“What is it like? Loving someone and being loved?”
“It’s the most incredible and terrifying thing in the world.”
I nod.
“Don’t get it twisted, though. Siren and I aren’t lovers. Until tonight, we’d never touched each other and never kissed.”
“I know. It’s not a sexual thing between you. It’s not what Siren has with Zeke. It’s different, but it’s still love.”
Langston nods as he turns and looks out the sliding glass door behind him. I walk up beside him, and we both stare out at the stary night.
“Phoenix—” Langston starts.
“It doesn’t matter if you are married to her or not. It’s clear you don’t love her. Not after I’ve seen what you loving a woman looks like. You don’t have that with Phoenix as far as I’ve seen. And no man who truly loves his wife would be able to stomach what you did tonight. That’s why Enzo and Zeke dropped out so easily.” I smile, thinking about what Siren did. “Zeke is going to punish Siren for touching your cock, isn’t he?”
Langston chuckles. “Probably. Siren thinks it will spice up their sex life. I, for one, don’t want to think about it.”
I stare at his dimple and the twinkle in his eyes. For a split moment, he’s happy. He’s content. He’s not thinking about how to get the treasure. He’s not thinking about my lies. He’s not thinking about killing me. He’s just living in the moment.
Langston reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. After a couple of swipes, he hands it to me.
“My marriage to Phoenix is legal. It may not be a fairy tale. It may not be love, but it’s real.”
I stare at the photo of his marriage license. I have no reason to believe he faked this. It looks real enough, and it doesn’t matter. He signed a legal document, the same way I’m going to in a couple of weeks. That doesn’t mean he’s in love with her.
Would it matter if he was?
I don’t want Langston to ever fall in love with me. I could never fall in love with him. Maybe if he loved another woman, it would make our relationship easier? Maybe he’d be able to focus on her instead of whatever this feud is between us?
Slowly, Langston turns to face me. His hands touch the bottom of my glittery mask. The mask makes me feel beautiful and mysterious, even though it doesn’t hide who I really am.
He pushes the mask off my face and tosses it on the bed.
Then he tugs gently on the black wig I’m wearing.
“I don’t like this,” he says.
“No?”
“No.”
His hands pull the wig off next. I’ve never felt so bare and so seen.
My blonde hair is up in a bun.
With his eyes locked on mine, he tugs the elastic, and my hair falls in waves down my neck.
“Better,” he says.
We both stare at each other, breathing deeply. He said he came here for me to tell a lie so he could take more time off my life. But right now, it seems he came here to see into my soul.
“About the lie…we should talk so I can shower and sleep,” I say.
He frowns and takes my hand.
“First, I need to wash the blood, sweat, and saliva from your body.”
“Then?”
He smirks. “I’m going to enjoy the ‘then’ step the most, probably for quite a while. After we do that, you will tell me a lie to soothe my rage at this mess you got us all in.”
First, he wants to wash me.
Then, he won’t say.
Lastly, he wants me to tell him a lie.
I don’t think I’m going to survive this night.
“Why?” I ask.
His jaw ticks. His teeth grind. Langston doesn’t like to be defied. He doesn’t give orders often, but when he does, he wants them obeyed without question.
“I hold your life in the palm of my hand. If you want to survive the year, you’ll do as I say.”
I bite my lip. He has no idea how wrong he is.
Langston walks to the bathroom, and I follow.
Maybe I follow out of survival.
Maybe I follow out of curiosity.
Maybe I follow out of desire.
The bathroom door reveals a giant jacuzzi tub.
“They gave you a nice suite,” he says.
“Yours doesn’t come with a hot tub?”
He shakes his head as he flips on the water and pours some nearby bath salts into the water.
I’m already naked, and I assume the tub is just for me, so I move to climb into it, knowing the water and bit of bubbles will make me feel more covered up.
Langston holds out a hand, stopping me.
I frown.
My eyes bulge as he undoes the zipper on his slacks and pushes them down until he’s naked in front of me. His cock strains in my direction.
My mouth waters, looking at the large veins on his member pointing in my direction. I’ve never been so jealous of Siren. She got to taste it, touch it, suck it.
My heart is beating wildly in my chest. Does he expect me to fuck him?
Silently, he steps into the tub. Then, he holds his hand out to me.
I take it. My brain is mush, unable to think through any decision. He could tell me to jump off the balcony into the ocean right now, and I’d probably do it.
We are standing face to face in the tub as the water fills to just below our knees. I’ve seen Langston shirtless before, but never naked like this. His muscles are a perfect sculpture of man. Leonardo da Vinci couldn’t have sculpted a more perfect specimen. But it’s offset by scars, cuts, bruises that show why he really has the muscles. It’s not because he wants to look good; it’s out of necessity.
I want to bask in the view of his cock again, but I’m too afraid. Not of what Langston would say but what I might accidentally do if I let myself go
