“Phoenix—” Langston starts.
“It doesn’t matter if you are married to her or not. I
t’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.