Page 22 of Ruthless God

“You’re doing it again.”

“Maybe it’s because you make me nervous. You’re very beautiful, Cecely.”

My heart does a funny thing in my chest.

“You’re silent. Have I offended you?”

“No. Just not something I hear a lot.”

“What? That you’re beautiful? I find that hard to believe.”

“Is that why you won’t take off the mask?” An idea crosses my mind. “Let me guess. You’re hideously and horribly scarred, and the mask makes you feel like you’re in control.”

“Something like that. But we all wear masks. Some literal. Some under the guise of humor.” There’s a pause, and then he murmurs, “Two sides of the same coin.”

Two sides of the same coin? What in the heck is he talking about? I’m about to reply with something snarky when my phone dings. I glance at it, smiling.

Jade

You alive?

Yup. We’re at Cedar Ridge Preserve.

…

Girl, that’s pretty secluded.

I know. I’m fine.

Okay. Text me when you get home.

Will do.

I drop my phone in my lap and say, “That was my boss checking up on me.”

“Good boss,” he says. “I’m sure you run into all sorts of people at the club.”

“Yeah, like guys who wear masks and won’t tell me their names.”

“Ah, so it’s happened more than once.” He chuckles. “How about this? Let’s play a game. If I win, we get to do something I want to. If you win, we’ll do something you want.”

“Meaning?”

“If you win, I’ll take off the mask and tell you my name.”

“What’s the game?”

“Never have I ever. Know it?”

“Of course.”

He reaches for his bag, pulling out a bottle of vodka. He sets it between us and says, “You can go first.”

“Oh, I was planning on it. Okay. Never have I ever gone to the woods with a strange man.” When he doesn’t reach for the bottle, I ask, “Do you know how to play?”

“I do. And I can honestly say I’ve never been to the woods with a strange man before.”

Glaring, I take a sip, grimacing.

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