Page 20 of Carnival Obsession

“Bad idea to run, princess!” He calls after me, his voice unnervingly calm.

But I don’t stop—I can’t stop. Not until I’ve put as much distance between us as possible.

My heart pounds in my chest as I race across the parking lot, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I’ve got no idea where I’m going, but I don’t care. All that matters is getting away from Lars, as he’s insane.

As I reach the edge of the lot, I hear the roar of a motorcycle engine and glance over my shoulder to see Lars on his bike, revving the engine as he prepares to give chase.

With a surge of panic, I pick up my pace, darting onto the street and weaving between cars. I can hear the bike getting closer, the engine’s roar like a predator closing in on its prey.

13

LARS

Irev my engine, the powerful rumble echoing through the streets as I pursue Alice. She sprints recklessly, her desperation fueling her steps. But it’s useless—she can’t outrun me or escape my grasp.

As she darts across the road, cars honk and screech to a halt. I curse under my breath, my heart pounding with a twisted thrill at the idea of playing chase with her across this shitty town. When she finally ducks into the town library, I pull up sharply, killing the engine.

Dismounting the bike smoothly, I stride toward the entrance, my boots striking the pavement purposefully. The scent of old books and dust hits me as I push through the doors, scanning the rows of shelves for any sign of her.

There—a flash of movement near the back. I smirk, prowling forward with a predatory gait. She’s only delaying the inevitable, foolishly believing she can hide from me.

Rounding the corner, I find her crouched behind a towering bookcase, her chest heaving with panicked breaths. Our eyes lock, and I savor the fear flickering in her green eyes—fear laced with an unmistakable spark of desire.

“Did you really think you could run from me, princess?” I purr, closing the distance between us. “You can’t run or hide from me, princess. Not now, not ever.” Her pulse flutters in her neck, a betraying rhythm that reveals her true excitement.

“I wasn’t hiding,” she retorts, but her voice trembles, giving away her lie. “And I wasn’t?—”

“You can’t deny what this is between us, not after you came so fucking beautifully on my cock while I fucked you last night over my motorcycle.” I inch forward, caging her against the shelves, my arms braced on either side, trapping her in place.

“Okay, fine,” she bites back. “We had a hot night of sex. But that doesn’t mean?—”

“It means you crave what I can give you,” I interrupt, lowering my voice to a husky murmur. “The thrill excites you, doesn’t it?”

She opens her mouth to respond, but I lean in, my lips a hairsbreadth from hers, and she falls silent. “Say it,” I command softly. “Admit that you want more.”

Her eyes search mine, the struggle within her evident. “I...” Her breath catches as I graze her neck with my lips, remembering how sensitive it is. “I want more,” she whispers.

“Good girl.” I draw back, a satisfied smirk tugging at my lips. “Now, are you going to keep running? Or are you ready to accept that we’re meant for each other?”

Alice straightens against the bookshelves, her hands balling into fists at her sides as she snaps out of her haze of desire. “I’ll never accept that. You can’t just waltz into my work and make me lose my job, chase me down, and then expect me to fall into your arms! I may want you on a physical level, but that doesn’t mean I’ll ever accept we’re meant for each other.”

I lean in again and drag my lips across her collarbone. “Try as you might, my binds you’ll never break, princess.”

Alice’s eyes narrow, and she makes a desperate attempt to shove past me, but I tighten my hold, keeping her caged against the bookcase.

“You’re a fucking psycho,” she growls, her voice vibrating with fury. “Let me go, or I swear I’ll?—”

“You’ll what, princess?” I inhale the scent of vanilla and ginger from her hair, remembering how it tumbled over her shoulders as she moaned and writhed against me. “You’ll call the cops? Tell them what, exactly? That you couldn’t get enough of my pierced cock inside deep you?”

Her cheeks flush, and she bites her lip, her anger warring with the memories I know are flooding her mind. I smirk, savoring the taste of victory.

“You’re disgusting,” she spits, though her words lack conviction.

“Disgusting?” I chuckle, my gaze dropping to her lips. “You didn’t think so the other night when you were screaming my name, begging me to fuck you harder. When you came so beautifully, sprawled over my motorcycle as if you were made for it.”

I see her throat bob as she swallows, her eyes flicking away from mine. “Let. Me. Go,” she grits out between clenched teeth.

“Never,” I murmur, my voice a low, dangerous promise. “You’re mine. You can’t deny it. Not after last night. And I won’t let anyone get in the way of what we have.”

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