Page 77 of Masked Sins
I’m barely breathing—barelythinking.He’s so close to me, and all I can think of are his light blue eyes boring into mine and the way he so confidently led the scene at Inferno a few nights ago. How in command of himself he was—how domineering yet gentle he was to Haley.
I haven’t done much with Starboy, but what I have done has already worked at grounding me. Knowing he was controlling me in a very small way yet seeing howuncontrolledI made him?It was really hot. I wanted more. And if Starboy took control like Orion did for Haley?
There’d be no going back for me.
“I suppose I can understand that,” I answer thickly. “When did you…” I trail off, unsure of how to ask another invasive question.
“Right around the time I stopped drinking,” he tells me. “But control has always interested me. Caring for people. Being the youngest brother meant I couldn’t flex those caretaker muscles often… until I met you, at least.”
Now I really do stop breathing as he continues. His brows scrunch together as he looks down at me.
“I sort of stumbled into it. I went to rehab?—”
“You did?” I ask, guilt lodging inside me. “When?”
He shrugs. “Around the time Miles got married to Stella. It was mostly to mitigate any withdrawal symptoms, and let’s be honest, half the places around here are glorified spas. But it was easy. I did my time and left. The problem is, it wasn’t the alcohol I was drawn to. It was the control—the way I could wield my mind into numbness so I didn’t have to feel anything.” His eyes bore into mine. “Most people are out of control when they drink, but for me, it allowed me to focus on the task at hand and drown everything else out. That first night back from rehab, I walked into the local pub and talked to a woman there. She was there for a munch—which is a casual meetup for anyone in the kink lifestyle. She told me all about it, and I realized it was exactly what I’d been looking for. I joined a local munch shortly after that.”
“Is that where you met Haley?” I ask, genuinely curious.
Orion nods. “Yes. Actually, her first munch was also Liam’s first munch, and she tried to pick him up… needless to say, she and Zoe are friends now, but it was funny to watch Zoe and Liam try to resist their feelings at first.”
I smile, thinking of how Zoe and Liam got together. How she lured him out of his shell, and they both discovered his kinks together. They both resisted for a while because Liam is twenty years her senior, but I’ve never seen a couple more in love.
Well, maybe except for the other Ravage brothers—Chase and his wife, Juliet. And Miles and Stella, who live in Ravage Castle with their young daughter, Beatrix.
Despite being curious, I don’t ask what his kinks are. It feels too personal, and it’s none of my business. Plus, I’m not sure I want to know—it’ll just make the whole idea of him as a Dominant way too real for me. I’d seen enough at Inferno, and I had an idea about his inclinations.
“It’s weird learning stuff about someone you once knew everything about,” I tell him, looking away so he can’t see my pained expression. I can feel his eyes boring into the side of my head, though, and he sighs heavily.
“Trust me. I know the feeling.”
I’m just about to look at him when a doctor calls out my dad’s name from a few feet away.
“Family of Scott Rivers?”
Orion and I both shoot up from the bench. “I’m his daughter,” I say, fumbling with my Kindle as I bend down to grab my purse without bursting into tears.
“Go. I’ll get your things,” Orion murmurs, placing a warm, reassuring hand on the back of my head.
I mutter a quick thanks as I walk over to the doctor.
“Your dad is fine,” he says, smiling. Relief washes over me as Orion comes to stand next to me. “We’re going to run a few more tests to rule out a stroke and heart attack, so he’ll likely stay overnight until his blood sugar comes down, but it appears the tingling and numbness were caused by diabetic neuropathy and very common for someone with uncontrolled diabetes.” He looks at Orion. “Is this your husband?”
I almost laugh out loud, but Orion speaks before I have the chance. “What do you mean uncontrolled diabetes?”
The doctor looks back and forth between us. “He should be taking medication. His blood sugar numbers are extremely high.”
My brows furrow. “He was diagnosed with prediabetes last year. You’re saying it’s progressed?”
The doctor nods. “Yes. When we discharge him, we’ll prescribe medication, but I recommend that he see his regular doctor as soon as possible.”
My eyes well with tears. “Thank you.”
The doctor nods once. “Normally, we’d say you could visit him, but unless you absolutely need to see him, we recommend that you go home. We’re swamped because of the heatwave.”
“Of course, Doctor,” Orion says, reaching a hand out. They shake hands, and a second later, the doctor walks away. “Come on,” he says, placing an arm around my shoulders. “I’ll drive you home.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
