Page 7 of Carnival Stalker

6

TILLY

Smoothing down my tight black mini-dress, I give myself one last look in the mirror.

“You look so hot, girl!” Chloe squeals.

Amy nods. “Yeah, that dress is fire. You’re going to have all the guys drooling tonight.”

A little thrill goes through me at their words, pushing aside the lingering unease I’ve felt all week. Tonight, I will let loose and have fun with my best friends.

We grab our purses and head downstairs, hailing a cab to take us to Pulse. The city’s bright lights blur past the windows as I sip on the little bottle of vodka Amy snuck in her purse. The liquor warms my throat and helps me forget about the weird encounters at the carnival and the eerie sensation of being watched I’ve felt ever since.

We reach Pulse and pay the cab fare before turning toward the entrance.

“Tonight’s going to be so much fun!” Chloe shouts over the pounding music as we hand our IDs to the bouncer. Iflash him a flirty smile, and he nods us inside, the beat of the bass vibrating through my body.

Amy grabs my hand, tugging me toward the dance floor. “Let’s dance!”

I down the rest of my vodka and let the rhythm take over, swaying my hips back and forth. Guys start gravitating toward our little circle, trying to catch my eye and grind up on me. I laugh and shrug them off, just enjoying the music and the electric atmosphere.

A pair of ice-blue eyes catch my attention from across the crowd. I blink, wondering if I imagined it. And sure enough, the eyes are gone, lost among the mass of gyrating bodies. I ignore it and grab Chloe’s hand, jumping up and down to the music.

Tonight is for being free and letting go.

A tall, athletic guy with mesmerizing green eyes moves next to me on the dance floor. He flashes me a panty-dropping smile and starts moving to the beat, his hips swaying dangerously close to mine.

What the hell, why not?

I grin back and let my body sway with his. His hand grazes my hip, sending a shiver down my spine. Okay, he’s working some serious magic. I lean in, ready to let this hottie kiss me when a large figure wearing a creepy skull mask steps between us.

The masked man leans down to the man’s ear and whispers something. His eyes go wide with what I can only describe as terror, and he turns and bolts away, disappearing into the crowd.

“What the hell?” I spit, glaring up at the masked intruder.

He doesn’t respond. Instead, he starts dancing with me, mirroring my movements. Those piercing eyes...I know those eyes.

It’s him. The mysterious stranger from the carnival. The man I was sure saw in the back of my class earlier today.

So he has been following me? There’s no way this is a coincidence. Panic and confusion war inside me as his body presses against mine, his hands skimming my waist.

I should run. This is so messed up. It’s clear he’s been stalking me, And now he’s here in a mask, scaring off guys like a psychopath.

But I can’t help but be intrigued despite the alarm bells ringing in my brain. I search his eyes for any recognition or explanation, but he gives nothing away.

So I keep dancing, letting the thunderous bass drown out my thoughts. If this stranger won’t talk, I’ll play along for now. See where this goes.

His hands roam my body, pulling me flush against him. Our bodies move in perfect sync like we were made for this dance. His breath is hot against my neck as he leans in close.

“Let’s find somewhere a little more private, sweetheart,” he murmurs.

A thrill of electricity shoots through me at his words. This is so dangerous. This stranger could be a complete psycho for all I know.

But God, something is intoxicating about him. Part ofme craves the delicious sense of danger that rolls off him in waves.

So, despite every rational part of my brain screaming at me to run, I give him a nod. He takes my hand, and we slip from the crowded dance floor.

The man leads me down a dimly lit hallway toward the back rooms of the club. My heart skips a beat when he pushes open a door and ushers me into a storage room.

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