Page 46 of Carnival Nightmare

I snort, the adrenaline fading. “Who says you’d land a punch?”

“Please. We both know I’d leave you kissing dirt.”

“In your dreams.”I punch him on the shoulder playfully, and his grin widens.

“Keep running that mouth. I’ve still got a few moves to teach you.”

I hold my hands up in surrender. “Alright, truce. I’m too tired for this shit anyway.”

“Too much fucking?”He raises an eyebrow.

“Maybe so.”I head toward my trailer, eager for some shut-eye.

Tyson calls after me, “Just watch yourself, Cade. Don’t do anything too stupid while we’re in this town.”

I wave a hand in acknowledgment and slip inside the trailer. Kicking off my boots, I stretch out on the creaky mattress. As I drift off, thoughts of Lily swirl through my mind. Soon, there will be no disputing the absolute fact. She’s mine. Now and forever.

27

LILY

Alice links arms with me as we walk toward the carnival. Cade leaves tomorrow, and he still hasn’t mentioned it, which freaks me out.

“What’ve you been doing then with your time off?” I ask Alice.

Her cheeks redden. “I met someone,” she murmurs.

I jerk her to a stop. “What? There’s no one in this town we don’t know! Who is it?”

“One of the carnival workers.”

I arch a brow. “So we’re both hooking up with one then?”

She laughs. “Yeah, I guess so.” There’s an odd expression on her face. “The thing is, he’s asked me to go with him tomorrow. And…"

“You’re not seriously considering it?”

She shrugs. “Maybe. Has Cade asked you to go with him?”

A sinking feeling presses into my gut as I shake my head. “No. He hasn’t mentioned it at all.”

Alice clears her throat. “Oh, I had this silly notion we could have both gone together. Strike out on a new adventure away from this shitty town.”

I smile sadly at Alice. “You’re right, this town isn’t much. But it’s familiar. And going off with a near stranger...”I trail off, thinking of Cade. Is he really such a stranger anymore? After all that we’ve shared, he feels like something far more. But the thought of leaving everything behind for him terrifies me.

We reach the carnival entrance, where bright lights and heady smells greet us. I spot Cade by the ticket counter, his muscular arms crossed as he watches the crowd. Our eyes meet, and my heart skips a beat.

“There’s your man,”Alice says. “Go talk to him. I’ll catch up in a bit.”

I weave through families and couples until I reach Cade’s side. He pulls me against him, and his warmth and woodsy scent, mixed with tobacco, envelops me.

“I was starting to think you weren’t coming,”he murmurs in my ear.

“I wouldn’t miss our last night together.”The words make my throat tighten. Only one more night before he’s gone. I want to ask about his plans, but the question sticks in my throat.

“Last night together?”He asks.

“Yes, the carnival leaves tomorrow.”I fiddle anxiously with my hair. “Which means you leave too, right?”

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