25. Eva
CHAPTER 25
EVA
I can’t help but stare at the man lying next to me, the man who’s haunted my dreams nearly every night. And now, he’s here, in front of me.
I should be completely in this moment, letting the peace of the flowing river and rustling leaves seep into my soul. But there’s a nagging feeling I can’t shake, an itch in my mind that won’t go away.
“Where are you in that beautiful mind of yours?” Axel’s voice is low but soft, drawing me back to him.
I glance at him, hesitating before I speak. “I never imagined my life would turn out like this. You changed it, Axel. You changed me.”
He doesn’t open his eyes, but a small smile plays on the corner of his mouth as he listens.
“Do you regret it?” he asks quietly, careful not to disturb the tranquillity around us.
Do I regret it? The answer is easy, yet the worry pressing at the back of my mind won’t let me rest. “No. Not a single bit.”
I try to believe it, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Mandy. Her words echo in my mind, a fragile reassurance I can’t seem to hold onto.
I’m fine, Eva. I promise I’m safe. I’ll be back soon, okay? I just have some things to finish.
I told myself I’d trust her, but something doesn’t feel right. We’ve always done everything together, told each other everything to keep each other safe. And now? I can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something.
From the corner of my eye, I see Axel turn his head toward me, his gaze steady. “There’s something else bothering you,” he says, his tone gentle but knowing. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
I force a small smile and shake my head. “It’s just someone I care about. I’m worried about them.”
His mouth opens, like he wants to ask more, but he changes his mind and lets the conversation drop.
My thoughts drift to earlier, back to when he found me in the forest, ready to claim his prize. I never intended to remove his mask then. I told myself I didn’t want to see him again. But when I saw him clearly for the first time in weeks, something shifted. Like a page turning to a new chapter I’m not sure I’m ready to read.
How can someone I’ve met only once have such a hold on me?
And now, here we are, lying side by side as though we’ve known each other for years.
I glance at Axel again, my heart aching at the sight of him. The way the setting sun filters through the trees, casting golden light on his face, softens his features. He looks so peaceful, so at ease.
How can I leave him?
But how can I stay?
The thought fuels the frustration already simmering inside me. Sitting up abruptly, I wrap my arms around my knees. The movement catches Axel’s attention, and his eyes flicker open, narrowing slightly as he watches me.
“You’re thinking about it again, aren’t you?” he says, his voice calm but certain. “The thing that’s worrying you.”
I hesitate, then nod. “I can’t help it. I need answers. I need to make sure everything is okay.”
Axel sits up beside me, mirroring my posture. There’s a tension in his body now, something flickering just beneath the surface. “Then let me help.”
My head snaps toward him, startled. “No. I have to do this alone.”
His jaw tightens. “I get that you’re worried, but think about it. If something is wrong, wouldn’t it be better to have someone there with you? Someone who can help if you need it?”
I shake my head, anger rising. “It’s not about needing help, Axel. I’m more than capable of?—”
“Protecting yourself,” he interrupts sharply, his tone losing its softness. “You think I don’t know that? Trust me, Eva, I know.”
His words catch me off guard, and for a moment, I don’t know how to respond. He leans closer, his eyes locking onto mine, holding me in place.
“I know you think you have to do this alone,” he continues, his voice softer now, almost pleading. “But you don’t, Buttercup. Let me be there for you. Let me help.”
Part of me wants to believe him, to trust him with this. But the way he’s looking at me—like he’s holding something back, like he knows more than he’s saying—makes my chest tighten.
My mother always told me to trust my gut, that it would never lead me wrong. And right now, it’s telling me not to trust him. Not when it comes to Mandy.
“I don’t know if I can,” I admit, my voice barely a whisper.
Axel exhales slowly, his gaze dropping to the ground. For a moment, he looks almost… conflicted. Like he’s fighting some internal battle I can’t see.
When he looks up again, his expression is softer, but there’s something guarded in his eyes. “I’m not trying to take this from you. I just… I care about you, Eva. And I care about the people you care about. If something’s wrong, I want to help make it right. No matter what.”
His words wrap around me like a warm blanket, but they don’t ease the doubt swirling in my mind.
“Why does it matter to you?” I ask, needing to hear his answer.
Something dark flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone in an instant, replaced by his usual confidence.
“Because it matters to you,” he says simply.
I swallow hard, torn between wanting to believe him and needing to protect Mandy. If I’m wrong, if something is wrong, I can’t risk her life—not for anyone.
Axel’s expression hardens as the silence stretches between us. “You don’t trust me,” he says roughly.
“It’s not about trust,” I whisper, my gaze dropping to the ground.
He stands abruptly, brushing dirt from his trousers. “Fine. If that’s what you want, I won’t push. But if anything happens, Eva, you’ll wish you let me help.”
The warning in his tone sends a chill through me. The sweet gentleman from earlier is gone, replaced by someone harder, colder.
I stand, stepping closer until our chests are nearly touching. Meeting his gaze head-on, I keep my voice steady. “Noted, Mr. Ashford.”
His eyes search mine, looking for something I won’t give him. When he finds nothing, I turn on my heel and walk toward the forest entrance. I can feel his eyes on me the entire way, the weight of his gaze lingering until the trees swallow me whole
I don’t pay attention to the setting sky as I trudge along the dirt track, heading for the main road. Passing Axel’s bike, the temptation to kick its bodywork flares, but instead, I settle for a few solid kicks to the tire, letting the hollow thuds satisfy my simmering anger. For good measure, I grab his backpack and hurl it somewhere into the trees.
Every step on the road burns my legs, the thought of walking all the way home weighing heavier with every stride. But no way in hell was I going to beg him for a ride. That arrogant shift in his demeanour after everything—it’s like he flipped a switch, going from gentle to someone I hardly recognized.
Sex. That’s all men care about. I won’t let him use me again.
Mandy’s voice echoes in my mind like a broken record: Go have fun, I’m fine.
I believed her. I let myself believe her because it was easier than facing the gnawing worry. Now she’s gone. Or worse—hurt. In danger. All because I wasn’t there when she needed me most.
Maybe she wanted me to see through her words, to hear the unspoken plea beneath her reassurance. Did she leave me clues I missed? My mind scrambles to recall every word of our last conversation, but it’s a tangled fog, slipping through my grasp no matter how hard I try.
Frustration builds in my chest, threatening to boil over. I swipe at my eyes with the sleeve of my hoodie, refusing to let the tears fall. Now isn’t the time for crying. “Get it together, Eva,” I mutter, my voice cracking under the weight of emotions fighting to break free.
By the time I see the driveway, my relief is almost tangible. My hair has escaped its bun, sticking to my face in sweaty strands, and my feet throb with every step, begging for reprieve.
I hesitate at the door, my hand hovering over the handle. A deep breath fills my lungs, steadying me before I push it open. For a brief, fragile moment, I brace for Mandy’s voice to greet me, for her laughter to break the silence and tell me it was all a sick joke.
Instead, the shattered vase on the floor greets me, jagged pieces scattered across the entryway like a cruel reminder of her absence.
I decide then and there to leave it. I’ll clean it up when I find her. Every day it stays untouched will serve as a reminder of my failure—until I bring her home.
I make my way to the laptop in the living room, booting up the encrypted software we’ve used countless times to track people. My fingers pause over the keys, trembling slightly. A single tear escapes down my cheek, and the memory of meeting Mandy for the first time crashes over me, vivid as though it happened yesterday.
** I glance at the crumpled scrap of paper in my hand, its edges worn from my grip. The scribbled address matches the apartment door in front of me, but my heart pounds like I’m staring down a firing squad.
Taking a shaky breath, I raise my fist to knock—but hesitate. What if this is a mistake? What if she’s not who she says she is? What if it’s not even a she?
“Stop overthinking, Eva,” I mutter under my breath, forcing the words through my anxiety. “You’ve spoken to her. You’ve seen her. It’s fine.”
Summoning every ounce of courage, I knock and quickly step back, arms stiff at my sides. The door swings open immediately, and there she is—a wide, beaming smile lighting up her face.
Relief floods me as recognition sinks in. It’s her. The same face I’ve seen so many times on my screen.
Before I can speak, she rushes forward, throwing her arms around my neck and bouncing on her toes. “You’re here! Oh my God, you’re really here!”
Her energy is infectious, but I remain frozen, overwhelmed by the surreal moment. Mandy steps back, her hands on my shoulders as if to anchor me in place. “You’re real,” she says, her eyes searching mine.
I try to respond, but my voice is stuck in my throat, emotion choking the words.
She frowns slightly, her gaze softening as she studies me. “Hey… are you okay?”
I blink back tears, forcing a smile. “Yeah, I’m fine,” I manage, though my voice betrays me.
She doesn’t press, instead looping her arm through mine and pulling me inside. The warmth of her apartment wraps around me, a sharp contrast to the cold outside. It smells like lavender and freshly brewed coffee—a cosy, lived-in space.
“Sit down,” she insists, plopping onto the couch and patting the seat beside her. “This is your home now too, you know.”
I perch on the edge of the cushion, trying to absorb her ease and cheer. She tilts her head, studying me with an expression that makes my chest ache. “Eva,” she says softly, “you don’t have to pretend with me.”
Her words pierce my defences, and I sink into the couch. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, my voice fragile. “I thought I was ready for this.”
She takes my hand, squeezing it gently. “You don’t have to be ready. You just have to be here. I’ve got you.”
For the first time in months, I smile—a real, unguarded smile. And in that moment, I feel like I’ve finally found a place to land. **
I shake the memory away, forcing myself back to the present. “Let’s do this,” I mutter, focusing on the screen in front of me.
The software boots up, and I grab my phone, inputting the number Mandy called from earlier. My heart sinks when it pings Location Unknown. Of course, it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Moving to Plan B, I start tracking recent pings from cell towers around the city, hoping for any lead to follow. The screen loads slowly, the spinning circle mocking my impatience.
When dots finally light up the map, I let out an audible gasp. A grin breaks across my face as I jot down the locations. Relief and determination flood me.
I stand, stuffing the notes into my pocket. This is the last time I’ll leave this house alone, because this time… I’m bringing her back.