chapter 1

Wren’s POV

“It’s over between us. You’re boring as fuck, and your cunt can never get wet.”

I stared at my boyfriend of three years, Josh, as he took my heart and shattered it against the ground. What started as a beautiful Saturday home date turned into…this.

“What?” The word came out of me, low and full of disbelief. The TV droned behind him, but I couldn’t hear anything.

His blue eyes scanned me from top to bottom. Then, he folded his arms and he chuckled. A dry, sarcastic chuckle. “Yeah. I was confused and stupid. I can’t get it up to you anymore, Wren. And I’ve found someone who can.”

My mind spun in ten million angles all at once.

There’s no way this can be happening. Josh can’t break up with me. Not after I’ve picked out our baby names and planned our entire wedding in my head.

Hot tears sprang to my eyes and I moved grabbing his arm and pulling him to me. “Please, baby. Just…talk to me. We can figure this out. Okay? I…we can use lube or anything, just—“

He dragged his arm back and shoved me away so hard I slipped and hit my side against my couch. He wiped the spot I’d touched like I was infected with the plague.

“It’s over.” He spat. Without waiting for my reply, he grabbed his keys and left.

“Josh!” I screamed, dragging myself to my feet and running after him. “Baby wait! Please! Let’s talk!” All the way down to the street. He didn’t glance at me. Not even as he got into his car and drove off.

I stood there, in my home clothes, tears brimming in my eyes. People passing by stared at me, muttering under their breath.

I didn’t hear them. Nothing mattered except the sight of the love of my life driving away from me.

I rushed back inside my apartment, my hands trembling as I took my phone and called the only person who could help me now. Anna, my best friend.

“Josh broke up with you?!”

I crumpled to the floor, sobbing my heart out. “What do I do?! How do I get him back?”

Anna sighed. “Men. Disgusting. And to think he acted like the perfect boyfriend. Flowers and vacations on your birthday. And he’s cheating on you?”

I couldn’t even speak. My heart felt like it was being squashed over and over again. “Please, I can’t lose him.”

“I’ll be there. I have just the perfect plan.”

Hearing Anna say that made me exhale. I wiped my eyes, feeling determined. Josh, I’m not going to let you go.

***

Six hours later, Anna’s plan made me rethink every one of my life’s choices that led to this very moment.

“Anna, how much did this fucking cost?!”

Anna’s idea of “I’ll help you get your boyfriend back” was a masquerade ball. Not a party, a freaking ball. Like something out of medieval fantasy.

The moment I stepped into the ballroom, it was like I’d stepped into an alternate dimension. No, a fantasy land. One where I was a masked princess.

The hall was the kind of place you only saw on TV. Massive, art-covered ceilings, chandeliers that cost more than all my internal organs sold on the black market, golden floors and velvet drapes and the people? Oh my goodness. I’ve never seen so many designer outfits gathered in one place! Even the air smelled of money and expensive perfume.

Thank goodness for the mask hiding how red my cheeks were from embarrassment. “This is insane. How much was spent on this?” I gasped, looking around with fascination. “How did you even get an invite?”

Anna walked up to me and linked her arm with mine. “Don’t bother yourself about a thing. Allow your bestie to spoil you rotten. Tonight, all you’re going to do is relax, drink expensive champagne, and snag a man.”

“I just got my heart broken. I don’t need a man.”

“Famous last words.” She sang.

With that, she dragged me off to the bar. After a round of drinks, she left to dance with a hot blond-haired guy.

And then I went back to my drinks.

By the time I could literally drink no more, I was seeing double, my throat was bitter and filled with the taste of alcohol.

I want to go home…hug my pillow and cry. I thought this outing would help me feel better but I was stupid. The only thing that can make me feel better now is Josh.

But even Josh doesn’t want me.

Crying softly, I asked around for directions to the room. Keycard in hand, I took the elevator, stumbling down the silent hallways as I sought my room.

“69….69…wait, is this number a joke?” Squinting, I stared hard at the card. Yup. Room number 69. The universe must be playing a dirty joke on me.

Finally, I came to the room.

The numbers looked wonky at best. Was that 6 a bit crooked? Or was it the 9? Either way, I unlocked the door and walked in. The door opened a bit too easily, but hey, rich people's stuff.

All the lights were off, and no matter how much I slapped my palms against the walls, I couldn’t find the switch. Hiccuping, I kicked my shoes off, took the suffocating mask off, and stumbled into the giant bed.

“So soft…smells so good…” I mumbled, grabbing a pillow and holding it to my nose. Did this place use cologne on their sheets and pillows? It smells really good.

A soft moan slipped out of me. I held the pillow closer to my chest, swallowing the moisture gathering in my mouth. My thoughts bounced off one another and echoed around in my head, something about asking in the morning for the kind of scent they used.

Exhaustion piling on my muscles, I slowly drifted off to sleep, dreaming of Josh racing down a cab and tracking me down, confessing his undying love to me, telling me how he wants me back and it was all a joke.

Around midnight, I woke up feeling someone watching me.

Sleep leaving my eyes, I slowly sat up, wincing, my head ached and the pain spread through my entire body. In the darkness of the room, a man stood over the bed. Watching me. I don’t know how long he was there for…but I’d recognize him anywhere, in light or darkness.

The love of my life.

“Baby…you came.”