“Missy’s guest.”
The way she looked up at him sent shivers down my back. Her pretty eyes were so wide, smiling like he was God himself in front of her. She offered her hand, and I took it carefully. “I’m Cat. Pleased to meet you.”
Name kinda figured. “Callum.”
“Always nice to see a new face,” she smiled. “Especially a pretty one.”
I was glad it was half fucking dark out here, so she didn’t see me burning up. “You got ink too?” I asked, thinking of summat to say.
She shook her head. “Not yet. Raven’s working on it.”
“You’d look so fucking hot with ink, baby,” Raven said. “And so fucking hot in my chair getting it done.”
“Don’t ask,” Cat grinned. “Masque and Raven are conspiring to decorate my most intimate of places.”
“Yes, we are,” Masque said. “Say, Callum, you’ll have to check out our little show in a while. You can give Cat some feedback on whether she’d suit some tattoos or not. You’ll see enough of her to form an opinion, that’s for certain.”
She seemed to swoon at his words, all giddy, like. I wondered what fucking skills the guy had to make her act like that. Hung like a fucking donkey on steroids, probably.
“What show?” I asked.
“On the main stage,” Raven explained. “Quite an eye-opener.” She winked at me, and my stomach went all funny.
“Will we see you later?” Masque asked. “After the scene?”
I didn’t really know what a fucking scene was. Not really. I shrugged anyway. “Yeah, likely. I’ll be around.”
“We’ll catch you then, chat more about that ink,” he said.
I watched him leave, watched the way his girlfriend melted into his side, like she really belonged to him.
I jumped at Raven’s hand on my arm, but she was only offering me another cigarette.
“Masque and Cat,” she said. “They’re quite a couple.”
“Seem like it.”
“He’s good. Knows his shit, knows how to control himself.”
“Looks like he’d walk into Hades and not break a sweat.”
“You’ll like him,” she said. “And he’ll be a good person for you to know, quite enlightening.”
“Yeah? How so?”
She nodded, eyes twinkling again. “You’ll see, baby. You’ll see.”
***
Chapter Nine
Sophie
“Nice choice. Lad’s definitely got potential.”
My body leapt on instinct, heart rate notching up a gear or twenty. Masque looked more Godlike than ever. His muscles had browned to a sun-kissed bronze, skin so taut he rippled like steel under satin. The dark lines of the beast on his chest called to me, baying for adoration. I wrenched my eyes away before I slavered, looking up instead to the shadowy pools behind his mask. I forced aside the memories of the man’s mouth on mine. On me. All fucking over me. Forced aside the memories of him tearing me apart, of his greedy tongue forcing its way inside, insatiable for the taste of pain.
Masque leaned over the bar to my side, ordering two large reds and a pint of water. I smiled inwardly, knowing exactly how his filthy mind was playing out. He turned to offer, but I pointed to my fresh vodka, smiling thanks. Masque didn’t leave with his drinks, just stared me out, waiting for my response.
“You met Callum, then?”
“Raven seems to have taken a shine to him.”
“Yes, she does.”
“And how about you, Missy? Are you feeling a shine too?”
“I don’t know about that, Masque.” I paused, but he didn’t fill the gap. He rarely does. “It’s very new, we’re very different. And he’s young... and¸ well, I’m not.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
I felt myself flushing. “That’s usually my line with you, Mr Evasive. How was your holiday?”
“Perfect. Thank you.” His bloody attention burned right through my skin. “The lad has it bad for you.”
“How on earth do you know that? He’s only been on the balcony twenty minutes. Did you put him in chains? Beat him until he confessed?”
“Maybe would have, if I swung that way,” he smiled, a filthy fucking smile. “Would you like that, Missy? Does the idea make you wet?” He laughed gently. “I didn’t need to force a confession, the situation is crystal clear. He’s uncomfortable here, edgy, but still he stays.”
“And?”
“There’s a reason for that. I’m confident I’m looking right at her.”
“I think he’s more into Raven than me right now.”