Page 52 of Carnival

James

T he sound of people screaming reaches my ears, but I pay no attention to them. They’re as worthless as the place I’m in, and not a single one of them is here without a good reason. My feet are light as I climb up the stairs, the mask resting on my face.

It creates more buzz than I’d like, whispers all around. Casper walks silently behind me, in his uniform, watching over the situation and ensuring no one even dares to breathe in my direction. Tonight, there are no distractions.

“You have ten minutes, at most,’’ he says, rushing to catch up with me until we’re walking side by side. “Does she know?”

“No,’’ my response is immediate. “It doesn’t matter.’’

“She’ll be pissed.’’

“I’ll deal with it when the time comes, Casper.’’

He nods, offering no further words. He steps in front of me, grabbing a set of keys from his pocket and pushing it into the keyhole. He twists it to the side, and once the door swings open, he steps aside, allowing me to enter.

The door closes behind me.

There she is.

In the corner of the room, she was sitting down on the floor, face buried in her knees. A mere shadow of the powerful woman she used to be. She’s lost a lot of weight, and although the wounds on her face have since healed, the scars remain.

Oh, I fucked her face up pretty good.

It takes her a moment to understand what is happening. Her blank, dull eyes stare at me, without blinking. Then, as realization dawns on her, she releases a piercing scream. It nearly bursts through my eardrums, and I step back, letting her adjust to the new reality.

“Enough,’’ I speak, voice low and commanding.

Vivian gets to her feet, her sullen cheeks catching my attention. She starts shaking, and I can’t tell if it’s anger or fear. Either way, it works in my favor. She takes a step forward, glowering.

“Bastard,’’ she hisses. “I gave you everything, including the fucking mask you’re wearing. And this is how you repay me?”

I chuckle. “And yet, you tortured me. How affectionate of you,’’ sarcasm drips from my mouth, her eyes narrowing at me further. “And yes, you gave me the mask and the knife, and coincidentally, those will be the last things you see.’’

I reach into the inner pocket of my blazer, pulling out the butcher knife. It’s been sharpened and thoroughly cleaned, just for her. She bought it, and she’ll be its last victim. After tonight, I’ll never wear the mask or use the knife again.

“You came here to kill me,’’ she states, a look of disbelief on her face.

“Yes.’’

“Why?” She takes a small step back. “Is it not enough that I’m in prison for the rest of my life? That I’ve lost everything?”

“You haven’t lost everything, Vivian.’’ I step closer, closing the distance between us. “You’re still alive. And I know you. You’re cunning, and I’ve no doubt that eventually, you would’ve found a way out. I’m not taking any chances.’’

“Rose will hate you for this.’’

“Goodbye, Vivian.’’

“Wait—’’

Her plea is interrupted by my hand raising. Without hesitation, I slide it down, piercing through her stomach. A scream so loud that it could wake the dead fills the room, and I don’t stop.

The blood starts gushing out in waves, coating me entirely, head to toe.

The mask is dripping with vigor, adrenaline pumping in my veins.

I can’t find the strength to stop. All I want is to see her body dead, drained of blood.

It feels good to have it coat my hands, the slippery sensation causing my stomach to throb in excitement.

Her screams fade into the background, and I can’t focus on anything but the way her blood feels. It’s warm and thick, and the more I’m cutting her open, the less I’m able to hold myself back.

For everything she did to my hellion.

I don’t give a shit about a damn thing she did to me. But to my hellion? She deserves a lifetime of suffering, pain, and anguish, the same one she gave to her own granddaughter. I would’ve picked a method to torture her, but there’s no time for that.

And yes, Rose might be less than content if she finds out.

But that’s tomorrow’s problem.

Tonight’s problem is done.

Vivian’s dead, yet my hand keeps moving, destroying what’s left of her body.

I have another few minutes left, and I wish this could last for an eternity.

She stopped squirming a while ago, her heart giving out.

I’m not sure if it’s from the moment the sharp blade sliced through it, or if the pain before that was too much for the pathetic cunt to bear.

Either way, she’s dead, and I couldn’t be happier if I wanted to.

“Jesus fucking Christ,’’ Casper gasps, and I pause, turning to look at him.

“What?”

“Time’s up, motherfucker.’’ His nose wrinkles at the sight of Vivian’s body. “Fuck, this place reeks. You said it would be a quick death!”

“I changed my mind.’’

“You changed your—’’ he cuts himself off. “Of course you did.’’

With a deep breath, the adrenaline starts to fade away, and I step back. Vivian’s body’s almost torn in half, the slashes on her body massive. Her guts started to spill out, her eyes widened in fear, and her mouth parted a little.

My mask comes off, and I toss it on top of her, along with the butcher knife.

“You done?”

I nod. “You can make the reports be something like… an inmate fight.’’

“Alright. Get out.’’

Without wasting another second, I leave. I briefly stop by a shady motel, just to shower thoroughly and change my clothes. I don’t want Rose finding out what I’ve done. And when she does… well… she’ll still stay, because she’s too deeply invested in us to walk away.

Because, at the end of the day, she knows she belongs to me.

The next stop before going home to the woman of my dreams is to grab her some flowers and her favorite chocolate. She’s been waiting for me the entire day.

The past few months have been the most peaceful I’ve ever felt.

If this is what love feels like, then I’ll work my fucking ass off never to lose it.

Rose showed me what compassion, love, and patience can do to a person.

She showed me how much impact that one person can have on you, and she had that impact on me.

I don’t want to be a better person.

I want to be a better man for her, and to her only.

Because my hellion is the only one that matters. The one I’ll never let go of, the one I’ll never leave behind. Forever, it’s the two of us. She makes my stupid heart skip a beat, she makes my nights a little warmer, and my days less lonely.

She makes me feel fulfilled.

The door of the apartment opens, and I close it behind me. Rose peeks her head from the kitchen, a wide, beaming smile on her face. My chest flutters, and she drops the wooden spoon from her hands, rushing into my arms.

She jumps, legs wrapping around my waist. I hold her with one hand, the other one still holding the chocolate and the flowers.

“Where have you been?” Her cheerful tone brings a smile to my face.

“Work,’’ I respond, and her eyes narrow a fraction, skepticism on her face, though she doesn’t comment on it.

“Come, I prepared your favorite food.’’

“Oh?” I lift an amused brow as she jumps off me. “Which would be?”

She grins. “It’s between my legs. Come on, I haven’t seen you the entire day.’’

A deep laughter soars through me, and I take her hand in mine, putting the gift on the counter. Her touch is electric and magnetic, and the pull I feel toward her is irresistible. Rose is irresistible.

Her gorgeous eyes glint with mischief, the need radiating off her in waves. She doesn’t wait until we reach the bedroom, planting her lips on mine in a messy, desperate kiss.

My hands hold her hips tightly as I pin her against the wall, the taste of cherries on her lips. This divine woman is intoxicating, alluring, and all-consuming. She makes me go mad with desire, and the love I feel for her could only be classified as obsession.

If obsession is a sin, sinful let me be.

Because this woman belongs to me, utterly and wholeheartedly.

Just as I belong to her.