Lahat ng Kabanata ng Secrets Behind The Mask: Kabanata 201 - Kabanata 210

That Evening, 4:47 PMLauren was standing in her kitchen in yoga pants and an oversized sweater, hair piled on top of her head in a messy bun, when the doorbell rang.Her heart jumped into her throat. She froze, moving to where she could see the door. She stared at it like she was worried it might explode in at any moment."It's not Liam. It can't be Liam," she whispered. The doorman wouldn't let him up. He had been banned from the building. But had Liam waited until the doorman went to the bathroom?She crept across the room to the peephole; her breath caught in her chest.Wyatt Heywood stood in the hallway, looking just as intimidating as he had this morning. But he had swapped the jeans for black pants and a black button-up shirt, that stubble still shadowing his jaw.Lauren glanced at the clock on her wall. 4:47 PM.He was over two hours early. They had arranged for him to pick her up for dinner tonight.She opened the door a crack, the chain still engaged. "Wyatt? We're not suppo

Wyatt's jaw tightened. "I'm a professional, Lauren. I'm trained to control my physical responses. To maintain discipline no matter what's happening. That doesn't mean—""It means you kissed me and felt nothing," she interrupted, anger making her reckless. She didn't understand why she was so angry. "While I'm over here barely able to stand. Do you have any idea how humiliating that is? I'm not some teenager with a crush on some hot guy. I know what desire feels like. But apparently touching me, kissing me, is just another day at the office for you.""That's not—" He started toward her, but she held up a hand."Don't. Just—don't." She grabbed her clutch from the coffee table, needing something to do so she didn't have to look at him. "We should go. I don't want to be late for dinner." She straightened, bag in hand."Lauren, look at me.""I'm looking." But she wasn't. She was staring at the wall behind him."Look at me."Something in his voice made her comply. She met his eyes and found

Liam watched from across the street as Lauren's building door swung open, his pulse quickening with that familiar rush of anticipation. There she was, his beautiful, graceful Lauren, the burgundy dress she was wearing hugged every curve he'd memorized during their time together on set, curves that belonged to him, even if she'd temporarily forgotten that fact.Then he appeared behind her.The rage hit Liam like a physical blow, stealing his breath, making his vision narrow to a pinpoint focused solely on them. Who the fuck was he, this... this massive fucking ape with his hand on her back like he had any right to touch her.Liam's hands clenched so hard his nails bit into his palms, drawing blood he barely felt.The dude was well over six feet and built like he spent every waking hour in a gym. The kind of man women looked at and felt their panties get wet. The kind of man who probably thought his size and muscles made him some kind of alpha male. Liam knew because it was one of the r

She had good instincts, Wyatt thought, even as concern tightened his chest. Trust that feeling, sweetheart. It could be important later. He needed to get her to the gun range tomorrow—the sooner she learned how to fire a weapon, the better."Where?" he asked, still maintaining the appearance of an attentive boyfriend. To anyone watching, he was just leaning close to whispering sweet nothings. He was guessing the stalker was watching from across the street, looking through the window. He wasn't inside."I don't know. Just—I can feel it."Wyatt's gaze flicked across the table and found Nate watching him. Their eyes met, and understanding passed between them instantly. That silent communication that came from shared experience, from years of operating in hostile environments where awareness meant survival. Nate had been a Marine and Wyatt a SEAL. The titles and services were different, but the harsh environments were the same.Nate felt it too.Fuck.Nate's hand moved casually to his pho

Wyatt's place wasn't what she'd expected.When they'd pulled up that morning to grab his things, Lauren had been prepared for a basic apartment. Maybe something utilitarian and sparse, the kind of place a man who lived out of duffle bags would call home.Instead, they'd stopped outside a standalone house in one of Manhattan's wealthiest neighborhoods. Six bedrooms. Tastefully decorated. Wow like wow. It was huge."You live here?" she'd asked, staring up at the elegant facade."Yeah." Wyatt had looked almost embarrassed. "My parents' investment company. They left it to me. Figured I should use it."Right. She'd forgotten—Wyatt came from old money. The kind that bought houses like this without blinking.The contrast between the man and his home had been jarring. Wyatt in his tactical gear and permanent scowl, living in a space that screamed refined elegance. It didn't fit, except maybe it did. Maybe there was more to him than the dangerous ex-SEAL exterior he showed the world.They'd be