Page 22 of Hung Up

Dammit.

I mouthed thanks to Ben and quickly grabbed our drinks, practically pulling Pierce out by the arm. Pierce was busy throwing a peace sign and smirk to the barista I’d probably never see again.

As we stepped into the afternoon sun, Pierce took a coffee with one hand and my now free hand with the other.

This time I was quicker to get over the shock, but looked at him inquiringly nonetheless.

“It was in that book,” he said simply, though I didn’t know which he was referring to. I supposed it could’ve been any of of them. We’d spent at least an hour wandering the library, and Pierce had flipped through a variety of books.

The rate at which he was learning should’ve been alarming, but all it did was settle the nerves in my stomach.

“So: library—check. Medieval torture device—check.”

I elbowed him in the ribs, chuckling at his dramatics.

“Would you like a guess as to where we’re going next?”

Pierce’s face sobered, all humor draining from his face. “I promise you, Harper, if we’re not heading back home so I can finally sink inside of you, I’m going to lose my mind.”

I froze on the sidewalk, staring at him slack jawed. My heart thumped in my chest, my pussy throbbed in my panties. Sweat gathered at the nape of my neck while we started at each other, before Pierce cracked a smile.

“Just kidding, right? That’s the whole point of today, to teach me that there’s ‘more to life than just sex.’ Well, let’s get on it! Teach me, already!” Pierce made an exasperated face and I stuck my tongue out at him.

“Yes, and next on the list is . . .” I slapped my hands on my thighs in a drum roll, earning a smile from him. “Fear Farm!”

Pierce’s smile slowly faded, his upper lip curling as his brows pinched.

“What’s a Fear Farm?”

I bit my lip, stifling a laugh at his adorable look of apprehension. “It’s a farm with a few mazes where you pay people to scare you. They run at you with chainsaws while covered in fake blood, and bright lights flash as creepy music plays to disorient you.” I couldn’t resist, my smile broke through my poker face. I wasn’t taking him to Fear Farm . . . yet.

“Why would you want to . . . pay someone to scare you?” His brows remained furrowed, and he glanced around like a camera crew was going to pop out.

“It’s the adrenaline rush. It makes you feel alive.”

“Alive . . .” Pierce didn’t sound like he understood. And that was like a knife to my chest.

I needed to switch gears.

“I’m just kidding, I wouldn’t start you off like that.” My hands grew clammy from my misstep.

Pierce visibly settled as my words washed over him.

“No, we’re just going to see Lady Killer.” It was the most recently released thriller, but shouldn’t be too scary. I wanted his heart racing, not flat-lining. “Don’t worry, if you get too scared, I’ll let you hold my hand.”

Pierce rolled his eyes, and I was glad to know that he was picking up on my sarcasm. It seemed like every hour that passed, he inflated into a real person. It was as if he absorbed the life around him.

I couldn’t wait to see who he ended up becoming.

Even if most of me was still terrified of the unknown.

* * *

I slapped a hand over Pierce’s mouth. Popcorn was splashed onto the floor and he was screaming like a terrified kid as a woman wearing a demon mask chased down her abusers and killed them off horrifically.

Personally, I loved it.

Watching a woman take revenge into her own hands? I loved to see it.

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