Page 59 of Masked Sins
I’ll have to show her a bit of the man behind the mask.
CHAPTER TEN
THE DISREGARD
Layla
I’m not sure what I thought a kink club would look like, but I do know it’s not this.
We enter through a nondescript door, and then we’re taken to a small office—something that looks like the set from a bad ’90s office rom-com. My eyes skirt over the drab office decor before finally landing on the woman behind the desk.
“Welcome, Ms. Arma. Nice to see you again,” she says to Zoe, who thanks her.
She presses a button and the coat closet door opens. The coats that are hung up begin to part down the middle, revealing a door that leads to a bar.
“Thank you,” I tell her, following Remy and Zoe through the coatrack and into the bar area.
“There’s a one-drink rule,” Zoe explains. “After ordering, you’re given a wristband that you have to keep on until you leave.”
“Also, when doing a scene, one shouldn’t be inebriated,” Remy adds.
“I know that. I mean, I assumed,” I say quickly.
In the back of my mind, I know I should’ve briefed them on what was going on with Starboy on our walk over. He mentioned submissive mentors, and Zoe and Remy could easily be that for me. But something stopped me. Maybe it’s the fear of speaking about it too soon? That it could all be too good to be true? Still, I don’t want them to think I’m a total noob.
“I do knowsomethings, you know,” I add.
Zoe looks up at me with honey-brown eyes. “My little vanilla bean isn’t so vanilla after all, is she?”
I swat her shoulder playfully, but I don’t elaborate.
I’m here tonight to observe and to see if there’s anything here for me. If tonight goes well and I decide to move forward with Starboy, I’ll explain everything to them.
“Let’s grab our drinks,” Zoe says. She and Remy both look incredible in their bondage-style dresses.
Meanwhile, I’m wearing a light blue, fitted denim dress that I recycled from a date three years ago. Compared to them, it feels way too innocent and demure, but my wardrobe is 95 percent lounge clothes, so it would have to do.
“Yes,” I acquiesce, knowing that a bit of liquor will take the edge off my nerves.
“Ishe who shall not be namedhere?” Remy asks, referring to Orion and looking around.
Orion’s overprotectiveness feels like second nature now. I know he does it to piss me off and intentionally tries to get a rise out of me. As a teenager, I resented him for always looking out for me and being too paranoid. But when he nearly killed the football player who almost raped me… I was grateful.
As an adult, I’ve learned to live with it, though I know if I talk to a guy and Orion is there, he’ll do everything in his power to throw me off my game in a big brotherly sort of way.
Or maybe it’s not so brotherly after that kiss a few months ago…
I shove the thought into the back of my mind like I do with most thoughts about Orion.
We order our drinks and take a seat at the bar as we secure our wristbands. “All right, ladies. Are we going to Purgatory, or are we going to Paradise?” Zoe asks, crossing her legs. “I vote Paradise.”
Sipping my cosmo, I raise my brows. “Do those two things entail what I think they do?”
“I don’t think we’re going anywhere,” Remy murmurs, and I follow her line of sight to see my stepbrother bursting through the door we just came out of.
I brace myself. Zoe mentioned that Liam probably told Orion we were coming tonight, which can only mean one thing.
Sitting up straighter, I wait for him to notice us, but instead, he casually saunters over to the other end of the bar. He’s wearing a black T-shirt and worn-in jeans with those boots he loves. His hair is messy, so he probably had his motorcycle helmet on most of the day. His dark scruff highlights his jawline and disheveled demeanor. He leans forward, his biceps popping as he smilesthatsmile and takes a can of Coke from the bar. Bringing it to his lips, he takes a long, deep sip. His throat bobs, and it’s not until Remy nudges me that I realize I’ve been staring.
