Chapter 3: The Man Behind The Mask

RIVA POV:

I was so caught up in the thought that I didn’t register his movement. I didn’t have the time to react when he flipped us over and hovered over me. My eyes widened when he reached between my legs.

“Protection,” I yelped urgently.

He froze for a split second.

“I might be rash, but I am not irresponsible,” I muttered self-depracatingly.

He nodded, a faraway look in his eyes. 

He reached to the side and grabbed something from the closest drawer. I watched with rapt attention as he tore the packet open and rolled it over his length. And then, he was pressed against my folds, pushing into me.

I yelped. I scratched. I allowed him to rule over me and ruin me.

I had no opportunity to think. Except that we fit exquisitely well. Like the last two pieces of a puzzle finally coming together. 

He knew exactly which buttons to press and where to linger. He nibbled behind my ear, whispering the right words. He sucked on my nipples and caressed my thighs, his cool fingers jarring against my hot skin.

Soon, I was free-falling, looking for something to hold on to. My sanity was teetering over the cliff and I gripped his shoulder, anchoring myself to him. Slowly, a peaceful bliss fell over me.

I woke up moments later. I glanced at the digital clock to my side of the bed and found that I had been asleep for three hours. I turned my head to the side. The man sleeping beside me looked much younger than before. There were no wrinkles between his brows, and his lips were turned up into a small smile even in sleep.

I couldn’t find a single fault in his strong jaw and his perfectly sculpted face.

It was a shame that his ocean blue eyes were closed. But I was happy he was getting some rest. He looked like he needed it.

I kissed the tip of my finger and slid it over his lips. It twitched under my fingers and I pulled away, feeling the burn from our touch travelling up my arm.

I had so many questions I wanted to ask him. But I knew I would not have the opportunity to hear the answers.

‘This is comfort sex. A one-night stand. It’s not meant to last, Riva,’ I reminded myself.

‘But it could be a start to something!’ another part of me protested.

I dashed the thought away.

It could be nothing more than me blowing some steam off. And steamy it had been.

I remembered in school we were asked what caused worse burns: boiling water or steam? The correct answer was steam, and while I knew the science behind it, it often felt unlikely to be the truth,

When I got entangled with this man, I knew why it was scarier. It looked harmless at first, but when it hit and clung to your skin, it would cause burns that could never be healed.

On that note, I hopped into the shower and scrubbed myself down thoroughly. Once out, I dressed quickly and grabbed my things. I reached into my bag and pulled my cellphone out. 

I found a missed call from my dad.

I felt sorry for poor old Drew. He lived alone in the humid beachside town of Gerva where she had grown up. I sent him a text assuring him I was alright and had finished my shift late. I told him I would call him in the morning and pushed the phone back into my bag.

On the way to the door, I found another room open. From the slit in the door, I could see the splash of color inside. It was the only trace of soul in the otherwise frigid house. 

Curiosity got the best of me.

I checked to make sure if Ethaniel was still sleeping. He was.

I found a sticky note pad on the bedside table and a pen. I scribbled a quick thank you and my phone number on it before sticking it on the lamp on the table.

With the polite gesture out of the way, I decided to intrude further into his privacy before disappearing from his life for good.

It took me a few seconds to realize I was standing in the room of a little girl. I grabbed the photo frame from the study desk and appraised the picture. Ethaniel had his arms around a little girl, probably five or six years of age.

I was taken aback.

I remembered that Ethaniel had mentioned his wife at the bar. She had passed away, leaving ‘us’ alone.

Suddenly, the pieces fell into place.

I felt sadness for the little girl.

And shame. I had taken this little girl’s father away on such an important day.

Another look around the room and I felt better. The room was unlived in. There was no dust. It was definitely cleaned regularly, but there was no sign of the usual mess that came with living in a place.

Questions whirled in my head but there was no place to ask them. So, I put on my coat and went to the door.

Hope lingered.

Maybe he would return to the bar and we would talk again. Maybe I would get some answers.

I was startled out of my wishful thinking by the shadow lingering at the door.

He was right in front of me. He leaned against the doorframe in all his glory. He didn’t attempt to hide or cover himself in any way.

Instead, he smiled mischievously.

“So, did you have fun on your little treasure hunt?”

I remained silent for a beat. “I apologize. I didn’t mean to intrude…”

He shrugged. “I’m sure you didn’t. You were simply curious. But may I ask what the meaning of this is?” He held the note between his fingers. It was the rushed note I had written for him.

My cheeks grew hot.

Oh god, I hadn’t thought what would happen if he woke up before I slipped away.

[Thank you for a good time. Hope to meet again.]

It was much more embarrassing to have him find it. But I held strong. There was nothing to be ashamed of when we decided on starting this.

“Well, Ethaniel, I don’t have any illusions about us.” I motioned between the two of us. “It’s not like we are going to see each other again…”

His eyes grew cloudy.

I had to step back by the intensity of his gaze. In hindsight, this was the first time I caught a glimpse of the real Ethaniel Ryves. The frightening man who I shouldn’t have gone home with.

“And where do you think you are going?” His body hummed, barely able to rein in his anger.

“Where? I’m going home, of course. It’s almost sunrise and I need to work tonight.”

He smiled. But I didn’t like it one bit.

It was the kind of smile that I imagined a snake would have as it inched closer to its prey.

“Oh sweetheart, you won’t be working tonight. You’ll have a lot of things to handle on your hands.”

His voice had become more menacing. Gone were the sweet whispers of the lover. It was like that man had never existed. It was a mere character played by a skilled actor. And I was the audience who had been lured into the trap.

I decided to bluff my way out. “Oh, really? Like what?”

He looked pleased by my question. He had been waiting for it. My heart sank.

“The police. Did you ever think you could walk away free after stealing my watch?”