Page 55 of The Masks We Burn
I chuckle to myself, thinking of all the ways I want to make Amora scream tonight. But the woman raises a heavily filled-in brow to which I just say a quick yes.
When the doors finally open, we step inside, and my heart starts picking up pace. I’m so eager to get downstairs, I don’t notice the girl is nearly touching me at my side. I jolt back, grabbing her hand just in time, my furrowed brows showing my confusion. “Can I help you?”
She bats her blonde lashes, her hand going lax in mine and it’s then I place her. She’s the ring card girl that’s held up a number for two of my fights.
“You did great tonight.” Her voice is sultry and dripping with something I would have drank up and enjoyed two months ago. Now, not even a piece of me wants her close to me. She leans forward, her breast pressed into my chest.
I tip back but my shoulder hits the elevator wall, leaving me nowhere to go. I keep my tone respectful but forceful. “Thanks, ma’am, I appreciate the compliment, but I’m with someone and—”
“Well, isn’t this nice.” Amora’s voice cuts through the doors before they even finish opening. She turns on her heels and stomps away before I can even respond.
“Doesn’t look like it anymore,” the woman purrs.
I drop her hand like it’s fire and rush out, catching up with Amora in seconds. Only when I do, she isn’t the same girl from thirty minutes ago.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
My jaw hurts from how hard I’m clamping it shut, my stomach equally sour when I blink and see the girl all on top of William. She’s fucking beautiful and probably just his type.
Iwantto be mad. Iwantto be furious. Iwantto slap him across the face, tell him our deal is off, and he can go fuck himself.
But as much as I’d love to do it, the truth is, I still need him for now. So instead, I allow my shield to rise, recovering the weak spots I’ve foolishly shown him. It was such a stupid mistake and now—
“Amora, slow the hell down. How are you so fast in those heels?”
“Because I’m not some basic bitch. Don’t insult me again and just take me home,” I snap.
Will reaches for my hand, brushing my fingertips. “Baby girl, stop—”
“Are you fucking kidding me right now?” I snatch my hand away and spin to face him, fury blazing in my eyes. “Are you going to take me home or do I need to call an Uber?”
His eyebrows pinch together, a genuine look of hurt crossing his face. Too bad I couldn’t give two fucks about it. I guess finally realizing just how shut out he is, he reaches in his pocket and finds his fob, unlocking his truck a few cars down. I rush to it, flopping down in the front seat and crossing my arms as I fix my gaze out the window.
Thankfully, he climbs in silently, tossing his duffel in the back seat next to another that I remember from my house yesterday. I wonder if he planned to stay with someone else but saw me and decided otherwise. The thought sears into my skin like fire and angry tears instantly begin burning the bridge of my lids.
We drive what feels like forever, the quiet cabin growing tenser by the mile, but it isn’t until we reach the last long stretch of road toward Solace that my emotions boil over.
I’m so fucking stupid. I thought… I don’t know what the fuck I thought but I should have known better. I knew we were just having fun. I knew that neither of us would stick around for a second round. Yet, I still opened myself to the possibility. I wanted to try because he felt so fucking good. Because in only a month he dealt with my attitude and my mouth, and I felt a little safe with him.
Anger bubbles in my stomach, forcing the acid into my esophagus and burning it raw. “Pull over.”
I see him look at me in my periphery and shake his head. “We are literally five miles away. I’m not pulling over.”
“But you are. I want out of this fucking truck right now.”
“Amora, please take a breath and just let me fucking explain. You didn’t see the entire thing.”
I don’t want to, but my brain picks at his words, noticing how he doesn’t say my anger is an overreaction or that I’m acting crazy or to calm down. He just wants to talk, to explain, but I’m so fucked I can’t even give him that. I just want out. “Explain what? That you got caught with your hands on another woman with her tits pressed up against your neck. You can’t lie about not being hard either. Your sweats don’t hide shit.”
“I can explain that too, I was literally just thinking about going down o—”
“Stop. The fucking. Truck.” I know I’ve cracked a molar by now.
“I can’t just let you out. It’s the middle of the night, and there’s no way in hell I’m letting you walk.”
“William. Let me out now. You’re holding me against my will.”
The truck skids to a halt and I have to press my hand to the dash to keep from being jostled. He starts to say something but when he puts the car in park to face me, the door unlocks, and I hop out.
