Page 76 of The Masks We Burn

His eyes are firm, his back straight, and shoulders square. The look in his gaze is one of a tycoon and not the timid man my mother turns him into.

My mother drops her hand from my shoulder as if it’s offended her, the pupils in her eyes dilating noticeably as she clasps her chest in fake horror. “Alex.”

“No.” My father shakes his head and glances down at me, a soft smile breaking up the tension in his face. “Too long have I thought your mother knew best, even when in my gut I felt as though it wasn’t quite right. William was right about you,moya lyubov’. I should never have to worry if you will be alright. You are a strong, resilient woman. And I cannot keep you locked in this cage. You will not go to the bank tomorrow. I will give you whatever money you need.”

He holds up a hand for me to close my mouth that’s just dropped open. “And if you’d like to pay me back, I’ll allow it so that you know in the pit of your gut, that your success is your own. But there will be no interest on the money, of course.”

My father winks before turning a hard gaze back toward my mother. “And Sophie and I will help with anything else you need.

An overwhelming mix of relief, excitement, euphoria, and disbelief wash over me all at once as I embrace my father. It’s as if I were holding on to a buoy, watching the water levels rise, knowing without a shadow of a doubt that soon the waves would overtake me. But as the last boat passed me unseen, a life raft appeared, taking me back to the shore.

I am free.

Free from the ultimatum, the deal, my mother… myself.

The gate has been opened and it’s time to fly.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

“How the hell did you find this place so fast? I mean, not only is it perfect on the inside, but it’s close to everything. Five minutes from the highway to take me straight to Idaho, a block away from Main Juice, and not ten minutes away from the fields. Plus, you scored me the corner unit with a garage.”

Mina smiles and shrugs, leaning against the counter as she brushes a hand over her skirt. It’s then I take notice of her outfit. She’s always dressed professionally but today I notice she’s taken extra attention with her makeup, and her dress is much shorter than her business casual. She must notice my curious expression. “It’s my birthday.”

“Oh, shit. Happy birthday! You don’t look a day over twenty.” Which is the truth. At one point in time, back in high school, I thought Mina was the hottest woman I’d ever seen. Golden brown eyes, curves for miles, and lips like Angelina Jolie. She’s still beautiful, of course, but I think after you’ve fallen in love, it does something to your cerebellum—rewires your brain and makes you realize no one looks as good as the one you love.

Mina rolls her eyes, handing me a red folder. “Everything’s ready, just sign on all the dotted lines where I put a red post-it arrow, and she’s all yours.”

Excitement radiates through my muscles, making me bounce on my heels as I take the folder. “This is great, Mina. Really, thank you.”

She waves a dismissive hand before handing me a pen.

I lean over my new bar top, a black slate marble above wooden butcher-block counters, and start initialing where I’m supposed to. “You doing anything tonight?”

“After going to Lily’s graduation, I have a date.” I can hear the smile in her voice as she says the last part.

Sucks we all have graduation today and I can’t see them walk the stage. Spencer assured me it would be fine since he’s graduating two more times before he’s done, so I promised to go to both of those. “Who’s the lucky guy?”

After a moment with no answer, I glance up to see a light rose color coat her cheeks. “Just a guy.”

I huff, a playful smile taking over as I go back to the file. “If he’s just a guy, why are you so nervous?”

She shrugs in my periphery. “He’s younger.”

“So?”

Mina scoffs, throwing up her hands. “Typical male response. I’m thirty-three, Will. What’s a twenty-two-year-old want to date me for when he could have any young lady he wanted?”

I drop the pen and turn to face her, grabbing one of her hands. “Okay, hold on, Mina. Slow down. Number one, women being older isnota big deal. People say ladies mature faster, which may be true, but some men do too. It’s really dependent on a lot of factors, but point aside, you’re a wonderful woman. You’re beautiful, kind, and smart as a whip. So don’t go into this thinking you’re anything less than a great catch. No man with a brain is going to look for any other fish in the sea after you.”

Mina lets out a bark of laughter. “Corniest analogy ever.”

I shrug, smiling as I hand her back the file. “True, but I mean every word.”

She rolls her eyes again, only this time with a big grin on her face. “What time is your graduation?”

A quick glance down at my watch says I have thirty minutes till check-in with a twenty-five-minute drive. “Gotta leave in five.”

“William! Go, go. I’ll turn this in with your deposit and get the keys. Meet you later?”

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