The Art of Breaking Her: Beneath the Masks
Merely two weeks had passed since the soiree when Samantha received a red envelope with an invite to the private masked ball at the Graham's estate. Her hands trembled with nerves when she broke the seal and quickly flew over the contents of the letter.
"What is this?" She asked in a shriller voice than she intended, as she barged into Livia's room without knocking.
Livia was lying on her bed, her right hand shoved down the front of her knickers, breathing quickly and unevenly. When she saw Samantha, she just raised her left hand, her index finger outstretched and gestured for her to wait a moment.
When she started moaning as an orgasm hit her, Samantha quickly closed the door behind her.
"Well," Livia gasped a little out of breath, "that would have been more enjoyable hadn't it been interrupted. What do you want?" She hissed at her.
Samantha waved the red envelope at Livia and repeated her question. Livia's eyebrows furrowed as she took the letter from her.
"I didn't know you were supposed to receive an invite," she murmured, then her head shot up in realisation. "Declan. He must have told Aiden's father to invite you as well."
"As well? So, Keiran and you are also invited?" Samantha asked and Livia nodded.
"But you can't go," she said tersely as she pulled out her phone and dialled Aiden's number.
"What? Why?" Samantha asked confused.
"The society at these kinds of events is very different from the one you met at the soiree. They would..." She started to explain but immediately stopped when Aiden picked up. "Aiden," she greeted him, "she's got an invite as well."
There was a long pause at the end of the line, then Samantha heard the low rumble of Aiden's voice, but she couldn't make out his words.
"But you can't let her go. Who knows what would happen to..." Livia was cut off by him and her face darkened. "Fine, but if anything happens to her, it's on you!" She spat and hung up.
After a few seconds of silence, she turned to face Samantha again.
"Well, your invitation is valid. You'll accompany us to the masked ball."
Ever since the phone call with Aiden, Livia avoided her. She also hadn't answered any of her questions -- neither about the ball itself nor about the preparation for it. She had no dress, no mask, nothing.
But Livia's only comment was: "Don't worry, it will be taken care of."
Now, it was the day of the ball and Samantha sat in her room after class -- still without dress or mask. Then a knock sounded from the door and when she opened it, she found a package on the floor.
In it was a light-blue dress, a white mask and a handwritten note:
Pick up at 8pm, Ridgewood Academy.
Well, at least I can stop worrying about an outfit, Samantha thought bitterly. Who had brought this package? And who chose the damn dress? She would grill Aiden and Livia for this specific information later. Now, she had to get ready for a ball.
Her stomach was tied into nervous knots when she arrived at the mansion. Livia had apparently left before her and so the cab had picked up only her. How would she even recognize any of the others? She had no clue what kind of masks they would be wearing or what colour their clothes would be.
Her nervousness peaked when she entered the room, buzzing with voices. Anywhere she looked she saw bright and strong colours and -- most importantly --
black masks
. Not a single person wore a white one.
Her cheeks flushed when she noticed quite a few heads following her, as she made her way through the room, desperately looking for Livia's long dark mane of hair, Keiran's broad shoulders or even Aiden's cold eyes behind a mask.
But she couldn't see them anywhere. She was about to turn around and leave again, when someone spoke to her.
"Good evening, little dove. What a beautiful dress you have."
The voice sent a shiver down her spine and even though she thought it sounded familiar, she couldn't quite place it.