Page 92 of Masked in Deception
I climb onto the kitchen step stool to get a better look at the tattoo of abite markon the top of his shoulder. I must’ve missed it last night in the dark and this morning in the pale light of the sunrise, but…I move as if to bite the same spot and find my mouth a perfect fit.It’s definitely a bite mark ofmyteeth.Only…
“When did you get this?” I ask, already knowing the answer.
“Two years, four months, and five days ago,” he whispers. “I had to keep a piece of you. It’s the only tattoo I have. But if youlike it, I can cover myself in them. Just say the word. They could all be your bite marks, if you want. Avant-garde, or you can sign ‘Property of Margot’ across my chest. Maybe we can add some of your scratch lines to the mix…mmmph.”
He’s cut off as I kiss him, then I burst into laughter at the ridiculousness of this man. I kind of can’t believe he got a tattoo of my teeth after our one night together, but then again, I’m standing in the apartment he bought because it might smell like me. So I guess it tracks.
Allowing myself to be led to the kitchen island, I hop up and wrap my legs around Jack’s waist as he feeds me breakfast, taking one bite himself for every two of my own. As lovely as this is, discussions need to be had, and I can’t wait until we eat at a snail’s pace to ask him. I decide that being direct is the best way to rip this bandage off.
“So, Jack,” I begin, and he gives me his full attention, quirking an eyebrow at me. “I have questions, and I would appreciate your candor. I think it’s better that we get everything out in the open, and these are serious considerations if we’re beginning a relationship. Neither of us will do the other any favors by hiding anything. I’m going to just start with the hardest question, and go from there, okay?”
He’s paler than before, but he solemnly nods his head yes and reaches for his glass of water.
“Okay. When thefuckdid you get your dick pierced?” I ask, and hechokeson his gulp of water. I fall back onto the island, cackling as he coughs and tries to get his breath.
“That’sthe most important, most serious, most terrifying question you had to ask me? You had me scared as hell, Margot. Jesus. I thought you were asking something real!”
“Itisreal! You have a transformer for a penis, Jack. What the hell! You have to tell me everything. This story has got to be crazy,” I plead, giving him puppy dog eyes.
He rolls his eyes to the ceiling before pinching his nose. “Well, Margot, you see…a couple of years ago…Ledger and I…”
“Ew! Fuck! No. You’re not telling me my brother has a Christmas tree, too?”
“He has way more than…”
“Stop! Forget about it! I do not need to know the origin story of my new favorite toy. I don’t need to associate Ledger with your dick in any way.” I dramatically gag to prove my point, earning me a tickling attack.
“I tried to tell you not to bark up that tree, woman! You just didn’t want to listen,” he teases, still tickling me and making me laugh so hard my cheeks hurt.
“I yield! I yield!” I yell, finally making him stop. Biting my bottom lip between my teeth, I blurt out the question I have to know the answer to even though I know I’m going to hate it.
“Was it for a woman?” I whisper, averting my eyes so I don’t have to see the look in his eyes as he remembers whoever convinced him to do this.
A gentle finger under my chin turns my head back to center as Jack looks at me contemplatively. “I think, deep down, everything I’ve done in the past two years has been for a woman. But, Princess, if anything, it’s only ever been for you. It was a drunken night with Ledger, and I won't tell you the full stupid story, but I did always wonder if you would like it.”
Knowing that this isn’t some bitch named Candace’s personal recommendation for dick jewelry makes me feel a little better, and I can’t help but tease. “Well, I do like it. I would even say I might love it. Have you ever had any complaints?”
He scratches his nose and turns back to put the dishes in the sink. “Nobody else has ever…experienced it, so I can’t really say.”
I freeze, waiting for the punchline to what has to be a joke because this hot-ass man standing in front of me cannot possiblybe telling me he’s been celibate since I left for France. There’s no fucking way.
“Jack—” I begin, but he turns around to lean back against the sink and looks at me, blowing out a heavy breath before interrupting me.
“I won’t lie to you and say there wasn’t anybody else. Just after, I tried, and it just didn’t go well. She wasn’t you, and I thought I needed more distance…then time just kept passing. I was busy with the club, and before I knew it, you were back in my life like a whirlwind…” His voice trails off, and I wince, thinking about all the times I threw my European adventures in his face when I came back into town, like a complete bitch.
“I’m sorry that I said all the things I did when I came back. I didn’t know…”
“No. Don’t even think about feeling guilty for a bit of that. You did exactly what I told you to do when I pushed you away, and I deserved to hear it.” He wipes away a tear that’s escaped and fallen down my cheek. “All that matters…Look at me, Margot.Theonly thingin the world that matters now is that we’re together, okay? You and me. I’m going to make you so happy, Princess. Just let me, okay?”
I sniffle and nod, accepting a sweet kiss from him that I try to deepen, but he pulls back. “I’m going to shower and then we’re going to the little bookstore you saw on our walk the other day, okay? We’re going to have a great day, baby.”
He kisses my temple and heads for the bathroom, while I stay perched on the island, fighting the feeling of general shittiness that I can’t shake. He was here pining for me, and I was being spitroasted in Italy…no, Margot.He had a lifetime of sexual experiences before you, and you deserved to have your fun and get to know your own sexuality.He pushed me away in the first place.
And, most importantly, that’s all in the past. He has all of me now, and that’s what matters most. Shaking off my guilt and resolving not to let it fester, I go to get ready for our day when I think of one last piece of me that still belongs to someone else.
Grabbing my overnight bag from the bedroom, I dig to the bottom to find the phone with only one contact, not really understanding why I’ve still been carrying it around. It’s bittersweet, but only for a moment, because I hear Jack singing in the shower and smile.
“Hi. Thank you for everything, but I can’t see you anymore. I don’t even know what to say, because thank you doesn’t seem like enough. I’ve met someone who’s very special to me, and we’re serious. I’ll miss you, and I hope that’s not wrong of me to say. You’ve helped me unlock a part of myself that I didn’t know existed. I hope you’re lucky enough to find someone who makes you half as happy as my new guy makes me. All the best.”
