Page 14 of Beneath Her Skin

“I can live with that.”

3

The chill night air creeps around me while I stand in the shadows.”I really fucking hope he doesn’t stand us up.”My eyes fixed on the main entrance, waiting for the man to return to the carnival.He won’t. He’s hard up to get fucked.Like clockwork, a car pulls into the dirt parking lot; he steps out, locking it behind him.Here and alone, just as I expected.The things men will do for some no-strings-attached pussy. He had a good woman and a beautiful child, and he just ruined it. Just like that.How pathetic.

“Disgusting. Let’s make this worth it.”

I step out from between the tents, a fake smile spreading across my face. The man looks up, his eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, he seems unsure. I’m not alone. There are a few of the female workers spread out, all talking with some of the male performers and workers and they’re all watching him with contempt. I let them in on the little secret. One thing we all agree on is that this world would be a better place if the men who hurt women and children were dead. Each of us has pasts we are running away from, most of them include some piece ofshit man. Whether it was a boyfriend, husband, random man, or even our fathers.

Some of them offered to help me kill him, but this one is mine.

“Hey there,baby,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I’ve been waiting for you. I thought you were gonna ditch me and leave me to take care of myself tonight. What do you say to us playing a little game before we...fuck?”

Roy’s eyes light up with interest, and he takes a step forward. “What kind of game?” he asks, his voice low and husky. “Hopefully, it involves you naked and on all fours.” His hands grip my waist and pull me toward him.

“Ewww. Get his hands off of us.”

I grin, shoving his hands off me, my eyes glinting with amusement.In your dreams, asshole.“Cat and mouse,” I say. “You’ll be the mouse, and I’ll be the pussycat. I’ll give you a head start, but if I find you too quickly... I get to take the lead tonight.”

The man’s face falls, and for a moment, I think he’s going to back out. But then his expression changes, and he looks at me with excitement and arrogance. “Okay,” he says. “I’ll play.”

“God, he’s fucking arrogant. I hope you cut off his dick and shove it up his ass.”

Not a bad idea. I’ll keep that in mind.

“Better run fast. Nobody has ever beat me.” I chuckle and give him a dark, piercing glare, a twisted smile spreading across my face. “Tick Tock, Roy.”

Having caught on to that,maybeI’m a bit crazy. He takes off, slipping on the gravel and eating shit. The other women laugh their asses off at him. Which makes Roy growl in embarrassment. They all whoop at him when he takes off for the tree line.

“Dumbass. This should be a piece of cake if that’s how this is starting.”

I can only imagine.

I give him a five-minute head start, watching as he finally makes it to the treeline. The other women laugh and cheer as I take off after him, their voices echoing through the night air. I stop right at the start of the woods and wait for a moment, savoring the anticipation, before I take off after him.

“Little Mousey, little Mousey. This pussycat is hungry.”

Starving.

“Where are you, Mousey? Come out, come out. I just want to play with you.” I feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins. The energy flowing under my skin and tingles as I run faster and faster towards the house.

Running through the woods, my bare feet pounding against the earth centers me. Someone once told me it’s called grounding, when you walk barefoot through grass or dirt. It’s supposed to help with the energy you accumulate through modern living. I sure as fuck can use any help I can get so I figured tonight would be a good night to do it.“Sounds like some hippy dippy shit if you ask me.”I don’t mind it though; it kinda feels nice.

I didn’t ask you.

“All I’m saying is that it sounds like hippy shit. No judgement. If it makes you feel good, then do you. Which way do you think he ran?”

If you’d stop criticizing me for my weird habits for a second, I can figure it out.

“Zipping the lip.”

When the voice finally stops, I hear Roy’s labored breathing up ahead, his footsteps crashing through the underbrush. I’m gaining on him, and I know it won’t be long before I catch up.“He’s slow as shit for an alpha male.”The house that I found abandoned out here earlier comes into view and I just know he is dumb enough to think this is the place to hide. He thinks he’sfound a safe haven, or at the very least a place to fuck. I push open the door, my eyes scanning the open room.

Roy is hiding behind the dividing wall to the left, his eyes peeking out at me. I grin, the voice whispering in my ear.“Fucking idiot can’t even hide properly. Let’s make this nice and slow.”

“Oh, Mousey!” I sing. “I found you. You didn’t try very hard now, did you?”

I take a step forward, my eyes locked on him. The man’s face is flush from running, and his pupils are blown wide with lust. He thinks he is going to have the fuck of his life, and maybe he will... with the blade of my knife.

---