Page 39 of The Masks We Burn
My hits come one after the other, the adrenaline coursing through and pushing every hit faster. It isn’t until the ref’s hands are at my biceps and the bell chimes that I relent, turning to Mr. Jameson with a proud smile.
He shakes his graying head. “Kid, I’m starting to think you’re a natural.”
I shrug, ignoring how little that makes me feel.
What the fuck is wrong with me?
The beginning of this month, I was champing at the bit to get into the damn club. Now, during only my second fight, I barely feel more than when I have in my boxing matches with Blaze.
Ignoring the off sentiments, I let the ref finish conferring with judges before following his beacon to meet in the middle.
The ref lifts my hand, announcing me as winner. Thankfully, a faint high still finds me and courses through my veins as the voices in the crowd rise momentarily.
But then I catch the glow of pink hair under the low light leaving the arena, and the feeling of flight takes over.
She came.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“What color are you getting?” I ask Lily, turning to grab a dark shade of matte green and flipping it over.
Castleton Green.
So this is what color William’s eyes are.
Oh, hell. I didn’t mean to think about him, or those fucking eyes of his. The same ones I see every time I close my own and let my toys remind me of how he felt between my legs.
Never in my life has anyone eaten my pussy the way that man did. It was like I was the last smidge of pudding in the bottom of the cup, and he wasn’t done until every corner was clean.
He commanded every piece of me, and it was the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever experienced.
Like seriously. How the fuck am I supposed to find anyone who compares to that? And Ineedto find someone who compares. That’s my MO. One and done, thanks for the fun. But also, I want him to do it again.
Ugh.
An exaggerated sigh pushes from my lips as I flop down in the pedicure chair, garnering a look from Lily and her aunt Mina. I may not feel like delving into my insecurities one thousand percent yet, but I’m also able to admit I’m painting myself into a corner here and may need a little bit of help.
Don’t get me wrong, William still rides every nerve I have, but also, I want to ride something of his that will do nothing but stir up trouble. We’re two fires burning our way toward each other, but the damage that would come when it fizzles out isn’t worth the temporary beauty from the blaze.
But if that’s what his tongue felt like...
“What’s going on, girl?” Lily snaps me from the thoughts threatening to ruin another pair of panties. She’s peering at me from behind her long lashes, clinking two bottles of nail polish together.
I chew on the inside of my lip, wondering what it would be like to just let the words flow like William does. To speak freely without fear of someone poking at your weak spots. I’ve known Lily for years, yet still, I only let her see what I’m comfortable with. I had to when we first met, she was the literal queen of Emerald Falls High School, and I needed to be friends with the baddest there was to shield me until I grew my own shell. But now, why am I so unwilling to let her see the weak parts?
“Amora, is this about the wedding? Am I putting too much on your plate?”
The curious expression she had a second ago fades, replaced by worry. Her arched brows tilt inward and her mouth pulls down in the corners.
And now I feel like an asshole. “No, absolutely not.” I shake my head, poking my chin out toward her aunt Mina still looking at colors of polish on the display. “She’s the one doing all the DIY and hard stuff.”
Lily’s Aunt Mina huffs, going back to the red section she’s been eyeing since we got here. I adore that woman. She was separated from Lily when she was young because of Lil’s shit parents and went through hell and high water to find her. When she did, that was all she wrote. She’s not only been an incredible mother to Lily, but a second mom to the rest of us who needs something we can’t find with our own. For me, Mina’s helped on more than one occasion whether a career choice was right for me. She even let me dye her hair back when I was in high school.
She’s a gem and I wish I could more than help her with this.
“Bottom row, second to last color,” I call, sparing her the trouble of another fifteen minutes of looking.
Mina shoots me an appreciative smile before snatching the color and joining us in the chairs.
