather, her heart racing. The hallway was dim, the sounds of the city muffled behind her. Was she imagining it, or had he been waiting for her to open the door?
---
The next morning, Evelyn tried to shake the encounter from her mind. She had a new life to start.
She stepped onto the streets, feeling the energy of the city pulse around her. It was her first day at work—a quiet, upscale bookstore near the financial district. The kind of place where men in suits brushed past students and artists, where conversations were whispered between towering shelves.
But the moment she walked inside, she felt it.
A gaze. A presence.
And then—him.
Sitting in a leather chair, flipping through a book as if he belonged there, was the same man from last night.
Her breath caught.
This wasn't a coincidence.
He looked up, their eyes meeting, and for the first time, she felt like she was playing a game she didn't know the rules to.
"You're following me," she whispered, stepping closer.
He didn't deny it. Instead, he leaned back, watching her with amusement. "What if I am?"
Evelyn's pulse raced. Who was he? And why did he make her feel things she had never felt before?
As she stared at him, trying to find answers, he closed his book and stood. He was taller than she remembered, his presence overwhelming.
"Have dinner with me." It wasn't a request.
It was a command.
A thousand thoughts rushed through her mind. She should say no. She should walk away.
But instead—she nodded.
And just like that, her descent into the unknown began.
-