BEHIND HER MASK

SHE WILL RIDE HIM UNTIL HE BEG FOR MORE

~Mackenzie~

The racket from the kitchen was enough to rouse the dead. Pots clanged, utensils scraped, and the unmistakable chaos of breakfast being made filled the air—her Nana was at it again.

Kenzie groaned, rolling onto her back before dragging a pillow over her head in a futile attempt to muffle the noise.

“Kenzie, up! You’ll be late for work,” Nana’s voice rang out from the kitchen.

With a reluctant sigh, she pushed herself upright, her joints protesting with a series of cracks. The instant she lifted her head, a stabbing migraine split through her skull.

“Damn it,” she muttered under her breath.

“No swearing in this house,” came Nana’s swift reprimand.

“Sorry, Nana,” she replied softly, almost too weary to speak.

Her vision swam, edges blurring, but she managed to steady herself and shuffle toward the bathroom. Every step felt heavy, her body dragging as though she had spent the entire night carrying the weight of bricks.

She stood before the mirror, studying her reflection. What a mess. Her hair was a wild, tangled knot, and her eyes were swollen and red, as though she’d spent the night crying—even though she no idea of shedding a single tear. With a sigh, she decided her glasses would have to do; at least they would help hide the puffiness.

Once dressed for work, she made her way to the dining table. Eric sat there, headphones on, his attention locked on the game running on his phone. She exhaled softly. His obsession with video games was becoming too much, and sooner or later, she’d have to address it.

“Hey, champ,” she teased, trailing her fingers playfully over his freshly cut hair as she passed.

“Hey, stop it,” he grumbled, swatting her hand away. “You know how much effort I put into brushing this, and now look what you’ve done.” He quickly smoothed his hair back into place, frowning in concentration.

She ignored him and gulped down a glass of milk, trying to soothe the dryness at the back of her throat.

“Bea, can't see my hair like this,” he muttered under his breath—but she caught it.

Milk dribbled at the corner of her lips as she nearly choked. “Wait… you have a girlfriend?” she asked, eyes wide with disbelief.

“What? I’m eleven,” he scoffed. “It’s not like you who don’t have a boyfriend at twenty-six.” He raised his brows in challenge.

Her cheeks flushed crimson. “I don’t have a boyfriend because everyone assumes you’re my son,” she snapped defensively.

“Oh, please. Try a better excuse,” he teased.

“Not at my table, you two,” Nana interrupted as she wheeled herself in, a tray of toast balanced neatly on her lap.

“Nana,” Mackenzie hurried over, taking the tray from her and setting it on the table. “We weren’t arguing… right?” She shot Eric a look, silently urging him to play along.

“Yes, Nana,” he answered with a practiced smile, but the moment his gaze shifted to Kenzie, he couldn’t resist rolling his eyes at her.

“Hurry along and finish your breakfast, or you’ll both end up late for school and work,” Nana chided gently, her voice carrying that familiar tone of authority wrapped in affection.

“Yes, Nana,” they echoed in unison.

The table fell into a hushed rhythm, the quiet only broken by the soft clink of cutlery. It might have remained that way if Eric hadn’t lifted his head with mischief gleaming in his eyes.

“Who’s Alex?” he asked suddenly. “You kept moaning his name last night. Is he your boyfriend?”

Kenzie froze. The toast caught in her mouth turned dry, bitter—almost impossible to chew. She forced it down, nearly choking in the process, her throat tightening with panic.

In an instant, memories of the night before surged back with a startling clarity—shards of sensation, of whispered breaths and desperate yearning. The heat of his touch, the way she craved more of him, as though his presence were a prize she couldn’t afford to lose.

“Is it true, Kenzie?” Nana’s voice cut gently into her thoughts, her eyes bright and smiling with expectation. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. “No, that’s not true. Eric must have misheard,” she protested.

“I didn’t mishear,” Eric countered confidently. “You even said you’d ride him until he begged for more.”

The glass of milk paused midway to her lips, spilling from her mouth as her eyes widened in shock.

“You’re going to stop this nonsense right now,” she warned sharply.

“Oh, Kenzie!” Nana scolded, giving her a light swat. “You shouldn’t be saying such things with your nephew present. Why don’t you invite this man over some other time?”

“There is no such man, Nana. I don’t know where Eric is getting these ideas,” she insisted firmly.

A glance at the clock made her heart race—it was already five minutes past seven. Work began at nine, but she had to leave soon. More than that, she dreaded running into Alex this morning, not after everything that had happened at the club last night.

Flustered, she kept her gaze down and hurried down the stairs toward the elevator.

Bang!

She collided with someone, sending the items in his hands tumbling down the steps.

“Oh my God, I’m so sorry,” she blurted, darting after the scattered belongings.

The man struggled to lower the box blocking his face. “It’s fine,” he said lightly.

“Alright then,” she murmured, turning to leave.

“Wait—it’s you,” he called out suddenly.

She froze mid-step and glanced back.

The box was finally lowered, revealing a man’s face. He looked unfamiliar; clearly, he was new to the building.

“We met last night, remember?” he said with a smile, as though greeting a long-lost friend.

“I don’t think so,” she replied, straining to recall anything, but her mind was completely blank.

The elevator chimed, announcing its arrival. She hurried over and pressed the button to open the doors.

“I’m not mistaken—you’re the one,” he called out, chasing after her.

“You’ve got the wrong person,” she said quickly as she stepped inside the elevator.

“I never got your name last time,” she heard him say just before the doors slid shut.

She let out a sharp breath. The last thing she needed right now was small talk with a stranger who insisted they’d met before. Her priority was getting to the office before Alex arrived.