Page 61 of Hateful Games

If that wasn’t enough, I then had to endure lunch with his whole family.

I was happy when Miya and I sneaked out with some random excuse.

Except, the second we stepped inside the apartment while the boys are out, Miya went straight down the hall and unlocked Malcolm’s room, walking inside as if she belonged there. Hell, she even knew where the light switch was in the dark.

Now she is surveying through his massive walk-in closet. Again, the ease and familiarity with which she moves and searches through his things tells me she’s lying about nothing going on between them.

It makes me second-guess my secret plan of seducing him tonight.

I have my flaws but sleeping with a man that my friend has feelings for, who as promised wormed her way into my life, isn’t one of them.

“He’s nothing but my cousin’s annoying friend, Rosalie,” she replies more firmly.

“So, you wouldn’t be upset if he slept with another girl?”

She pauses to fully face me. “Like who?”

As I remain quiet, understanding dawns on her pretty features.

“Oh,” she mumbles. “But you have Nova.”

It is my turn to laugh. “I wouldn’t let him touch me with a ten-foot pole.”

“You really hate him, huh?”

“How can I not, Miya?” I reply in a somber tone. “I always imagined falling in love with a man I chose, not someone forced to be with me, let alone marry. How would you feel if your parents showed up with a random man and said this is the one you have to spend the rest of your life with? Would you accept your fate? Could you really fall for him and not wonder if there was someone else out there for you?”

She shakes her head and whispers, “No. I could never.”

“Even if by some miracle we did, I will always question if it’s real or because he had no choice.”

A faraway look crosses her eyes and she looks away. When she faces me again, her expression doesn’t give anything away. “Do you like Malcolm?”

“He’s attractive,” I reply with a shrug.

“I don’t care if you two hook up, Rosalie. Honestly, there’s nothing between us except maybe mutual dislike. He’s hot and single. So go for it. Just don’t let Nova find out.”

My intentions are the exact opposite. Though I don’t tell her that. “What are we looking for here, exactly?”

“The code.”

“The code?”

“For entering the party,” she explains, back to her chirpy self. Walking over to his organized desk in the corner, she checks the drawer. “Malcolm is handling the security tonight. He must have written down the code somewhere. Aha!”

I curiously watch her yank open a black envelope. She must have found the secret code because a wide excited grin tilts her mouth. However, my attention locks on what’s hiding underneath.

A distorted matte black mask.

Intrigued, I grab it and feel the texture against my palm. An unexpected dark thrill shoots down my spine at the thought of a man wearing it while he takes me with no holds barred.

No names. No expectations.

Just the raw and animalistic need to fuck and taste pleasure.

“Oh, this must be Malcolm’s mask,” says Miya, running a single finger down the middle. “Creepy. I don’t understand the fascination with masks, honestly.”

“It’s freeing,” I whisper. Wearing the mask over my face, I gaze at her. “The freedom to be whoever we want, to let our demons run free.” Backing her until Malcolm’s bed hits her legs, I crowd her and graze my finger along her arm. She shivers when I wrap my hand around her soft neck. “It’s the chance to escape and bring our darkest fantasies to life without the fear of consequences. Because we’ll never get caught.”

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