Page 17 of The Masked King

I laugh. “Are you psychoanalyzing me now, Brian?”

“Would it turn you on if I was?”

I suck in a deep breath. “Honestly… yes.”

“Tell me about him.”

God, he knows how to hit the seductive spot just right with his tone. The tingling between my legs ramps up a notch.

“He was… he is… beautiful. Not that he knows it and uses it to his advantage. I mean, he does know it but…” I’m rambling. “He’s charming too. He could walk into a crowded room and have everyone eating out of his hand. He’s a gentleman, respectful, considerate, loving…”

“To quote Bill Murray in Groundhog Day: that’s me, me, and me.”

I can’t help laughing. “Classic movie.”

“One of my favorites,” we both say together.

It lands with another tingle that shoots down my spine and applies more pressure to my already aroused pussy. I don’t know how this ended up being about me, but it feels like Brian snuck up on me from behind and isn’t letting me go.

“So, you’re a gentleman too, huh?” My voice trembles.

“Charming, respectful, considerate. I check all the boxes.”

“Are you flirting with me, Brian?”

“What happened to this perfect man, Nyx?” he asks, catching me off-guard.

“He… had a dark side.” I rub my arms to get rid of the goose bumps that just popped.

“Did he hurt you?”

“No!” I blurt out. “He would never hurt me.”

The silence is deafening, and I’m acutely conscious of our conversation being recorded.

“But?” he presses.

“But I knew he would never change.”

There’s a sharp intake of breath. “Did you consider that if he changed, he would no longer be the person you fell in love with?”

His words settle inside my head and make themselves at home. “Wow, that’s deep.” Silence. “Yes, you’re right. That’s why I had to walk away.”

“Did he try to stop you?”

I swallow the lump in my throat. “I didn’t give him the chance.”

“Do you think that was unfair?”

“Probably.” Tears sting my eyes and soak into the mask. “I did what I had to do.”

“How do you think he would feel if he knew what you were doing now?”

I know what he’s asking. I walked away from my perfect man because he was a bad boy, and here I am helping strangers live out their sexual fantasies.

But Brian doesn’t know me. The real me.

“He would understand.”