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A dark chuckle slips past his lips as he releases my hand and reaches for his phone. His mask is briefly bathed in the glow from his screen. He is likely looking up the meaning behind my fake name. Not that it matters.
Something shifts in his expression as he returns his phone to his pocket and directs his attention back to me. His eyes follow the path down my arm, and before I can figure out what he’s thinking, he pries the empty champagne glass from my fingers and rotates my hand, exposing the purple and black butterfly tattoo on the inside of my wrist.
“Butterfly. So special. Is that your real name?”
“That’s not how name exchanges work around here. And you’re not supposed to ask me that,” I snap back, unable to hold my tongue for a second longer.
His lips curl into a cunning smile. “I’m suspecting a bit of a brat in you. Name is Runi.”
“Should I pull out Google as well? Oh, wait, I can’t since they took my phone at the door, but I guess you got to keep yours. Special privileges?”
“Definitely a brat,” he confirms, pleased with himself as his smile grows wider. “It helps when you’re not a newbie. Also, you don’t need Google. I’ll tell you whatever you’d like to know. It’s Old Norse, meaning secret lore or secret knowledge.”
“Do you enjoy keeping secrets? Is that why you’re here, Runi?” I tease hoping to get another smile out of him, but he glances away, staring at the wall of masks glaring back at him.
“There are things I can’t share openly. Places I can’t be my true self. Desires I hold close to my chest. I don’t enjoy it, but sometimes we don’t get to keep the things we want. After all, aren’t we all hiding parts of ourselves we don’t want others to see?”
His words resonate with me on such a deep level, I have to look away and pretend like I’m taking inventory of the room. But the truth is, I’m replaying his words in my head over and over again, counting the rapid beats of my frantic heart as though there is a speaker close to my ears.
Aren’t we all hiding parts of ourselves we don’t want others to see?
I’m tired of hiding. Tired of the shame, the guilt, the feeling of never being good enough. I’m tired of wishing I could wake up tomorrow and be someone else, anyone else but the person staring back at me in the mirror. Sometimes, I wish I wouldn’t wake up at all, remain forever trapped in a beautiful dream.
But not tonight; tonight, I don’t want to hide. I want to let it all go and feel alive.
Turning my attention to the wall of masks, I keep my eyes locked on the two vivid, crimson Xs as I take in a deep breath.
“I’m not hiding tonight.”
Feeling his lingering eyes on me, I know with every fiber of my being that I want to play tonight. And I think I just found my partner.
CHAPTER 11
DOMINIK
Like a wildfire, she blazes through me, destroying every ounce of willpower I have remaining.
I wish I could find a different way to describe what it’s like to watch Zoe as she takes in everything around her—every moment, every gesture, each subtle touch and glance. But nothing quite captures it like the relentless intensity of fire.
Her warmth draws me in, much like a moth drawn helplessly to a flame. I’m completely under her spell, and there’s no escaping it.
At least not for tonight.
And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to play with her. Because right now, I want nothing more than to taste her, pull her close against my body in the secluded corners of this place.
Next to hockey, I don’t believe I’ve ever wanted something as intensely as this. To experience the sensation of touching her, kissing her, embracing her in my arms, gazing into her eyes as I kneel before her. My tongue exploring her most sensitive parts as I bring her to the edge of euphoria over and over again.
I crave to make her mine in a way that no other man could ever dare to. I know it might not be fair, but I couldn’t care less. I’m going to brand her tonight.
When she thinks of me six months from now, while she’s alone in bed or washing her hair in the shower, I want her to get wet remembering the way my cock felt buried deep inside her. I want her to touch herself and imagine it is my tongue on her clit.
This might be my one and only chance to get close enough to Zoe to finally touch her, watch her…be with her in the way I have only ever allowed myself to dream about.
It’s wrong. She doesn’t know it’s you.
That’s true. I'd be deceiving her and breaking the promise I made to Aaron. Yet, if she entices me to join the game, I'm uncertain if I’ll be able to resist. Witnessing her favor someone else might stir an undeniable urge within me to assert my claim over her.
She will never find out. I’ll make sure of it.
