Page 36 of Unmasked Rivalry
Adrenaline surges as the whistle blows. The kids beside us take off at an impossible pace, limbs flailing. Knox and I get maybe two steps before we’re yanked sideways by the tie, our knees slamming together in a jolt that rattles every bone in my body. Knox curses under his breath, “You’re not even fuckin’ trying.”
Oh now he’s interested. “Sore loser already?” I shoot back, but our rhythm is so off that I’m barely breathing between words. I can feel the heat of his hand gripping my hip, steadying me, but all it does is make my pulse blur in my ears.
Knox’s jaw is set so hard it could cut glass. He glances at me, then at the finish line, then back at me. “We need to move together,” he growls.
“Oh, like a real couple?” I mutter under my breath, but he ignores me.
On the third try, I match my steps to his, and suddenly we’re moving almost in sync. Almost. A kid barrels into Knox’s side, we lose our balance, and the next thing I know the world is upside down and I land on my back, dirt grinding into my spine, with a whole lot of angry man sprawled on top of me.
For a second, I can’t breathe. He’s that close, the world crowded by broad shoulders and the furious intensity in his eyes. His grip tightens on my wrist, but his palm is warm, grounding. I don’t know who moves first, but his hand is on my cheek, thumb pressing just hard enough to leave a mark, and he wipes a streak of dirt from my face. For a heartbeat, I think he might actually kiss me.
I can’t breathe.
Instead, he hauls me up with one jerk and mutters, “Try not to embarrass us any more than you already have.”
My face burns so hot I wonder if I’m going to combust. I can hear the guys hollering from the table, and judging by Knox’s face, he is about to lose his shit. I ignore them, dusting off my thighs and untying the rope. Knox stands a little too close, not looking at me.
“There,” I huff. “We played along. Now can I get blackout drunk in peace?”
“Don’t be dramatic,” Knox growls.
“Oh fuck you,” I snap.
I stalk off to get more drinks. Mera catches up to me, her face split with a wicked grin. “So, that was intense. I thought he was going to take you right there in front of everyone.”
I huff. “Take me to the devil.”
“Oh, honey, you should have seen the way he looked at you. Man is desperate to get into those panties.”
I shoot her a glare.
“I need more alcohol to get through this day.”
“And it has only just begun!” Mera claps.
Fucking fantastic.
I’M BUZZING.
The sun has just set and the entire mood at the fair has changed. Now, there is country music playing, and people are laughing and the rides are all lit up. Couples dance in a makeshift dance floor surrounded by hay bales and little fairy lights.
I’m warm and fuzzy, and having the time of my life.
The hot dog I ate was so good, I am already thinking about another, and spending time with the club is more fun than I could have ever anticipated. Everyone is drunk except poor Sable, but she is having an amazing time.
It’s...well...incredible.
Mera, Nia, and Sable are hell-bent on riding every ride before the place shuts down, but I’m more interested in trying not to think about Knox. I can’t help it. I keep looking over, but he’s too busy lighting a cigarette and pretending that the air he’s exhaling isn’t as toxic as his attitude.
Dick.
Eventually, Knox disappears. He’s just...gone, and something inside me deflates. I lean back against the fence, far too drunk for my own good. The music behind me is catchy and way too cute, and the twinkle lights make everybody’s faces look kind of blurry and golden. A few people are even slow-dancing, and I can’t help but envy them.
Sable waves to me from the ferris wheel that she has dragged Kael on for the fifth time. Nia and Lily both call my name, begging me to join them one more time. With an exhale, I do. I can’t say no to a cute little girl with a smile like that. Lily is adorable and there are far worse things than riding that rickety old thing again.
The ferris wheel is run by an old man with a beard like a rope. He winks at us, locks the safety bar, and on the third loop, stops us at the very top. The wind is surprisingly cold up here, but theview is kind of magic. The fair, from above, looks like a blanket someone spilled Christmas lights onto.
Nia pulls a mini bottle of tequila from her cleavage, passes it to me, and I drink. “You having fun or what?” she asks.
