“My anxious gaze swept the theater."Don’t worry. I told them it was Sunday,” Ayden said as we sat down.“And they believed you?”“Of course.” He passed me the popcorn and took off his jacket. “I’m the master of deception.”“Uh-huh. So, when did you become a Hitchcock fan?”“After I saw Psycho,” answered a voice clearly not Ayden’s.We turned to stare at Blake.And Jayden.And Tristan.And Logan.All sitting behind us.I smirked at a sheepish Ayden. “Oh yeah, master of deception.”

“You’re going to castrate them if they give me a sideways glance?”He looked at the ground. “I’m not bringing you to the safest place and you’re beautiful, so I needed to warn them.”“I’m beautiful?” I repeated trying not to smile.“Don’t let it go to your head, darling.” He said holding his hand out for me.“You’re not too bad yourself.” “I know. I saw the way you stared at me when I took my shirt off.” Hunter said.”

“Ayden and Blake stared each other down. "Oh. My. God," Luna blurted from Ayden's back seat. "It's a love triangle."We all looked at her like she'd sprouted an alien from her head. "it's just like in a book. Two guys after one girl and-"I groaned. "That's ridiculous, Luna, this is not a love triangle.""Says the girl in the middle of a love triangle. Luna ignored my protests and prattled on. "Not one Hexy Boy but two. I've got to call Danica. Oooo," she squealed and clapped her hands,"We could have teams. Team Ayden and Team Blake. With T-shirt and buttons and-""I could make a website," Lucian offered."No!" My voice pitched with panic. "No teams. No shirts. No-""I'll get you some headshots," Blake said, turning his profile towards Luna and Lucian. "I've been told the left is my best side. What do you think?""Aurora's right," Ayden said. "This is buts. Blake you can follow us-""Dude, you know no one would pick Team Ayden. You're just jealous.""That's not true. My team would be way bigger than yours.""Dare to dream, little man, dare to dream.""Care to make a wager on it?""Absolutely.""Fine. How about-""You two shut up!" I shoved myself out of the car.”

“People who believe that they are strong-willed and the masters of their destiny can only continue to believe this by becoming specialists in self-deception.”

“I enter. I’m not scared of Master Ez.I lean against the door with my eyes shut and breathe. Why did he ask me here if he wasn’t going to be waiting?“You look gorgeous,” a silky voice purrs and I jump again.“I thought you weren’t here. Why did Aaron let me in?” My voice quivers in fear- hell, yeah… I’m afraid of Master Ez.The office doesn’t get a second of my notice. Master Ez sits at his desk. He doesn’t get up. He smirks at me lasciviously. His steel eyes glow in the dim room. He commands me to look at him and I can’t stop.“I ask the questions, Regina.” The cadence is smooth, but there is an undercurrent of threat.He called me Regina, only Ezra calls me Regina. The one that was upset when I fled to the bathroom is the childlike Ezra- he probably would call me Regina, too. Master Ez calls me Queen. The true Ezra is a combination of both- an integrated personality. He’s the one talking to me. Why is HE looking at me like that?“I don’t understand that look, Ezra,” I mumble.“As I’ve said over and over, we are one in the same- Master Ez and I.” He sighs like he gets sick of pointing out that fact.“Um- yeah… but Master Ez loves ladies and they’re missing an appendage for you to enjoy,” I tease because anything else would scare the shit out of me.“Regina, Regina,” he laughs. “The Ezra I used to be liked boys. That changed- quickly and against my will. Master Ez only likes girls. Doesn’t it seem likely that if who I used to be liked boys and who manifested liked woman, that perhaps I enjoy both now? If we are to cohabitate in peace, we have certain concessions to make.”

“So what’d you do to the lesser?” a male voice said. “I lit his cigarette with a sawed-off,” another one answered. “He didn’t come down for breakfast, you feel me?”