Page 12 of The Masks We Wear

Just as my mind wanders into rest, the incessant banging continues. “Door is getting broken down in three…” He wouldn’t dare. “Two…” He continues and I leap out of bed afraid of what’ll happen when he gets to- “One.” He thunders just as I make it to the door and swing it open, avoiding his extended leg which was surely just about to break my door down mid kick.

“Do not touch my door!” I bark, my voice raspy from lack of restful sleep.

He collects himself and forces his expression to calm only a little. I’ll never understand how he does it. Harvey Taylor is ableto be fully wide awake and dressed for the day at every moment. I’m convinced he doesn’t sleep. Maybe he isn’t even human. That would totally make sense actually. I raise a suspicious brow at him and question if he’s a robot. “Get dressed.” He demands and I notice then that his gaze is directly on my tank top that’s hanging off my shoulder and revealing most of my stomach. My skin feels hot under his gaze, and it isn’t until his eyes flicker down for a brief moment before he forces himself to look away. I look down to see what’s caused the reaction from him only to realize I’m not wearing any pants. Or shorts. I’m in my tighty whities. Fuck.

I could do one of two things. One, I could get embarrassed and listen to him. Or two, I could make this ten times more uncomfortable and difficult for him and feign confidence. I choose option two, the rational options are never fun anyway.

“Nah. I’d rather go back to bed and forget you’re still taking up unwanted residence in my home.” I smirk at him as I lace my voice with disdain.

He flares his nostrils. “Too bad.” He makes burning eye contact with me. “Because you have to be downtown in an hour.”

My brows pull together. “For what?”

He sighs, “Selene has you three on a press photoshoot. She thinks it’s good PR since you’re all public enemies right now. At least to the law.”

I throw my head back and groan. “What’s the shoot for?”

I hear the irritation in his voice. “I’m not your manager. It isn’t my job to explain all of this to you, it’s Selene’s so you can call her and ask. My job is to get you there in one piece sober and ready to get work done. So go get dressed and be downstairs in ten minutes.” He turns on his heel and storms down the hall, his loud footsteps sounding on the stairs as he descends.

What a dick. “Hey, Harvey?” I call to his back, keeping myvoice neutral so he doesn’t know what to expect from me. I keep my head in the hallway even though he can’t see me from where he is on the stairs.

“What?” He calls back.

“Fuck you!” I yell as I slam my door hard enough to rattle the house.

I rest my back against the door and sigh, grinning from ear to ear. I have a new philosophy I’d like to adopt when it comes to Harvey Taylor. I was aggressive before and that didn’t drive him out. So maybe driving him bat shit crazy will. I can’t wipe the menacing grin off my lips as I push off the door and start for my closet.

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THERE ARE A LOTof things I hate. Examples you ask? Well, I hate Kiss. I also hate floral perfumes and books because the words stress me out. I hate heels and gold jewelry. School is also high up on my list of things I hate, but there is not one thing on that list that I hate more than I hate Harvey Taylor. You heard it here first. I would rather walk around in a pair of stilettos smelling like a Goddamned gardenia than spend another minute with the guy, but I digress.

I made sure to take longer than Harvey demanded I take to get ready, just to peeve him. I also have been humming the entire time we’ve been in the back of the Escalade driving downtown. Harvey hasn’t said anything, but I can tell from the way his jaw is clenched and he’s aggressively typing on his phone that I’m getting on his nerves.Perfect. I keep humming but do so louder and I also start using my hands to tap out a beat on my thighs. I’m killing two birds with one stone right now; I’m coming up with a beat for a new melody and annoying Harvey Taylor to no end.

Just when I’m convinced his pride won’t allow him to talk tome, he snaps, “Can you stop?”

I grin, “Stop what?”

He flares his nostrils in his signature angry face that I’m sure is meant to elicit some form of intimidation but isn’t doing much of anything for me aside from encouraging my behavior. “The humming and the tapping. Stop it.”

I chuckle, “No.”

His eyes widen in frustration.

“You said so yourself. Your job is to make sure I get to the shoot sober or whatever and ready to work, not to have an opinion, so shut up.” I remark.

He raises a brow as if he’s offended but there’s a brief look of pride that flashes through his eyes before he hides it with his usual stony expression. It couldn’t have been pride. Harvey wouldn’t be proud of me, right? Especially not for insulting him. He remains silent as he shakes his head and continues texting.

I flinch like I was just slapped aggressively and spat on by someone who doesn’t brush their teeth. How dare he not respond to me after I just insulted him? “Excuse me?” I snap.

He gives me a look as if he’s completely unaffected. “Yes?”

“Nothing to say? No witty response? No threats of breaking doors down in a house that doesn’t belong to you?” I raise a suspicious brow. I changed my tactic this morning, but did he also change his?

He stares at me in silence before his lip curls into a faint smile in the corner. “I don’t have anything to say to you not only because it would be a waste of my time but because we’re here and you have work to do.” He turns and opens the door, holding it open for me as my security detail appears at the door to escort us into the building.

I sigh, “Right. I haveworkto do.”

He looks down at me and raises a questioning brow.

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