
The Masked Obsession
Mary D. Sant · Ongoing · 31.2k Words
Introduction
The deep, whispered voice cuts through the silence, raising goosebumps along my skin and reverberating through my body in the darkness of the cabin.
So real it freezes me in place, sending my heart racing with pure terror.
I’m not alone.
I want to scream, but nothing comes out. The sound stays trapped in my throat, locked down by fear.
Without looking back, my first instinct is to run.
But before I can take a second step, the wooden floor vanishes beneath me as strong arms wrap around my waist, lifting me off the ground.
My scream is smothered by a large gloved hand as I struggle.
“Shhh,” he whispers against my ear. “Don’t scream… (…) It’s useless. No one will hear you… there’s no one around…”
Suddenly, he turns my body, pinning my arms behind my back.
Breathless, I force myself to lift my face and look at him, but all I can see in the darkness is a black mask covering almost his entire face, revealing only his eyes and mouth.
I swallow hard, a new shiver running across my skin as I meet the intense, shadowed stare behind the mask.
I’m paralyzed again. Only now, not just from fear.
There’s something else—something I can’t understand or control.
Something that holds me still, trapped in his gaze when I should be screaming and trying to escape.
(…)
“I’m not leaving… not until you show me why you want me here so much. And you do want me.”
He slides his fingers along my cheek, a touch that makes me question my own sanity.
“So show me, little flame.”
“This… this is sick,” I breathe, fighting the way his gaze makes my skin burn.
“Then why are you so wet?”
Dark Romance. 18+.
Chapter 1
Trigger Warning: This is a dark romance and may contain sensitive themes, including voyeurism and stalking, obsession, emotional coercion, power imbalance, ambiguous consent, explicit sexual content with dominance dynamics and psychological intensity, trauma, physical and psychological abuse, and emotional and/or physical violence.
Author’s Note:
This is not a fairytale.
Here, the lines between right and wrong blur.
If you're looking for comfort, this story may not be for you.
But if you're ready to dive in—and lose yourself—welcome to the darkness.
You’ve been warned.
Read with awareness.
Or get lost, like she did.
✽✽✽
Prologue
In the midst of darkness and the white, frozen void, a single flame pulses: the lights of the small chalet at the foot of the mountain.
They capture my attention.
I try to ignore them.
I can't.
The light is persistent.
Alluring.
Wrong.
Silence.
Wine.
Boredom.
It's all I have.
The light remains, right where it shouldn't be.
But the distance doesn't let me see the guest.
The binoculars are in the drawer.
I stare at the desk.
On it, the computer is still warm.
I broke my promise not to work on the holiday.
I give in and walk back to it.
Set the glass on the table and open the second drawer.
The binoculars weigh in my hands as I return to the window.
What am I doing?
No...
What is the guest doing?
My eyes adjust to the lenses.
The image sharpens.
Then I see her.
Alone.
Unhurried.
Unafraid.
Pale, bare skin.
Curves sprawled across the couch.
Fingers gliding between her legs, as if nothing around her existed.
As if no one could see her.
But I see her.
Every movement.
Every soundless moan.
I swallow hard.
My breath quickens.
My blood heats.
It’s wrong.
I know that.
But I can’t stop.
For a moment, I lose control.
Everything fades.
Even the weight of the past.
There’s nothing left.
Only... need.
Raw. Wild.
And I let it consume me.
✽
I shouldn’t have watched.
Not for that long.
Not the way I did.
But there was something about her.
Something that kept me from looking away.
And once again, the light was on.
A flame in the darkness of the night.
Warm.
Calling me.
Irresistible.
And I couldn’t resist.
But this time... watching her wouldn’t be enough.
✽✽✽
Chapter 1: Obsession Awakens
"You came to me thinking you’d be the one asking questions, but now, I’m the one who wants answers."
EVANGELINE
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves—still carried by the echo of my heels on the sidewalk steps.
It’s so cold I can see the white mist from my breath. It fades as I reach the last steps.
As I reach the top, I stop and stare at the imposing building rising before me—like a tower of black mirrored glass, reflecting the city on its dark, flawless surface.
But something stands out against the black: a large silver V gleams on the façade. Below it, in equally bold silver letters, it reads: Volkov Industries—The power behind the world you see.
Reading the slogan alone is enough to send a shiver through me. Or maybe it’s just the bone-chilling cold of late January.
Pulling my black coat tighter around me, I stare at my reflection in the dark glass. What kind of outfit do you wear to interview a cold, reserved billionaire CEO?
I have no idea—and it doesn’t really matter, since I shouldn’t even be here. Serves me right. I could’ve just said no to Charles, but here I am, about to interview a man who must be, at the very least, detestable.
How can you hate someone so quickly? An hour and twenty minutes, if I count the twenty-minute cab ride from the publishing house to here.
That’s how long I had to read about Aleksander Volkov. In short: born in Russia, thirty-two years old, described as brilliant, reserved, strategic, and inaccessible.
Actually, I added the "inaccessible" part after Charles’s last words before he practically shoved me into the cab: “Remember: he agreed to speak to us as a courtesy. Just ask the basic questions—he hates beating around the bush. And avoid anything too personal. And for God’s sake, don’t try to figure him out. You’ve got ten minutes, not a lifetime.”
It’s more than clear he’s not the type who gives interviews or smiles for the camera. I think that was even underlined somewhere in the file Tess put together about him—and that he doesn’t answer questions he doesn’t want to.
She also scribbled the word intimidating in the corners of the pages a few times. Which isn’t exactly helping my nerves right now.
Unfortunately—or maybe fortunately—she didn’t include a single photo of him either. Only numbers. Growth. Power. Achievements. Nothing personal. Nothing human.
So even after reading the entire file she put together about him, everything still sounded like a synonym for arrogant, controlling, and detestable.
What was only reinforced by one of the rumors Tess had listed: a possible connection between his family and Eastern European mafia networks.
Nothing confirmed, of course—just speculation. Still, it was enough to make me uneasy. And now, it’s making me wonder where the hell I’ve gotten myself into.
You could’ve just said no, Evangeline. But no—you had to help your best friend and your boss. Because they trust you.
I need to stop trying to help everyone. That’s exactly how I ended up with two positions.
But now, there’s no way out.
So, clutching my bag against my body, I take one more deep breath and start walking toward the building’s entrance.
✽
“Miss Monroe?” the blonde behind the desk calls out, making me rise from the sofa.
Sinclair. I correct her mentally, trying to ignore the fact that she clearly didn’t listen when I explained the situation earlier.
“Mr. Volkov will see you now. Please, follow me,” she says, stepping out from behind the desk.
I follow her, feeling my heart begin to race.
Looking at her—just as flawless as the space around us—and then at my own outfit, I suddenly miss the coat and scarf I left at reception.
Wearing only black dress pants and a white button-down shirt, I feel too plain. Maybe because, when I woke up this morning, I had no idea I’d end up here.
About to interview an intimidating billionaire.
Stopping beside the door, the blonde opens it for me.
I swallow hard and take a breath, gathering courage.
You’ve got this, Evangeline. This is nothing compared to your real job.
And so, I step in.
My footsteps echo across the polished, dark marble floor, too loud in the silence that dominates the massive room—it seems to take up the entire floor.
Everything around me feels cold and immaculate. Black and gray furniture, walls just as dark. The sparse decor is just as sober as the rest.
Shifting my gaze from the large conference table on the left, I glance quickly past the floor-to-ceiling windows that take up the entire wall, offering a privileged view of nearly all of Manhattan.
Then, to the right—behind a massive black desk and beneath a silver V like the one on the building’s façade—Mr. Volkov is seated, his attention fixed on the computer, as if my presence were nothing more than an inconvenience.
That attitude alone is enough to spark irritation in me, so I clear my throat to get his attention.
Without haste, he lifts his head, and his eyes—intense and icy blue—lock onto me. And in that instant, I wish I could turn back time to before they were on me.
For some reason, he seems frozen for a moment. Then he blinks.
“Mr. Volkov.” I force my voice out, stepping toward him again.
Without looking away, he remains seated, his eyes moving over my body, carefully analyzing me with each step.
Uncomfortable, I curse Tess mentally for not including a single photo of him in the files, leaving me completely unprepared for this.
That cold, piercing blue gaze is only part of the whole—enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
His dark blond, almost brown hair is slicked back, looking almost excessively neat. His square jaw and firm chin create a sharp line that climbs to his cheekbones, sculpting serious—almost severe—features that reinforce his untouchable image.
I wouldn’t describe him as handsome in the usual sense. No. His beauty isn’t soft. It’s strong and intimidating—capable of inspiring fear and distance. And yet, somehow, still capable of attraction.
When I stop in front of his desk, he finally stands, making me swallow hard. And as I watch him walk around it, I feel a sudden urge to shrink back.
"Miss Monroe."
He extends his hand as he stops in front of me, and his deep voice—unlike any I’ve ever heard—seems to reverberate through my entire body, sending a shiver down my spine.
I hesitate for a second, intimidated not just by his voice, but also by his height—he must be at least twenty centimeters taller than me.
His shoulders are so broad they make him seem even larger in his all-black suit.
And only now, up close, do I realize his eyes are steel-blue—cold as ice, hypnotic.
I blink, trying to return to reality. Then I look at his still-outstretched hand and shake it.
“Sinclair,” I correct, feeling his large hand grip mine firmly.
I try to ignore the strange sensation his touch stirs in me and hold his gaze as long as I can—until I have to look away.
“There was a last-minute change, so Miss Monroe couldn’t come,” I explain. “I’m Evangeline Sinclair.”
He stays silent, studying me with that glacial stare.
“Sit. You have ten minutes, Miss Sinclair,” he says at last, curtly.
As I sit in front of his desk, he moves back behind it without looking away—but he doesn’t sit. He just keeps watching me.
And even as I look down to dig through my bag, I can still feel his gaze pressing down on me.
I hesitate for a moment before pulling out my notepad and pen too, wondering if it might come across as outdated in front of the CEO of one of the world’s most influential tech companies.
But in the end, that’s how I feel most comfortable.
“Shall we begin?” I ask, ready to press record, noticing he’s still watching me.
He nods slowly, like someone who’s decided he’s seen enough, and only then does he sit.
I press the button to start recording, silently reviewing Tess’s first question before speaking it aloud.
“What motivated the creation of Volkov Industries, and how would you define its purpose today?”
I look at him—and it takes no more than a few seconds.
“Lack of control is weakness. We exist to eliminate it. We develop advanced systems to anticipate threats and keep power where it belongs. Our purpose is simple: predict, protect, and dominate. Because in the end, control isn’t a luxury. It’s survival.”
The speed of his answer—like he doesn’t even need to think—and the way he delivers each word with confidence and precision while holding my gaze nearly takes my breath away.
Still, the response feels too concise. So I wait, hoping he’ll say more. But he remains silent, making it clear he’s done.
So I just move on to the next question.
“What is Volkov Industries’ strategy for maintaining its leadership in the global tech landscape?”
“We expand with a clear purpose: to set standards, not follow them. Presence alone isn’t enough. We go where we can lead.”
That’s it?
I keep staring at him. I guess so. Another objective answer. Is he going to respond to all of them like this?
I bet he will. Or maybe I’m boring him.
I skim the list quickly, looking for something that might actually interest him. I pick one but hesitate for a second, worried it might come across as rushed because it’s out of order—still, I ask it anyway.
“How do you handle power?”
I wait—but to my surprise, he remains silent, staring at me like I’ve suddenly grown a second head.
“Turn off the recorder,” he orders suddenly.
“What?”
He looks at the recorder in my hand, then back at me, not even bothering to repeat the order—as if his stare alone were enough. And it is.
“All right.” I stop the recording, confused. “Is there a problem, Mr. Volkov?”
“I assume these questions aren’t yours. Am I right?”
I blink. Was I that bad?
“As I said, there was a change, and I…”
“Is there any question you actually want to ask—one that’s truly relevant, Miss Sinclair?” he cuts me off.
“I’m sorry, I... I was told to stick to what’s most relevant for the magazine.”
“So you’re saying there’s no personal question you want to ask?”
“Well...”
I glance down at the bottom of the page, remembering Tess had added a few suggestions for personal questions.
“Are you… single?” I read the first one, instantly regretting it.
“Give me that,” he orders, impatient, motioning toward the page in my hand.
“But…”
He keeps staring at me, hand outstretched and gaze authoritative—like someone who doesn’t take no for an answer.
Reluctantly, I give him the list.
His eyes scan the page quickly before placing it on the desk. Then his attention shifts back to me.
“Now, is there a question you actually want to ask?”
I don’t understand. What is he trying to do? Is this some kind of test?
It doesn’t matter. I just need him to answer the questions. But truthfully, there’s something that’s been on my mind since I first started reading about him—something that’s only been reinforced by everything he’s said so far.
“Would you say you’re obsessed with control?”
He doesn’t answer. Just keeps staring at me in silence. And for a moment, I start to think I may have bothered him.
“I believe your time is up, Miss Sinclair,” he says, breaking the silence. “But don’t worry—you’ll get the answers to those questions. And… if you’re truly interested in hearing the answer to your question—and to others you might have—I’m willing to give them. But only if I’m answering you directly.”
“Mr. Volkov, I appreciate it, but I’m not the one behind this interview. I’m sure Miss Monroe would…”
“No. That offer is for you. I’ll send the responses, and if you change your mind, you can send your own questions.”
“Mr. Volkov…”
“I have a meeting now, Miss Sinclair,” he interrupts, dismissing me.
I nod, a little confused, and begin putting my things away. Once I’m done, I stand.
“Thank you, Mr. Volkov. I’ll be waiting for your responses,” I say.
He rises slowly, reminding me why he’s described as intimidating, then extends his hand.
“And I’ll be waiting for your questions. The real ones,” he says, his blue eyes fixed on me with raw intensity—and something else. A silent challenge.
And suddenly, it feels like there’s something familiar in them. Something that sends a shiver down my spine.
But that’s impossible.
Isn’t it?
Last Chapters
#25 Chapter 25: Let It Break
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#24 Chapter 24: See
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#23 Chapter 23: I’m Done Watching
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#22 Chapter 22: Right Where I Want You
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#21 Chapter 21: I Can See Everything
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#20 Chapter 20: You Know You Want To
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#19 Chapter 19: See You Soon
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#18 Chapter 18: One Step Closer
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#17 Chapter 17: Come to Me
Last Updated: 12/1/2025#16 Chapter 16: Cornered
Last Updated: 12/1/2025
You Might Like 😍
The Biker's Fate
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Dani," he pressed. "Do you get me?"
"No, Austin, I don't," I admitted as I pulled my robe closed again and sat up. "You confuse me."
He dragged his hands down his face. "Tell me what's on your mind."
I sighed. "You're everything my parents warned me against. You're secretive, but you're also honest. I feel wholly protected by you, but then you scare me more than anyone I've ever known. You're a bad boy, but when I dated a so-called good one, he turned out to be the devil, so, yeah, I don't get you because you're not what I expected. You drive me crazier than anyone I've ever met, but then you make me feel complete. I'm feeling things I don't quite know how to process and that makes me want to run. I don't want to give up something that might be really, really good, but I also don't want to be stupid and fall for a boy just because he's super pretty and makes me come."
Danielle Harris is the daughter of an overprotective police chief and has led a sheltered life. As a kindergarten teacher, she's as far removed from the world of Harleys and bikers as you could get, but when she's rescued by the sexy and dangerous Austin Carver, her life is changed forever.
Although Austin 'Booker' Carver is enamored by the innocent Dani, he tries to keep the police chief's daughter at arm's length. But when a threat is made from an unexpected source, he finds himself falling hard and fast for the only woman who can tame his wild heart.
Will Booker be able to find the source of the threat before it's too late?
Will Dani finally give her heart to a man who's everything she's been warned about?
Accardi
“I thought you said you were done chasing me?” Gen mocked.
“I am done chasing you.”
Before she could formulate a witty remark, Matteo threw her down. She landed hard on her back atop his dining room table. She tried to sit up when she noticed what he was doing. His hands were working on his belt. It came free of his pants with a violent yank. She collapsed back on her elbows, her mouth gaping open at the display. His face was a mask of sheer determination, his eyes were a dark gold swimming with heat and desire. His hands wrapped around her thighs and pulled her to the edge of the table. He glided his fingers up her thighs and hooked several around the inside of her panties. His knuckles brushed her dripping sex.
“You’re soaking wet, Genevieve. Tell me, was it me that made you this way or him?” his voice told her to be careful with her answer. His knuckles slid down through her folds and she threw her head back as she moaned. “Weakness?”
“You…” she breathed.
Genevieve loses a bet she can’t afford to pay. In a compromise, she agrees to convince any man her opponent chooses to go home with her that night. What she doesn’t realize when her sister’s friend points out the brooding man sitting alone at the bar, is that man won’t be okay with just one night with her. No, Matteo Accardi, Don of one of the largest gangs in New York City doesn’t do one night stands. Not with her anyway.
The Prison Project
Can love tame the untouchable? Or will it only fuel the fire and cause chaos amongst the inmates?
Fresh out of high school and suffocating in her dead-end hometown, Margot longs for her escape. Her reckless best friend, Cara, thinks she's found the perfect way out for them both - The Prisoner Project - a controversial program offering a life-changing sum of money in exchange for time spent with maximum-security inmates.
Without hesitation, Cara rushes to sign them up.
Their reward? A one-way ticket into the depths of a prison ruled by gang leaders, mob bosses, and men the guards wouldn't even dare to cross...
At the centre of it all, meets Coban Santorelli - a man colder than ice, darker than midnight, and as deadly as the fire that fuels his inner rage. He knows that the project may very well be his only ticket to freedom - his only ticket to revenge on the one who managed to lock him up and so he must prove that he can learn to love…
Will Margot be the lucky one chosen to help reform him?
Will Coban be capable of bringing something to the table other than just sex?
What starts off as denial may very well grow in to obsession which could then fester in to becoming true love…
A temperamental romance novel.
The Lycan Prince’s Puppy
“Soon enough, you’ll be begging for me. And when you do—I’ll use you as I see fit, and then I’ll reject you.”
—
When Violet Hastings begins her freshman year at Starlight Shifters Academy, she only wants two things—honor her mother’s legacy by becoming a skilled healer for her pack and get through the academy without anyone calling her a freak for her strange eye condition.
Things take a dramatic turn when she discovers that Kylan, the arrogant heir to the Lycan throne who has made her life miserable from the moment they met, is her mate.
Kylan, known for his cold personality and cruel ways, is far from thrilled. He refuses to accept Violet as his mate, yet he doesn’t want to reject her either. Instead, he sees her as his puppy, and is determined to make her life even more of a living hell.
As if dealing with Kylan’s torment isn’t enough, Violet begins to uncover secrets about her past that change everything she thought she knew. Where does she truly come from? What is the secret behind her eyes? And has her whole life been a lie?
From Substitute To Queen
Heartbroken, Sable discovered Darrell having sex with his ex in their bed, while secretly transferring hundreds of thousands to support that woman.
Even worse was overhearing Darrell laugh to his friends: "She's useful—obedient, doesn't cause trouble, handles housework, and I can fuck her whenever I need relief. She's basically a live-in maid with benefits." He made crude thrusting gestures, sending his friends into laughter.
In despair, Sable left, reclaimed her true identity, and married her childhood neighbor—Lycan King Caelan, nine years her senior and her fated mate. Now Darrell desperately tries to win her back. How will her revenge unfold?
From substitute to queen—her revenge has just begun!
Badass in Disguise
"Jade, I need to check your—" the nurse began.
"OUT!" I snarled with enough force that both women backed toward the door.
Once feared by Shadow Organization that drugged me to replicate my abilities into a more controllable version, I had escaped my restraints and detonated their entire facility, ready to die alongside my captors.
Instead, I woke up in a school infirmary with women arguing around me, their voices piercing my skull. My outburst froze them in shock—clearly they hadn't expected such a reaction. One woman threatened as she left, "We'll discuss this attitude when you get home."
The bitter truth? I've been reborn into the body of an overweight, weak, and supposedly dim-witted high school girl. Her life is filled with bullies and tormentors who've made her existence miserable.
But they have no idea who they're dealing with now.
I didn't survive as the world's deadliest assassin by allowing anyone to push me around. And I certainly won't start now.
I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis
Technically, Rhys Granger was my fiancé now—billionaire, devastatingly hot, and a walking Wall Street wet dream. My parents shoved me into the engagement after Catherine disappeared, and honestly? I didn’t mind. I’d crushed on Rhys for years. This was my chance, right? My turn to be the chosen one?
Wrong.
One night, he slapped me. Over a mug. A stupid, chipped, ugly mug my sister gave him years ago. That’s when it hit me—he didn’t love me. He didn’t even see me. I was just a warm-bodied placeholder for the woman he actually wanted. And apparently, I wasn’t even worth as much as a glorified coffee cup.
So I slapped him right back, dumped his ass, and prepared for disaster—my parents losing their minds, Rhys throwing a billionaire tantrum, his terrifying family plotting my untimely demise.
Obviously, I needed alcohol. A lot of alcohol.
Enter him.
Tall, dangerous, unfairly hot. The kind of man who makes you want to sin just by existing. I’d met him only once before, and that night, he just happened to be at the same bar as my drunk, self-pitying self. So I did the only logical thing: I dragged him into a hotel room and ripped off his clothes.
It was reckless. It was stupid. It was completely ill-advised.
But it was also: Best. Sex. Of. My. Life.
And, as it turned out, the best decision I’d ever made.
Because my one-night stand isn’t just some random guy. He’s richer than Rhys, more powerful than my entire family, and definitely more dangerous than I should be playing with.
And now, he’s not letting me go.
The mafia princess return
His Mission
Emily is suddenly thrown from one world of danger and uncertainty into another. The two teens ride the rollercoaster of love, unbelievable betrayal and heartache.
Omega Bound
Thane Knight is the alpha of the Midnight Pack of the La Plata Mountain Range, the largest wolf shifter pack in the world. He is an alpha by day and hunts the shifter trafficking ring with his group of mercenaries by night. His hunt for vengeance leads to one raid that changes his life.
Tropes:
Touch her and die/Slow burn romance/Fated Mates/Found family twist/Close circle betrayal/Cinnamon roll for only her/Traumatized heroine/Rare wolf/Hidden powers/Knotting/Nesting/Heats/Luna/Attempted assassination
Mated by Contract to the Alpha
William—my devastatingly handsome, wealthy werewolf fiancé destined to become Delta—was supposed to be mine forever. After five years together, I was ready to walk down the aisle and claim my happily ever after.
Instead, I found him with her. And their son.
Betrayed, jobless, and drowning in my father's medical bills, I hit rock bottom harder than I ever imagined possible. Just when I thought I'd lost everything, salvation came in the form of the most dangerous man I'd ever encountered.
Damien Sterling—future Alpha of the Silver Moon Shadow Pack and ruthless CEO of Sterling Group—slid a contract across his desk with predatory grace.
“Sign this, little doe, and I'll give you everything your heart desires. Wealth. Power. Revenge. But understand this—the moment you put pen to paper, you become mine. Body, soul, and everything in between.”
I should have run. Instead, I signed my name and sealed my fate.
Now I belong to the Alpha. And he's about to show me just how wild love can be.
My Possessive Alpha Twins For Mate
My drunk stepfather remained indifferent, his weight suffocating, making it hard to breathe as my heart raced.
Suddenly, the door slammed open, and two figures burst in.
"Get off her!" a deafening roar echoed.
I didn't expect the twin brothers who'd bullied me at school to come charging in like gods to save me.
After my grandmother passed, I had to move in with my mom and stepdad, who treated me like a servant. I prayed every day for my 18th birthday to come, so l could leave and escape this broken home.
However, on my first day at my new school, l encountered the legendary twins everyone feared.
To make matters worse, the Moon Goddess revealed they were both my mates!
After helping me out with my stepdad, my twin mate cornered me, played with my hair, and whispered possessively, "You belong to us, our little mate..."












