obsessively mine

HIM(2)

         I stared at the spot where she had disappeared, then shook off the unsettling feeling creeping in. Stretching my stiff limbs, I rose from the chair I'd been tied to and walked out of the room. A gasp escaped my lips as I took in the vast expanse around me. It wasn't just any room—it was an abandoned factory, or maybe an office, with sprawling corridors that rivaled the size of my mansion. The eerie emptiness pressed in on me, and I realized how easy it would be to get lost here. Perhaps that was her intention.

Doors lined the walls like a twisted maze, and I opened each one, hoping for an exit, growing more frustrated with every dead end. She had set me free, only to leave me stranded in this labyrinth. Alone. Intentionally. My jaw clenched, rage simmering beneath the surface. What kind of sick game was she playing?

Reaching another door, I gripped the handle, ready to wrench it open when her voice cut through the silence.

"Too eager to leave?" Her tone dripped with mockery.

I turned slowly, locking eyes with her. A smirk crept across my face, though anger burned in my chest. "Why? Already regretting setting me free?" I shot back, sarcasm heavy in my voice.

She took a step forward, her eyes dark, unreadable. "No," she said, voice soft yet cold. "Not at all."

There was a pause, a shift in her expression—calculated as if weighing her next move. "But before you go, I have two questions. For you... and for me."

I raised an eyebrow, wary of her cryptic words. "And what questions might those be?"

Her smile didn't touch her eyes, her gaze sharp and unwavering. "First, are your men truly loyal to you? And second, do they curse you behind your back?"

I froze, my smirk faltering. What the hell was she getting at? My silence only encouraged her.

"This isn't just curiosity," she continued, stepping closer, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "It's information. Because even if I hadn't freed you... no one else would have. Serena's bought them all."

The words hit like a sucker punch. I kept my expression blank, but inside, everything was spiraling. My mind raced, trying to make sense of what she was saying, but I wasn't about to show any cracks. Narrowing my eyes, I asked, "And how do you know all of this?"

She chuckled softly, the sound both unsettling and intimate as if she knew more about me than I was willing to admit. "How do I know?" Her eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity. "Because I love you. I'm obsessed with you. Do you think I followed you for no reason? Watched you for fun?" Her hand came up, fingers brushing against my cheek.

I could've yanked her hand away and ended this twisted moment right then, but I didn't. Her touch was unnervingly gentle, and her voice, though calm, rattled me in a way that nothing else had. There was a strange comfort in her words, even as they cut through my defenses.

"I don't care how long it takes," she whispered, her breath warm against my skin. "Go home. Rest. And then find out the truth for yourself."

Without warning, she opened the door behind me and shoved me through it. The heavy door slammed shut with a metallic clang that echoed through the emptiness. I stood there, breath caught in my throat, replaying her words in my head. Love? Obsession? Traitors?

A firm tap on my shoulder startled me, and I spun around. Marco stood there, his face impassive, but there was something off in his gaze. "Sir, let's go," he said, his voice lower than usual, his tone cautious.

I glanced back at the door—half-expecting it to open, for her to appear again—before reluctantly following Marco down the corridor. As we walked, his eyes darted around, his body tense, scanning for any threats. I hadn't noticed it before, but now, every small movement felt charged with meaning, every silence suspicious.

We reached the car, and I slipped inside, sinking into the seat as Marco took his place behind the wheel. The engine roared to life, but my mind was somewhere else. I stared out the window, the familiar cityscape passing by, but I wasn't seeing any of it. All I could hear were her parting words.

Are they loyal? Or do they curse me behind my back?

The questions gnawed at me like an itch I couldn't scratch. And for the first time in a long time, I didn't know who I could trust.