Page 138 of Masked Sins
I swallow as I stab a tomato with my fork, popping it into my mouth as I let her words roll over me. Every word she says, every look of pride, ofawe, has me sinking deeper and deeper in love with her. It’s like her words are a soothing balm for my fucked-up soul.
“You should be proud of yourself,” she finishes.
I’m glad it was you.
Her words now and from earlier roll through my mind as I mull them over. I’m not sure what I expected tonight or how I foresaw our relationship progressing, but I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Layla has never let her emotions get the better of her, and she’s always level-headed. She trusts me, so I shouldn’t be surprised that she didn’t care or mind that Starboy was me the entire time.
But the part that leaves me reeling is that, after everything, she’s giving me another chance. Seven years ago, I lost her trust—losther. And for the longest time, I believed that was it, that the bridge had been burned beyond repair. I never imagined that I’d find my way back to her, much less that she’d look at me the way she looks at me now.
The last thing I expected was to earn my way back into her good graces. But here we are, sitting across from each other, and she’s not just tolerating my presence—she’s encouraging me, lifting me up in a way I don’t deserve. Her support is something I thought I’d forfeited forever, but now that I have it, I can hardly believe it’s real.
Layla’s always been the kind of person who sees things clearly and doesn’t let emotions cloud her judgment. That’s who she was seven years ago, when she called me out at that audition, and it’s who she is now. But I never thought I’d be on the receiving end of her trust again. I don't think I'll ever fully grasp the fact that she’s willing to believe in me, to give me another shot.
Maybe I should’ve known that if anyone could see past the mistakes, past the years of silence, it would be her. We’ve always had a connection, even when everything else was chaos. And despite everything that happened, despite how I let her down, it turns out we’re still compatible in ways I never imagined.
So here I am, sitting across from the woman I thought I’d lost forever, and she’s looking at me like I’m worth something. Like I’m worth trusting again. And maybe that’s the most unbelievable part of all—that after all these years, after all the damage I’ve done, she’s still here, still willing to see the best in me.
I’m glad it was you.
“Fuck,” I mutter, looking away.
“What?” she asks, eyes wide.
My lips tug into a smile as I set my fork and knife down, pushing our plates away. “I was hoping we could get through one meal before I fucked you again, but?—”
I jump up, and she squeals with delight as I lift her onto the island in one fell swoop. Pushing her legs apart, she gasps when my hands land on her waist.
“Lie down.”
Her eyes flick between my eyes, and her lips tug into a small smile. “Yes, Master.”
I’m grateful that my housekeeper keeps the counters uncluttered—including the island. Layla lies back, and I pull her to the edge of the marble surface.
“I realize now that you’ve only come once, and I’ve come three times today,” I murmur, peeling her pajama shorts down her hips and letting them fall to the floor. Standing, I step between her legs. “I suppose it’s time to catch you up.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
THE REVERENCE
Layla
Orion gazes down at me as one of his hands runs up my thigh. I squirm as the cool marble soothes the sore spots on my ass, and I realize with a start that I probably look ridiculous spread out on his kitchen island like this.
I squirm—and he doesn’t look away.
I can’t seem to get away from his heated gaze—not since we left Inferno. I can feel it wherever we go together, and I soon realized that his feelings for me go much deeper than I thought.
He grabs one of my ankles and moves it up so that my foot is flat on the edge of the island.
He repeats the motion with the other leg.
It’s jarring to be this exposed and laid out like his own personal feast.
“Open wider,” he commands, warm hands on the insides of my thighs as he pushes them to the side, and then he runs both hands along the insides of my legs, getting close to my core but not close enough to expect any sort of relief.
I whimper and my half-hooded eyes flick across his face. Orion’s thumb slips higher, grazing the area between my leg and vulva. I gasp, and he chuckles.
“Sometimes, the anticipation is better than the release,” he says, blue eyes falling over my chest. “Take your shirt off. I want you naked.”
