Chapter 29
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Today Laila wore a purple satin dress. Her bare shoulders were fair and white, and the neckline above them was so slender that it looked like it could easily be broken with the touch of a kiss.
Ezekiel felt the illusion of a lump of heat rising between his legs, but he spoke coldly.
"I don’t want a companion."
"I thought you might want to see me?"
“Do you know who I am to say such a thing?"
Ezekiel retorted with a sneer. Of course, as a theater company, it was normal to know all of your guests, but when they're masked, you have to respect that and remain unaware. Especially if it's a masked host.
He could feel the trace of a smile beneath her mask. Ezekiel tapped his fingers against the armrest, feeling unnerved for no reason.
"So, you, too, seem to know who I am."
"......."
"I'm just curious, since you're an uninvited guest."
Ezekiel twisted the corners of his mouth behind his mask.
"How dare you be curious about me. You don’t know your place.”
"Is that so? Then you like women who don’t know their place.”
"What?"
Ezekiel turned his head all the way toward Laila for the first time. But he couldn't see her expression behind the black mask.
Laila spoke up, her voice even.
"Don’t you?"
"You make it sound like I like you."
"If I was really out of line, wouldn't you have ordered me to leave?"
"You're arrogant."
But it was true. He wouldn't be sitting next to her like this, talking to her, if he didn't like her.
"But I'm sure you're curious about me too."
Laila said in a tone that sounded more like she already knew everything than a question.
She was indeed sassy, but Ezekiel was amused. His nervous fidgeting stopped.
The air in the theater, which had been stale from the breathing of so many people, felt much more breathable with Laila’s scent mingling with it.
White-masked theater ushers walked around and turned off the overhead lights between the seats. The stage wasn't lit yet, leaving the room in the dark, and Ezekiel glanced around the seats next to him. He could make out their silhouettes from the lights under the stage that had been turned on for the band, but their faces were still hidden by their masks. The scent of rain-soaked flowers only intensified.
Finally, the stage lit up and the overture began to play. Laila stood up as quietly as she had entered, and spoke politely, as if she were a troupe leader greeting an important guest.
"I hope you like our performance, then."
Ezekiel didn't look back at her; there was no reason to accept a greeting from a troupe leader.
She left the room, her scent wafting away with the same soft dragging of her robes as she had entered. Ezekiel realized she had left the cubicle, and he remained staring at the still-empty stage for a moment.
He wasn't interested in the opera itself, anyway. No, he'd thought he wanted to see ‘the curtain rises’ again, but now he was sure that wasn't what he wanted to see.
He jumped to his feet. There was a slight murmur around him, though no one openly criticized him. The hem of Laila’s purple dress was disappearing through the doorway.
Ezekiel strode briskly across the room. The prelude or murmur was already inaudible.
As soon as he was out the door, he pulled off his mask and crumpled it in his hands. His pace quickened, though he felt ashamed of himself for falling for such a trap.
He quickly caught up to Laila. She must have heard his footsteps, but she didn't stop. Ezekiel grabbed her arm and spun her around.
The turquoise eyes behind the mask showed no sign of surprise. Her narrowed eyes held a smile. As if she knew he'd follow.
He was amused, not offended, by being pranked. It was the first time he realized he had this kind of taste.
He cupped Laila’s chin and used his other hand to pull the mouth part of the mask off, and he was about to press his lips to hers, painted the color of a black rose, but Laila grabbed his wrist.
"What do you think you're doing, without the lady's permission?"
"The lady?"
Ezekiel replied with a hint of mockery in his voice.
"A lady does not approach a man who is alone with his face covered."
"So you're unmasking to be dignified, to let me know that a man with a fiancée is kissing me?"
Laila didn't seem to be afraid of him at all. Ezekiel was really starting to get a little annoyed now, with the thirst that was rising in his throat.
Still, he had no intention of leaving this woman. His jet-black eyes glimmered with desire.
"All right, let's play."
He let go of Laila’s hand and put his mask back on, then wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his arms, devouring her lips.
He scraped her lips with his teeth, and the sweet scent of her fragrance took over his sense of smell and taste at the same time. Ezekiel's tongue flicked out as if searching for the real scent and taste of her hidden within.
Laila didn't resist, but she didn't actively respond either. She touched his tongue lightly, and with a spasmodic, quivering, fleeing sweep of his tongue, he sucked her into his mouth. He slipped his hand through her tousled black hair and ran his fingers down her bare back.
Soft skin. He ran his fingers down her shoulder blades, savoring the feel of it. He pulled her closer and slid his fingers under her dress, enjoying the feel of her silky skin.
His cock was already hard to the point of bursting at the slightest touch. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hips to lift her up, intending to fuck her with her pinned against the wall.
But before he could, her hand found his groin. Ezekiel let out a thin laugh and a sharp intake of breath as he felt slender fingers, coiled like cool snakes, slip through the button of his pants.
"So presumptuous."
"That's what's fun, isn't it?"
Laila whispered flirtatiously. Ezekiel didn't feel like pushing her away, so he let her explore. He wondered how far this woman would go with her boldness.
Tap.
Fingers slipped into his pants and slowly undid one button. The tautly pulled front flap bounced open.
Laila’s fingers traced the outline over the drawstring, and the simple movement turned Ezekiel on beyond measure.
"Do it right."
"Is that an order? That's against the rules."
She was right.
Masks conceal identity and equalize people. Ezekiel agreed to the rules by putting on the mask again in front of her. He would play the game of men and women, not buy the prostitute with power and money.
Laila’s silk mask swayed lightly. She looked like she was giggling.
"Mmm."
He clenched his molars as she pinched her thumb and forefinger around his hard cock. The odds were stacked against him in this game. His own arousal was now on full display, but her state was unknown.
He picked her up once more and tried to carry her away. They should go somewhere quiet. To his house. Or, worse, to the carriage.
But before he could do that, Laila took a couple of steps back and slipped out of his arms, not forgetting to press down firmly on the tip of his cock once more.
His underpants were getting a little wet with his slippery pre-cum.
"I think that's enough for today."
"You're going to back out like that?”
"It's no fun to play a game that ends too soon."
"Games that end one-sidedly are no fun either."
Ezekiel took a step toward her as he said that.
"And the rule that says you can end it unilaterally is also unfair, don't you think?"
Just then, a bell rang throughout the theater. Ezekiel suddenly turned his attention elsewhere. The theater doors were opening, signaling the end of the first act.
In the meantime, Laila had turned and left the theater like a deer on the run.
Ezekiel smirked.
She was right. Once you've started a game, it's better to enjoy it than to rush to finish it. Especially if it's a game to be won.
He straightened his pants, removed his mask, and pulled out a handkerchief to wipe his lips. The handkerchief was smeared with black lipstick and saliva.
He folded it and put it back in his pocket. Then he walked out of the theater.
***
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