Page 122 of The Masks She Wore

?I felt a twinge in my gut but ignored it. It was normal for him, leaving. In fact, he had made it abundantly clear that having assignments only in LA had been for my benefit, not theirs. I had expected this, but it still sucked on some deeper level. “Great, I don’t have to get my ass handed to me then.”

?“I still expect you to train twice a day, go on runs,” he explained, grabbing his towel. “Drink, eat as I’ve said. Anddon’tuse the new toys in the bedroom. No getting off without me, Princess. That’s an order.”

?I rolled my eyes, taking a long drink. I liked my ‘meal plan’. It was good, it made me feel good. Sure, it had taken a couple of weeks to get used to, but now I couldn’t imagine going back to how it was. I’d allow him to think it was his choice though, it made his ego throb.

?As for the toys? I could handle the punishments when he returned. He couldn’t stop me from masturbating. He had put me into a routine. My body craved orgasms now. I wouldn’t stop just because he ordered me too.

?“Don’t do anything stupid,” he warned as if reading my thoughts.

?“Like what, Jack?” I asked, finding his eyes. “I don’t need the drugs, I’ve got your cock.”

?His pupils dilated at just the mention of anything sexual. It was fun. He acted like this big bad dangerous man, but he was at the mercy of sex as much as I was. “Like going to the cathedral and talking to Max, Nora, Carrie, or Benji.”

?My sarcastic response stopped in its tracks, and I straightened. “Benjiand Carrie?” I didn’t know he had brought them in. “When did that happen?”

?It had been easy to locate them, according to Zo, but Jack had taken his time with actually going after them which had thoroughly annoyed me. I couldn’t pretend I knew everything about how Jack and his family worked, but I had found it annoying that he had taken his sweet time in bringing in the others we knew about. Now I was just annoyed that he didn’t tell me he finally had.

?“A week ago,” he answered distantly.

?“What the fuck?” I asked in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

?“Because I wasn’t sure they’d live. They put up a fight.”

?I glared at him. “But you haven’t questioned them yet?”

?“I’ve been here.”

?“Jack.” Fucking dick. I deserved to know, whatever his beliefs were, this had to do with me. My family. My past. I deserved to know when he decided to finally bring in the last two remaining suspects.

?He rolled his eyes. “Zo spent a session with them. Nothing yet.”

?I pressed my lips into a thin line. “Jerk.”

?He rose a brow. “What was that?”

?I searched his eyes, my heart picking up, but the anger burning brighter. “I know you don’t have to tell me shit, and I appreciate what you do share with me, but it’s been two months. Why keep that from me?” I asked, softening my voice, my eyes. “It’s not important to The Family, just to me.” He had a weak spot. I discovered it two weeksafter we moved here. All I had to do was pout a little, soften my voice to something more seductive, a little huskier, and he would do whatever I wanted. To an extent.

?His eyes flicked to my lips and back as I closed the distance between us, sliding a hand over his damp chest. “There was no information to tell you. Don’t go to the cathedral, Rae, I’m serious.”

?I caught my lip between my teeth, his muscles tensing under my touch. No information? I couldn’t quite tell if he was lying or not. “I know,” I told him, looking at his lips. “I won’t.” I would. I’d go as soon as they left. “Is Zo going with you?”

?“That’s the deal,” he answered, his hands sliding over my hips, his fingers scratching over the skin on my waist.

?Perfect.

?I was ready for this. I was ready to talk to them. I would ask them why they were after me, what happened to my mom, whymyfamily had been targeted. Even if I didn’t get the answers, maybe seeing them tied up down there would help me find some peace.

?“Rae,” he warned as if he could read my thoughts. “Zo didn’t get anything from them, neither will you.”

?I could sure as fuck try though.

?I traced a finger over the ‘R’ scar above his heart. “How long will you be gone?”

?“As long as it takes,” he responded evenly, his eyes warning me that there would be consequences if I went through with it.

?My heart picked up a beat, my stomach hollowing at the impending loneliness I was bound to feel after he left. He and Zo have been all I have had for the last two months now. I wasn’t looking forward to being alone, even with the distractions. “I guess I’ll have to get reacquainted with my toys then,” I teased, meeting his eyes for half a second before turning on my heel and heading for the edge of the mat.

?I didn’t even make it three feet before he wrapped his hand in my ponytail and jerked me back.

---