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CHAPTER34
CHRISTY
“Can I borrow Christy for a while?” Leon asks as he steps into Thirteen’s room a few hours later. Behind his deep blue mask, his gaze scorches a trail of heat over my skin as he stares at me. I don’t need to look in the mirror to know my birthmark is deepening in colour. It seems to do that a lot around The Masks.
Thirteen laughs. “Since when have you ever asked permission to do anything?”
“Since I learnt not to be an arsehole,” he shrugs, glancing at her. “You can thank Christy for that.”
“Believe me, I do,” she winks at me as she surreptitiously pockets the vile of poison. “Besides, I’ve taken up enough of Christy’s time today as it is.”
“Are you sure you’re okay with this? I could stay a while longer and help you to finish up?” I ask, more concerned about the fact she’s just ingested poison and we have no real idea if there are any long-term side effects.
She shakes her head. “No. I’m good. I’m going to take a bath then check in on Three and Seven. See how they’re doing.”
“Okay, if you’re sure?”
She nods. “Go. Have fun.”
Have fun.
Until recently, spending time with The Masks wasn’t exactly my idea of fun. How things have changed.
“So what have you been up to with Thirteen?” Leon asks, as he slides his hand in mine and we exit the Numbers’ wing of the castle.
“She’s been cooking up some more liquid foundation. Some of the Numbers have run out,” I lie.
He side-eyes me, pulling a face. “Want to tell me what you’ve really been doing?”
“I kind of needed someone to talk to. Things have been pretty intense around here,” I say. It’s not a complete lie and the best I can come up with in the moment.
“And you can’t do that with us?” he asks, holding a door open for me as we pass into the hallway that leads to the library.
“I don’t know, can I?”
Pulling me around to face him, Leon dips his head so he can look me in the eyes. “Things are different now. I want you to talk to us.”
“I want to do that, too,” I reply, chewing on my lip and wishing I could open up and tell them everything.
“If it takes us a lifetime to gain your trust, then we’ll spend every single day doing just that,” he says, misunderstanding my apprehension and unaware that time is something we don’t have. I’ve no real idea if my plan with Thirteen will work. I’ve not seen past the night of the ball and there are so many variables that could happen, that even thinking about it makes me want to throw up.
“I appreciate that,” I say, unable to say anything more.
Like a gentleman, Leon holds the door open for me and I step into the library, my stomach instantly rumbling at the delicious smell rising from the platters of food set out on a table that Konrad and Jakub are already sitting at. Neither are wearing their masks, and Leon removes his as soon as he steps into the room.
“Good afternoon, Christy,” Konrad says as they both rise to their feet. All three men are dressed smartly and my heart tightens at the effort they’ve made.
“What’s all this?” I ask, smoothing my palms over my crinkled dress.
“Dinner,” Leon replies, placing his hand on my lower back as he guides me into the room, closing the door behind us.
“I can see that.” I smile, my skin heating at the way they stare so openly at me.
Jakub pulls out a chair for me to sit down on. “We wanted to do something…nice,” he says, his hazel eyes cutting to his brothers as his cheeks heat. “Isn’t this what normal people do?”
Konrad grins. “Brother, you’re blushing.”
“Leave him alone, Kon,” Leon says with a smirk. “We all know he’s not the only one blushing, except in your case it’s your dick.” Leon pointedly looks down at Konrad’s crotch and I stifle a giggle at his erection tenting his trousers.
