Beneath the Mask

Jealously

As Max and I descended the stairs hand-in-hand, his whispered words echoed through the hallway. "Damn it, Nyah, your neck and chest are covered in so many damn hickeys," he exclaimed.

A mischievous smile played on my lips as I retorted, "Looks like someone got carried away." Max leaned in to kiss my cheek, whispering, "Always when it comes to you."

I rolled my eyes playfully, aware of the curious gazes of those who had just entered the room.

Among them was Dalton, accompanied by a woman who clung to him, practically throwing herself at him.

Dalton's eyes shifted in my direction, his gaze scanning my body. He lingered for a moment, his attention fixated on the marks on my chest and neck.

A flutter of annoyance crossed his features, but he quickly composed himself.

"Let's all sit down and eat," my mother announced cheerfully. We gathered around the table, and Max took the seat next to mine.

With a self-assured smirk, I crossed my right leg over my left, leaning back comfortably. Max, ever the attentive one, offered to serve me.

I smiled approvingly and hummed in response, placing my hand gently on his thigh.

Instantly, I felt Max tense up, his grip tightening on his own leg.

My smirk widened as I moved my hand teasingly, gliding it tantalizingly close to his crotch. He cleared his throat nervously, and I couldn't help but chuckle.

Taking a bite of the steak, I felt his hand slap mine away, asserting his dominance.

He placed his hand firmly on my thigh, gripping it tightly enough to make me bite my lip, pretending as though nothing had just transpired between us.

The air around me sizzled with heat, surging through my veins like a fever. It was as if the very atmosphere crackled with an intense energy that made my body tingle.

In that moment, I gazed upon him, casually enjoying his meal while the world seemed to melt away.

Our eyes locked, and he flashed a mischievous smirk, knowingly igniting the spark within me.

With a swift motion, he effortlessly maneuvered my legs, draping them over his own, taking control of his territory.

His hand, warm and confident, glided along my skin, tracing a path of anticipation.

It moved with a deliberate slowness, teasingly ascending, then descending, sending shivers across my body.

A gentle squeeze on the side of my ass elicited a soft, involuntary sound of pleasure that escaped my lips.

Amusement danced in his eyes as he leaned in, his voice a seductive whisper that reached the deepest corners of my desire.

"Your face, my princess, flushed with an exquisite mixture of heat and a hint of blush. Does my touch intensify it?" he taunted playfully.

The corners of my lips curled into a smirk, my eyes locking onto his, brimming with a passionate fire.

"Perhaps both, my love, but your heavenly torment certainly exacerbates the flames.

If you continue to touch me like this in the presence of others, I'll have no choice but to abandon all restraint and kiss you shamelessly."

A knowing smile tugged at his lips as he leaned closer, our breaths mingling, the air growing charged with unspoken desires.

"Oh, trust me, my princess, I am well aware of the raging inferno you're capable of igniting within me,"

he replied, his voice laced with a smoldering intensity that left me breathless.

His lips beckoned to me, tantalizingly close. My heart raced, my bottom lip quivered, and with a steady gulp, I closed my eyes, surrendering to the intoxicating spell.

Just as I summoned the courage to give in to our mutual yearning, a sight seized my attention.

I glanced discreetly, catching Dalton's intense gaze, frozen, unblinking, locked onto mine. Without hesitation, he swiftly averted his eyes, diverting his attention to the woman by his side.

I watched as he turned her face, his lips capturing hers in a desperate embrace, while my heart thudded with a mix of emotions.

Returning my focus to Max, I found his hand boldly venturing beneath my dress, taking possession of hidden treasures.

A smile curled upon my lips, but I quickly composed myself, swallowing the lump in my throat.

"I need to excuse myself momentarily," I murmured, my voice husky and laden with implications.

His smirk deepened, his touch reluctantly releasing its grip. I pulled down my dress, adjusting my tights with a composed grace before heading towards the safe haven of the restroom.

Yet, even in the sanctuary of porcelain walls, a lingering feeling persisted—a sense of being pursued, observed, of someone craving the very breath I took.

Abruptly, I turned, and my body collided forcefully against the unyielding wall.

Startled, I found myself face to face with Dalton, his presence a whirlwind of intensity. "Bloody hell, what in the devil's name—"