Page 133 of Mask and the Magnolia

“The mouth piece will also distort your voice,” my sister continues. “That way if you decide to add some theatrics, no one will recognize you at all. You?—“

“How the hell did you two get all this so fast?” It’s weird as hell and I find it kind of hard to believe theses two just had this shit laying around.

Maisie shifts uncomfortably in her seat, dropping eye contact with me briefly before Eve jumps in.

“I got the clothes and van as soon as I left the asylum.” She looks at my sister who just shrugs. “Maisie got the rest.”

“Did she, now?” Well, that’ll be a conversation to have once this is all said and done.

Now isn’t the time. Not when it won’t be a quick chat.

Fifteen years and my sister ends up an arms dealer.

Wouldn’t that just be the icing.

“We’ll be waiting on the golf course. Engine running and ready to split.” Maisie gives me a worried look before she forces a smile. “So make sure to let us know when you’re making your exit.”

With a nod that hopefully conveys the words neither of us are saying, I move to the double doors, giving each of my mates a reassuring touch as I do, then get out to make sure there isn’t anyone within range.

I wave them out, Calix and Des moving with Isaak between them as they all jump down next to me.

I look at each of them, my eyes moving over their faces, trying to memorize every detail, to burn every memory into my mind. I’m confident all five of us will be walking out of here together, all in one piece, but I’ve already decided that if shit goes south, I’ll be going with it so they can get out unharmed.

Isaak looks up at me as that thought runs through my head, an emotion passing over his features that I can’t quite place.

“You good, honey?” I ask as he holds my stare.

My omega nods, lifting his mask with the yellow neon stitching. “I’m good. I’m ready to go get our girl back.”

As he slips that mask down over his face, my alpha and beta following suit, I grin down at the PVC before I do the same.

It’s time to get our girl back, just like Isaak said, and I’m not leaving here until we do.

MAGNOLIA

I lean toward the mirror, dabbing the tissue under my eye before I reach for the concealer on the counter next to me.

I hate wearing makeup.

I’m not very good at applying it, Eve usually does it for me, but I never have much on my face if I can help it. To be honest, the most makeup I’ve ever worn was to cover up my tattoos and that wasn’t even on my face. If I did wear makeup, it was minimal and usually just to work.

Tears well along my lash line again but I quickly tilt my head back and fan my eyes.

If I go back down there upset again, Camden is going to blow his top.

Again.

Once I’m confident I’m not going to cry right this second, I go back to the mirror and swipe on some concealer, adding a little extra around my right eye. You would have thought, since we’ve been photographed a hundred times and have had multipleevents this week, that asshole would have laid off a little. Be a little nicer, put in a bit of effort to keep up appearances.

That was too much to ask, too high of an expectation.

If anything, Camden has been a thousand times worse and he doesn’t give a shit where we are or what we’re doing. The only saving grace has, oddly enough, been staying at my parents house all week. My betrothed hasn’t hesitated to put his hands on me, tocorrectme as he says, but being locked in my parent’s house when we aren’t in public means he hasn’t been able to violate me again.

I guess it lost some of the appeal since I willingly agreed to marry him this time.

Blowing out a breath, I carefully cover the nasty purple and blue ring around my eye and where it touches my nose. I reapply some mascara and check over my reflection, making sure I’ll pass the inspection once I’m downstairs.

Red.