Nick argues with the men for a few more minutes, but they just block the entrance to the cabin and shake their heads, unwilling to budge. Finally, the boat is turned around and we arrive at the harbor twenty minutes later. Nick exchanges a few parting words with the men in tuxedos, whose faces remain hard and impassive. They look more like thugs than waiters now.
“I’m so sorry about that. I did not think they would do something like that. Are you sure you’re okay?”
I chuckle as he continues to rub my arm as we walk home. “I’m fine. I promise.” We climb the steps up to the street level and I try not to show my unease when I see the lights on inside my house. “Why don’t you go ahead to your house. I’m just going to use the restroom at home and turn off the lights. I must have left those on.”
He glances at my windows. “I don’t remember you leaving the lights on.”
“Alyssa! Nicolas! I’m so happy to see you.”
Nick and I turn toward the voice of my neighbor Elena. She’s waving at us as she rushes down her steps and out onto the street to greet us.
“Elena, how are you?”
She smiles at me and tilts her head. “You look different. Your face is… puffy.”
“Puffy?”
Did she just call me fat?
She shakes her head and turns to Nick. “Nicolas, tienes un sacacorchos me puedes prestar?” She turns to me and smiles. “A corkscrew. My husband lost ours again.”
“Yes, come with me.” Nick turns to me. “I’ll wait for you at the house.”
I nod as he sets off toward his cottage with Elena. As soon as they’re inside, I turn toward my house and all the tiny hairs on my arms stand on end at the sight of the flickering light within. No, I didn’t leave the lights on. And I especially didn’t leave any candles on considering I don’t own any candles.
I walk deliberately toward the front door, each step feeling heavier than the last. Placing my hand on the doorknob, I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then I turn the knob and push the door open.
My heart pounds against my ribs, pulses in my fingertips, and roars inside my ears. The entire living room, every surface, is covered in burning candles and freesia.
Each step I take, the smell becomes stronger, until I’m practically choking on it. The candle flames flicker, washing the petals of the flowers in dancing light.
The sight is mesmerizing.
The smell is overwhelming.
Then comes the sound as the door clicks behind me.
He’s here.
“Ready to play, chérie?”
Thank you!
Thank you for reading Unmasked: Volume 2! This story continues in Unmasked: Volume 3.
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Other books by Cassia Leo
EROTIC ROMANCE
KNOX Series
LUKE Series
CHASE Series
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Forever Ours (Shattered Hearts #0.5)
Relentless (Shattered Hearts #1)
Pieces of You (Shattered Hearts #2)
Bring Me Home (Shattered Hearts #3)
Abandon (Shattered Hearts #3.5)
Black Box (stand-alone novel)
PARANORMAL ROMANCE
Parallel Spirits (Carrier Spirits #1)
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About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Cassia Leo loves her coffee, chocolate, and margaritas with salt. When she’s not writing, she spends way too much time watching old reruns of Friends and Sex and the City. When she’s not watching reruns, she’s usually enjoying the California sunshine or reading – sometimes both.
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