Page 97 of The Dancer and the Masks (Their Obsession 1)

One narrows her eyes at me, considering her answer. “I think, perhaps, we should find you something else to wear for the show,” she says, her dark eyes filled with a malevolence that has me taking a step away from her. “No one needs to see your scars. You understand that we have a certain standard to uphold.”

“Whatever you want,” I reply tightly, refusing to bite. “I didn’t want to wear this dress in the first place.”

“Agreed. She’s to put on something else,” a deep, familiar voice says. “Make sure she’s covered neck to toe. We don’t need the clients seeing her flaws.”

I stiffen at the roughness of Konrad’s voice and the guarded look on his face as he stares at me.

Fuck him. Maybe I should wear the dress after all, if only to piss him and his arsehole brothers off.

One’s eyes widen with shock before she schools her features and turns to face Konrad as he strides towards us both. He’s wearing a plain blue half-mask that both matches my dressandhis sweater. Not that I give a damn. I couldn’t care less about what he chooses to wear or how handsome he looks with his hair slicked back off his face and his short scruff neatly trimmed. His good looks are just another disguise used to lull everyone into a false sense of security.

“Good afternoon, Konrad. Is there something you need?” she asks him, her accented voice dropping an octave or two. For all her sophistication, she’s not particularly subtle with her eagerness to seduce him. Looks like Twelve isn’t the only one who wants to be fucked by him.

“Other than you leaving…No.” He lets that hang in the air, unperturbed by how her cheeks flame red at his rebuff.

“You wantmeto leave?” she questions, caught between embarrassment and shock. Seems to me that she’s not used to being dismissed in such a manner.

“I have something I wish to discuss with Zero that doesn’t concern you,” he explains.

Her brows raise. “And what about Jakub? Does it concern him too?”

“One, you may be the matriarch of the Numbers, but you are not and never will be more than what weallowyou to be. Don’t forget your place, and never question my intentions again. Understood?”

“Understood. I shall leave,” she replies with a tight smile, cutting her gaze to me momentarily.

Despite her clear dislike for me, I don’t want to be left alone with Konrad. “I’d rather you stay,” I say quickly.

Ignoring my plea, she folds her arms across her chest and says, “Zero is due a toilet break soon. It’s been a while since she last relieved herself.” And just like that she makes me a lesser human, reminding me that I’m no more than a pet.

“You have the key?” Konrad asks sharply, his eagerness to get hold of it obvious.

“No. Thirteen does.”

“Then I will ensure Zero is back in Thirteen’s care in good time to piss and shit,” he replies, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment as he jerks his chin towards the door. “Out.”

“Yes, of course,” she says tightly, throwing one last look my way before exiting the studio.

Konrad waits for the door to slam shut before he returns his attention back to me. His slow perusal has me stiffening with fear, my mouth drying. Swallowing hard, I straighten my spine and fix him with a heavy stare.

“What do you want?” I ask, stepping out of the corner of the room, instinct telling me that I shouldn’t allow him to trap me there. I can’t help but wince at the pain in my sore feet. I really need to soak and wrap them. Hopefully Thirteen will have some kind of ointment to help heal the blisters and cuts, or at least dull the pain. In fact, I’m counting on it.

“How are rehearsals going?” he asks, throwing me off balance with his question as he takes in my appearance. His nostrils flare when he sees the state of my feet. “One has certainly been working you hard.”

“She has,” I reply tightly. I’m not sure what I expected, but a polite conversation wasn’t it.

“Is that all you have to say?”

“I’m not sure what you want me to say.”

“Aren’t you enjoying being able to dance, being a part of something? It must be better than spending your time with the dying. What kind of job is that anyway?” he asks, tucking his hands in the pocket of his jeans.

The act is as casual as the clothes he’s wearing, but for some reason it makes me more nervous around him, not less. “A job I no longer have, thanks to you!” I snap. “And I would enjoy being able to dance more if I were back home with the family I love.”

“Hmm, back to that again.”

His tone of voice irks me. “Back to that again?” I repeat, shaking my head with incredulity. “You think that by giving me a few days of peace and the ability to dance that I would just roll over and do what you want. Unbelievable.”

He shrugs. “Well, you haven’t tried to run these past couple of days. Seems to me you’re settling in rather well, Zero.”

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