"Please, have a seat," the masked man invited.
He lowered himself onto the sofa at the farthest corner of the lounge and spread his arms along the backrest as though he owned the entire room. Crossing his legs, he leaned back and silently observed Ashley.
Though his posture appeared relaxed, the pressure emanating from him was anything but. Behind the mask, his eyes followed her every movement as she calmly took her seat, as if weighing and evaluating her worth.
Ashley and the others settled onto the sofa without the slightest sign of discomfort. Unlike most people who would have been intimidated by the masked man's overwhelming presence, none of them appeared pressured or diminished in his company. When Ashley saw the refreshments in front of her, she casually picked up her drink and took a sip to wet her throat, showing no hesitation whatsoever.
