Page 24 of Toxic B!tch
“Having fun, Malik?” she murmurs against my lips, her voice low and teasing as her hand presses against me, stroking through the fabric of my joggers. The heat of her touch seeps into me, and a soft groan escapes as I kiss her harder.
“Baby, you’re going to kill me,” I whisper, my voice rough with desire, but I don’t stop her. I don’t want to stop her.
Her fingers keep moving, slow and deliberate, teasing and taunting as the Ferris wheel turns, taking us higher. My pulse races, and for a moment, it feels like we’re the only two people in the world, suspended in this perfect, private moment. But all too soon, the ride circles back down, and we’re jolted back to reality as the Ferris wheel operator opens our cart, giving us a knowing smile.
I adjust my sweater, trying to regain some semblance of composure, but Indigo just smirks, thoroughly pleased with herself.
As we step off, her eyes light up again when she spots a rollercoaster nearby. She pulls me toward it, her excitement spilling over, but as we settle into the seats, the operator struggles with the shoulder harness, pushing down, grunting with effort, but it won’t budge.
He steps back, looking apologetic. “Sorry, sir,” he says. “You’re too big for this ride. We’ll have to escort you off. Your lady friend can stay if she wants.”
I feel a twinge of embarrassment, my ego bruising a little, but Indigo doesn’t hesitate. She shoots the guy a fierce glare, squeezing my hand. “The hell I will,” she snaps, standing up with me. Her loyalty stirs something deep in my chest, a sense of pride and maybe even a little awe.
We’re escorted off the platform, stepping through a small side door back into the buzzing carnival. I let out a sigh, tryingto shake off the sting of disappointment, but Indigo catches my hand, pulling me close.
“Guess that ride couldn’t handle a real man,” she says, her tone playful, but her eyes warm. There’s no pity, no awkwardness—just Indigo, looking at me like I’m the only thing that matters.
I chuckle, my chest loosening as I pull her in, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. “I guess that means we’re sticking to the Ferris wheel from now on.”
She laughs, slipping her arm around my waist as we wander back into the heart of the carnival. I glance down at her, watching the way she’s so effortlessly herself, so unapologetically bold, and it hits me all over again just how much this woman means to me.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
INDIGO
Malik and I stroll hand in hand through the carnival; warmth spreads from his fingers to mine, and I smile. The colored lights from the stalls bounce off his face, making him look even more handsome than usual. I can see him taking it all in—the laughing kids, the cotton candy stands, the games that promise prizes they never deliver. But behind his smile, I sense the tiniest bit of pain. I don’t like that. No one should make my man feel bad about himself. He’s perfect. Perfect for me.
I tighten my grip on his hand and think about ways I can show him exactly what I think of him, to make sure he knows. As we pass a row of stalls, my eyes land on a familiar structure in the distance. The funhouse towers above the crowd, and suddenly, a wicked idea takes root in my mind. I glance over at Malik, biting my bottom lip to hide my grin.
"Let's go through the funhouse!" I suggest, my voice teasing and mischievous.
He looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "You sure? Those things are always kinda… boring, aren’t they?"
I smirk, giving him a quick wink. "Not with me, they’re not."
Without waiting for his reply, I tug him forward, weaving through the crowd until we’re standing in front of the entrance. There’s a teenager at the door, hardly glancing up from her phone. I hand over four tickets, and she barely acknowledges us, muttering, "Enjoy the house."
The moment we step inside, the light dims, casting the whole space in a soft, eerie glow. The floor beneath us is slightly tilted, making us sway as we walk forward. Mirrors line the walls on either side, stretching and twisting our reflections into strange shapes. I catch Malik’s eye in one of them, and he laughs, his reflection showing him with a massive head and tiny legs.
"I think this mirror’s broken," he jokes, giving me a lopsided grin that melts my heart.
"Or maybe it’s just showing you a different kind of perfect," I reply, sliding my hand up his arm. "Either way, it’s a keeper."
We move deeper into the funhouse, passing through hallways that narrow and twist, decorated with neon paint splashes that glow under black lights. The further we go, the quieter it becomes, the carnival noise fading into a distant hum. I lead him around a corner, and we come to a long, dark hallway. There’s a red message painted on the wall in loopy handwriting:
The dark is full of tricks and lies, but trust your steps, and win the prize.
I read it aloud, laughing softly. "Sounds like we’ve got to make our own way through this one."
Malik chuckles but looks around, still not entirely convinced. "What do you think the prize is?"
"Oh, you’ll see," I say, giving him a wink. And before he can say anything else, I shove him gently against the wall to our right, pressing my body against his as I jump up, wrapping my legs around his waist. He catches me instinctively, his hands finding their place on my ass, his fingers pressing against me.
"Baby," he says, a hint of scolding in his voice, but it’s softened by the smile I see playing on his lips.
"I told you to wear something easily removed," I purr, running my hands up his shoulders, feeling the strength beneath his shirt. Slowly, I bring my lips to his, and our mouths meet in a soft, teasing kiss that quickly deepens. His hands hold me tightly, pressing me closer to him as my fingers slide into his hair. I kiss him deeply, our tongues exploring, each kiss pulling me further into the heat building between us.
He pulls back, breathless, his eyes dark with desire. "You’re pushing me to not be a gentleman, Indigo."
