Page 58 of The Masks She Wore

?I slammed my hand over my mouth and scrambled up, my entire body screaming at the sudden movement.

?I barely made it to the sink before my stomach emptied, causing the new pain in my back to flare. I heaved and I heaved until I was coughing up nothing but air. Minutes passed before the heaving slowed.

?I felt numb, feeling only the pain in my back, around my throat, in my pussy, and nothing else. Nothing at all. Just that.

?Just him.

?I wiped a shaking hand across my throat and gripped the counter as the water rinsed everything down the drain. I needed a shower. I was covered in sweat, and I felt so fucking dirty, like I was covered in tar. I just wanted to wash all of it away before—

?A knock sounded at my door.

?I looked over, wiping a hand across my brow, pushing away thedamp strands of hair that stuck to my forehead. Of course.Ofcourse.

?I was an effort to hold back the sob that threatened to break through me.

?I turned back to the sink, my heart pounding, my body shaking. I couldn’t do this. Not yet. I just needed an hour. An hour to pull myself together, and then I would be fine. Everything would be fine if I just had one hour.

?I closed my eyes, breathing slowly. I couldn’t avoid this, but what I could do was be the worst host in the world and take a shower while I had guests. I was sure the captain wouldn’t mind me being fresh for his onslaught of advances. In fact, I’m sure he would love it.

?I rinsed my mouth out, splashed cold water on my face, and forced myself to straighten, although my spine refused to straighten all the way. It throbbed in pain, but I would be fine. I had to be fine.

?What a fucking day this was turning out to be.

?I walked over to the door, my steps stiff, adjusting my cleaning shirt only to frown. Feel like trash, look like trash.

?I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. Let’s just get this first greeting over with so I could bathe.

?I opened the door and froze as the two men from the masquerade stared back at me.

?My lips parted in absolute shock as the boss, his father, smiled at me, his blue eyes shining.

?“Rae,” he greeted, taking off his hat. “I thought your name sounded familiar.”

?My hand fell from the doorknob, every ounce of energy I had left, draining from me. I couldn’t even pretend to be the woman I was at that event. I was too exhausted. Too exhausted to smile. Too exhausted to move. Too exhausted to look at the man standing behind him.

?The boss’s eyes furrowed. “You’ve been crying.”

?I swallowed, staring at him for a second longer before I turned away from them, on the verge of a breakdown. “I was cutting onions,” I replied weakly, walking towards my dining room table. I sniffed, wiping under my cheeks, the tears starting again. Shit. “I’m sure you already have at this point, but make yourselves at home,” I told them without looking back, my voice wavering. “I need to take a shower.”

?“You’d trust complete strangers in your home while you’re at your most vulnerable?”

?I headed for my room. “Well, your grunt’s been in my house before and you’ve given me at least a week to live, and you can’t make me feel any worse, so yeah. I suppose the compliance could be construed as trust.”

?“Did the onions cause the bruise around your neck?” the son asked just as I reached the door.

?“Yup,” I popped. It was all I could say without him noticing thethickness in my voice. I shut the door behind me and placed my hand over my mouth trying to muffle the sobs that crept up my throat.

?Fuck.

?Fuck!

?I inhaled sharply and shoved away from the door. I couldn’t collapse now, I had guests. I had to collect myself.

?Get ahold of yourself.You’re better than this. Straighten up and swallow the tears. You’ve gotwork to do.

14

Jack

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