Page 55 of Carnival Mayhem

I hum softly as I walk back to the trailer, my muscles pleasantly sore from practice. The evening air carries the scent of popcorn and cotton candy, mixing with the metallic tang ofthe approaching rain. My hair sticks to my neck, damp with sweat, and I can’t wait for that hot shower.

The gravel crunches under my feet as I approach our trailer. A hand clamps over my mouth, yanking me backward. My heart stops as Jake’s cologne hits my nostrils, that same sickening scent I remember from years of abuse.

“Miss us, little sister?” Tommy’s voice sends ice through my veins. His fingers dig into my arm as he drags me behind the trailer.

I try to scream, but Jake’s hand muffles any sound. My legs kick out, searching for purchase, for any way to break free. The terror I thought I’d left behind comes rushing back, paralyzing me.

“Thought you could just run away?” Jake’s breath is hot against my ear. “You belong to us. Always have.”

My body trembles as Tommy’s hand slides up my thigh. “No one’s going to save you this time. Those circus freaks can’t protect you forever.”

Tears stream down my face as I struggle against their grip. The strength I’ve built during aerial training seems useless against their combined force. Jake’s hand shifts slightly, and I bite down hard, tasting blood.

He curses, loosening his grip just enough for me to scream. “Nash! Colt!”

Tommy’s fist connects with my stomach, driving the air from my lungs. “Shut up, you little bitch.”

I gasp for breath, my vision blurring as panic takes hold. The sound of approaching footsteps barely registers through the rushing in my ears. Jake’s grip tightens painfully on my arms, and I can feel Tommy’s hands pawing at my clothes.

Suddenly, a roar of fury fills the air.

Colt barrels into Jake, ripping him away from me. I stumble forward, gasping for breath as Tommy releases me to face thisnew threat. My legs give out, and I collapse onto the gravel, watching through tear-blurred vision as Colt launches himself at both of my tormentors.

His fist connects with Jake’s jaw, sending him staggering. Tommy tries to grab him from behind, but Colt’s elbow snaps back, catching him in the ribs. The sound of flesh hitting flesh fills the air as Colt fights with a savagery I’ve never seen before.

“I’ll fucking kill you both,” Colt snarls, his voice thick with rage.

Jake and Tommy circle him, looking for openings. Blood trickles from Jake’s split lip, and Tommy’s holding his side where Colt struck him. But there are two of them, and even as Colt lands another crushing blow to Tommy’s face, Jake manages to get in a hit to his injured shoulder.

Colt grunts in pain but doesn’t back down. He charges forward, tackling Jake to the ground. His fists rain down, but Tommy kicks him hard in the back, forcing him off his brother.

“This isn’t over,” Jake spits blood as he scrambles to his feet. He and Tommy retreat, disappearing into the darkness between trailers.

Colt moves to pursue them, his body coiled with tension, but stops when he hears my sob. Instantly, he’s beside me, gathering me into his arms.

“Fucking cowards,” he growls. “I should have ended them both.” His hands are strong as they check me for injuries, his touch gentle despite the fury radiating from him. “Are you hurt? Did they...”

I shake my head, clinging to him. “You got here in time.”

“Should have been faster. Should have taken them both fucking down.” His arms tighten around me protectively. “I’m not leaving you alone again. Not for a second.”

I collapse against Colt’s chest, my body shaking with sobs. His arms wrap around me tighter, and I breathe in his familiarscent. The contrast between his gentle touch now and the raw violence I witnessed strikes me deep in my chest.

“I’ve got you,” he whispers into my hair. “You’re safe now.”

The tenderness in his voice breaks something inside me. After years of abuse of being treated like property by Tommy and Jake, the way Colt protects me feels almost surreal. He fought for me without hesitation and put himself at risk despite his injured shoulder.

“Why?” I choke out against his shirt. “Why would you do that for me?”

His hand cups my face, tilting it to meet his intense gaze. “Because you’re ours to protect. Mine and Nash’s. No one gets to hurt you anymore.”

Fresh tears spill down my cheeks. The fierce possession in his voice should frighten me, but instead, it makes me feel cherished and valued. I think of Nash, too—how they have shown me nothing but care and protection since I joined the carnival.

“I never thought...” My voice breaks. “I never thought I’d find people to fight for me. Who would believe me and protect me.”

Colt wipes away my tears. “You deserve to be protected, Flora. You deserve to feel safe.”

I press closer to him, overwhelmed by the realization that I finally have what I’ve always craved—people who truly care about me, who see me as something precious rather than something to be used and discarded.

---