MasukDr. ColeMonday mornings had a rhythm. A quiet hum before the chaos. But this one felt… different.I stood at the coffee machine in my office, arms crossed, staring through the window like it had answers. It didn’t. I wasn’t even seeing the parking lot—I was back at Masquerade. Back to her.Beth.The way her eyes lit up when she talked to the man in the rabbit mask. She still had no idea it’s been me all along. The soft pink top, that sway in her hips like she wasn’t trying to impress anyone but couldn’t help it. And the moment that asshole on the dance floor grabbed her—Christ.I hadn’t even thought. I just moved.It wasn’t until I was dragging him off her that I realized my hands were clenched too tight. That my voice had come out sharp and low. That I’d felt… protective. Possessive.And I had no damn right.But then she looked at me—really looked at me—and thanked me like I’d done something noble. And when she offered me her hand before leaving, soft and warm, like maybe I wasn’t a
Beth“You need to blow off some steam,” Rachel said, practically throwing her empty coffee cup into the trash with the force of a decree. “And lucky for you, I know just the place.”I raised a brow. “If you say yoga, I swear to God.”“Better,” Rachel grinned. “Masquerade.”I blinked. “Wait, the club?”She nodded like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “It’s been too long, Tommy’s out of town, and you’re clearly two seconds from a breakdown. Time to dance it out. Shake all that stress out of your thighs.”I laughed. “God, that actually sounds… kind of amazing.”“Kind of? Babe. By the end of tonight, you’ll be thanking me.”⸻I told myself I’d keep it casual—no pressure to look cute, no expectations. Just music and movement.I tugged on a pair of black stretch skinnies, a cropped blush-pink satin top with delicate spaghetti straps, and slipped into some low-heeled suede booties. I didn’t bother with full glam. A little eyeliner, some gloss, and I fluffed my hair into a lazy hal
BethRachel showed up twenty minutes after my “get your ass over here” text, armed with iced coffees and a glittery tote bag that said “Spill It.” Fitting.She dropped into the seat across from my desk, kicked off her heels, and crossed her legs like this was the VIP section of a gossip lounge.“Okay,” she said, sliding me my coffee. “Whatever this is? Better be good.”I took a long sip before answering. “Okay. So. Remember that dinner I told you about? With Tommy and his estranged father?”Rachel perked up. “The dinner where you finally met the mystery dad?”“Yeah. Except—he’s not a mystery to me.”Her brow furrowed. “Wait, what?”I set the coffee down and leaned forward, voice low and full of disbelief. “Rachel… it’s Dr. Cole.”She blinked. “Dr. Cole as in… your doctor?”I nodded.“Your gynecologist Dr. Cole?”Another nod.Rachel stared at me for a long moment, then leaned back slowly. “Girl. That is not a plot twist I saw coming.”“Same,” I muttered. “And now I’m spiraling because
BethThe smell of bacon filled the air before I even realized I’d started cooking.Muscle memory, I guess.Crack eggs, whisk, sizzle, flip.Pretend nothing’s wrong.Pretend you didn’t spend the last ten minutes in the shower wondering if you’re the worst person alive for what you imagined last night—while his cock was in your mouth, no less.God. What was wrong with me?I gripped the edge of the counter and closed my eyes.Tommy had stood up, stretched, unbuckled his pants, and just… pulled it out like nothing had happened. Like he hadn’t snapped at me minutes before. He just looked at me like I was his reward.His pressure valve.“Come here, I need my baby to take my mind off that loss.”And I had.I’d dropped to my knees like a good little girlfriend.And then I’d imagined it was his father’s dick in my mouth.I’m not proud of it. But I’m not entirely ashamed, either.It wasn’t like I planned to think about Dr. Cole. It just… happened. He crept in, all soft eyes and warm voice, and
BethBy the time I made it upstairs, my skin still felt electric.Not because of Tommy.Because of him.Because the moment the car door shut and Dr. Cole pulled away, I swear every nerve in my body lit up like someone had dropped a match into my bloodstream.He knew.He knew I hadn’t been coming to him for tests.He knew I’d wanted him.And worse — evil, wonderful, devastating — was the way he said it.Were you just coming to see me?It kept replaying in my head like a whisper against the back of my neck.He wasn’t accusing me.He wasn’t judging me.He wasn’t disgusted.He sounded… soft.Careful.Uneasy in a way that made my chest ache.I closed my apartment door behind me and leaned back against it, covering my face with both hands.“Oh my God,” I groaned into my palms. “What the hell have I gotten myself into—?”My brain spiraled.Client.Doctor.Gynecologist.Tommy’s father.My gynecologist.Oh God.He’d been between my legs.His fingers had been inside me.He’d touched my breasts.
Dr. ColeThe second she stepped out of my car, the air changed.Not metaphorically.Literally.The warmth she brought into the cabin vanished when the door closed behind her, and the silence that followed felt like a reprimand from the universe itself.I watched her walk toward the entrance of her building—steady, composed, grace in every line of her posture even though I could feel the chaos rolling off her. She didn’t look back.I didn’t expect her to.When she disappeared inside, I let out the breath I’d been swallowing for far too long and put the car in drive.The steering wheel was warm under my hands. Too warm.Or maybe it was just me.I drove two blocks before I had to pull over, parking beneath a streetla







