Sonia12

She was raised to bring justice. He was born to rule the underworld.

Detective Aria Voss has spent years chasing shadows—tracking the faceless crime lord known only as The Phantom. Ruthless, elusive, and always a step ahead, he is the mastermind behind the city's most untouchable criminal empire. No one has ever seen his face. No one knows his name. And Aria is determined to be the one who brings him down.

But she doesn’t realize the man she’s hunting has been hunting her for years.

Killian Dante is more than just the Phantom. He is the architect of Aria’s life—pulling the strings from the shadows, ensuring every case she solved, every lead she chased, was one he placed in front of her. He has shaped her into the perfect detective, the perfect obsession, without her ever knowing. And now, she’s getting too close to the truth.

When a single mistake forces Killian to step out of the darkness, their game of cat and mouse turns deadly. She should hate him. She should arrest him. But every moment in his presence shatters her resolve. Every glance burns hotter than the justice she once swore to uphold.

She thought she was hunting a monster. But what happens when the monster is the man who owns her heart?

Will she uncover the truth and destroy him—or will she fall so deep that she loses herself in his world forever?

Puppet Master's Obsession

Aria sat frozen in her car, staring at the crumpled black envelope in her hands.

"Careful, Detective. Some secrets aren't meant to be uncovered."

A chill spread through her chest.

Killian wasn't just taunting her anymore. This was a warning. A direct threat.

But what was he trying to protect?

He had led her to Nolan Graves—but now he was telling her to stop?

Aria inhaled sharply, forcing her hands to steady. She had never been one to heed warnings.

If Killian thought she would back down, he had grossly underestimated her.

She grabbed her phone and dialed the only person who might be able to track down Nolan.

"Didn't think I'd be hearing from you again so soon," Ethan's voice came through the speaker, laced with amusement.

"I need you to find someone for me," Aria said, wasting no time.

A pause. "Let me guess… Nolan Graves."

Her grip on the steering wheel tightened. "So, you do know something."

"I know that looking for him is a good way to end up with a bullet between your eyes," Ethan said flatly. "Nolan isn't just a ghost, Aria. He's the kind of man who disappears for a reason."

Ethan sighed. "You're really going to push this, aren't you?"

There was silence on the other end. Then, Ethan muttered, "I'll see what I can find. But if I come up empty, don't expect a miracle."

"I never do," she said before hanging up.

Aria exited her car, her instincts immediately prickling.

The quiet was too thick. Too unnatural.

She pretended not to notice, keeping her pace steady as she approached her apartment building. But the moment she stepped inside, she spun, her gun already drawn.

Her fingers flexed around the weapon's grip.

She turned toward her apartment door—only to find it slightly ajar.

Her pulse kicked up. She had locked it.

Aria pushed the door open with the barrel of her gun, stepping inside cautiously.

Everything looked untouched. The lights were off, just as she had left them. But she knew better than to believe the illusion of normalcy.

She scanned the room, her breath slow and measured. Then, her gaze landed on her desk.

A single black chess piece sat in the center.

He had broken into her home, walked through her space, and left his mark—all without her hearing a damn thing.

Heat coiled in her stomach, a mix of rage and something far more dangerous.

And she was starting to wonder if this was just a game to him—or something much more twisted.

Her phone buzzed, shattering the silence.

She lifted it, seeing a single message from an unknown number.

"You should have listened, Aria."

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

And then—another message came through.

If she went, she was walking straight into his trap.

But if she didn't… she'd never get the answers she needed.

The hunt wasn't over. It was just beginning.

Chapter 8 The Ghost in the Shadows