Page 145 of The Masks She Wore

?She rose a brow, her siren eyes glowing. “You don’t trust me to take care of myself?”

?On the contrary. Even injured, I had no doubt about her abilities. Not only had she been pushing herself this week to heal, but she had been writing down her stories from her life. The things she had done with her family before knowing her dad was on the wrong side of the gun. She was good. Perhaps not as good as us, but I could fix that. “All it takes is one good thrust to one of your stab wounds to bring you to your knees. You need backup.”

?“Would you take it?” she challenged.

?“He wouldn’t have a choice,” Zo chided in, shoving herself to a stand.“They try to escape us, but we’re always supposed to be their backup.”

?Rae searched my eyes for several seconds before rolling her eyes. “Fine. You’ll show up anyway, so there’s no point in saying no,” she said, turning away from me.

?Zo and I exchanged a glance. God, I couldn’t do what I really wanted to do which was grab her by the back of the neck, slam her into the window, and fuck her ass to remind her to watch her attitude, so I settled for the next best thing.

?Talking.

?I stood. “You never had backup.” It wasn’t a question.

?She headed for our room. “Didn’t need it. Sorry that you do,” she tossed over her shoulder, her blonde hair swaying with each swing of her hips.

?Goddammitshe had me by the fucking cock. “We are required to have it,” I reminded her. “We don’t have a choice. Malachi doesn’t trust us not to lose control, that’s how we were trained.”

?“Mom taught me how to use my anger as a weapon when I was six. It’s sad you four need babysitters.”

?“Three,” I said through my teeth. “I can control my anger just fine.”

?She spun around in the doorway, grabbing either side of the doorjamb with her hands, stopping me abruptly in my tracks. “Oh?” she asked, scanning over me. “You’re looking awfully tense rightnow, Jack.” Her eyes met mine, a playful light shining deep within them.

?This was exactly what she had needed to get her spark back. An assignment. Something to move her forward.

?But I felt that rage burning under my skin. I had to clench my hands in order not to wrap one around her throat and force her to her knees for being such a fuckingbrat.

?She smiled, tapping her nails on the wood in perfect unison. “Awfully tense.”

?A muscle in my neck twitched and before I could stop myself, my hand was around her throat, and I was backing her into the room.

?Her eyes widened, her hands wrapping around my wrist, her pretty pink lips parted in slight fear. “Jack,” she whimpered.

?I walked her until her back hit the far wall beside our bed. I stepped up to her until our noses nearly touched, knowing how wet she was, how terrified she was. I could be undoing days of progress, but fuck, she knew how to push my buttons. “If I wasn’t in control, Princess,” I began, my voice a low growl, “I’d be bending you over right now and fucking you like the bitch you are.”

?Her pupils dilated, but the tears in her eyes told me she wasn’t quite ready yet, even if her body craved it.

?I leaned in a little more, until I could just barely taste her lips. Until I could feel the ghost of them as she panted. Fuck, I was desperate. “Death won’t claim you because you’re too prideful to admityou need help,” I mumbled against them, feeling her heart racing under my fingers.

?I leaned back and found her eyes. “I will always back you up. That doesn’t mean you need it, it’s just in case something goes wrong. I know Marla taught you about contingencies. I won’t allow you to be stupid just because you’re eager to get back into the game, is that clear?”

?She swallowed against my palm and nodded, her shoulders relaxing just enough for me to notice. Maybe this hadn’t undone days worth of progress, maybe it was what she needed. A reminder that I wouldn’t actually hurt her unless she asked for it. Unless she begged for it.

?I released her neck and took a step back, turning away from her to allow her some space. To allow me to calm myself down before she saw how hard my cock had become.

?My hand had never and would never be enough. Especially not after I got a taste of the beautiful Rae Bennett.

?I headed for the walk-in closet, taking in my clothes. A club. I hated clubs. Especially during any other month but October. Masks were harder to wear outside of the Halloween season.

?“I’m dancing at the club.”

?A warning from her hoarse little throat.

?I glanced over my shoulder, watching her approach her own side, skim through her scantily dresses that I so very much lovedon her. “I’ll bring my favorite spoon,” I commented, turning back to my clothes.

?I wouldn’t actually scoop out the eyes of those who looked a little too long, but those who touched her in the wrong places? They might lose their eyes and their hands.

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