Love beyond the mask1-100

Novel Catalog

Chapter_13

Whitney’s heart skipped a beat at the way the man said “wife.” The word hung in the air, strange yet somehow fitting in this bizarre sequence of events. She had no idea what his game was, but she couldn’t deny the chill that ran down her spine at the way he asserted control over the situation.

As they exited the Southern Elegance Club, Roselyn’s screams still echoed in the background, but they faded quickly as the car doors closed and the noise of the city faded into the distance. Whitney glanced out of the window, her thoughts racing. She couldn’t help but replay the earlier moments—the humiliating spectacle, the helplessness in Roselyn’s eyes, and the raw power the man exuded.

“Don’t worry about her,” the man said casually, breaking the silence between them. His voice was deep, smooth, but there was an undercurrent of something more dangerous in it. “She won’t be a problem for you anymore.”

Whitney nodded slowly, unsure whether to feel relieved or apprehensive. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of man she had just crossed paths with. One minute, he was a faceless, enigmatic figure—someone who seemed to move through life with detached ease. The next, he was standing up for her, making sure Roselyn learned a lesson she would never forget.

As the car sped through the city, Whitney finally spoke, trying to keep her voice steady. “You didn’t have to do that. She’s just… petty.”

The man’s lips curled into a faint smile. “No one disrespects my people. Especially not in front of me.”

Whitney’s brow furrowed at his words. “Your people?” she echoed, still not fully understanding the dynamic at play here.

He glanced at her briefly, his eyes sharp, like he was weighing whether or not to reveal more. “You don’t need to know much. Just know that I won’t let anyone drag you through the mud. You’re mine to protect now.”

She blinked, his words sinking in with a jolt. “Mine?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper.

He didn’t respond right away, instead focusing on the road ahead. The tension between them was thick, and Whitney couldn’t help but feel a strange pull toward him. There was something undeniably magnetic about him—something dangerous and alluring at the same time.

“You said I was your ‘wife’,” she said, trying to push back against the wave of confusion and uncertainty swirling inside her. “What does that even mean? We barely know each other.”

His gaze flickered toward her again, and for a brief moment, something almost tender passed through his eyes. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the cool detachment she was starting to recognize.

“It means,” he said slowly, his voice low and controlled, “that I’m not one to let people who belong to me get humiliated, not on my watch. As for the rest… we’ll figure that out in time.”

The ambiguity in his words only left Whitney more confused. She wasn’t sure what she had just agreed to—whether this was some sort of twisted game or something more serious. But she did know one thing: she wasn’t walking away from this encounter unscathed.

When they reached the car’s destination, he opened the door for her with a graceful but commanding gesture. Whitney stepped out, still unsure of what to think or feel. The night had taken an unexpected turn, and she wasn’t sure where it would lead next.

But for now, she was in it—whether she liked it or not. And there was something strangely comforting in knowing that she had someone at her side who, for reasons still unclear to her, seemed determined to keep her safe from the chaos that had suddenly engulfed her life.

“Come on,” the man said, motioning for her to follow him inside. “Let’s get you settled.”

Whitney hesitated for just a moment before following him, unsure of what this next chapter would bring but knowing one thing for certain: her life was about to change in ways she couldn’t yet comprehend.

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