Page 7 of Mastered By Bliss

But I couldn’t say yes.Still can’t.To him, marriage and love are forever.To me, they’re just a way to get your hopes up before everything comes crashing down.

He dried my tears last night, and he hasn’t brought it up again.But I could see it on his mind while we drank our coffee and tea together this morning.

Now I’m opening the door for my first Ironwood bodyguard, who will escort me to Olivia’s Youth Arts after-school program.

“Hey, I’m Cora.”The tall bodyguard shakes my hand, then Gage’s, and we go through the introductions.She has cropped black hair, medium-brown skin, and green eyes.She’s gorgeous and looks strong enough to throw meandGage over her shoulders and ferry us to safety.

I kiss Gage goodbye, and then Cora and I are off.We’re taking Gage’s car because he has deemed mine as too flimsy.If he didn’t look so stressed out when bringing it up, I might have fought him on it.But there’s no denying the real worry in his eyes.

Cora insists on driving.Two weeks.Two weeks with a babysitter, and I’m going to see it as the act of love and concern I know it to be.I can humor Gage’s paranoia for that long.After all, his ex was just murdered.The least I can do is let an Ironwood bodyguard shadow me for fourteen days.

I still think he should hire a detail for himself.Does he think he’s invincible?I text him, knowing that it’ll annoy him to receive a text in the first place, and a nagging one at that.The thought fills me with perverse pleasure.

The Youth Arts program takes place in a large warehouse in the Bellefleur district.It’s not the best part of the city, but the building itself is surrounded by plenty of lights.The landscaping has even been rehabilitated from its former abandoned-factory aesthetic to include flowering shrubs and fruit trees.

Even better, a mural spans the front of the building, depicting an outer-space setting with planets, rocket ships, aliens, and astronauts.There’s no cohesive art style, showing that this was truly a collective effort.And it works.The mishmash of styles and palettes adds to the appeal.

“I love this place,” I whisper.

Cora smiles.She isn’t very talkative, but she gives off strong competence vibes.

We go inside.Cora waits near the door, at a table and stool that seem to have been set up for just this purpose.Olivia’s husbands probably gave her a head’s up that I’d be coming in with one of their guards today.

I meet with my first cohort of high-school juniors.A few of them already took the PSATs and have a rough idea of what the SATs will be like—but there’s a large range of experience and expectations.It’s easy to lose myself in the work.The teens have excellent questions and it seems like they’re learning a ton.They soak everything up like sponges.I love the way their eyes shine with pride whenever they figure something out on their own.

My one-on-one tutoring work is rewarding and I won’t ever give it up.But in this program, I’ve found a second avenue for helping teenagers with their academic work.It’s also exactly where I need to be.

I end our session feeling energized and excited about coming here again next week.

As I’m grabbing my bag from the staff room, Cora appears in the doorway.“You have a visitor.”

“Oh, thanks.I’ll be right there.”I look past her, expecting to see Gage or Dmitri.

Instead, it’s a face I’ve never seen in person before—although I’ve seen her as a succubus onAcademy of Ghosts.

Claudia McAvoy.

3

Leah

My mouth falls open in surprise.

Claudia gives me a little finger wave.Her blond hair is pulled back in a loose ponytail, and her dark blue eyes are without the heavy liner she always wore on the show.

“I’m Claudia.”She steps into the room past Cora and holds out her hand.She’s wearing a teal velour sweatsuit and the kindest smile I’ve ever had thrown my way.“And you must be Leah.”

“Um, yeah.”I accept her handshake.My mind stutters overwhat the hell is going onandholy shit I’m talking to Claudia McAvoy.

She grins.“I’m here to take you out to dinner.You’re free, right?”

“I—I don’t have plans.”

“Yay!”She claps her hands.

One thing her succubus role never showed was just how joyful she seems, through and through.Her Giselle character was broody and standoffish.But Claudia herself has a girlish, happy demeanor.Most unlikely casting ever, I think.Or she’s a helluva great actor.Probably both.

“Is Gage coming?”I ask.

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