Page 33 of Circus From Hell

“Your hair looks nice today.” That’s all he has to say? That my hair looks nice? “Very pullable.”

Oh.

Heat rises to my cheeks before I can tame it.

“Look at you blushing,” he whispers, leaning down to breathe in my ear. “So cute and pathetic.”

“Fuck,” I breathe out before I can stop myself, and he pulls back an inch to stare at me.

“Something the matter?” I shake my head quickly. “You sure? Because I can feel your hard cock against my leg, Arlo.”

My eyes widen. I didn’t realise he could feel it. I’m so done for.

“You embarrassed? Would reassuring you that I’m just as hard help you relax?”

I nearly choke on an inhale. “Micha…”

He looks like he’s about to kiss me, but then he stops, eyes scrunching shut.

My heart breaks as he pushes back, moving away from me and sitting on the other edge of the couch, rubbing his face with his hands. I stare up at the ceiling, heart cracking as I try to catch my breath.

Rage rises to the surface the longer I lie here.

“Are you kidding me?” I shout, sitting up and facing the unspoken business between Micha and me. “That was too far. You want to toy with my heart? Fine. It was okay when I thought I was misreading things or getting my hopes up. But that, Micha? That was cruel.”

He can’t look at me when he says, “Arlo, I⁠—”

“No,” I snap in a rare show of anger. It takes a lot to upset me, but I’ve had enough. “Just stay away from me, Micha. Stop using me as some sort of entertainment. I’m a person with a heart. And despite you lacking that, it doesn’t make me want you any less. I can’t take it anymore.”

I shove off the couch and stride to my room, slamming the door behind me. My back presses against it, and I slide down until my face is stuffed between my propped-up knees. The tears creep down before I can wipe them away, and the sobs that break free are near silent, but I can’t keep it locked down anymore.

He said a new circus will be in town in two weeks.

He said he wanted to take me.

And I thought, stupidly, that my feelings might have been reciprocated.

I’m in love with Micha. I have been for years.

But I’m nothing but a toy to him.

Present Day

“Is she still out there?”

Micha pulls away from the window, letting the curtain drop. “Yeah, she’s there. She’s waiting for us.”

My heart slams against my chest. Nervousness? Excitement? I’m not sure.

I’d looked out the window to see Karma on the other side of the road, waiting beside a wall. If it weren’t for her green eyes staring directly at our window, I would have missed her.

“Why do you think she came back for us?”

He huffs, slipping on his jacket. “Probably to eat us, Arlo. Are you sure you want to go down there?”

I nod, tying my lace. “She was all freaked out last night. After…” I don’t finish that sentence, and Micha raises an eyebrow.

“After you fucked her mouth.”