Page 28

TWENTY-SEVEN

We sit on the Ferris wheel at the fair. Watching kids run around below to get to the next ride. I had to wait for the utilities to be turned on so we ended up here.

“Do we have to work tonight?” Rose whines as the ride takes up for the second time.

I was glad she wanted to go to this side of the carnival. It was like a breath of fresh air getting to spend time with someone who wants to get to know me.

“I know right.” The breeze brushes my hair to the side and then my stomach growls from the smell of corndogs. “God, that smells good.”

“Yeah, want to go get some after the ride?”

“Hell, yes. I’m starving. It’s been years since I had a corndog.” Screams pierce the air and then the sound of distant music from the haunted circus.

“You know that guy who gave you the rose after he rejected you the other night, doesn’t he work at the circus?”

“That’s what they say.” I make sure to leave out how true that rumor is or that he’s given me more than just a rose.

“I thought it was kind of sweet.”

I snort. “How so?”

“It was romantic in a weird sort of way. Like he didn’t want a dance from you not because he didn’t want it but out of respect.”

“What you mean?” I ask confused.

“If he gave you money, then he would’ve been just like every man in there.”

At least in the club, I know what I get. With Draco, there’s no telling what he’s thinking.

The ride stops to let us off and we head to the food trucks to get a corndog. We pay for our food and when I turn around to find a seat at one of the benches, he’s there in all his glory waiting like a statue seated alone. Draco.

If I didn’t know who he was, I would have thought he was a statue.

His ringmaster costume is magnificent. People pause and stare. His makeup is so flawlessly applied giving him a deathly feel, that no one approaches him. Kids walk by wearily whispering to their parents clutching their hands.

“I’m going to go get us some drinks,“ Rose says behind me when she notices what has snagged my attention.

I nod, not breaking my gaze from his tall form. He doesn’t move an inch. I know he’s waiting for me. As I walk up, I notice his gloved hand is holding a ticket. Black and red with the haunted carnival’s logo on it.

I’m tempted to walk away but then he will think I’m scared of him or worse, he’ll kill me if he thought I would rat him out to the cops. I wouldn’t, though. I couldn’t. Because every person he killed deserved it.

I sit in front him and his dark eyes land on me. His face white with black diamonds for eyes. Black lips dramatically applied.

“What do you want,” I ask sharply.

His eyes lift and he slides the ticket to the Circus of Freaks show toward me.

His show.

I place my plate on the wooden table. The memory of his rejection sitting heavily on my chest as I pick up the ticket, I should feel excited about it but I don’t.

“I can’t accept this.”

If he was disappointed that I’m turning the invitation down, he doesn’t show it. His face is hard like stone. His eyes go dark like a demon. Dark and deadly.

He slides the ticket forward closer this time. The only indication of his persistence.

He thinks all it takes is a ticket to his show for me to forget what he said. How he made me feel when he cast me aside. I grab the ticket knowing its worth. How people would kill for a chance to see his show and tear it into pieces. He watches and I swear I could see a tiny twitch under his eyes or maybe I imagined it.

“If you’re worried, I’ll tell anyone, I won’t.” I lean in and look him directly in the eye. “You don’t need to bribe me with a ticket to your show.”

I see a flash of red from the corner of my eye. “There you are?” The redhead says pausing when she sees me, her eyes turning cold trying to hide the anxiety crossing her face.

I straighten in my seat right when Rose appears by my side. “Ready,” she says quickly holding two drinks. She notices the torn ticket on the table and then glances between Draco and the redhead.

“Yeah,” I reply staring at the redhead, my appetite diminishing by the second. The corndog forgotten.

She walks up to Draco and he stiffens but I could tell they have something going on. More than two people sleeping with each other. It’s evident they have history and, I’m in the way.

Jealousy takes root imagining them in bed with him doing more than what he did with me. The fact that he considers her worthy to be in his life stings, reminding me of everyone in mine that doesn’t. How stupid I was to think he could possibly want me.

“He’s all yours,” I say coldly.

“It’s Dahlia and yes, he is.” Her tone drips with venom crushing me when he doesn’t deny it and honestly, they both can go fuck themselves.

“Come on,” Rose says tersely. “Let’s go home.”

After Rose drops me off at the motel, there is more people hanging around than usual on a Saturday night but I ignore it. I pack my bag so that when I get back from the club I can check out.

If one thing I can say I have going for myself is that I have an apartment. I send Dr. Foster my new address feeling good about myself for the first time. It’s not much by any means but it’s mine.

When I’ve showered and done packing, I head down to the front office to catch Simon before I leave to tell him the news. I don’t have a bed in my apartment but it doesn’t make sense renting the room when I could spend it on things I need.

“Where ya going baby?” a guy says, drinking a beer right before I ascend the stairs.

I ignore him and keep walking not in the mood. It’s bad enough where I work. I have to deal with lewd remarks and offers for sex.

He blocks my path. “Hey, I’m talking to you.”

I look up with a smile throwing him off. For whatever reason doing the opposite confuses him. He was probably expecting me to be angry and emotional.

“I hear you but I mean, really, ‘Where ya going baby?’” I mock. “Is that the best you can come up with?”

He is eyes drop to my sweater and thermal leggings. It’s cold out and there are moments like these that I’m grateful to cover up.

“What should I say then?”

I get a good look at him and he’s wearing a thick sweater and jeans. Expensive sneakers. I’m sure his parents wouldn’t approve of where he spends his spare time outside of school. It’s obvious he goes to college. He’s young and reminds me of Kaden.

“Hey, isn’t that the same girl who was at the burger spot with Kaden,” his friend says walking up popping open a beer.

The guy’s brown eyes brighten with interest. “Ah, so that’s your type. What would he say that would be interesting then?”

I glance at his friend. He holds out the beer bottle he just opened. “Want one?”

I’ve never drunk alcohol and I wasn’t going to start with these guys.

“I’m good,” I decline turning to his friend with the ultra-white designer sneakers. “Anyway, didn’t your mother tell you it’s not wise to talk to strangers.”

He snorts. “If I did that, how else will I get to fuck you.”

I wonder where that came from. He doesn’t look the type to say something like that but guys around here are full of surprises.

My smile widens. “You must have a big dick to have mouth like that.”

His eyes heat. “Was that better?”

“Could use a little more work but you still shouldn’t say that to strangers.”

“Why is that?”

I give him a wink. “You never know what they can do to you.”

I glance between him and his friend. It’s almost too easy.

“And what is that exactly?” he asks ,looking me squarely in the eye. Then his face scrunches with apprehension and a little fear.

A shadow looms from the staircase behind me. A crack of light from the fixture above splitting the shadow in two.

A weird sense of energy buzzes underneath my skin. I glance at his friend and his eyes lift behind my head. “Well, well. I guess we won’t find out now, won’t we? The freak is looking for his toy.”

I don’t have to turn around to know who is standing behind me. I’m not surprised he’s here. I’ve ignored his texts begging me to call him back.

“Is there are problem?” Kaden says unimpressed. “Or are you two jocks so desperate you hang out in motels to pick up girls?”

He walks around and his glare at the two guys is lethal when he steps in front of me like he’s my human shield. I appreciate him trying to save me but I can’t do this with him right now.

“See you around boys.” And descend the stairs as quickly as I can. When I reach the bottom, I reach in my bag for my phone to call for a ride.

“Athena, wait,” Kaden calls out.

I sigh opening the app. “What Kaden.”

“Can we talk?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I think your uncle or whatever the fuck he is was clear that last time I was around.”

“He didn’t mean it.”

I snort remembering the regret laced in his voice and him wanting me to leave. “He was clear with what he meant.”

He makes a face. “What?”

I shake my head. “Never mind.”

“Look…” he pauses and lowers his gaze. “Draco is…complicated but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”

“Your uncle disagrees.”

“I don’t always do what he says.”

“Is that why you brought me to your house against his wishes? To defy him?”

“I don’t think he was complaining the entire night.”

My body heats remembering that way he looked at me in the shower. The memory ignited a dark craving for more but that can happen. He’s with Dahlia and he didn’t correct her when she said she was his, and that’s why I need to forget what happened between us. It was a mistake and it was obvious he regretted it. It was probably brought on in the heat of the moment from what he’d done to the guy in the van. The invitation to his show was out of guilt. Why else would he seek me out and offer?

“I think he also made it clear in the morning that I was a crazy mistake.” I close my eyes not wanting to relive the hurt and disappointment. Kaden doesn’t deserve me giving him shit. I turn to face him right when my ride shows up. “Look, it’s nothing personal against you or because you did anything wrong. You were great.” I open the door once my app verifies the driver. “But I don’t want to be the cause of a rift between you.”

“That’s not gonna happen,” he says quickly.

I don’t want to disappoint him and wish things were different but they‘re not. “Good, then there is nothing to worry about.”

I move to get inside the car.

“Athena.” I pause. “I still want to be your friend.”

“Who said you weren’t.” I shut the door and I watch him through the window staring at the car as it drives off doing nothing to relieve the ache in my chest.