Page 66 of The Masks and the Dancer (Their Obsession 2)

“They hurt you,” she whispers, a tear leaking from her long, dark lashes. I watch it track down her cheek and fall from her jaw. “I shouldn’t have helped you to disobey them.”

“That wasn’t your fault. I knew what I was doing.”

“And I know how The Masks work. I should’ve stopped you.”

“You’re not responsible for me,” I say, trying to reassure her. “I was determined.”

“But—” she protests.

“No. You’re not responsible for what happened to me.They are,” I press, not sure who I’m trying to convince more, her or me.

She nods, sniffing and wiping at her eyes, calming a little. “What happened after they killed The Baron? I’ve been so worried about you.”

“That’s not important right now.”

“Zero…Christy,” she whispers fiercely, shuffling closer to me on the bed, her bare arms prickling with goosebumps. “I’msorry.”

“I told you, it wasn’t your fault. None of this is.”

She chokes on a sob, her forehead falling against my shoulder as she cries quietly. “Seven didn’t want to hurt me like he did. He would’ve tried to kill Jakub if he thought it was only his life at stake. I don’t know if he’ll ever get over the guilt…”

“It’s still so fresh, but you can heal each other. You’ll find a way.”

“You don’t understand. I’ve already forgiven Seven. I forgave him the moment it happened. I’m worried about the fact that he may never forgive himself. The guilt will eat away at him. It breaks my heart.”

“Then you must tell him that. Youmusttalk. Find a way to heal, together.”

Three nods, her eyes welling with tears that she bravely blinks away. “Do you know, Seven’s the only man who’s ever treated me with respect, withlove?”

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her close. “You’ve been through so much.”

“I should never have asked him if he was okay...” she covers her mouth on another sob, clinging onto me tightly.

“Asked if who was okay?”

“Jakub. That’s why he made Seven do what he did. He punished us both because I felt empathy towards him.”

“God,” I breathe.

“I’d never seen him like that. Jakub’s usually so put together. So...cold, but he was distracted at dinner that night. Tense. Troubled. A couple nights before he’d been to the forest...” Three frowns, sighing heavily as her voice trails off.

“What does he do out there?”

“No one knows for sure, but every time he returns he’s a mess.”

“A mess?”

“Physically,” she explains. “Though, usually, mentally calmer. A few weeks back, not long after you arrived actually, he went into the forest. I saw him a day later naked, covered in mud, twigs and…”

“And?”

“Blood. His back was covered in lashes.”

“Someone beat him?”

“No. We think he beats himself. I thought that was his kink… You know, some people get off on that.”

I nod. “Yes.”

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