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‘Mmhmm,’ she murmurs, her hand slipping underneath my shirt. I tense, loving the feeling of her hand on my muscles. ‘I’ve been imagining all the things I want to do to you.’

Oh, fuck.

‘Do share.’

Dropping to her knees, she pops open my pants in one fluid movement. My eyes widen as I gape down at her, honestly quite shocked by her confidence. Her eyes bounce up to mine as she shimmies my pants down my thighs. I grip the wall, barely able to keep myself upright as she tugs my briefs down.

‘Bryn,’ I half say, half moan, because at that moment, her lips wrap around my tip and I lose all control of my thoughts. My eyes are trained on her as she peers up at me, sliding her tongue up and down my length.

‘Fuck,’ I groan, leaning heavily onto the wall behind me and bucking my hips.

Her mouth feels good. Incredible, actually. My eyes flutter closed as she continues to move her mouth against me, adding a hand, too. As she grips me, a sound I’ve never heard from myself fills the room.

I’ve imagined this moment many times over. Dreamt it, daydreamt it, pleasured myself to the thought of it, but none of it compares to the real thing. My grip on the wall tightens as my breath quickens, and my legs begin to shake as a familiar feeling curls inside me. Bryn takes me deeper into the back of her throat and a guttural groan leaves me.

‘I’m – going to – ahh!’ I warn her and attempt to pull back, but she plunges my cock deeper into her mouth and I can’t stop it. I release into her mouth, thrusting against her, my fingers tangled in that gorgeous hair of hers as she continues to take me, swallowing every last drop. With one final lick, she leans back, smirking up at me as I slump against the wall, a post-orgasm high ebbing through me with dizzying force. She quickly stands, meeting my gaze.

‘See you around, Ash of Night,’ she teases, and before I can react, she’s gone in a flash of strawberry-blonde hair, weaving through the fog, and slipping between the twisted corridors of the maze.

I’m frozen in place, attempting to understand if that really just happened or if I hallucinated it.

‘Wait!’ I call, but my voice is drowned out by the distant screams of people exploring the maze. I pivot, moving quickly down one corridor, then another, straining for the sound of her breath or the shuffle of her shoes against the floor, but she’s gone. Every turn I take, every corner I round, I find empty fog and shadows.

Damn her. Damn her for smiling like that, for teasing me, for vanishing into the maze like a ghost I can’t catch. I slow, scanning the swirling mist. My chest hammers, not just from the chase, but from the ache of wanting her, needing her, now more than ever. The maze feels bigger suddenly.

I mutter under my breath, low and rough. ‘You can’t hide from me, Bryn.’

I’m left in the shadows, searching, knowing it’s only a matter of time before I find her again. The maze finally quietens behind me. I lean against the wall for a second, dragging my knuckles across it, trying to catch my breath.

Exhilarated. That’s the only word that comes close. Her laugh, that flash of mischief, the way she took over like that. It’s a rush more forceful than any scare I’ve ever pulled off in this park. I can feel it buzzing through my veins, dangerous and addictive. Fuck, that was hot. I shake my head, forcing it down. I can’t let it get to me. Job first. Game face on. My shift isn’t over yet. Whenever she is here, my job and responsibilities vanish, and I need to get back into the zone.

People start wandering into the maze in groups. I step back into the shadows, adjusting the mask to cover my face, my heart still racing. A group of young-looking girls rounds the corner, hesitant and unsure. I spring from the shadows, my growl echoing through the corridor, my mask inches from their faces. Their startled screams feed me, making me grin, which I can’t hide under the mask.

Another group follows, and as though I’m on autopilot, I perform the same routine. Every scream, every flinch, makes the lingering thrill of Bryn fade just enough to let me focus. My body moves, ducking, lunging, and I whisper from the dark. I slide up to people on my knees, appearing out of nowhere. I love watching the terror fill their eyes. I thrive in the chaos.

The night drags on. I work my way through every corridor, stalking, scaring, and playing the part, but my mind is still consumed with Bryn. By the end of the shift, my muscles ache, sweat drips down my neck, and a heavy fog settles around the park. I peel off the mask and toss it onto the counter, running a hand through my hair, letting exhaustion hit me.

I still feel high from what happened with her, though. No matter how much I try to lose myself in the job, she’s still there. Still untouchable, teasing me, and somehow, still mine in a way no one else has seen. I lean against the wall, letting the silence of the empty park soak in. I know one thing for certain: I’m not letting her slip away again.

23

ASH

Five Years Ago

The morning light seeps in through the curtains. I’ve snuck in like I always do when no one is watching, careful not to wake anyone. She’s asleep on her side, her hair a tangle of strawberry-blonde waves. My heart thumps a little with the thrill of it, like it always does, but it’s nothing I haven’t done a dozen times before. I’ve become quite the professional at entering undetected.

I crawl into the bed beside her. She stirs, yawns, and shifts a little, nestling deeper under the covers.

‘Morning, sleepyhead,’ I whisper, stroking my knuckles along her temple. She smiles in her sleep, murmuring something unintelligible. I poke her shoulder lightly, and she blinks her eyes open and squints up at me.

‘You’re here,’ she mumbles, voice thick with sleep.

‘Sorry I couldn’t be here last night. Passed out when I got home and missed my train.’

She smiles. That sleepy, mischievous smile I’ve fallen in love with.

‘Totally okay. I know it’s a late trip for you after a busy week,’ she whispers.