Page 18 of Masked Mayhem

Instead of answering, Carter pulls me closer, his warm hands resting on my waist as he tenderly kisses my neck, making goosebumps cover every inch of my skin and a moan slip from my lips that I cannot control.

“We make the plans as we go. Just know that we won’t let anyone hurt you. Not ever.”

His words hang in the air, a promise laced in tension, igniting feelings I want to ignore but can't. Instead, I lean back into his touch, closing my eyes and savoring every second. And then the world outside my door momentarily fades as if the very air shifts and wards off impending shadows. Cade grabs my hand to pull me up with a playful smirk, his eyes bright with mischief.

“Come on, let’s do a few more before work so we can get the night started.”

Without hesitation, I push aside the intrusion of reality and shuffle the short distance to my modest sound system while they pull out more drugs and prep them on the table. As the music blares to life, pulsing through the apartment, it pulls me into a world of rhythm and freedom. With every beat, I feel like I might just fly away, liberated from every nagging concern, every fear.

But just as I get lost in the music, an icy wave rolls through me—a sixth sense that something is amiss. It claws at the back of my mind, and I shake my head slightly to dismiss it. I do my best to try to let the music drown it out.

I do another line, this time of cocaine, a little bump to wake me up, and then it happens—the euphoric haze breaks as my phone vibrates again. The sudden sound is like a gunshot in the silence of my thoughts, and I freeze mid-step.

“My phone.” I grab it off the coffee table, hands shaking slightly as I see the message glare back at me, tearing through the bliss of the moment like a knife.

I told you those fucking lips belong to me. Do you remember how it felt when I had you?

The weight of the words drags me down, like an anchor pulling me into deep water. My heart races, and as dread fills my veins, I glance between Cade and Carter, both on their phones, desperately trying to figure out if they’ve noticed the shift in my energy.

“What’s up?” Cade asks, eyebrow cocked.

“Nothing. Just a cramp,” I lie, forcing a smile that quickly fades as I study their expressions.

I can't let them see how shaken I am. And deep in my gut, I know I need to get a handle on this. This isn't simply some casual encounter anymore; this is dangerous, and the worst part of it is that I have no idea who it is. I have my suspicions, but nothing concrete yet.

Just as an uneasy silence begins to settle in the room, Carter’s phone buzzes, and he glances at the screen with furrowed brows. “Uh, I think I have to take this. It’s Lux.”

“Yeah, sure,” I mumble, feeling a wave of annoyance wash over me.

Why can’t anyone just stay still for a second? My mind is racing with thoughts, the drugs beginning to wear off as the reality of the situation creeps back in.

Cade is still beside me, and as Carter retreats to the other side of the room, I can feel the weight of his gaze on me.

“You alright, Whit?” he asks, keeping his tone soft, genuine concern etched across his face.

“Just a lot going on, you know?” I reply, forcing a lightness into my tone that feels as fragile as glass. I can't let myself slip into panic, not in front of him, not now.

“Okay. Just remember, we’re here for you,” he says, leaning back and crossing his arms over his chest.

The way he holds himself is confident, protectively, like he would take on the world for me if need be. I nod slowly, appreciating the sentiment, but just as quickly the dark shadow creeps into my mind again—the looming presence of an unknown threat. I can’t think about that now. Instead, I refocus on being in the moment and the electric connection between Cade and me.

And just like that, the music swells again, the beat pulsating like a heartbeat, drawing me back into the rhythm. I step closer to him, feeling the intoxicating heat radiating from his body, and we start to sway, the lights of the city morphing into a colorful blur outside the window. For a few blissful moments, I lose myself, forgetting the messages, the hidden menaces, the shadow of my ex, and the secrets hanging over us like a storm cloud.

But the reprieve is short-lived. As our bodies move in sync, I catch a glimpse of my phone light flashing at the corner of my eye again, and my stomach churns. That familiarity beckons, a reminder I dread—but curiosity coils tightly around my thoughts, leaving me unable to ignore it.

“Dance with me,” I whisper just as Cade dips me low, the smirk on his face radiating confidence, drawing me back into my body as my laughter spills out.

But I can’t shake the fear anymore—the urgent text message pushes its way to the forefront of my mind, and suddenly the buzz of excitement feels faint.

“I need to check something,” I murmur, stumbling back reluctantly from the momentary euphoria.

When I reach for my phone, my heart races unevenly. I swipe to unlock it, half-hoping the ominous feeling would prove unfounded, but the screen rapidly refreshes, revealing yet another message from the unknown number.

I see you're having fun, Whitney. Enjoy it while you can. You’ll need to be ready for what comes next.

My throat constricts painfully, panic gripping my chest. It’s as if the world has warped around me, the floor threatening to crumble beneath my feet. My fingers tremble as I clutch the phone, the email app offering no solace as paranoia sets in.

But as the night rolls on, I can't shake the sensation swirling in my gut—the threads of consequence tightening around my heart. The dance becomes increasingly electrifying, my body alive with the rhythm, yet the reality outside pushes in. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle with anxiety, an awareness that maybe I should have heeded.

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