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Chapter Three
Arriving at the club when the parking lot wasn’t empty made Sable’s stomach lurch. Too many people, too many chances for her secrets to be spilled, it was all too much. She could barely breathe, never mind get out of her car which she’d parked a couple of blocks away. Not because the lot was full—it wasn’t—but because she always did.
She was about to text Hudson and apologize because she was not going to be able to do this after all when she saw a figure jogging toward her from the direction of the club.
If she were parked on any other dark street corner she’d be afraid but she recognized the shape of the man. Well, one could be forgiven for mistaking him for a bear. Hudson was…big. In all dimensions. His floppy brown hair and dark brown eyes didn’t help the impression any.
He knocked on the passenger side window and she unlocked her car doors, letting him slip in. It was freezing cold out but he wasn’t wearing a coat and the chill didn’t seem to bother him.
“Nice ride, Pocketful.”
“Thanks,” she muttered. The Levante had been her father’s idea since she occasionally shuttled business associates around. She’d wanted to hate it, but Hudson was right, it was nice.
“So, what’s up? Just chilling in a parked car on a Saturday night? Cool, cool.”
He was irritating. Also one of her favorite people in the world because she genuinely liked him and trusted him, but still. Annoying. When he was met by silence, he continued.
“I saw you drive by like five minutes ago and when you didn’t come in, I thought maybe you’d gotten lost.”
Sable rolled her eyes because he thought nothing of the sort. She’d only been seeing him for three years. She knew goddamn well where the club was.
“I saw that. That’s twenty next time we play.”
Hudson’s voice had acquired a slight edge, and his easy assertion of dominance over her loosened the vise around her ribs. He would be in charge of her tonight and the knowledge comforted her.
“What are you worried about?” he prodded.
“You said I could wear a mask, but it’s not like I carry one in my car. I’d have to walk in there with my face and—”
He cut her off by slipping something from his pocket and handing it to her. It was black lace and satin ribbons, and when she unfolded it she could see it was a half mask that would give decent but not full coverage. And as much as she’d prefer to pull a burlap sack over her head, this would definitely attract less attention.
“Got you covered. Next?”
“What if someone recognizes me?”
“Don’t take this the wrong way but no one will expect you to be here. It’s not like anyone will be on the lookout for Sable Hollingsford in an elf outfit. And if they do recognize you…” Hudson shrugged. “Then you’ll probably recognize them. Plus to expose you they’d have to expose themselves and, you know, mutually assured destruction and all that.”
All of that was true.
Hudson nudged her biceps with his elbow. “I think you’re going to enjoy this. And if you don’t, you can leave anytime. Just poke me and I’ll walk you back to your car and I’ll see you next time. No bigs.”
Right. Hudson was a stickler for consent and if she was truly riddled with anxiety he wouldn’t want her to stay. She took a deep breath and blew it out her mouth, willing her heart to stop racing.
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
Yeah, that bright encouraging smile pushed her a little closer to okay.
“Yes. Can you help me with this?”
She handed him back the mask and turned in her seat so he could put it over her eyes. It was funny in a way to be able to see when he was done.
Hudson often blindfolded her during their sessions. Put plugs in her ears too. In a weird way, shutting out the external stimulus got her out of her head more. She didn’t understand it and she didn’t have to. All she knew was that it worked because Hudson was a wizard. An enormous wizard who was very kind to her.
Sable checked herself in the mirror. It wasn’t perfect, but it was better. She’d put her hair in a side braid and she’d look even less like herself. This would be okay.
“Looking good, Twinkle. Let’s go.”
