Self

Chapter 91

“A masquerade?”

“Yes, it’s a hotel tradition. They hold one every six months with a new theme.

“Last time, we had a costume party, and before that, a Halloween horror house. This theme’s pretty standard, so I bet tonight will be packed.”

With Christmas just around the corner, the hotel was decked out with Christmas trees and twinkling lights, oozing holiday vibes.

Rainie grinned and said, “I just walked in and saw all the servers wearing masks. It’s going to be a blast!”

She picked out a sly fox mask for Yara and snagged a lion mask for herself the queen of the jungle. In one word–epic!

Yara said, “Why not go for a tiger?”

“Why a tiger?”

“Aren’t tigresses even more epic? Fits your character anyway!”

Rainie raised an eyebrow, “You looking to start something?”

Yara snatched up the mask and dashed off, slipping it on as she ran. “Come on! We can’t be late!”

“Hey–hold it right there! Who are you calling a tigress?!”

At the banquet hall on the 23rd floor.

As she stepped out of the elevator, Yara could feel eyes on her from every direction.

She was not a fan of crowds, but the mask made it all bearable.

Rainie tugged her through the crowd to the bar.

“I’ll take a martini. What about you, Yara?”

“Just a lemonade for me.”

Rainie’s lips quirked. “You sure about that?”

2/2

“I’ll have a lemon-

Rainie cut in as she turned to the bartender. “Make it a Bloody Mary for her!”

The bartender gave a knowing smile. “You got it.”

Yara tried to smile, but it did not quite reach her eyes.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was watching from a dark corner, captivated by her every move and unable to tear their gaze away.

Yale leaned casually against the wall by the banquet hall’s entrance, his eyes. flicking to his watch now and then..

–

His mask was an excellent mix of cracked black and gold, with funky music notes that gave him an air of icy elegance. His white shirt w unbuttoned just enough to add a touch of mystery, and it made more than a .ew heads turn as they passed.

Five minutes of waiting had him on edge, ready to bail, when Xandra snuck up behind him with a playful tap..

“Babe, I’ve arrived!” She smiled. She wore a white rabbit mask with soft, pointy ears that perfectly matched her innocent vibe. “Oops, I took a wrong turn and ended up two minutes late. Sorry, okay?”

She swayed their linked hands back and forth. “Heard there’s a killer prize for the lucky one tonight, and with my luck, it’s as good as mine.”

Any annoyance Yale felt melted away at her charm. “Well, aren’t we here for the draw? Let’s find out.”

Meanwhile, Rainie had just set her drink down when a young man caught her eye. He ticked all the right boxes.

Before she could say a word, Yara nudged her. “Go for it, but keep it cool. Don’t lose your head.”

Rainie tossed her a kiss. “Catch you later!

Yara shook her head with a smile and scanned the lively crowd. The place was buzzing with people decked out for the occasion, the ballroom alive with a romantic vibe and groovy world–beats that got everyone dancing.