Free A Taste of Winter: 1 (Red Masks) by Gia Dawn

guilt and regret in the clench of his jaw and the muscle that jumped at
the corner of his mouth. Before she could stop herself she clawed the collar of
his shirt, ripping it down to his stomach and baring the tattoo for both of
them to see.
    “Alaina, please,” He reached out to catch her before she
could run but betrayal and humiliation gave her a newfound strength and she was
on her feet, grabbing the garden shears once again.
    Shaking her head, she held the clippers before her like a
weapon as she backed away. “You knew. You knew, you bastard, you knew right
from the start.”
    “I knew.” He rose to stand before her, his hands held out in
supplication. But I can explain—“
    “Explain?” Alaina’s rage rose to beat back her shame, her
gaze glued to the shadow of the tattoo beneath his shirt, the exact same one
she had traced with her fingers—had tasted with her tongue. “No, you can’t
explain. Not now, not ever. Get away from me before I call the police. And you
had better not mention a word of this to Zayne or I promise I will have you
arrested for stalking. And don’t you ever, ever , show up here when I am
working or make any attempt to contact me at all.”
    Refusing to acknowledge the pain she saw flicker in his
eyes, Alaina turned and ran, needing to get away from him as fast as possible—no
longer caring whether she looked like an idiot or not.
    That ship had already left the harbor and headed out to sea.
    * * * * *
    Zayne proved entirely immune to her tirade when he met her
for dinner later that week. “Ryan was a man who wanted his woman very badly.”
He shrugged, reaching out to take her hand. “I would have done the same in his
position.”
    Alaina shook her head. “You are too much a gentleman to pull
a stunt like that.”
    “Am I?” He took her chin in his fingers, forcing her to face
him, his eyes as black and deadly as sin. “I am a man who takes what he wants
and doesn’t give a damn about the consequences. Believe me when I tell you that
I have done much worse for love and suffered the consequences accordingly. But
I have also suffered a very great loss and I would sell my soul to the devil
himself if I could have just one more minute in her arms.”
    With a grunt of dismissal he sat back in his chair.
“Politeness has no place between a man and a woman, at least not when the need
to possess is stronger than civility. Ask yourself if what you really desire is
someone who asks permission to touch you or who begs your pardon as he thrusts
between your legs.”
    This was an entirely new side to Zayne. But she was also
aroused by his passion and torment and began to appreciate that Ryan had such
feelings for her he was willing to go to extreme lengths to have her in his
arms.
    “Should I forgive him so easily then?”
    Zayne’s chuckle was dastardly. “Oh no, you should make him
pay in ways I cannot begin to speak of.” With that, he reached into his pocket
and handed her a note. “Think well before you let him go. We do not desire a
thing with such desperation until after it is ripped from our grasp.”
    With that he stood and tossed a wad of bills on the table.
“Good night, Alaina.”
    After he had taken his leave, she sat for a long time
staring at the paper in her hand, noting the elegant way he had written her
name. Then, before she could change her mind, she tore the note open.
     
    “The god in me and the beast in me
    And all deep things come up to light;
    And I would barter my soul to be
    The prize of love for a single night.”
    ~George Sylvester Viereck
     
    I know you think me more the beast but I have never felt
so much a god than when I had you in my arms. I miss you. I need you. Please
meet me again. You will remember the place and time. Ryan
    Glancing at the clock, Alaina realized that if she didn’t
leave that instant she would never make it to the Red Mask by eight. And he had
always been a stickler about punctuality. Madame Brisson handed her the mask
when