Page 84 of Hexed
She follows me, watching carefully.
Reaching out, I grip her hand before I think twice, and immediately my chest loosens, a bit more of that anxiety shrinking.So much for us not touching.
Her eyes drop to where we’re connected, but I’m too busy focusing on taking steps and keeping my breaths even to pay attention to anything else.
“Next,” calls out the guy who’s running the Ferris wheel.
His words lasso around my chest and squeeze like a constrictor until my breathing becomes choppy and my vision dims.
Fuck.
Venesa’s grin drops from her face, the challenge replaced by a concerned look. Her fingers squeeze mine. “Listen, let’s just forget about it.”
“Nah. I’m good.” I try to shake off the nerves, but my feet are locked in place like I’m wearing cement shoes.
“Enzo,” she starts.
“Today, please,” the Ferris wheel worker yells out.
Venesa’s eyes flash dangerously, and she turns toward him and points a finger. “You can shut the hell up.”
“Listen, lady—” he starts.
“I said you’ll wait.” Her tone is sharp, and there’s an undercurrent of something sinister, something that sends a chill down my spine, and whatever it is she’s infused in her pitch, the worker obviously feels it too because his entire body tenses and he curls his lips while he nods.
She turns back to me. “You don’t have to prove anything to me, you know? It’s really okay. This was dumb anyway. I actually don’t even want to anymore.”
I shake my head and lean in close, forcing a half grin even though my heart is pounding fast and my legs feel weak, my stomach churning from the panic. “I’ll have you to keep me safe, right?”
She pins me with a look but then nods, those damn teeth of hers sinking into her lower lip like they’re begging me to bend down and copy their imprint with my own.
“Yeah, Lover Boy. I promise I’ll keep you safe.”
NINETEEN
VENESA
You could havebet me a million dollars Enzo was afraid of heights, and I’m not sure I would have believed it. He seems like the type of man who doesn’t have any fears, but I should’ve known better.
Everyone has a weakness. Some of us are just better at covering ours up with false bravado.
Admitting our own flaws is hard, but embracing them is even harder, so the fact he’s willing to get on the Ferris wheel despite how afraid he is tells me a lot about him. Makes him more attractive, if I’m honest.
And him threatening Rusty, a douchebag from high school Aria locked me in a room with so he could rape me? That’s just icing on the cake.
I glance down to where Enzo’s still clasping my hand, his touch so electric that it makes my hair stand on end. He must take my stare as me being uncomfortable because he snatches it back and clears his throat, running those thick fingers through his hair.
I try to appease him. “Just think of this as your shadow work.”
He looks at me curiously. “Shadow work?”
“Yeah. You know, the unconscious part of your personality that doesn’t align with your ego.”
“What thefuckare you talking about?”
We move onto the platform and sit down in the empty seats, bringing the bar down onto our laps.
“I just told you.” I stare at him because what is he not getting? “You obviously have some type of trauma attached to your soul that makes you afraid of heights. Facing your fears is good for you.”
