Page 47 of Your Masked Haunting

What secrets he’s hiding from me. There’s gotta be something because otherwise, he would’ve shown me who he was by now.

Does he have a whole family? Is that why he’s recently gone hours without talking to me in the evening? Maybe his wife found out, and they’re trying to work through their issues while he still strings me along.

Deep in my bones, I know that’s not the case. But with so many unknowns, it’s hard not to grasp at straws.

My mind continues to spiral through possibilities as I nestle into my bed more and more, until sleep wraps me in a warm hug and I drift away.

Practice is over, and I’m drenched, head to toe. All I can think about is getting to the showers and then getting to Mona. I fly toward the bench, digging my blades in at the last second. It has to be one of the best noises in the entire goddamn world.

I mean, I could list one that tops it … Mona’s whimpers when she’s falling apart on my dick.

Fuck, the sounds she makes.

I think I’m going to tell her who I am very soon; I just haven’t quite figured out how to break the ice. But I’m sure it’ll come to me.

As much fun as we have with my mask and the mystery it brings, I’m ready to evolve into something more. I want to hear my name on her lips, whether she’s cursing me out or crying out for me. Once she knows who I am, the limits are endless.

Our sexual chemistry is incredible, but it doesn’t end there. We can see into each other’s mind, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Our connection is instinctual, like we were created to find one another.

There will never be a word to properly describe the way I feel about Mona Greer.

After a quick shower, I’m in my car and driving to the house. The trek is about twenty-five minutes, a bit longer with the traffic I hit. But thankfully, I jump on the bypass and get there in no time.

When I reach The Schrader House, business is booming. The parking lot across the street is completely full, and the parking spots along the curbs are also packed. It takes me a good bit to get into an open spot. I end up having to wait until some smiling, satisfied customers make their exit before killing my engine and walking across the street.

Fall is in full swing. I can feel it tonight, the cold wind whipping through my crewneck, making my chain feel like ice as it shifts around my neck. Leaves blow across the concrete, swirling and crinkling about. If it wasn’t for my mask, my cheeks would be rosy right now.

I can’t risk Mona seeing what I’m wearing without my mask because she’s smart and she’ll quickly put it together, which is why it is already secured over my head before I get to the front door.

The entryway is bustling, and I stroll past the ticketing booth, getting through because the security guard, Rocky, knows who I am from when he stopped me last time. He’s the reason I went through the front and didn’t sneak in through the back like I had to before.

Hopefully, he and Mona don’t have some super-secret friendship. Who am I kidding? I already know everything about her and him, including that they’ve never spoken a word to one another.

He’s married, and he has three kids, all of whom I gifted lifetime passes to, out of the goodness in my heart, of course. He was a Marine for ten years, retired post-injury. He’s a seemingly great man.

It wasn’t hard to convince him that I was here undercover, to make sure the house was being run properly and to get a better understanding of our guests without them knowing who I was. He didn’t question it then, and he’s not questioning it now. If anything, he’s amused, like he’s in on a major secret. He is; it’s just not the one he thinks.

I nod my head at him as I pass, and he smirks, nodding back.

“Have a good night, sir.”

“You too,” I tell him, making a mental note that I need to give him a raise. I’ll let Cambrie know tomorrow. In the meantime, I have far more pressing things on my mind.

Halloween is the best time of the year. I’ve always thought that, and it rings even more true today. It’s a time when inhibitions wane and desires are free. People can't often show up to work dressed as a werewolf, but on Halloween, or the business day nearest, it’s accepted as normal.

I’ve always been more myself in the fall, feeling grounded and connected to the world around me. Dressing up, baking treats, donning a mask of some sort—it’s always freed me, my guards coming down completely.

Some people get seasonal depression during winter because they miss summer, but I’m the opposite. I crave the crunchy leaves, the brisk wind, the pumpkin spice, and the warm treats. I’m well aware that I’m a basic bitch when it comes to fall. But I’ll die on this hill.

Navigating through the house, I don’t have to search for Mona because I already know where she is—in the staff wing with Peyton. They’re sitting in the makeup room, talking about the look Mona just finished. God, I’m so fucking proud of her. She’s doing what she loves, and she’s never looked happier.

I make my way toward the room, stopping and lingering in an arched doorway. Mona and Peyton are the only two in there, and I’m praying Peyton will get the hell out in the next few minutes so I can take her place.

I’ve been thinking about seeing Mona all goddamn day. Longer than that because it’s been a couple of days now since hockey has been stealing a lot of my time, the season officially underway. I love my sport so much, but it’s really getting in the way of my Mona time.

After what feels like forever, Peyton finally walks toward the door. She asks Mona something, and she nods in response. Peyton dims the lights, leaving only Mona’s row lit up.

Peyton exits the room, passing by me without a second glance, her face buried in her phone, sending someone a text with a thousand flirty emojis.