6
" A warm, ragged breath disturbed the hairs on my forehead, and my blood began pricking as I realized where exactly I had retreated: right into Mr. Braddock, our strange connection humming through the hairsbreadth of distance between our bodies, our faces. I froze, forcing myself to stop shoving against him further. Before I understood anything, a rough, large hand brushed my chin, my face tipped upwards, and his mouth caught mine, and suddenly my entire body was on fire. Whatever odd sensation had thrummed between us before was just the stroke of a violin bow to this clash of an orchestra. I felt the world pass between our lips, tasting champagne, hunger, and something indefinably darker, while his hand ignited sparks down my cheek to the nape of my neck. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me closer, forcing that elusive essence to run deeper than my skin, deeper than my veins, until my very bones vibrated. "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
9
" You know I find surprises vulgar,” Lady Kent said, waving her hand dismissively and shifting her gaze to me. “You are acquainted with Miss Madeline Verinder, I presume?”
“Good evening, Miss Verinder,” I said, exchanging curtsies with the sweetest, gentlest, most accomplished, and most amiable girl in all of London. At least that is what I had continually repeated to myself the past season, so I wouldn’t slap her by sheer reflex whenever she entered my conversations with Mr. Kent and turned them into competitions for his attention. "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
10
" You've come all the way from London just for a joke, then?" I asked. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."
"No, no, my reason is of much greater importance. The entire city is in chaos. Buildings collapsing, streets flooding, the population plague-stricken, the Thames ablaze. But it was when an orphan boy I rescued from the rubble asked me, with his dying breath, 'Why did this all have to happen, sir? Why did Miss Wyndham leave?' that I solemnly promised to bring you back and restore peace. "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
11
" My, my, it’s a surprise to see Mr. Braddock here,” Mr. Kent said, a hint of acrimony lacing his voice. “Yes, it is.” He leaned in confidentially. “Perhaps he’s come to apologize. Or maybe that also needs to be done in his bedroom.”
I strained to keep a whisper. “You know very well why I was in his bedroom! He was injured, and I needed to check on him.”
“No one is going to make an exception for that where your reputation is concerned.”
“I had other concerns at the time.”
He put his hand on his chest. “I’m feeling quite injured myself. Perhaps we might—”
“Mr. Kent! This is not an appropriate place for that kind of talk!”
“Very well,” he said. “If you wish to speak about it somewhere much more inappropriate, just say the word. "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
13
" Miss Wyndham, I know you’re not pleased with the shocking things you’ve discovered lately, and I know you’ll think even worse of me when I tell you of the things I did before we met. But everything I—”
“Sir, you are a liar and a cheat!” a customer bellowed at the shiner behind us.
Mr. Kent glanced over his shoulder and attempted to ignore the yells. “Everything I do is to—”
“These shoes are still soiled! The mud is right there! Return my money, sir!” the customer yelled again. Mr. Kent bristled and spun around to the shoe shiner.
“Sir, are you wrong in this matter?”
“N-no,” the shoe shiner stammered.
“I’m trying to be fair.” Mr. Kent turned to the customer. “Are you wrong?”
“Yes, of course I am,” he said, his face flushing.
“Then avoid stepping in the mud, shut up, and be on your way! I am trying to convince a girl to love me! "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
15
" All this drinking and dancing and flirting,” Mr. Kent said with a sigh, balancing a glass on the railing for me. “Dreadful business, isn’t it?”
“Yes, I don’t understand it,” I mumbled, accepting the champagne as if it could magically transport me away. No, still here. What on earth was he getting at? Was he toying with me?
“That’s just it. Perspective is a curious thing. One day, you see everything from one angle and you think you know what’s important,” he continued, looking out at the dancers. Then he turned to me, smiling wryly. “Then another day, from another angle, you see what’s really important, and everything else just . . . melts away.”
“I see,” I said without meeting his eyes, hoping he’d be dissuaded. He wasn’t. His hand slid across the railing and caught mine.
“I have never seen you here before. Are you one of Mrs. Shine’s girls?” he asked. Seen you here before? Downstairs, the tempo of the violins and cellos quickened. As my blood boiled, I could barely hear my own thoughts, and the response left my lips compulsively.
“No.”
“Excellent, then might I ask, who is your—”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you,” I interrupted, hurrying away past the bar and the horrible paintings toward the stairs.
“Please, wait!” he called from behind, chasing after me. “What is your name?”
“Evelyn Wyndham,” I said, giving him a false name. Dammit. Champagne and Mr. Kent did not mix well.
“M-miss Wyndham!” he exclaimed. For a moment, it was rather strange to see the confident man look so confused, but he quickly regained himself with a smile. “I . . . I was just having a bit of fun. I knew it was you.”
“Oh, was that before or after you propositioned me?”
“That is a question with no right answer, but keep in mind what I was saying about perspective earlier— "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
20
" Unable to break the tenacious grip, Claude spun around and forced Mr. Braddock backward, slamming him hard into the walls, crashing into bookcases, and finally, in a desperate move, throwing himself out the street window. A shrill, useless scream escaped from my throat as the glass shattered and the cold London air rushed in. The pair disappeared out the window. There was the briefest silence, a thud, and a rattling. "
― Tarun Shanker , These Vicious Masks (These Vicious Masks, #1)
