Falling for the enemy || 18+

CHAPTER 19 : PREDATOR

Bianca's eyes were locked on mine with fierce and unwavering. I could feel the heat between us, an intensity neither of us could ignore. She was standing her ground, challenging me in a way that few dared. It was exactly what I wanted from her-what I expected-but at the same time, it was driving me insane.

She didn't realize what she was doing to me, how the fire in her eyes made me want to pull her closer, make her see that she wasn't just proving herself in the world of crime. She was testing me too, pushing me to a place I wasn't sure I wanted to go.

But God, did I want to go there.

"I guess we'll find out," she had said, her voice steady, her gaze unwavering. She was playing the game, stepping right into the arena with me. She didn't even know how close she was to losing control.

Or maybe she did. Maybe that was what drew me to her-this unshakable confidence mixed with just enough vulnerability to make me want to break her resolve, to make her submit to the tension swirling between us.

I leaned a little closer, just enough to make her notice. "You've got guts, Bianca. I'll give you that."

She didn't flinch, didn't step back. Her chin lifted slightly, as if daring me to do more than just test her. "I didn't come here for compliments, Eryx. If you've got something to say, say it."

Her words were sharp, but I could see the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes, the way her breath hitched when I moved closer. She was trying to act like this didn't affect her, like she was immune to the pull between us.

But she wasn't.

And I wasn't either.

I let my gaze drop to her lips, just for a second, long enough for the thought to cross my mind. Kiss her. It was there, hovering on the edge of reason, this dangerous temptation that gnawed at me the more time we spent together.

I could feel the pulse of tension between us, the way her body seemed to lean ever so slightly toward mine, even though her mind was probably screaming at her to keep her distance.

"What are you really after, Bianca?" I asked, my voice low, steady, but filled with something else now-something darker. I didn't just mean the mission. I wanted to know if she felt this, the same tension that was slowly driving me out of my mind.

Her jaw tightened, her lips parting just slightly as she spoke. "I'm after the same thing you are. Control."

The word hit me harder than it should have. Control. It was always about control, wasn't it? She thought she could step into my world, play by my rules, and maintain control. And the thought of her even trying-it was infuriating and intoxicating all at once.

"Control?" I echoed, my voice a little rougher now, the temptation to close the gap between us almost unbearable. "You think you're in control right now?"

She narrowed her eyes, the fire burning even brighter in them. "I know I am."

I couldn't stop the smirk that pulled at my lips. She was bold, I'd give her that. But she didn't understand the game she was playing. Not yet.

"You're playing with fire," I said, taking a step closer, feeling the heat rise between us. "And if you're not careful, you'll get burned."

Her eyes flicked to my lips for the briefest second, and I knew she felt it too. The pull. The temptation. But she was still holding herself back, still trying to maintain that thin layer of control she thought she had.

I didn't move any closer, but I let my voice drop lower, my eyes locked on hers. "Is that what you want, Bianca? To test the limits?"

Her breath caught, but she didn't back down. "I'm not afraid of you, Eryx."

I leaned in just a little more, my lips so close to hers that I could feel the warmth of her breath. "Maybe you should be."

The silence between us was deafening. I could feel every second stretch out, the tension coiling tighter and tighter until I thought it might snap. She was right there, so close I could practically taste the defiance on her lips, and the urge to claim her, to take what I wanted, was overwhelming.

But I didn't move.

Not yet.

Because this wasn't just about desire. This was about control. About pushing her, about seeing how far she would let me go before she cracked. I wanted her to break, to give in, but I wasn't going to make the first move. Not this time.

I wanted her to come to me.

Her breathing had quickened, her chest rising and falling faster now, and I could see the battle playing out behind her eyes. She was fighting it, just like I was. But neither of us was winning.

And then, just when I thought she might say something, might give in, she pulled back. Just enough to break the spell, to reassert that thin barrier between us.

I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay in control even though every part of me wanted to reach out and pull her back.

"You think you have control, Bianca," I said, my voice tight, barely keeping the edge of frustration out of it. "But you're wrong."

She held my gaze, her expression hardening again, the vulnerability I'd glimpsed moments before now hidden behind her walls. "I guess we'll see."

I stepped back, releasing the tension between us but never breaking eye contact. She wasn't ready yet, not to give in, not to break the way I wanted her to. But it didn't matter. I was patient. I could wait.

For now.

"Let's get this over with," I said, turning my attention back to the docks, though my mind was still on her. On what almost happened.

I could feel her eyes on me, but she didn't say anything. The silence between us was thick, charged with everything we weren't saying, with everything we both knew was inevitable.

As we moved to oversee the operation, I knew one thing for sure.

This wasn't over.

Not by a long shot.