Page 9 of The Masks We Wear

She grumbles, “I just said he won’t.”

I sigh, “I’m over this convo. You’re boring me and I’m still pissed at you. I’m hanging up now.”

“Brody, I-” I hang up on her before she can finish and exit my bathroom with a cocky expression on my face. I’m getting those drugs and just as they enter my system, the mask will slip on with them and I’ll be Sticks again.

The drugs, parties, and lifestyle help me be who they wantme to be and without them? I can’t do any of it. I change into a pair of ripped baggy jeans and sneakers before finishing the outfit with a Dolce & Gabbana tank top that’s cut beneath my breasts, revealing the skin that’s a shade lighter from not seeing sunlight. I tip toe over to my door and open it, peeking out to make sure Harvey isn’t nearby. I take the staircase down the hall that doesn’t lead to the main rooms which I assume he’ll be in. I hear shuffling in the kitchen and duck into the dining room and over to the window. I try to carefully and silently slide it open and just when I’m confident, I step a leg out. I fit the rest of my body out the window and stay close to the side of the house as I walk through the backyard and to the front. I have a driver waiting to pick me up at the curb thanks to my handy dandy cellphone. I open the gate and close it behind me, grinning a wicked grin of arrogance. Harvey can kiss my little white ass if he thinks I’m just going to obey him.

I lock it behind me and turn to enter the car when a husky voice calls out, “Going somewhere? Did you forget you’re not allowed out unless it’s to the studio or to a work event?”

I clench my jaw so tight in anger I’m almost positive I cracked a molar. “Motherfucker.” I grunt under my breath. I look up at him to find him leaning against the side of the garage, smirking at me.

I give him a dark look. “I didn’t forget, I just don’t give a fuck.”

He raises a brow, “Well you should because every time you try to sneak out, I’m gonna ruin it for you. Where did you think you were going anyway?”

I cross my arms over my chest. I could be honest but where’s the fun in that? He wants to play games; little does he know I’m undefeated. “Rocco’s house. You know who that is, right?” Let’s see if he did his homework on me like he thinks he did.

He tilts his head at me as if in thought but stays silent.

I grin, “Oh come on, don’t tell me you don’t know Rocco. Ithought you did your homework on me, Boy Scout.”

“I did.” His voice is dark.

I take a dangerous step towards him and then another, stopping only when I’m two feet away. I can read his eyes like a book for the first time since I met the guy. Usually, he’s a little hard to read but he’s wearing it all on his face right now. He doesn’t like the idea that he missed something one bit. He thrives off his knowledge and the idea of not knowing something angers him. I’m using that to my advantage. “Well, if you did you would know that Rocco is my fuck buddy and I was sneaking off to see him.” I tease him.

His brows crease in the middle and his jaw tightens. “Too bad Rocco’s house isn’t on the list of places you’re allowed to go.”

My nostrils flare in annoyance. It seems like I won’t be going to Aria’s today after all. But a new thought occurs to me and I smile at him, the fakest smile I’ve ever formed. “Okay.” I walk past him with a pep in my step and bask in not only his confusion over my lack of argument but in what I have planned.

––––––––

FOUR HOURS LATER, Ilay sprawled out on the leather couch in the living room, scrolling through Instagram on my phone and keeping my expression bored. Harvey watches me closely from the kitchen as if he thinks I’m gonna try to ditch him again. I keep my body language relaxed so as not to tip him off for what’s to come.

Harvey Taylor will rue the day he took this job when I’m through with him. Hell, he’ll rue the day he met me. I fight back a devious grin at the thought. A knock raps on the door a moment later and I toss my phone aside to answer the door. Harvey’s eyes narrow, “Who’s that?”

I smirk and ignore him as I walk towards the door and open it to find Rocco on the other side. “Hey, Babe.” He greets and mystomach churns. I’m not a fan of his word of endearment but I ignore it, instead focusing on how angry his presence will make Harvey. Harvey is a man that is obeyed and I disobey him. He didn’t expect me to undermine him and find a loophole in his outrageous rules but here Rocco is. I step aside and let Rocco enter and catch a glimpse of Harvey storming down the entry hall.

“What’s this?” Harvey’s brows pull together as he takes Rocco in. The sight of the two of them in the same room is an anomaly. Harvey is all rigid muscle and height in a pair of slacks and a button down while Rocco wears baggy jeans and a Gucci t-shirt that’s even baggier than the jeans. And of course, how could I forget the thick Cuban chains that are diamond encrusted around Rocco’s neck, emphasizing his chocolate colored skin.

I lean in close to Rocco’s side and grin at Harvey. “You said I couldn’t go anywhere but you never said anything about anyone coming here.” I bat my lashes at him because I know it’ll piss him off more.

His nostrils flare as his eyes leave mine and rove over Rocco. “Who’s this?” Rocco points toward Harvey with his thumb.

I shrug, “The babysitter Selene hired to keep me sober and miserable.” I wait for Harvey to say something but he doesn’t. I look up at Rocco, “Ignore him, he’s rude and has no manners. Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

I grab Rocco’s hand and begin to lead him out of the room when Harvey finally speaks. “Absolutely not.”

I ignore him and continue walking with Rocco at my back. I lead him all the way up the stairs and to my bedroom door all while Harvey follows us with loud protests I choose to ignore. I shove Rocco into my room and tilt my head at Harvey. “Next time you want to tell me what to do, make sure there aren’t any loopholes in your stupid ass rules.” I’m about to slam the door in his face but then another thought occurs to me. “Oh and don’twait up. We’ll be awhile. Bye, Harvey.” I feign innocence as I slam the door so hard in his face the entire frame rattles. I turn to face Rocco who’s made himself comfortable on my bed as I mutter “motherfucker” under my breath.

Rocco raises a confused brow, “What was that all about?”

“What do you mean?”

He laughs, “You used me to make him mad.”

I smirk, “It worked, didn’t it.”

He chuckles, “Girl, you are lucky I like you otherwise I’d be out the door right now for how awkward that whole situation was.”

---