Mask of Desire (Falling for the Billionaire #2) (3 page)

A mask.

Bradley leaned forward and reached
for Becky’s hand.

“I have one too,” he said.  “For
the meeting.”

“The meeting,” Becky said.

“It’s a big meeting.  A Halloween
party, if I have to admit, but it’s a meeting.  We’re going to be attending a
party for the richest of the rich.  The richest men and women within a few
hundred miles will be here, executives and entrepreneurs all the way from New York City will come.”

“Are you sure I should be going?”
Becky asked.

“Of course.  You’re stunning,
beautiful, and to get in, we need a mask to wear.”

“You’ve said that already.”

“Now you have your mask.  Go on,
try it.”

Becky lifted the mask out of the
box.  Feeling it, even though she had no idea what it was made from, made her
nervous.  She knew it had to be from the finest materials, probably custom
made.  The diamonds alone had to be worth thousands, if not more.  She turned
it around and placed it against her face, pulling a small strap around her
hair.  The mask was comfortable.  It had a soft touch to it, unlike the normal
plastic masks she had always worn as a kid.

“Look at you,” Bradley said. 
“You’re going to steal the heart of that party…”

He nodded with his eyes wide and
Becky saw a smile.

There were few times when Bradley
smiled, usually only involving money or sex.  Mostly money.  And the way his
eyes were wide and wandering, Becky remembered something Bradley had told her
the first time they were together…

“We’re going to take over a
company, together.  You’re going to be mine to make it happen.”

Becky hurried and took the mask
off, putting it back in the box.

Her body shivered.

She looked to Bradley for comfort,
but he had turned in his chair, looking towards the large window.  Becky looked
too and suddenly realized the view she had and the view Bradley had were two
different views.

Becky saw autumn in full swing. 
Soft breezes shaking leaves from the trees.  The obvious color of orange
everywhere… from pumpkins to decorations to the aura of the coming holidays. 
She saw beauty in the death of summer and appreciated how the seasons changed.

But Bradley, she realized, didn’t
see that at all.  His eyes were upon the mountains that rolled into each
other.  His eyes were set on that because it was part of the world, and that’s
what Bradley wanted.  The world.

3.

A
knock at the door woke Becky from a deep sleep. 

It was October 31.

Halloween.

Ten years ago, it would have been a
night to party.  To embrace those last couple teenage years.  To dress up in
something funny – or even sexy – and have fun.

Twenty years ago, it was the time
of year to embrace innocence and youth.  To dress up and fill a pillow case
with enough candy to last until springtime.

But today, it was something much
different.

Becky hurried to the door of her
apartment and found nobody there.  She opened the door and saw something on the
floor.  A white piece of paper was folded and propped up on the item.

A note from Bradley, handwritten in
his sloppy but somewhat elegant prose.

Your dress.  Don’t forget your
mask.

Becky lifted the box, and carried
it into her apartment.  The box was white and when she opened it, she was
attacked by a glistening black color.  The dress was all black but shimmered if
she moved it.  She held it up in the air for a few seconds, in awe of its
beauty and then hurried to the bathroom to see what it looked like against her
body.

As she held it in place, admiring
her reflection, she couldn’t believe that it looked as though it would fit
perfectly. 

There was only one way to find out.

Becky stripped down to her bra and
panties and put the dress on. 

It fit.

Perfectly.

The straps rested comfortably on
her shoulders and the rest of the dress hugged her all the way down to her legs
where it opened just enough to allow her to walk. 

Becky had never seen anything like
it before.  The dress, as expected, had to be worth as much as the mask.  And
however Bradley managed to get the specifications so right…

Becky felt her breath running
short.  She side stepped and gripped the edge of the sink.  She wasn’t sure how
to feel at that moment.  Bradley wanted her, had chosen her, to come with him
to a fancy Halloween bash with millionaires and billionaires.  But he hadn’t
said why yet.  He hadn’t told her what it meant and what she would be doing. 

All she knew was that she’d be
wearing the black dress and the black mask.

But first things first, Becky
needed a shower and needed to get ready for the day… and night.

The day moved by without any word
from Bradley.  It left Becky with an empty feeling since she expected him to
just be gone one day.  In those moments, Becky would remind herself that if and
when Bradley did decide to find another woman or just leave her as is, she’d
have no money and no job.  Sure, things were paid off, taken care of, and she
had a shiny black car out front, but there was no future and no security. 
There was only this moment, today, here and now. 

She hated that.

Finally, a little after three in
the afternoon, Bradley called to tell her to get ready. 

It was time for the meeting.

That’s how he always spoke of it –
the meeting.  He didn’t tell Becky it was time to get dressed and go out for an
evening.  It was always the meeting. 

She dressed and prepared her hair
the best she could, leaving it down, letting her natural curls do their job.  She
was so nervous – which was matched by excitement – that she almost forgot her
mask sitting on her bed.  She had to rush back inside to retrieve it, giving
her one last chance to go into the bathroom and triple check herself.  She
wanted to look her best, most beautiful for Bradley.  Whatever he needed
tonight from her, for the meeting, she wanted to be.  Maybe if she proved to
him that she could handle the pressure of money and rich people, along with his
wild sexual needs, he’d keep her. 

Becky left her apartment and at the
door to her building she stopped for a second and looked back. 

Her heart told her to be ready for
the night of her life.

She smiled and pushed on the door.

To her delight, the night of her
life waited for her in a style she wasn’t used to.  Besides the custom dress and
diamond studded mask, a long black limo waited for her.

It was exactly five in the
afternoon and before the door to her building could close, the door to the limo
opened.

One foot at a time, just like that
first day of work that never happened, Becky watched in awe as Bradley stepped
out of the limo. 

He was gorgeous and his eyes were
on her face, her body, stalking her curves and inhaling her.

“Hurry,” Becky called to Bradley.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m going to fall…”

4.

T
he
world spun for a few seconds and then it went black.

As it faded back, Becky blinked and
felt a chill on her shoulders and neck.  She wanted her covers back.  She
reached for them, wanting to pull them over her head and go back to sleep.  She
wanted to be back in that dream, the wild and sexy dream. 

Being dressed fancy, being turned
on. 

Feeling like royalty and feeling
that tender touch from Bradley knowing just how rough things could get.

Becky reached for her covers but
didn’t find them.

She felt something… skin… followed
by a smell that made her body ache and set another fire between her legs.

A heavy smell, deep with musk,
leather, and the scent of desire and man.

She opened her eyes and saw Bradley
staring down at her.

“Am I…”

“Are you okay?” he asked.

Becky looked down and saw herself. 

The black dress.

Bradley’s amazing black suit.  His
jacket, pants, undershirt, and tie.  All black.

His hand cupped the back of her
neck, under her hair, making sure he didn’t mess it up.  His other hand was at
the small of her back, holding her.

“I’m so sorry,” she said.  “I saw
you… and my knees… my body…”

“You look perfect,” Bradley said. 
“So perfect, dear Becky.”

“So do you,” Becky replied.

Everything still spun but she could
hear Bradley laughing. 

“Come, we have to go now.  We can’t
be late for our meeting.”

“My mask… I had it in my hand…”

Bradley stood up, still holding
Becky.  She regained her footing, testing her leg muscles and found they
worked.  She turned and saw the mask, face down on the ground.

“Oh no, Bradley.  I’m so sorry…”

Bradley nodded at the mask, then
stuffed his hands in his pockets.  His moment of compassion was over and he
waited for Becky to retrieve the mask.  She did and looked at the diamonds.  Of
course, they still looked perfect but she knew that any sort of scratch would
hurt the value.

“Did I ruin this?” she asked.

“Depends on how the meeting goes,”
Bradley responded.

His hand was back to her lower back
but this time it wasn’t to catch her, hold her, or console.  It was to usher
her to the limo.

The ride was silent on the surface,
Becky and Bradley not speaking a single word until the last mile of the drive. 
On the inside, it was anything but silent. 

Bradley reviewed financial figures,
a wicked sales pitch, and envisioned the rustling the papers when he finally cracked
Carlello and got the software deal he’d been picking at for a year. 

For Becky, she could only focus on
Bradley’s touch.

He insisted on keeping her close,
his arm around her.  His hand started at her shoulder and gradually shifted
down her arm to the maximum extension of his reach.  His fingers curled and he
pulled back up, moving so slowly, so subtle that when Becky looked at him (from
the sexy side angle) she didn’t think he knew what he was doing.  When he came
to her shoulder, he moved beyond, over the shoulder strap of her dress to her
neck.  His fingertips touched her hair and Becky’s toes curled.  There was an
erotic spot right where her hairline was.  Something about it made her body
tingle.  The pleasure seemed to be a warm waterfall, running down her body all
to one spot – between her legs.  She also curled her toes for fear that if
Bradley started to mess with her hair too much, it would look like hell for
the
meeting
. 

Bradley didn’t mess Becky’s hair,
but he did come over her shoulder and started to move under her dress.  The
dress was tight, a perfect kind of tight that made Becky’s body look and feel
outstanding.  When she saw his hand go into the dress, she cringed.  She wanted
Bradley to touch her but again, she didn’t want to ruin her look.  She wanted
to be perfect for him, for whatever this was.  She wanted him to find
happiness, even if just for one night.  And she wanted him to fuck her again. 
Tonight. 
Wearing her mask…

The thought made Becky shiver and
burn.

Bradley’s fingers pulled back out
of her dress and cupped her shoulder.  He pulled her close and a wave of his
strong cologne hit her, making her feel really good.  She looked left and saw
Bradley turning his head towards her.  His lips came to her a neck a second
later, followed by a quick flick from his tongue.

“Oh,” Becky whispered, the first
words spoken since they got into the limo.

“We have to talk,” Bradley
whispered, his lips teasing her ear.

“Okay.”

Bradley moved away from Becky and
looked forward again. 

“I cannot explain the importance of
the meeting.  To tell you everything would only complicate matters.  Leave it
at that.  But there is one rule you must follow.”

Becky opened her mouth; of course
she’d follow any rule Bradley gave her. 

“It’s a simple rule, really, but
it’s one that could get lost in a crowd.  In a new scene.  In the presence of
so much at once.”  Bradley looked at Becky.  “Understand?”

“I’m not used to this kind of
thing,” Becky said.  “I know that, you know that.  But I can follow rules.”

“That’s why you’re next to me.  One
rule.”

“One rule,” Becky repeated.

Bradley took a deep breath.  “No
matter what I say, no matter what I do… you are to follow my lead.”

“Your…”

“No matter what.”

The sound of Bradley’s voice was
deep and serious.  Becky closed her mouth and didn’t speak until they arrived
at
the meeting.

“No matter what I say, no matter
what I do… you are to follow my lead.”

5.

T
he
limo stopped at an old building.  Becky knew the building.  It was the most
expensive building in the city.  It came as no surprise that this would be
where the rich would convene to… be rich. 

It was a four story building that
once was an old opera house.  It survived a fire and became a small hotel that
was transferred through many hands before someone bought it and restored it to
the time it was built.  They left it as a small hotel but it came with a price
that Becky couldn’t imagine paying.  Where the opera room and stage used to be
was now a giant ballroom, the perfect place to hold a rich Halloween party.

When Becky reached for the door
handle, Bradley stopped her.

He shook his head and a moment
later, the door opened.

The limo driver helped Becky from
the vehicle and she was amassed by sets of eyes glaring at her.  All of them
wide, most of them confused, and every single one of them made her feel
uncomfortable.  She felt instantly judged, feeling they’d know she wasn’t rich,
not by a long shot.  When Bradley came out of the limo, a sense of relief fell
over the gathering outside, most of the people returning to their
conversations.  Some still stared at Becky and Bradley like they were
celebrities and when Bradley kept walking, grabbing Becky’s hand, leading her
towards the door, people were eager to speak with him.