22. Mallory
CHAPTER 22
Mallory
“ H oly shit, Mallory. You look fucking amazing.” Mandy’s eyes widen as I pivot just inside the front door of my apartment. My hair is curled, and I’m wearing make-up as if attending one of my parent’s black-tie events.
Since the temperature plummeted twenty degrees this evening, I dug inside my closet for a long-sleeved, low-cut top. Tight designer jeans hug my curves, and heeled booties complete the look.
My gaze roams over Mandy, taking in her jeans, boots, and low-cut top. “You look pretty damn amazing, too.”
Mandy blushes, giggling as she gives me a little curtsy.
We exit my apartment and head toward the elevator. I can’t help admiring the way her long, straight hair gleams beneath the lights in the hallway.
“Got everything you need?” Mandy asks as we wait for the elevator.
I pat the front pocket of my jeans containing my ID, some cash, and a tube of lipstick. Then I do the same to my back pocket where my phone is. “I’m good. You? ”
She does the same and nods. “Yup. We’re gonna have so much fun tonight.”
I try to match her energy, but my smile is forced. “Indeed.”
Mandy keeps up a steady stream of conversation. As the elevator descends, I nod politely, feigning interest in the conversation.
When we exit the apartment building and begin our walk across campus to the party, I wait to feel the hair standing up on the back of my neck from being watched. But there’s nothing.
The leaves on the large maple tree shake and sway above me, drawing my attention. I inhale the crisp, clean mountain air as my gaze lifts to the dark sky above. Shimmering stars litter the sky, but it’s the moon I’m searching for.
When I find it, I release the breath I’d been holding. The light it emits is calming and peaceful, a beacon guiding me in the dark.
I love the moon’s scarred perfection. Its beauty is perfectly imperfect, like a mysterious lover who wears a creepy mask and has a beautiful body.
My thoughts suck the breath from my lungs. I just unlocked my reasons behind the mask kink I recently discovered.
Even as pissed as I am, I admit my masked man is perfectly imperfect.
Ten minutes later, we’re heading to the front door of Hollow Ridge, a massive stone house with gargoyles near the entrance. The bass from the music playing inside fills the air, and trepidation swirls inside me as I head inside.
No. Tonight is about having fun. Forget about everything else, including the masked man.
Mandy leads me to the drinks, and I grab a beer, even though I’m not a fan. But I don’t trust the big bowl of punch that has God only knows what in it.
As we move toward the makeshift dance floor, a girl from Mandy’s class comes up, grabbing her arm and chatting animatedly in her ear. The music is too loud to make out what she’s saying, so I gaze around the room while sipping my beer, feeling awkward.
I spot my former tutor, Adam, going to the kitchen. I raise my arm, yelling his name. His last meeting with me was brief and strange. I saw the bruises and lacerations on his face, but he wouldn’t comment on them.
“What happened?” I rush over to him, grabbing his arm.
He jerks it away, his eyes narrowing on me. “As if you don’t know.”
“I don’t understand.”
His voice is sarcastic as he releases a humorless laugh. “You didn’t need to send your boyfriend after me.”
My eyes widen, and I jerk back in surprise. “What are you talking about?”
He glares at me. “Don’t play dumb, Mallory. You know damn well what you did.”
I shake my head, bewildered that he thinks I had something to do with whatever happened. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
As I stare at his angry face, I remember running into the masked man during my first tutoring session. A sour taste fills my mouth as my limbs shake, and our conversation by the water fountain rolls through my head.
“Is that jackass making you uncomfortable?”
“How do you know what I’m doing? Are you spying on me?”
“Everything you do is my business, Mallory. I’ve already told you that you’re mine. Now stop this nonsense and answer my question. Is. He. Bothering. You?”
The realization punches me in the gut .
Oh, God. My masked man did this. He went after Adam.
Sure, Adam was a jerk during our session, making me uncomfortable, but this… it’s not right.
“Leave me alone, Mallory. I’m not in the mood for an ass kicking tonight.” His lip curls in disgust as he glares at me before turning and stomping away.
I stand there, holding my beer bottle against my suddenly pounding head.
Like the waves of a rapidly swirling ocean, the anger washes over me. Pulling my phone from my back pocket, my fingers stab the screen as the rush of white-hot rage courses through my veins.
ME: Did you beat up Adam?
I clench my phone, waiting for the three dots to indicate he’s typing. But time moves on… and on… and there’s no response.
ME: You had no goddamn right to intervene. I was handling it.
Still nothing.
Goddamn him . After the intrusive way he’s infiltrated every aspect of my life, how dare that motherfucker ghost me.
Mandy notices the pissed look on my face and grabs my arm. “Come on. Let’s go dance.”
“Great idea.”
She leads me through the crowd to the makeshift dance floor.
A group of girls walks through the room, a tray of shot glasses on their shoulders. “Shots. Shots. Shots,” the partygoers around us chant.
I’m shaking my hips to the beat when one of the girls comes up beside me. “Would you like a shot? ”
“Don’t mind if I do.” I grab it from the tray and down it, wincing from the burn and the terrible taste.
“Oh my God.” Mandy grabs my arm, her eyes wide.
“Do you want one?”
She shakes her head, and I shrug. “Okay, then. I’ll have one in your honor.” Grabbing another one from the tray, I toss it back.
Take that, masked man. I hope you’re spying on me.