Heart's Masquerade

by Tressie Lockwood

  “What the hell is that white guy doing here?” Lamont didn’t seem to understand the danger he was in. “Wait, that’s why it smells like sex in here? You’re fucking him, Jaz?”

  She put her hands on her hips. “What I do is my business. You need to explain to me what you mean by my sister saw pictures you took of me.”

  Torrian shifted behind her, but he didn’t try to get at Lamont. She suspected if the fool didn’t answer right, Torrian wouldn’t be still long.

  Shame surfaced in Lamont’s gaze. “Promotional stuff for the benefit. You know I dabble in photography.”

  She frowned. “Of course, and I’m always doing what I can to get the word out there.” Then she froze. The operative words were doing what she could. A couple times Jaz wore crazy costumes to try to drudge up interest in the center, and then there was the Halloween outfit, which left little to the imagination. “You took photos the night of the party for the website.”

  “And for myself,” he admitted.

  Jaz felt sick. “You disgusting creep!”

  “Jaz, it’s not like that. I love you. I just wanted a token—”

  “Don’t say that to me!”

  He reached out a hand to her and found Torrian’s fist in his jaw. Blood spattered Lamont’s bottom lip.

  “Get up,” Torrian demanded. Jaz had the feeling he wanted to hit Lamont again, and she couldn’t bring herself to stop him. Torrian bared his teeth. “I said, Get. The fuck. Up.”

  Lamont rolled over and started to rise. The front door opened, and Yasmine stood in the entryway. Pain sliced across Jaz’s skull. Her sister strode inside and slammed the door behind her. She glanced from Jaz to Lamont to Torrian and back to Jaz. “If there’s nothing going on between you and my husband, why is he here?”

  Jaz blinked at her. “That’s your logic? What did you think we were here having a threesome?”

  Yasmine looked at Torrian again. The man’s size dwarfed her tiny little living room. Besides that who in their right mind would choose Lamont over Torrian? Stating the obvious would hurt her sister, so Jaz kept that thought to herself. “I promise you, sis, I didn’t know how he felt. I didn’t encourage him.”

  Yasmine’s face crumpled, and her eyes filled with tears. Jaz’s heart broke for her older sister.

  “Those pictures,” Yasmine said.

  “Were for a benefit, and you know it. I’m sure none of them showed me posing for this fool.”

  Yasmine covered her mouth as she began to sob, and Jaz started to hug her, but Yasmine shook her head. The bastard that caused the whole problem stood there as if he didn’t see his wife crying. His attention was solely on Jaz, and she wanted him out of her sight forever. Torrian moved to block his view, and Jaz thanked him silently.

  “Yasmine, you know me better than this,” Jaz said. “I don’t want to see you hurt, and I’m definitely not going to be the one to do it. Blame him and his stupidity. I’ll be here for you no matter what.”

  Her sister scrubbed an arm over her eyes and straightened. “Come on, Lamont. You and me are going to have a talk.”

  Lamont moved to where Jaz could see him. He watched her. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk to me?”

  Torrian blocked his view again. “You have three seconds to leave with your arms unbroken.”

  “Who do you think you’re threatening?” Lamont growled. “I’m not scared of you.” He did move to the door, and Jaz breathed a sigh of relief when Yasmine dragged him through it. Torrian shut the door and threw the lock.

  Jaz unbuttoned her jeans, yanked them off, and threw them on the couch. Then she strode into the bedroom to find shorts. Torrian appeared behind her carrying the jeans. She laughed, relieving some of the frustration her brother-in-law created. “I did say I suck at housekeeping.”

  He nodded. “So.”

  She eyed him while she stepped into a pair of shorts without panties. They probably wouldn’t stay on long. “So, what?”

  “Did he give you any signs of how he felt?”

  “You’re blaming me, too, Torrian?”

  “No, of course not.”

  She put her hands on her hips. “Or do you think I should conform to fit what others think I should be? Maybe I shouldn’t have worn a sexy costume because it might give my brother-in-law ideas.”

  He moved toward her, and she started to sidestep him, but he kept her from it. At first she resisted going into his arms, but he insisted, and she settled onto his chest. Torrian stroked her hair.

  “I’m a firm believer that you should be yourself and do what you want,” he said. “I was just asking a question. I admit I didn’t like the way he looked at you, and I wanted to pluck his eyes out of his head. Other than that, I’m fine.”

  She laughed. “Oh, is that all?”

  He grinned. She led him back to the kitchen, and she took out a frozen pumpkin bread to pop into the microwave. He blinked at her, and she shrugged.

  “You sound like you’re speaking from experience with the being yourself thing.”

  He neither confirmed nor denied it. “I admired you having your family surrounding you, but it seems everyone has their problems.”

  She agreed. “Is your godfather still around, and what about Kenny’s parents?”

  Torrian pushed his hands into his pockets. “My godfather travels a great deal, and Kenny’s father passed two years ago. I attended the funeral, and Kenny and I ended up in a fight when he took a swing at me.”

  “I bet it feels like all you do is fight. I’m so sorry.”

  He stroked her cheek and leaned down to kiss her. “I’m used to it.”

  “No, you’re not.” She didn’t say, but she saw how he hid the pain. Even from what he’d said about admiring the fact that she had her family around her, she could glean he dreamed of a close-knit family, something he never had. Her heart ached for him.

  “Then I’m strong enough to weather it,” he said.

  “That may be true.”

  “Kenny has never forgiven me for…”

  The microwave dinged, and she turned to remove the bread. “For what?” she asked, and sliced a piece of the warm bread for both of them.

  He seemed to hesitate. “For striving to be who I want to be.”

  Jaz spent the rest of the night in Torrian’s arms. She gave her body to him fully and accepted his loving touch in return. By morning, she was good and satisfied for the time being. She figured no matter how crazy the day got, she could recall every second of their lovemaking. On top of that, they had agreed to keep seeing each other for as long as they were both interested.

  As for her sister, that morning, she had texted Yasmine to see how she was doing and got no answer. Only after a threat to come check up on her did her sister say she was working through the issues with her husband and would talk to Jaz in time. Jaz hated the sound of that. She hoped Yasmine wasn’t trying to work it out with that loser Lamont. As far as Jaz was concerned, he didn’t deserve Yasmine. Period. Lamont had issues he needed to work out in therapy, but Jaz couldn’t force her sister to see it that way. As she’d said, Jaz would support Yasmine and be there for her whenever she came around.

  Jaz left her apartment well after Torrian had already gone with a happy grin on her face. She started down the steps when Glenda’s booming voice caught her off guard. “Well, well, finally up, huh? Saw your young man leave earlier.”

  Jaz ground her teeth. She refused to even speak.

  “You’re an energetic thing, aren’t you, Jaz?” Glenda shouted. “Two men, a white one and a black one! Makes my head spin.”

  Jaz stopped and looked up to the second-story window. “My sex life is my business, and for your information I didn’t have two men here last night. That was my brother-in-law, and he left soon after stopping by. I don’t need to explain any of this to you. If you keep your nose out of other people’s affairs, you wouldn’t get it wrong. Now, I’m being nice. Don’t push me.”

  Glenda’s mouth fell open. “Well, I…
I…”

  Jaz pivoted and started down the street, leaving the nosy bat flapping her jaw and searching for a comeback.

  Chapter Ten

  Torrian stepped from the limo and hitched his shoulders. The tightness across them didn’t ease. In fact, it grew more pronounced when his cousin turned the far corner. At least he was alone this time. Torrian considered for the hundredth time if it was a bad idea to meet here where Niles normally dropped him off, and this time of day. Kenny had insisted. The least Torrian should have done was to drive himself, but he’d had meetings to prepare for in the scant amount of time he had to spare his cousin.

  “Should I wait, sir?” Niles called from the interior of the limo.

  “Yes, this won’t take long.” Torrian pushed the door closed and took a defensive stance as Kenny neared. His movements seemed to amuse the other man, and Torrian clenched his jaw in annoyance. “What do you want?”

  Kenny ignored him and leaned down to press a hand to the limo’s side window. The tint made it hard to see inside. “Wow, fancy. I knew you were loaded, but to get bussed around like a spoiled princess…”

  “In other words, you’re wasting my time.” Torrian reached for the door handle.

  “I called you out here because as family I care, and this is how you treat me?”

  Torrian froze. He narrowed his eyes. “Spare me, Kenny. I’m well aware of how you feel about me, or did you forget about the corn-maze incident?”

  Kenny spit into the street. “We used to get into fights all the time as kids. I know you’re not going to hold that against me.”

  “You fought on my side then.”

  They stared at each other a long time. Despite what he said, Torrian figured Kenny had been envious of him from the beginning. He’d never truly been on his side. His cousin had betrayed him in small ways to show his true feelings, and he hadn’t been able to hide them at all after Torrian’s godfather took him in. Torrian told himself he accepted it, so why was he here?

  “Everybody’s talking about it,” Kenny said.

  “About what?” Torrian bit out. He judged how long it would take Niles to get downtown to his office.

  “About Jazara Crane and her brother-in-law.”

  Torrian thought he felt the last of his patience snap like a piece of thread.

  Kenny chuckled and waved a hand. “Okay, not everybody. It’s not like she’s some celebrity. I just happen to know you’re fucking her and might want to know what’s been in the wind.”

  Torrian’s normal self-control began to slip. He didn’t have anger issues. In fact, he liked to let life happen as it would while he made decisions based on what he wanted to do. Yet, at that moment, he imagined his hands around his cousin’s throat. “What do you think you know about Jazara?”

  Kenny grinned, but then his eyes turned cold. “I know you’re playing in my sandbox.”

  Torrian took a step toward him. “First you claim Jaz is sleeping with her brother-in-law, and now you claim she’s yours?”

  “Fuck no. I don’t go for girls like her.”

  Torrian flexed his fingers.

  “I’m saying you don’t belong down here, and I’m tired of seeing your mug. If she wants to fuck—”

  Torrian cracked him in the jaw. He dragged his cousin off the ground, and punched him again. In the distance, he heard the limo door open and Niles shouting his name, but he ignored it. He shook Kenny so hard, the man’s head rattled back and forth. Kenny clawed at Torrian’s hand on his jacket front, but Torrian didn’t loosen his hold.

  “I never wanted to fight you, Kenny,” he growled and punched him again. “I wanted to help you, but you didn’t want my help. You hate that I’m doing well? You hate me? Well, fuck you! Come near me or Jaz, and I promise you I will use the money I have to send you so far away you forget what Boston looks like.”

  Kenny sputtered. “You can’t do that.”

  “Try me. I have a lot of power and connections, more than you can dream of. I’ll use every one to never see your face again. You like it around here? This is your sandbox as you say? Shut up and fucking enjoy it!”

  Torrian released him and stepped back. His cousin struggled to his feet and left a bloody handprint on the side of the limo. Niles made a noise of protest, but Torrian didn’t care. The vehicle could be washed. He watched his cousin, expecting more lip, and he had every intention of following through with his threat if he needed to. Rather Kenny wiped his mouth and nose on his jacket and shuffled away.

  “Sir,” Niles worried, “he could press charges.”

  “Let him try,” Torrian shot back.

  “This isn’t like you. Coming to this area…”

  “This is me, Niles. Or how I was. If I come here, that’s my business. Not yours and definitely not Kenny’s.”

  “Of course. I apologize, sir.”

  Torrian glanced down at his hand. His knuckles were red. “Let’s go before I’m late for my meeting.”

  “Yes, sir.” Niles opened the door for him, and Torrian folded into the dark interior. His driver snapped a pristine white handkerchief from his pocket and polished the spot where Kenny had touched the car. For some reason, relief flooded Torrian’s system, and he smiled. A huge weight had been lifted off him. He had thought before to let Jaz go because he didn’t want Kenny or his friends to hurt her. Now, he knew he wouldn’t give her up no matter what. Stupid gossip wouldn’t change his mind about the sweet beauty either. He had been there to see the disgust in her expression when she learned of her brother-in-law’s feelings, and no one knew better than he did about how people judged others. He would protect his sexy little kitten and allow her personality to sparkle. After all, she was like sunshine for him in a sometimes-dark world.

  * * * *

  Winter…

  “Don’t you think it’s strange she doesn’t push you to know where you live and what you do, sir?”

  Torrian shoved the box he held aside and grumbled. “Niles, you are the worst chauffeur in existence!”

  “I apologize, sir. I keep saying I’ll stop speaking my mind, and I keep opening my mouth anyway.”

  “Yes, and I keep encouraging you by not firing you.” Torrian ran a hand over his face. He glanced out the car window at the snow on the ground and judged if the warm boots would keep his toes from freezing by the time he reached Jaz’s apartment. With bags to carry, maybe he should get Niles to drop him closer. After all, so far he’d been able to slip in and out of the area with no one looking his way twice.

  Niles glanced at him in the rearview mirror. “Sir, is that a yes to my question?”

  “Maybe it’s because of your age,” Torrian suggested, raising an eyebrow at the man. Or because there’s no one else. “It’s easy to understand. Jaz seems like the freest bird out there, living life the way she chooses. In some ways that view of her would be true. However, there’s a delicate side to her as well.”

  He knew because he’d seen it in her over the last few months of dating. She was generally happy, but there was a deeper part, a piece of her heart she kept hidden.

  “She wants to trust her judge of character enough to believe I’m not a married man sneaking away from his family. The feeling is not strong enough to push for the truth in case it makes her feel she must leave me.”

  Torrian clenched his jaw and stared at the bright red packaging he had wrapped around Jaz’s gifts. He’d done it himself rather than pay someone as he did for the gifts he gave to his employees. Most of them only cared that he offered them their end-of-year bonuses. For Jaz, he had wished to choose her gifts himself and to hand wrap them. He admitted he wasn’t good at it.

  “The truth will come out,” Niles said. “It always does.”

  Torrian glared at him. “Not today.” He thrust the door open, and a cold blast of air hit in him the face. He groaned and climbed out of the car. Gathering the bags in his hands, he glanced at Niles. “Enjoy the time off. I’ll call in a few days.”

  “Sir, are you sure ab
out this?”

  “I’ve stayed with Jaz before.”

  “I know, but not this long.”

  “Stop worrying, old man.” Torrian smiled. “Enjoy the time with your family. You deserve it.”

  “Thank you, sir. I will do that.”

  A short while later, Torrian arrived at Jaz’s door and rang the bell with stiff fingers. His feet had frozen, and he couldn’t work his jaw. The clouds hanging heavy in the sky made him wonder if they weren’t in for another snowstorm. Even if they were, he wouldn’t change or delay this time with Jaz. They’d planned it for weeks, him getting coverage at work and her handling all the seasonal events early so the two of them could enjoy three days of nothing but each other. He tried to grin thinking about it and failed. Too damn cold. Torrian kicked the door and winced in pain.

  Jaz opened the door with wide eyes, laughing. “Wow, angry much?”

  “I’m freezing.”

  She tugged him inside and slammed the door before offering that delicious mouth to him. Torrian dropped the bags and dragged her closer. He let his hands roam to her ass and gave it a squeeze. Her yelp allowed him to probe the warm sweetness of her mouth with is tongue. When he set her properly on her feet, he moaned.

  “You taste like honey,” he said.

  She waggled a finger. “Not good at identifying tastes either? That’s nutmeg and cinnamon. I made dessert.”

  “No food?”

  She laughed. “Of course there’s food, but I didn’t make it. One of the local ladies and I cut a deal. Man oh man, we’re eating good this next three days. Then on Thursday, I have to go to my parents’ place. Rhashon and Yasmine and the kids will be there. You’re welcome to come along.”

  He hesitated and reached for the bags. “I brought these. Where can I put them?”

  “Who are those for?”

  “Glenda upstairs.”

  She laughed. “Very funny, but two bags? Did you bring your Christmas gifts, too?”

  “No, they’re all yours.” For a moment he wondered if he’d gone overboard and if she would notice if he spent more money than the average joe could afford to spend at Christmas. He’d made sure to choose regular items a woman might like, even while he longed to splurge and spend every dime in his wallet on her, along with maxing out his credit cards.