With his chest puffed up, he seemed to be enjoying the hell out of this.
At least he had enough sense to avoid Veronica who still stood in the center of the room. She might be the only one in the room to spot his charade.
Incredibly loud music helped his performance, as he didn’t need to talk much. The media crews from the top networks chased him and focused their lenses on him, tracking him wherever he went. He’d reveal himself at the end, which would be part of the joke and twist of the masquerade ball.
Esme walked to the front of the room to announce that the second trial would begin the next morning. Contestants would be shipped to a former war zone in Manhattan. She continued to talk, explaining the process, which I knew would drive the contestants into a series of conflicts and light catfights meant to keep the media and everyone else busy so I could get my hands on my Bunny.
I wound my way through the dancing men and women, who glared at me as I passed by them. If they knew who they were glaring at, they’d have knelt to beg for mercy. But I had no time to deliver any punishment at the moment, as I had only one goal—catch Bunny before she got away.
I reached her and smiled down, my blood racing at the delicious sight of her. Ever since I first saw her, I hadn’t been able to get her off my mind.
“Hello, Bunny,” I whispered. “I caught you.”
“I let you,” she said in a husky voice.
My cock shot up straight.
“How delightful.” I chuckled, trying to conceal my lust for her. “Another dance, milady?” Over her uncertainty, I coaxed her, “Don’t turn me down, Bunny. You don’t want to draw unwanted eyes to us, and I don’t want that either.”
My hand was already on her back. That was how badly I wanted her. And it felt damn good to have her in my arms again.
It pleased me that she was cooperative, and we swayed in a slow dance together. But when I tried to tug her closer, she resisted me. I felt elated. I liked my women fierce, and this one had icy fire.
“I’m impressed you recognized me right away,” I said.
“One doesn’t need the power of observation to identify you.”
“Should I be flattered, or do you mean the opposite? Or maybe you can just admit you recognized the combination of my handsomeness and keen intelligence.”
“The mask is doing an excellent job concealing any handsomeness or intelligence or lack of both.”
I chuckled low in my throat. “Then I shall take you to a private location to impress you without the mask, so you can judge for yourself what I’m lacking.”
A flicker of amusement flashed in her teal-blue eyes flecked with gold. She batted her eyelashes, not covered by her dragon mask, in a teasing mood.
“But should a damsel like me worry about being alone with the biggest, baddest wolf?” she asked.
The beast in me purred, eager to come out and show himself to my Bunny.
Fuck off, asshole, I warned him. If you scare her away, we won’t get another chance.
The beast backed down but listened attentively, eager to get involved.
“There’s no damsel in this fucking hall, darling,” I said. I didn’t mean to have such a harsh tone, but I’d just battled off my beast, and it’d take more than a few seconds for me to conjure up my sweeter side again. “Every woman in here is a shark. But even so, you never need to worry about me being the true villain. I know I’m not a nice guy, and I don’t pretend to be, not even for you. But I can be the good guy for you. It’s up to you to see me or judge me.”
She placed her cool fingers on the crook of my elbow, and I whisked her away from the bustling hall.
I had nothing on her background and wanted to know everything about her. What made her enter the Bride Trails to fight to be my queen? Every contestant had their own agenda, but I couldn’t pinpoint hers. Tessa didn’t feel like the power-hungry type or the type who would fall over herself for my sizzling-hot body. She’d never tried to gain favor from me either. I was good at reading women, but I had no idea what she wanted.
And the diamond ring she’d offered me to loan to Mari contained potent godly magic and bore