In The Company of Your Shadows || Phillip Graves x OFC

7 - Playground of The Rich, Battlefield of The Shadows

[Graves]

"Phillip... Commander Graves."

Her voice broke through my trance and I turned to look at Selene as she settled into the seat beside me on the plane. Concern flickered in her eyes as she spoke, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for allowing my thoughts to consume me so completely.

"What's wrong, doll?" I asked, my southern drawl coloring my words as I leaned closer to her.

"It's just... you've been really quiet," she said, her worry evident in her tone.

I offered her a reassuring smile, though it felt hollow on my lips. "It's fine, just a bit sleepy perhaps," I lied, not wanting to burden her with my inner turmoil. With a playful smirk, I added, "Just rest for now. It's a long flight to Monaco."

She regarded me with a hint of skepticism, but ultimately seemed to accept my explanation. "Alright," she conceded, leaning back in her seat and closing her sweet blue eyes. "Wake me up when we arrive."

As Selene drifted off to sleep, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that lingered within me. Despite my attempts to shield her from my concerns, I knew that Selene had an uncanny ability to see through my facade. But for now, all I could do was watch over her as she rested, hoping that the peaceful respite of sleep would ease her troubled mind.

It had been several days since the revelation of my survival, and during the three months I was presumed dead, I had been lurking in the shadows, orchestrating Shadow Company's operations from behind the scenes through Oz, my interim commander.

I had to maintain my silence for a while, letting my enemies believe that I was truly deceased, just long enough to evade the consequences with the help of my 'friends' in high places, shaking off the FBI's investigation into my supposed Blue-on-Blue incident in Las Almas. It was a difficult decision to make, but with the combined forces of TF141 and the Fuerza Especiales closing in on my trail, I felt I had little choice.

... I didn't want to leave her... but it was a matter of survival...

I glanced at Selene as she sleeps, a wave of bittersweet emotion washed over me.

As I gently brushed a strand of hair from Selene's face, a soft smile tugged at the corners of my lips. She was a vision of beauty in repose, her long black hair cascading around her like a dark halo, her serene features bathed in the faint light filtering through the cabin window.

Despite the hardships she had endured as a seasoned mercenary, there was an undeniable innocence about her that captivated me-a vulnerability that I couldn't help but be drawn to.

Her mesmerizing bright eyes, her calloused fingers, her slender form-all of it was a testament to her strength and resilience.

And yet, in this moment of quiet intimacy, she seemed so fragile, so achingly human. I couldn't help but long for her, to hold her in my arms and protect her from the dangers that lurked in the shadows.

As I reflected on our shared history, it became clear to me that Selene possessed a rare and remarkable quality-a youthful determination that burned bright in her eyes, igniting a fire in her heart that propelled her forward.

From the moment we first met, I could sense her potential, and so I pulled her out of her past world of doing the CIA's dirty work and to use her skills for the greater good.

Over the years, Selene's undying loyalty and devotion to me had not gone unnoticed. The ease with which she bend to my will, her willingness to go to any lengths to fulfill my commands, left me with a sense of control, a sense of power-a heady rush of domination over such a capable woman.