Page 57 of Bad at Love

“It would make the most sense, yes. And we could try it however you want, but what’s selling right now is dominant men in masks.”

He chews on his lip, staring at something over my shoulder for a moment before nodding.

“I can do that.”

“Excuse me?”

“I can do that. I can wear a mask and be dominant.”

I huff out a laugh. “No offense, Gabe, but I don’t think you have a dominant bone in your body.”

He turns to face me more. “Storm, when I was a child, I was terrified of Halloween. For years, I refused to even go to the stores during that time, and any time I had to leave the house was hell. We lived in an area where everyone decorated, and I heard complaints from my brothers for years because we couldn’t decorate because I was afraid.”

“Okay,” I say carefully.

“Until one year, I dressed up as Batman. And you know what happened?”

“You saved Gotham?” I ask.

“No, Storm. Gotham isn’t a real place. But I did go trick or treating. Want to know why?”

I go out on a limb and say, “Because you were Batman?”

“Exactly.”

“I don’t get it,” I admit.

“Batman isn’t afraid of anything, and when I put that costume on, I felt like him. I could be him. It was easy to hide behind the mask. You know, kind of like how Bruce seems like a meek billionaire until he’s Batman and then he’s kicking ass.”

I watch him carefully. “So what you’re telling me is when you put on a mask, you become someone else?”

“Yes, Storm. That’s what I’m saying.”

“That sounds like an identity crisis.”

He narrows his eyes at me, and I hold in the laughter.

“You’re making fun of me.” He shakes his head and grabs his book, but I pull it from his hand, unable to hold in the laugh.

“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it!”

“Don’t be mean,” he pouts and I hand him his book back.

“I’m sorry, seriously. Look, if you think you can do this, we can try it, okay?”

“Sure, fine,” he grumbles, getting comfortable in his chair again.

“I trust you if you say you can handle it.”

“Okay, but aren’t there laws around using famous masks?” he asks.

“Huh?”

“Aren’t those masks copyrighted or something? We can’t make money from them.”

“I’m… not sure. Other people do it.”

“Two wrongs don’t make a right, Storm.” Gabe shakes his head, opening up his book.

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