Page 47 of Carnival Obsession

I feel a lump in my throat as I listen to Lars’s story. My heart aches for the young boy he once was, shouldering so much responsibility when he should have been able to be a kid.

“Where is your sister now?” I ask, hoping to hear that she found a way out and is living a better life.

A shadow falls across Lars’s face, his eyes darkening with pain. “She’s gone,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper. “She killed herself.”

I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth. “Oh, Lars, I’m so sorry.”

He nods, swallowing hard. “She left a note. It turned out that right under both my mom’s nose and mine, my dad had been...” He pauses. “He’d been molesting her since she was five.”

My stomach churns at the revelation, and I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes. Lars’s grip on my hand tightens, his knuckles turning white.

“I blame myself,” he continues. “I should have realized, should have saved her. I was supposed to protect her, and I failed.”

I want to tell him it wasn’t his fault; he was just a child himself, but I can see the guilt etched deeply into his features.

“Dad got locked up,” Lars says, a flicker of anger flashing in his eyes. “But it wasn’t enough. I wanted to kill him. I still do.”

I can see now why Lars is the way he is, why he’s so fiercely controlling. It’s all rooted in this profound loss and the guilt he carries.

My heart aches for him, for the little boy who had to grow up far too fast and endure unimaginable trauma.

Without a word, I reach out and pull him into a hug, cradling his head against my chest. He turns tense at first but then slowly melts into me, his arms wrapping around my waist.

We stay like that for a long moment, our breathing synchronizing as I run my fingers soothingly through his hair. I can feel the tension seeping out of him.

Finally, Lars pulls back slightly, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Alice..." he murmurs.

I reach up and cup his face, my thumbs caressing his cheekbones. “I’m here, Lars,” I whisper. “I’m not going anywhere.”

In that moment, something shifts between us, a connection forming that transcends the physical passion we’ve shared. It’s all happening far too quick, but I’ve never felt like this for anyone before.

Lars leans in, his lips capturing mine in a kiss that’s achingly tender, yet brimming with a depth of feeling that takes my breath away.

My fingers tangle in his hair as I pull him closer, our bodies pressed flush against each other. But there’s no urgency, no desperate need for release. Instead, we move together in a languid, sensual dance, savoring every touch, every caress.

As we lay there lazily exploring each other, I realize he’s right. We belong together. And I can’t wait to start my new life with him on the road with the carnival.

25

LARS

“Nash, where the fuck is the product?” I demand through the phone, tapping my foot impatiently as I wait by the edge of the carnival grounds for the van.

“Relax, man. I’m stuck in traffic. I’ll be there in ten,” Nash replies, his voice infuriatingly calm.

I run a hand through my hair, frustration building. “You don’t understand. Carlo’s not happy since we supplied the Blackwood Brothers double. We need his deal to go off without a hitch, or we’re all fucked.”

Nash sighs. “I get it, Lars. But getting pissed off isn’t going to make the van move any faster. Just take a deep breath and-”

Suddenly, I hear a gasp behind me. I whirl around to find Alice standing there, her eyes wide with shock.

Fuck.

“I gotta go,” I mutter into the phone, quickly ending the call.

Alice stares at me, her face a mixture of disbelief and horror. “Lars, what the hell was that about? Coke deal? What’s going on?”

I step toward her, my hands raised in a placating gesture. “Princess, it’s not what you think.”

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