15
LEONE
“I’d much rather you stay home.” I sigh as Zoey fiddles with her seatbelt. Reaching over, I thread it along her front and between her breasts so it doesn’t bother her.
“Thanks.”
I take her hand. “It could be dangerous.”
“Not when you’re around.” She squeezes my fingers.
“Are you sore?” I’ve taken her virginity, and I wear it like a badge of pride on my heart. After that, I had her again and again, wearing her out until she finally fell asleep all tangled up in me. It’s how I want her to be always. But when I tried to creep out this morning, Bentley decided to let out the loudest, angriest meow possible from his post in the hallway outside my bedroom. The little tattle-tale.
Her cheeks flame pink. “I, um. I’m good.”
“So you’re ready for more?” I want to pull her into my lap, but I settle for pressing my lips against her neck and sucking her sweet skin between my teeth.
“I am, but …”
“But?” I pull back and look into her eyes.
She glances out the window at the tattered bigtop tent as we slow down and pull into the huge, empty parking lot. “I’m just worried about Xanny. I mean, what if the locker is really here, and we get in it, and we find out something bad has happened to her? I don’t know if I can deal with it.”
I press my forehead to hers. “We’ll deal with it together, okay?”
She takes a deep, settling breath. “Together?”
“Always.” I brush my lips across hers as we roll to a stop.
Lenny steps out from the driver’s seat. After a few moments, he opens the door for me.
“It’s clear except some broken-down beaters along the back over there. Probably been abandoned for a while.” He tucks his suit coat around his holster, giving himself quick access to his gun if he needs it.
I step out and help Zoey to her feet, then I do the same move. Her eyes go to the gun at my side.
“Just in case,” I reassure her.
“You think he might be here?” She looks around nervously.
“Maybe you should stay in the car. It would be safer for you to–”
“No.” She glues herself to my side. “If Xanny left something here, I need to see what it is. She wouldn’t be afraid, so neither will I.”
“Little one, you only have to be you. Not her. All right? You’re enough.” I kiss the top of her head, but she doggedly stands her ground.
“I’m ready.” She loops her arm through mine.
“Lenny, take point up ahead.” I jerk my chin, and he takes off. The sun is low on the horizon and casting long shadows at our feet.
The fair closed up last year and then shut down for good. When Zoey and her sister went, they probably didn’t realize it would be for the last time. Or maybe Xanny did. After all, she hid something in a locker that would no longer be here if the carnival had moved on as it did in years past.
“Your sister is pretty clever, isn’t she?” I muse out loud as I lead Zoey through the front entrance, past the rusted turnstiles and under a cracked sign promising ‘Fun for the Whole Family.’
“She always has been. Sometimes I think it’s the only reason we were able to make it on our own after we left our parents.” She looks up at the shredded bigtop tent, the flaps of fabric blowing in the breeze off the water nearby.
“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask about that.”
“What?” She casts me a sideways glance.