"I would prefer not to hurt you, but I will if I need to." They said. I felt cold metal on my neck moving lightly against my skin. My emotions were a wreck, I felt anger, fear, and adrenaline all within me at once. But I knew I was not going to die today. Let them think I want this, I'll play into their delusions, and work towards the best plan of escape. Someone had to know I was missing, so now I would just have to start the long game. ************************************************ *Trigger warning: some scenes contain mention or detail related to sensitive topics. Story is rated mature for the mentioned topics* #1 in editing 5/23/2019 #9 in scary 7/10/2019 #11 in pride 1/10/2021 #27 in stalker 5/9/2019 #40 in fiction 1/22/2019

#ONC2026! Kalila Karam has it all. Beauty, smarts and a promising career at Stillwater Research, a secretive risk analysis and special operation firm based in Washington D.C. She also has a past that few know about, one that's left her with physical and emotional scars from the bombing of a civilian bunker in Iraq. She's made her way to Stillwater for one thing: revenge for the death of her family. Seth Stillwater has a double identity. The scion of a ruthless family business, most people know him as a former soldier turned freelance operative, Ax Antonov. He's summoned to take over the family business, the very same corporation where Lila has been recently hired. When Lila and Seth meet, grand-finale style fireworks go off for both of them. Seth's overwhelming attraction to Lila has only one problem. Lila's out to kill him.