Biting down on my bottom lip, I will my voice to work, and finally, I muster up the faintest, “Keep them.”
He growls, “Good. Fucking. Girl.”
My breathing is shallow, and my body is eager for him, desperate. Just by the sound of his voice and the danger that comes with him.
Something sounds in the background. A man’s talking, but I can’t make out what he says.
“Fucking hell,” he mutters. “I have to go.”
“Okay, yeah?—”
The call ending cuts me off.
I don’t lower the phone or move, aside from breathing and blinking as I try to process what the hell just happened. It’s like I’m changing right before my eyes, becoming someone who doesn’t hide behind every boundary and rule, but someone who chases passion and pleasure.
He makes me feel brave enough to color outside of the lines and embrace parts of myself I’ve always kept hidden.
Is he watching me right now? Or did he really have to go all of a sudden?
My phone buzzes against my ear, bringing me out of my thoughts.
My Masked Valentine: Get some sleep. It’s late, and you have to be up early. I’ll warm up your car for you. We’re supposed to be getting some snow tonight, but if it’s bad, I’ll send a crew over to clear you out.
My heart skips a beat as I read his message, my cheeks burning red. He’s so thoughtful, and I can’t help but wonder why he went down the masked path at all.
He could’ve approached me, asked me out like a normal person, and actually dated me in a traditional sense. But instead, he watched me, learned about me, dedicated endless time and effort just to win me over.
My chest swells as my stomach flutters. It doesn’t matter what he looks like, or the insane lengths he’s gone. It doesn’t scare me for some reason, and I don’t think it ever will.
But I can’t shake a feeling, one that lives deep in the pit of my abdomen, that if he was hiding cameras from me, there are certainly other things. What if one of them has to do with the reason he’s concealing his identity?
He knows I accept his unorthodox dating tactics, so what’s holding him back from removing his mask?
I’ve spent the last week traveling for away games while Serena has drowned herself in her work. I’ve reminded her countless times to eat and hydrate because she was neglecting herself.
Aside from her work, I’ve noticed a heaviness in her shoulders that has been lingering, a sadness that seems to tug her lips down every so often. I wish I could read her mind. These cameras only tell me so much.
The times I’ve seen her smile were only when she was cuddling Freddie or talking to me. But even our conversations didn’t light her eyes up like they usually do.
Did I do something wrong? Am I not doing enough?
Regardless, I’ll find a way to fix whatever’s wrong. Maybe she just misses me. But I know that’s not it—I can feel it in my gut. Which is why I’m walking into her house right now to do a few things Iknow she’ll love.
Serena’s a woman who owns her environment. Her job. Her home. Her dog. She works for herself and sets the rules. No one holds a mortgage over her head. And she chose a mini dachshund for a dog—small enough for her to lift and move at will.
She has complete control over every aspect of her life, except for when it comes to me. My obsession may be more intense, more all-consuming, but she’s drawn to me the same way I am to her.
If she needs to be picked up every now and then, that’s what I’m here for. Sooner or later, she’ll learn that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her and that the only thing I want is for her to be happy and feel loved.
Closing her front door behind me, I’m immediately greeted by an overjoyed Freddie. I push my mask up to the top of my head, revealing my face.
“Hey, little man.” I crouch down and scoop him into my arms, and he peppers my chin with kisses. “I missed you too.”
Thankfully, Serena left him at home today—something she’s been doing more and more since they brought on two new hires who have been occupying a lot of her attention.
But she assured me Bound-to-Be’s mascot will be back at his work desk—his dog bed—soon. In the meantime, I know that my presence is giving her peace of mind in keeping him home. Every chance I get, I run over here and spend time with him, and I check in on him sporadically through my cams.
We stroll to the back door, and I slip my mask off,tossing it onto the kitchen island. I pull open the sliding door, letting him go potty.
