Page 193 of Trick or Stalk

The blindfold is removed from my head, and I blink, reality intruding when I take in the festival below. Bright lights. Happy screams. People moving around, eating and drinking. Kids playing games.

The thud of his boots moving away from me snaps my attention back to this room.

I blink rapidly.

I’m in the reading room, boobs hanging out of my bra beneath my bunched-up shirt. My pants and panties are around my ankles.

“Wait.” I hurriedly shove my boobs back into my bra, yank my panties and pants up, then pull my shirt down as I stand.

His footsteps thud down the stairs.

I take off running, chasing him. “Hey!”

I reach the stairs.

Empty.

I race down them, yelling, “Halloween Hannibal!”

Nothing.

I run through the aisles to the front of the store.

It’s empty.

I move around it, embarrassment and shame filling me.

Not only did I let a masked man finger me, but what if a customer would’ve come in and found us? Or robbed the place? Margaret would never forgive me.

I search the entire store.

He’s not there.

I go back to the front and realize the door is locked.

“That bastard.” I unlock it and look around the store again. “How the fuck do you keep doing that?”

I hurry to the front window.

People pass by outside, most dressed in costumes, completely oblivious to the fact that I just let my masked stalker finger me upstairs.

I press both hands against my burning face.“What the fuck am I doing?”

My phone vibrates in my back pocket, startling me.

“Jesus!”

I yank it out.

A text notification is on the screen.

My stomach drops when I see the name.

Hades.

For several seconds, I only stare at it.

Then I open it.