The Truth Behind Those Eyes

Chapter One

It was nearing the end of a very long day and for that Nikki was thankful. Turning down the quiet road Nikki's mind slipped into weekend mode.She was thankful that once she'd completed this delivery she'd be done for the week. It had been an excruciating day full of difficult customers and she couldn't wait to shrug out of her uniform and slip into a piping hot bath.

Checking the mirror she caught sight of her disheveled reflection and sighed. Clearly the day hadn't just affected her mentality. She looked a mess. Her hair stuck up in irregular patches and what was left of her makeup had run in the heat of the day. Combined with dark circles around her tired eyes she looked like an extra from a Tim Burton film. She smiled ruefully at her disheveled reflection. What did it matter anyway? Her shift was almost over and there was no one at home to impress.

The cheerfully automated voice of her satnav cut through her self-deprecation, announcing she had reached her destination. Her thoughts wandered to the bath in which she was planning on spending her evening: languishing with bubbles in piping hot water, accompanied by her favourite book. Slowing to a stop, she snatched up her regulation company cap and clipboard from the passenger seat and skimmed the address on the paperwork. Raising her eyes she looked out and studied the surrounding area.

Empty warehouses on an equally empty street.

An ominous churning in the pit of her stomach warned her not to linger in this part of town. Scooping up the small package, she tucked it under her arm and headed towards the sign identifying 'Black Row Avenue'.

"Of course," she huffed, "couldn't have been the nice open street, now could it?" 

"This isn't a very friendly place."

She jumped at the unexpected sound of a male voice.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you..." From the shadow of the nearest warehouse entrance a man casually emerged and leaned lazily against the alley wall.
Nikki stopped in her tracks and eyed him cautiously as she mentally calculated the time it would take her to run back to her van. But the stranger made no attempt to move as he offered her a warm smile.

She blinked. Now that his features had been lit up by his lopsided grin, he was really quite handsome. His hazel eyes were large, and striking. In them she could see a reflection of the smile that danced across his mouth. She guessed him to be in his late twenties, but something about the way he held himself spoke of an older wisdom. Crossing his arms idly over his chest he made it apparent he was waiting for her appraisal to end. Realising she was staring, Nikki couldn't contain the flush that coloured her cheeks. The stranger, however, didn't seem to mind. With a slight chuckle he craned his neck and made a show of looking at the delivery. As he spotted the address all joviality disappeared.

"Seriously though, it's not exactly safe." He glanced at the package under her arm, and flicked his hair from his face. "You want me to take that for you?"

In a single beat of her heart, Nikki's mood switched from humiliation to annoyance. Scowling up at him she adjusted her stance. This wasn't the first time someone had tried to get her to hand over a package. 

"No, I can manage perfectly well thank you." She glared before defiantly stalking into the murkiness of the alley. 

"You sure?" he pressed. 

Stealing a glance over her shoulder, Nikki's bravado faded. Her unwanted companion was right behind her. The smile still lingered round his mouth and eyes but it no longer seemed genuine. Panic flooded her system: he was easily twice her size. If he tried anything she wouldn't stand a chance. 

"Um, no offence but what are you doing?" She screwed her face into a frown she hoped was intimidating. "I have a panic alarm, and if you take one step closer--"