Page 54 of Run Little Fawn

She'll try to throw me off, no doubt. A false trail, perhaps. Or an unexpected destination.

But she can't hide from me.

Not for long.

This game of cat and mouse… it's only just begun. And I intend to savor every moment of it.

The waitress returns, her smile a little too bright, her gaze lingering a little too long. I barely spare her a glance, my focus entirely consumed by the woman on the screen.

The woman who has somehow managed to captivate me in a way no one else ever has. Running from me, yet tied to me in ways she can't even begin to comprehend.

I close the laptop, the screen going dark. I don't need to see any more. I know where she's going, or I can at least venture a guess. I know what she's thinking. I've gotten inside her head, just as surely as she's gotten under my skin.

I leave a generous tip on the table, more out of habit than any real appreciation for the service. Money means little to me, just another tool to be wielded in this elaborate game.

As I step out into the bustling city street, I breathe in the crisp morning air. The thrill of the hunt sings in my veins, a pulsing, primal beat that drowns out the noise of the waking world.

Let her run.

It will only make the inevitable all the sweeter.

For in the end, my little fawn will learn the truth—that she belongs to me. That she has belonged to me from the very first day. And no matter how far she runs, no matter where she tries to hide...

I will always find her.

I don’t let myself think about what's going to happen at the end of the seventh hunt.

When our little game becomes all too real.

I step off the plane into the sweltering heat of Las Vegas, the sun glaring off the tarmac. The city rises up before me, a shimmering mirage of glass and neon.

It's an obvious choice, almost too obvious for Aria.

I expected more from her, a cleverer play.

But perhaps that's the point. A double bluff, hiding in plain sight amidst the crowds and the chaos.

As I make my way through the airport, my mind is already working, analyzing, anticipating. I hack into the security feeds of the shops lining the concourse, scanning the faces of the travelers.

But there's no sign of her. Not a glimpse of those striking eyes, that heart-shaped face. She's in disguise, and a good one at that. She's learning, adapting. Becoming a worthy adversary in this game of ours.

But it's a game I have no intention of losing.

I exit the airport and slide into the back of a waiting car, the leather cool against my skin. The driver knows better than to ask questions of me, simply nodding as I give him the name of my hotel.

As we merge into the heavy traffic of the Strip, I stare out at the passing throngs of tourists, the flashing billboards and towering hotels. Somewhere in this neon jungle, Aria is hiding. Planning her next move.

But I have moves of my own.

First things first, I set up my mobile HQ. I've paid a small fortune to be able to do what I do from anywhere in the world, and this is no exception. Certainly beats a literal jungle with no reception.

I set up my equipment, the screens casting an eerie glow in the dimness. I infiltrate the city's surveillance network, tapping into cameras on every corner, in every casino.

Hours pass, the sky outside my windows fading from blue to indigo to inky black.

The city comes alive, a pulsing, frenetic energy that I can feel even from my lofty perch. But my focus never wavers, my eyes scanning the screens, searching for any sign of her.

And then… there.

---