Page 14

Chapter Fourteen

Aspen

Throwing up before you’re about to film content is not great. Zeland holds my hair back while I dry retch into the toilet bowl.

“If it’s too much, we can cancel. Remember, this is all about what you want.”

“How do I know what he does and doesn’t want? And fuck, is this too stalkery?”

Zeland laughs. “He filled in the consent forms and has taken nothing off the table. He is willing to do anything. His safe word is ‘schwifty.’”

I snort, getting the reference since I started watching Rick and Morty out of curiosity, and I must admit it’s not bad.

“He really chose that? I guess we’ll see how it goes.”

“Do you want a safe word as well? That way you can stop this at any point. I’m here to keep you safe above all else—fucking you is just a bonus.”

I shake my head as I stand, walking over to the sink and washing out my mouth, then brushing my teeth. “I’ll be fine. My anxiety does this sometimes, makes me question things. I wish it would just leave me alone.”

“You just have to remember he signed up for this experience, and you’re not forcing him to do anything he doesn’t want. He holds the power; one word from him and it’s all over.”

“Maybe that’s why I’m scared. For as long as I can remember, I have always been the one in control. I call the shots because I leave no room for being walked out on again. For some reason, since I have met you, Arlo, and even Ridge, this is the first time I feel like I don’t want to run away. It scares the shit out of me. I haven’t had this before. I barely ever had friends, let alone something more.”

“I’m not going anywhere. If I was, I would have thrown you out after we screwed around. Even Ridge?—”

“Speak for yourself,” Ridge says, appearing in my bathroom doorway like freaking magic. “I never wanted her here. Remember, if it were up to me, she would have been pushed out the door after she woke up. But you’ve grown on me, stray, and it’s now not a complete displeasure to be around you. Since Zeland has the organization skills of a toddler, I have had the carnival rigged with cameras, and the staff have all been sent on a work bonding trip for the night, funded by Zeland. The grounds are fully fenced, and they will be locked for the duration of your little competition. I will watch over everything through the security cameras, and if you hear a warning alarm, that means Zeland is to check his phone straight away and you will both be pulled out of there.”

“What about Arlo?” I ask.

“What about him? If you two are pulled out, it’s because he is a crazy pervert or something. And if you’re not comfortable with me watching things get heated?—”

I step closer to Ridge and grab his tie, tugging it so his face gets a little closer to mine. “I think we have already established I like you watching me, big guy. But I meant, if something goes wrong other than if he is a pervert, you get him out as well. He is my friend, and I don’t have many of those. I only have you three.”

“Fine, but we are not friends, stray.”

I chuckle and let go. “Okay, whatever you say to help you sleep better at night. But I know you like me.”

Zeland claps his hands. “Let’s get this show on the road. You look fucking hot, and your wig is all good. I have my hoodie and the masks in my car.”

Ridge moves from the doorway and both Zeland and I walk into my room. He is right. We are ready and I can do this. Arlo is my friend, and maybe if I give him this, he might truly see he is worthy of having whatever he wants.

I have never been to a carnival, especially one like this, with rides and a big-top tent. We could never afford to do things like this, not when my grandmother was struggling to keep a roof over our heads, and now the role is reversed.

The entire place is surrounded by temporary fencing covered with large yellow tarps. We are protected from anyone trying to peek inside. It makes me wonder how much Zeland paid to keep this place empty—actually, I think he is more excited than I am.

Once we clear the gates, he moves us to the side of the entrance into the shadows between two rides. “Lights are strategically turned on, so it’s bright enough to record. I’ve set a timer and have convinced Ridge to help with the countdown, since he plans to watch anyway.”

“Is it wrong that I love the idea of the moody bastard watching me?”

Zeland laughs. “No, knowing his eyes are on you is a turn-on. Before we start, I want to ask for your consent to touch you. Is there anything off the table?”

I think about it for a second. “We’re good, just don’t pull my hair—I can’t lose my wig.”

“Trust me, I can pull your real hair at home.”

I shiver at the thought. Never in my life have I wanted more than a one-night stand, as it meant giving someone the power to leave me. Yet day by day, Zeland is proving that unless I leave he isn’t going anywhere, and it’s a hard pill to swallow. He is handing me the power. Even Ridge might grumble about me being in his space, but he has never actually told me to leave .

Carnival music plays over the speakers, and I guess this is it.

“Step right up! Tonight the rules of the world no longer apply. Here, shadows hide the chaser, masks conceal faces, and excitement of the unknown waits around every turn. You didn’t come here by accident. The moment you stepped through these gates, you became the star of the show, the one we’ve been waiting for. Somewhere in the darkness, masked figures are watching... waiting.

“Will you run? Will you hide? Or will you surrender and let the night take you somewhere you never dared to go? The choice is yours. The fantasy is real. And if you run... there’s no turning back.”

Zeland hands me my mask. “You can talk. We have our best technology concealing our voices, and the one you just heard was Ridge. Touch the side of your mask and it will turn on, then touch it a second time to turn it off.”

I give Zeland a thumbs-up, and we spot Arlo the second he steps through the entrance. The gates creak closed behind him, sealing him inside the carnival’s world of shadows and neon lights. He looks nervous—his hands twitching at his sides, his shoulders stiff—but there’s something else beneath it. Curiosity. Anticipation.

He steps forward, passing the line of rigged carnival games, and right on cue, the clown heads jolt to life. Their painted faces twist and mechanical laughter echoes as they spin toward him .

Arlo practically jumps out of his skin and excitement sparks in my veins.

I pull my mask into place and switch the neon and voice transformer on, inhaling deeply before letting the words slip from my lips.

“You better run... let’s see how fast you really are.”

Arlo whips his head around, eyes locking on me. For the briefest moment, something flickers across his face, and the corners of his lips curl up in a grin.

He takes off running and I bolt after him, my heartbeat thundering in sync with his footsteps. The carnival blurs around us, flashing lights and distorted music twisting together as he barrels away from us. Zeland could easily overtake him, but he lingers behind me, letting me take the lead in our hunt.

Arlo ducks past the ring toss, weaving through the sideshow alley, his breath sharp and ragged. He’s fast, but not fast enough.

“Are you really trying to get away? Or are you just waiting for me to catch you?”

His head jerks slightly at my voice, but he doesn’t slow. Good. I don’t want this to end yet.

I stay close, watching him react, observing the way his body moves and the tension in his shoulders. He veers right, using the teacup ride as a makeshift barrier. I slip between the gaps effortlessly, keeping him in my sight.

“Keep running if you dare. It only makes me want you more.”

He mutters something under his breath, probably a curse, and pivots sharply toward the Ferris wheel .

My pulse spikes. He’s desperate now.

I lunge as he reaches the metal gate, but at the last second, he grabs onto the bars and hauls himself onto the moving ride. The cart sways as he climbs in, and he stares down at me.

I tilt my head, lips curving under my mask. He thinks he’s safe, but he’s wrong.

Zeland stops beside me, laughing under his breath. “What now?”

I step closer to the Ferris wheel, my eyes never leaving Arlo.

“You’re only making this more fun for me.”

The ride creaks higher. This game is far from over.

Arlo pops his head over the side. He might need a quick break, but he won’t get away that easily.

“What happens now is we wait for it to descend to a relatively safe height and we stop the ride. Ever fucked in a Ferris wheel?”

Zeland chuckles. “Stop the Ferris wheel when it’s too high to jump out safely, but won’t kill us if we fall.”

I open my mouth to ask Zeland who he is talking to, but then I realize he must have an earpiece and is talking to Ridge.

When the ride eventually halts, I skip forward.

“Is this the best you can do? I expected more of a challenge.”

Turning to Zeland, I place a hand on his chest and whisper, “You wait here, but tell Ridge to start the ride once I’m in.”

“Whatever you want. ”

I move closer to the Ferris wheel, then I climb the emergency ladder. Heights have never bothered me, and I love when my adrenaline spikes—I like the excitement of feeling free. When I reach the arm for his cart, I step onto it and hold the crossbars, balancing carefully while my heart beats a million miles a minute. Once I’m close enough, I vault over the railing and land in the seat beside Arlo before he can react. The gondola sways under our combined weight, but I barely notice. I’m too focused on the way his breath stutters, and the way his hands grip the bar as if that could somehow keep him in control.

I lean in, close enough that he can feel the heat of my body, close enough so that if he turned his head even slightly, if I wasn’t wearing the mask, our lips would nearly touch. His chest rises and falls rapidly, adrenaline still coursing through him from the chase. But I can tell it’s not just the thrill of running that’s making his pulse race.

“You think you’ve won?” I purr, as I drag my gloved fingers up his arm in a slow, deliberate swipe. “No, sweetheart, all you did was earn yourself a few seconds.”

I shift, pressing closer, my leg brushing his. He tenses, not pushing me away, yet he doesn’t pull me closer either.

“If I had caught you down there, I would’ve had you against the nearest wall.” My fingers skim up his chest, tracing the rapid beat of his heart through his shirt. “My friend would have pinned you to it for me and whispered in your ear exactly what I planned to do to you. How I’d make you squirm beneath me, how he would tilt your head down and make you watch me while I took my time with you.”

Arlo sucks in a breath, his grip on the metal bar tightening.

I smirk beneath my mask. “But since you were clever enough to make it this far, I’ll give you a treat.”

The ride shudders to life. Zeland is waiting, his arms crossed, watching us like he already knows how this is going to play out.

“When those doors open, you get one last chance to run,” I murmur close to Arlo’s ear. “Because next time?” I reach up and run my nails over his jaw. “Next time, you will drop to your knees for me and be prepared to fuck my pussy with your tongue.”

The Ferris wheel lurches to a stop and the door clicks open.

I lean back, flicking my fingers toward the exit. “Go on, sweetheart.”

Arlo doesn’t hesitate. He bolts.

“You let him go? I was looking forward to joining you.”

I lift up the bottom of my mask slightly to speak to him normally. “As much as I wanted to fuck him on this ride, I need to know he wants this. I want him on his knees for me, plus it will make for good content. Looks like we’ve gotta run again.”

We easily catch up to Arlo, watching as he twists sharply, skidding through the arched entrance to a maze of mirrors. As we follow behind him, the lights flicker, and his reflection stretches and multiplies, warping into endless versions of himself. We follow him, the click of my boots echoing around us.

“Nowhere left to run, sweetheart,” I tease.

Arlo spins, trying to find the real me, but I’m everywhere. I can tell he is getting tired, the ache now burning in his veins. Sadly for him, I know exactly where he is.

Moving swiftly, I slide in beside him as Zeland’s hand fists into his shirt, yanking him back into his body while I step around them, so Arlo is staring at my glowing neon mask.

“On your knees.” The command is soft, almost gentle, but there’s no mistaking it for anything less than an order. It’s hard to separate this man from my friend.

He resists for a second. A last shred of defiance. But Zeland places his hands on Arlo’s shoulders, forcing him down.

As the floor meets his knees, I slide a finger beneath his chin, tilting his face so he is looking at the masked version of me.

“That’s better,” I whisper, stroking his jaw, and he shivers beneath my touch. “You run so well, but I think you look even prettier like this.”