Heart's Masquerade Read online

  The day slipped by way too slowly for Torrian, but at last he gave his excuses for slipping away early, returned to his house, showered, and after much bullying from Niles, allowed his driver to take him as close to South Boston as he dared. Like before, he discarded the tailored suits to don jeans, a sweater, and a warm jacket. Nothing stood out on his person, and this time he had no protection of a mask. He strode down the street feeling self-conscious and then reminded himself the last time he had been in the area openly, other than the night of the party and early morning after leaving Jaz’s bed, he had been sixteen. His face must have changed in that time, filled in at least and his body grown bigger and more muscular.

  He passed several people on the street that gave him a second and third look, but most were women who also cast come-hither looks that said they were interested. None came close to Jaz’s appeal, and he kept walking. When he reached her block, he turned onto the street and noted the neighbor, Glenda, hanging out the window. He wondered she didn’t catch a cold, but then the temperature was decent again this evening. Later it might drop, but he had dressed warm enough, and he would hold Jaz to keep her comfortable.

  “You’re back,” Glenda shouted. “Couldn’t get enough of our Jaz? I saw you leave the next morning. Moves fast, I’ll give her that one. I’m Glenda by the way. You are?”

  He opened his mouth to speak, but Jaz’s door jerked open and she darted out. “Hey, Glenda. Catch you later. We’re in a rush, about to miss our bus.”

  They were down the street and turning the corner before the woman could stop sputtering, and Torrian burst out laughing. “You handle her well.”

  Jaz rolled her eyes. “This close, Torrian. She came this close to me telling her about herself. Oh, she plucks my nerves.”

  He stared at her. A knitted scarf wound around her throat, and her long hair was caught in it. He couldn’t help pulling it free and smoothing his hands over the strands. The soft lips were also demanding attention, so he offered them some with his own. Jaz’s tirade ceased the minute he kissed her, and she submitted to him as he drew her close.

  “Does that make it better?” he asked as he drew away.

  She grinned. “We’re getting there. I think you owe me hot chocolate.”

  He chuckled. “All in good time.” He hesitated as they started walking again. “Uh, the train we take is uh…”

  She eyed him in amusement. “Dude, how often do you vary from your routine to work?”

  He winked, playing it off. “Well, I thought you might make a couple suggestions.”

  She laughed. “You’re terrible. Where did you have in mind to go?”

  He told her, and she nodded knowingly.

  “Yes! It’s a bit farther out, but it’s perfect.”

  Torrian began to wonder if this was such a good idea. He owned a couple of vehicles, in addition to the limo, but he couldn’t exactly offer to drive them in one of them. He should have thought ahead.

  Jaz stopped before a metallic-blue car and patted the hood with a wide smile on her face. “Ready?”

  Torrian scanned the tiny two-seater from front to back, mentally judging the leg and headroom and doubting he’d fit. “Is this yours?”

  She pulled his arm, bringing him closer while she dug into her pocket. “Don’t be nervous. We’ll get there in one piece.”

  “That’s not my concern,” he assured her, and her mirth seemed to increase. He swatted at her ass, but she ducked away. “I doubt I can fit in it.”

  “You can. Come on, Tor. Don’t be a wuss.” Her teasing set him after her again, and she ran around the car to the opposite site. “This is Rhashon’s baby. I had to bribe him to let us use it. I’ll drive, and you can try to get a bit more leg space. Sorry we’re a family of short folk.”

  She approached him with caution as if she neared a wild animal. He pretended not to notice and then snaked an arm out to drag her into his embrace. For her teasing, he kissed her deeply. When he let her go, he was glad to see he’d left her off balance and breathless.

  “Fine,” he said. “Let’s go, but I’m driving.”

  The drive from South Boston to the grounds that seemed to have exploded with all things Halloween took a good fifty minutes. Torrian navigated the car down a road lined with trees whose leaves were various shades of yellow, orange, and brown. Many had fallen and been raked in piles where kids jumped and ran through. He winced, feeling sorry for the guy whose job it was to do it all over again each day.

  Flatbed trucks were parked and ready as people climbed on the back, and a feeling of nostalgia came over him. “I visited here twice with Kenny and some friends. We bummed a ride with some other kids, and my mom didn’t know.”

  “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” She shook her head. “Did she find out and whip your butt?”

  He clenched his jaw. “No.”

  Torrian felt Jaz’s eyes on him as she waited for him to explain. “By that time, she was busy shooting up.”

  “Oh. I’m sorry, Torrian. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “You didn’t know. Don’t worry about it.” He spoke the words flippantly but found even after all this time a sense of bitterness rose inside.”

  “And your dad?”

  “Left when I was five.”

  Jaz squeezed his arm. He glanced at her, then focused on the road and the man in the reflective vest directing him where to park. The beautiful woman at his side couldn’t imagine what it was like not to be surrounded by loving family, he realized. Yet, he was used to it. Well, it didn’t matter now. What was important was Jaz at his side, sweet, happy, and practically bouncing in her seat as she pointed out the zombies.

  He chuckled. “You’re like a kid, you know that?”

  She stuck her tongue out at him and leaped from the car before he could fully remove the key from the ignition. Torrian joined her on the passenger side of the car, and she latched onto his arm. Desire and attraction rose in him as he looked down at her.

  “I’ve been here every year forever,” she said. “Along with Hammond Castle and Connors Farm.”

  He guided her toward the spot where tickets were being sold for the hayrides. “I thought you said you were just back last year, after attending school in Maryland?”

  “I came back to Boston for Halloween.”

  “Jaz, you’re addicted to the holiday.”

  “If it came every month, I wouldn’t be mad,” she agreed. “Before we go on our ride, let’s get hot chocolate. When we get back, I might have cider and roasted corn.”

  He shook his head. “I think I might have to tell you when or you’ll explode with excitement.”

  Jaz released his arm and jogged over to watch a juggler as he tossed skulls and jugs marked with an X. Torrian drew up beside her, and she flashed him the most breathtaking of smiles he had ever encountered. For a moment, he forgot what he intended to say, but Jaz threaded her fingers with his, and he let her drag him to the next sight and the next.

  “You can’t convince me you don’t feel it,” she told him.

  “By it, if you mean anticipation. Yes, it’s rolling off you like fog.”

  She burst out laughing. “Does that mean you’re scared of me?”

  “No, I’m intrigued.”

  Her gaze met his. The sun descended, and the light was turning quickly to night. The temperature dropped, and Torrian drew her nearer. Jaz snuggled to his chest. There wasn’t anywhere he needed to be other than right here.

  “I’m glad I met you,” he admitted.

  “Me, too.”

  Her soft cocoa skin drew his fingers to her face. Memory of the flavor of her lips made him kiss them under cover of darkness. At last she calmed enough for him to lead her to the trucks for the hayride, and he lifted her onto the bed of the truck. He climbed up beside her and wrapped an arm about her shoulders.

  “Warm enough?” he asked.

  “Yup.” She curled into his hold. The bumpy ride bounced them together, and he flexed his biceps to keep h
er safe. Each time someone rose from the darkness in bloody, torn costume, she screamed and wrapped her arms around his torso. He silently thanked them. Torrian kissed the top of her head.

  “Do you hate it, baby?” he asked, and chastised himself for calling her by the endearment. To his relief she didn’t seem to have noticed.

  “I love it!”

  “Oh, that’s right.” He tugged a lock of her hair. “I forgot your favorite movies are horror ones. You get off on scaring yourself.”

  “Hey, I get off other ways, too.”

  His shaft twitched. “I’d like to see how.”

  “You’ve seen how.”

  He grinned and whispered into her ear so the others laughing and screaming around them wouldn’t hear. “I forgot. Remind me?”

  She offered her mouth to him, and he gladly stole a kiss before encircling her with both arms. He’d never felt so content, yet so alive. She was different, and he couldn’t wait to enjoy her back at her home alone.

  When the ride was over, Torrian jumped from the truck and held his arms out for Jaz. She grinned and took his hands before leaping to her feet. “Oh, look, there’s Kenny and his friends.”

  Torrian stiffened. He turned and found she was right. His cousin leaned against a tree smoking a cigarette, his gaze locked on Torrian. While they had a staring contest, another man with the word Staff stamped across the back of his jacket said something to Kenny. Kenny frowned, but he put his cigarette out and spun away.

  “Everybody comes out this way,” Jaz commented.

  Torrian swore. “I wonder if he followed us.”

  She waved her hand. “Billy was one of the zombies last year. Doesn’t look like he’s in costume, but maybe he couldn’t stay away from the fun.”

  While her explanation made sense, he still had a bad feeling about seeing his cousin and the way he’d been looking at them. Torrian had wanted to enjoy tonight alone with her, away from the old neighborhood and familiar faces. He guessed they hadn’t gone far enough. Never mind. He wouldn’t let anything ruin his time with Jaz.

  “So what next?” he asked, infusing his tone with cheer.

  “Have you tried the cheese fries in there?” She pointed to the log building with oversize windows where he knew they served burgers, fries, drinks, and even souvenirs.

  “I have, and we can’t miss out on the greasy burgers either.”

  Jaz’s hand slid into his. “Come on. I’ll buy you a voodoo doll.”

  He chuckled. “They don’t sell voodoo dolls. Or they didn’t the last time I was here.”

  “You haven’t looked close enough at those creepy stuffed scarecrows.”

  Soon they found a table and sat down to enjoy their food. Torrian listened as Jaz chattered about her family and about working with the less privileged. “You’re pretty devoted,” he said. “It’s not just a job for you.”

  “No, it’s not. I love helping people. It’s just my heart. Dad always says I take after my mother. I guess she used to do a lot of volunteer work in her time, but she retired from years of being a court reporter.”

  “No kidding?”

  “No kidding,” she repeated. “Dad worked in maintenance for the school system. I would have gotten him to look at our plumbing at the center, but he’s got arthritis so bad.”

  Why was he riveted to every word that fell from her lips? “I can’t imagine having…”

  She waited for him to finish, and he found he wanted to.

  “My godfather took me in at sixteen. My mother had finally overdosed. Still, he wasn’t around much.”

  “Oh no! I’m so sorry, Torrian.”

  She reached for him, but he hesitated to take her hand. He didn’t need anyone to feel sorry for him, but Jaz wasn’t one to accept that. She scooted along the booth they occupied until her hip touched his, and she nestled into his side. After nabbing a French fry, she held it out to him, and he ate it from her fingers. A longing to suck that same finger came over him, but he resisted. Otherwise, he might draw her onto his lap. This woman drove him crazy—with need and with joy. He didn’t understand it and wasn’t wholly sure he welcomed it. Most of all, he felt powerless to resist.

  “Corn maze,” she announced.

  “Pardon?”

  She popped the last fry into her mouth and chewed. “We’re going to the corn maze now. Are you game?”

  He dismissed thoughts of the past. “Yeah, I’m game. Let’s go.”

  They started out with a group, finding their way by moonlight and ropes. The next thing he knew, the moon disappeared, and they took a wrong turn. They were alone. Jaz moved ahead of him, about to turn a corner, but he caught her and pulled her back to him. “I think I like it right here.”

  He ran his hand over her belly, headed downward. She clutched his wrist. “You know someone could come along at any second. We are not doing it out here.”

  “I’m not trying to ‘do it’ just feel it a little.”

  She laughed and wiggled in his hold. Her ass rubbing against his thigh was getting him harder by the second. One thing was for sure. He’d need to adjust his cock before they left the maze. They struggled together, laughing and enjoying the privacy when something hard and unyielding bumped Torrian. He would have fallen backward if he wasn’t so aware of having to protect Jaz. He righted himself and reached for her. When his hand brushed the softness of hers, he drew her in and started to encircle her waist. At the same time, the clouds covering the moon drifted away. He had a clear view of what had barreled into him, his cousin Kenny.

  “Look at this,” Kenny said with a sneer. “Having fun, cousin?”

  Torrian thrust Jaz behind him. “Get lost, Kenny.”

  “You wish I would, don’t you?” Kenny shoved him, but Torrian planted his feet. If he let Kenny push him around, he might end up hurting Jaz. That couldn’t happen. He caught Kenny’s hand the second time he lunged, and twisted his arm. When Kenny spun against his will, Torrian gave him a shove in the back. His cousin landed in the dirt.

  “Asshole!” Billy launched at him. Torrian cracked him in the jaw, and Billy went down hard.

  “I don’t want to fight you,” Torrian said. “Just walk away.”

  “Fuck you, Torrian,” Kenny shouted as he jumped up from the ground. Torrian could have held his own against Kenny and Billy, maybe even a third guy. Unfortunately, three other friends of his cousin’s rounded the corner of the maze. Torrian found himself held between two men, while Kenny drove a fist into his stomach.

  Jaz screamed. “Let him go!”

  “You stay out of this, Jaz,” one of the guys said, making it obvious they all knew who she was and didn’t care. She was one of them, but they hated him, the outsider.

  “You’re just as bad as he is.” Kenny barred Jaz from getting to Torrian. “He should have stayed here where he belonged. Now he’s nobody!”

  “I said let him go!” Jaz smacked Kenny’s face, and Torrian swore, unintentionally echoing his cousin, who cursed at the same time. Kenny grabbed for her. Torrian stomped one man’s foot, and when he released him, Torrian whirled and punched the other man in the face. Torrian lunged to try to get between Kenny and Jaz, but someone grabbed him from behind. His face met the dirt, and he roared in anger.

  “You bitch,” Kenny howled. “Keep those claws to yourself.”

  “Then leave Torrian alone. He didn’t do anything to you.”

  “He left,” Kenny countered. “Living in the lap of—”

  “Hey, what’s going on out here?” someone yelled.

  Torrian found himself suddenly released, and Jaz dropped down beside him. Her trembling hands touched his face, and he wanted to kill someone. “Those men attacked me and my boyfriend.”

  The man with Staff written on the jacket was joined by two others, and they escorted Kenny and his friends from the maze. Torrian didn’t doubt they were being thrown off the grounds.

  Humiliation kept Torrian silent as he rose from the ground. He first satisfied himself that Jaz wa
sn’t hurt. Her eyes were wide with fear, and it looked like a tremor shook her shoulders, but her lips were compressed. She studied his face and touched fingers to his lip. He scowled, seeing blood come away when she drew her hand back.

  “Are you okay, Torrian?”

  “I’m fine.” He stood. “Come on. I’ll take you home.”

  “I’ll drive,” she offered.

  “I can get you there safe enough!”

  He sighed, annoyed at himself for snapping at her. This situation wasn’t her fault. He dragged her into the middle of a never-ending battle with his cousin, and she could have been hurt. She didn’t deserve him shouting at her on top of it. Once they were in the car and on the road, he forced himself to speak.

  “I'm sorry. Kenny had no business dragging you into our problems.”

  “Why does he hate you?”

  Torrian tightened his grip on the steering wheel. His stomach muscles were sore. That idiot packed a hell of a punch. Even though Torrian kept himself in shape, it hurt. He might feel the effects for a couple days. Not to mention the busted lip from hitting the ground. Great, now he’d never hear the end from Niles.

  “Torrian?” Jaz touched his arm. The gentleness in her tone soothed his ruffled feathers a bit. She wasn’t angry at his snapping at her. She might even understand that his ego had been hurt. He didn’t care to confirm for her what a total ass he was.

  “I left him,” he said.

  “I heard him say something to that effect. What does it mean?”

  He scratched the back of his head, hating to admit the truth. “I come from a family where everybody’s screwed up. I told you my mom did drugs, and my dad disappeared when I was young.”

  “Yes.” She stroked his arm. For once, her touch did nothing to take away the irritation of dredging up the past.

  “Well, to make it a nice family affair, Kenny’s father drank. Everyone knew he sometimes took it out on Kenny, but as far back as I can remember Kenny fought him back. They got into knockdown fights almost on a daily basis. One day my cousin showed up with a black eye. The next, it was his dad. Came to be a way of life with them, but I knew he wasn’t happy living like that. I should have…” He broke off and clenched his teeth.