The club throbbed with steady beat, low hum of conversation and laughter barely audible over the pounding bass. In shadowed corner, James King sat in his usual spot—back against the wall, drink in hand—his piercing green eyes cutting through dim light like a predator on the hunt.

He wasn’t there for the noise or chaos. No, those things bored him. He watched the room with practiced indifference, taking note of the movements, the shifting tides of the crowd. But tonight, something was different. His gaze paused on someone across the room. It wasn’t a deliberate decision; his eyes simply locked onto her, as if drawn by some invisible force.

She wasn’t even looking in his direction. And yet, something inside him shifted. She was different. The air around her seemed to pulling him in. He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees, as he watched her.

He hadn’t even spoken to her yet, hadn’t heard her voice or seen her up close. But that didn’t matter. James could feel the obsession settling in, like a predator’s instinct taking hold. His thoughts began to shift, the cold calculation of his usual mindset giving way to something more intense, more dangerous.

She didn’t know it yet—how could she? But from that moment on, she became his focus. His reason for breathing, his purpose. He just watched her. There was no need to rush. Patience was a weapon he had honed to perfection over the years. He knew how to wait.

But even as he sat there, quiet and still, James felt the stirrings of something darker, something possessive. She didn’t belong to him yet, but she would. That certainty burned in his chest, steady and undeniable.

He wasn’t reckless. He wasn’t the type to make careless moves, not unless he knew he would get what he wanted in the end. For now, he was content to watch. Let the obsession simmer just beneath the surface, where it always burned hottest.

She was already his in his mind. It was just a matter of time before the rest of the world caught up.