Page 37 of Heart's Masquerade

Lamont rolled over and started to rise. The front door opened, and Yasmine stood in the entryway. Pain sliced across Jaz’s skull. Her sister strode inside and slammed the door behind her. She glanced from Jaz to Lamont to Torrian and back to Jaz. “If there’s nothing going on between you and my husband, why is he here?”

Jaz blinked at her. “That’s your logic? What did you think we were here having a threesome?”

Yasmine looked at Torrian again. The man’s size dwarfed her tiny little living room. Besides that who in their right mind would choose Lamont over Torrian? Stating the obvious would hurt her sister, so Jaz kept that thought to herself. “I promise you, sis, I didn’t know how he felt. I didn’t encourage him.”

Yasmine’s face crumpled, and her eyes filled with tears. Jaz’s heart broke for her older sister.

“Those pictures,” Yasmine said.

“Were for a benefit, and you know it. I’m sure none of them showed me posing for this fool.”

Yasmine covered her mouth as she began to sob, and Jaz started to hug her, but Yasmine shook her head. The bastard that caused the whole problem stood there as if he didn’t see his wife crying. His attention was solely on Jaz, and she wanted him out of her sight forever. Torrian moved to block his view, and Jaz thanked him silently.

“Yasmine, you know me better than this,” Jaz said. “I don’t want to see you hurt, and I’m definitely not going to be the one to do it. Blame him and his stupidity. I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

Her sister scrubbed an arm over her eyes and straightened. “Come on, Lamont. You and me are going to have a talk.”

Lamont moved to where Jaz could see him. He watched her. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk to me?”

Torrian blocked his view again. “You have three seconds to leave with your arms unbroken.”

“Who do you think you’re threatening?” Lamont growled. “I’m not scared of you.” He did move to the door, and Jaz breathed a sigh of relief when Yasmine dragged him through it. Torrian shut the door and threw the lock.

Jaz unbuttoned her jeans, yanked them off, and threw them on the couch. Then she strode into the bedroom to find shorts. Torrian appeared behind her carrying the jeans. She laughed, relieving some of the frustration her brother-in-law created. “I did say I suck at housekeeping.”

He nodded. “So.”

She eyed him while she stepped into a pair of shorts without panties. They probably wouldn’t stay on long. “So, what?”

“Did he give you any signs of how he felt?”

“You’re blaming me, too, Torrian?”

“No, of course not.”

She put her hands on her hips. “Or do you think I should conform to fit what others think I should be? Maybe I shouldn’t have worn a sexy costume because it might give my brother-in-law ideas.”

He moved toward her, and she started to sidestep him, but he kept her from it. At first she resisted going into his arms, but he insisted, and she settled onto his chest. Torrian stroked her hair.

“I’m a firm believer that you should be yourself and do what you want,” he said. “I was just asking a question. I admit I didn’t like the way he looked at you, and I wanted to pluck his eyes out of his head. Other than that, I’m fine.”

She laughed. “Oh, is that all?”

He grinned. She led him back to the kitchen, and she took out a frozen pumpkin bread to pop into the microwave. He blinked at her, and she shrugged.

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience with the being yourself thing.”

He neither confirmed nor denied it. “I admired you having your family surrounding you, but it seems everyone has their problems.”

She agreed. “Is your godfather still around, and what about Kenny’s parents?”

Torrian pushed his hands into his pockets. “My godfather travels a great deal, and Kenny’s father passed two years ago. I attended the funeral, and Kenny and I ended up in a fight when he took a swing at me.”

“I bet it feels like all you do is fight. I’m so sorry.”

He stroked her cheek and leaned down to kiss her. “I’m used to it.”

“No, you’re not.” She didn’t say, but she saw how he hid the pain. Even from what he’d said about admiring the fact that she had her family around her, she could glean he dreamed of a close-knit family, something he never had. Her heart ached for him.

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