Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 61(@300wpm)
Jasper’s eyes soften, the shadows playing across his rugged features. “You’re far from a failure, Lila. You’re the bravest person I know. Everytime I watch you up there I’m in awe.” He pauses, then adds, “I know you think I’m so calm and measured but I wasn’t always this steady. My past… it’s full of regrets and burdens.”
I reach out, my fingers brushing his. “You can tell me anything, Jasper. There’s no judgement between us.”
He takes a deep breath, his gaze distant. “It’s hard to live with what I saw when I was in the military. It feels like a past life I can’t get away from. The weight of it, the responsibility… it never leaves.”
The soft murmur of our voices fills the tent, mingling with the occasional creak of the canvas and the distant sounds of the circus winding down for the night. Our confessions hang between us, heavy and intimate.
“But you left–and our pasts make us who we are now. You can’t regret where you’ve been because it brought you to right here, right now. With me,” I say, squeezing his hand. “We all have our demons.”
Jasper looks at me, something shifting in his eyes. “Lila,” he breathes, leaning closer. Our faces inch nearer, the space between us charged with anticipation.
When his lips finally meet mine, it’s slow, sensual, a dance of unspoken promises. The kiss deepens, our chemistry igniting like a spark to tinder. My hands tangle in his hair, his grip firm on my waist, pulling me closer. Time seems to stand still, the world narrowing to just the two of us.
We pull apart, breathless, the air thick with desire. Jasper’s thumb brushes my cheek, his touch sending shivers down my spine. “You should…get some rest while I take the night shift and keep an eye on things around here,” he murmurs, though his eyes tell me he’s just as reluctant to stop as I am. With everything in me I want him to continue. My body aches with the need to feel him pressed to me again. Just the thought of his kiss on my skin sends my mind reeling, and then I think that maybe this is why he stopped–because we need to focus on the accidents before someone else gets hurt.
A while later, we stand in the darkened circus ring, facing the high wire. I insisted on taking the night shift with Jasper—we’re in this together and I’m committed to seeing this through to the end.
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Jasper says, his voice steady. “I think it’s a bad idea.”
I nod, swallowing my fear. “I need to do this. Besides, you inspected it. It’s fine, I’m sure.”
My first steps are shaky, the wire creaking beneath me. Each movement is a battle against my instincts, but Jasper’s presence below is a steadying force. “You’ve got this, Lila,” he calls up, his words wrapping around me like a safety net. I can hear the nervous tension in his voice, but I refocus my thoughts on my next move. My steps grow more confident, the fear ebbing away with each forward movement. When I reach the other side, I feel a rush of triumph and relief. I descend, landing in front of Jasper, his proud smile lighting up the dim space.
“We make a good team,” he says, pulling me into a brief, fierce hug.
Our hushed breathing grows ragged with the chemistry that thrums between us. We’re not just fighting accidents; we’re fighting a calculated attempt to destroy everything we love. And for the first time, I realize, I could love this man. Maybe I already do. And with love, all things are possible.
Chapter Six
Jasper
Lila and I are elbow-deep in papers in the security tent, scanning for any clue that might lead us to the mastermind behind the attacks. Lists of previous performers and acquaintances are spread between us. The dim light of the lantern casts a warm glow on her face, highlighting her focused expression. My fingers skim over a background report, and something catches my eye. A name. A name I thought I’d left behind in my past.
“Alexander Grey,” I mutter, the words tasting bitter on my tongue.
Lila looks up, curiosity sparking in her eyes. “Who’s Alexander Grey?”
“Someone I used to know. Ambitious, brilliant, and dangerously resentful. He was part of the same military project I told you about. The one with the mind control.”
Her eyes widen, realization dawning. “You think he’s behind all this?”
“It makes sense. He always hated that I left. Thought I was a coward for not sticking it out, for not using the techniques to their full potential. He always seemed a little…unhinged, to say the least. I don’t even know how he passed the psych evaluation to get into the military. Some days he seemed okay, but other days it was like a totally different person was eating breakfast and performing experiments alongside us. He was always a loner–that always struck me.” I shake my head, the memories flooding back. “If he’s here, I bet he’s using those same techniques to sabotage the circus.”