Dim The Circus Lights (Book 2 of Beneath The Circus Lights)

Chapter 24

  Still seething, Jerome walked over to his bike, where Elsie was sitting; lit joint between her thumb and pointer finger.

   She glanced lazily at him, the look on her face matching that of one who spotted an uninteresting insect. At that moment, all he could fantasize about was throwing her to the ground and slapping the look off her face.

And that's what truly frightened him.

  "You're still here?" He mumbled, slipping on his helmet. Not that he cared much for his own safety, but it prevented him from having to look at her and possibly hurt her.

  "You were my only ride here." She answered pointedly, taking another hit, only to have Jerome snatch the rolled plant from her and taking a hit himself and could taste her vanilla chapstick that lingered on the tissue thin paper.

   "How worth it would it be if I just left ya here?" He asked rhetorically as he clambered onto the bike, glad he wouldn't have to look at her.

  "Depends on how much you like sleeping on the couch and never getting laid again." Was the answer he received.

  Rolling his eyes, he kick started the engine, the roar signaling Elsie to wrap her arms around his waist. "Sometimes I wonder about the woman you've become since your little acid bath." Jerome sneered and Elsie's grip tightened on his waist.

"Well, you love me, so you're stuck with me." She snapped and he turned his head slightly to regard her.

"Yeah. And I'm starting to wonder if it was stupidest thing I could have ever done." He had no idea how much he would soon regret those words, those exact words that soon would drive her into his waiting arms.

"You say you love me?" Elsie asked, curling closer to Jerome, blissfully content as he pulled the comforter over their exhausted nude forms.

"Mmmhmm." Jerome wrapped a tight arm around her waist, tugging her closer.

  "How much." She asked, spraying her fingers over his beating heart.

"How much I love you?" His gaze flickered down as she nodded "well let's see. I love you when you laugh, I love how you get excited every time Jason does something new. I love the way you cry at those old movies that you've seen at least a hundred times."

  Elsie giggled, and felt him tilt up her chin so he could look into her eyes. Jerome ran his fingertips down her face, tracing her lips.

"I love how you were the first person to ever teach me to love. And I love how despite how horrific my face is, you've never looked at me any different. And I love you more than I could ever imagine." Elsie's gaze softened and she leaned up, pressing her lips to his as their legs tangled even further together.

  "Promise me you'll always love me. No matter what?" She begged and Jerome smirked, kissing her cheek before moving to hover over her form.

  "Doll face wild horses couldn't tear me away from you. I love you. To the moon and back."

Before Jerome even has a chance to cut the engine, Elsie had jumped from the back and ran into the house, her tear streaked face a blur before Macy who stood outside smoking. The assassin watched the young woman rush upstairs with furrowed brows before she turned to glare at the redhead who was approaching the staircase.

"What did you do now?" She frowned as Jerome stormed past her, heading for the kitchens. She followed him, watching in silence as he opened a bottle of Tennessee Whiskey and poured himself a generous amount.

  "I thought you were done with that shit." Macy watched him throw back the glass, wincing at he taste before pouring himself another glass.

"Leave me alone Macy." Jerome mumbled and the woman narrowed her eyes, taking a step forward.

"What happened out there? Jerome?" She pressed and he suddenly snatched a random bottle off the shelf, throwing it a few meters from Macy's head, droplets of alcohol and glass raining down.

  "I said leave me the fuck alone!" He roared and against her judgement, the older woman complied, leaving the redhead to drown himself in spirits.

Only Jerome wished at the moment he could have done literally.

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