The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 77 - seventy seven

Chapter Seventy-Seven

Alicia’s POV

I pulled Malachi toward the carousel, still clutching Mr. Hopps under one arm. The painted horses spun in circles, their colors bright and cheerful under the morning sun. Children laughed as they rose and fell with the music.

"Come on!" I tugged his hand harder. "Let’s go!"

"Alicia, I’m not getting on a carousel."

"Yes, you are." I looked back at him with determination. "You won the rabbit for me. Now you have to ride the carousel with me. Those are the rules."

"Whose rules?"

"My rules. And today, my rules are the only ones that matter."

Something flickered in his eyes. Dark. Intense. "Your rules," he repeated slowly. "I like the sound of that."

The way he said it made heat creep up my neck. There was a promise in those words. A threat. Something that had nothing to do with carousels and everything to do with the way he was looking at me.

But I pushed the feeling aside and dragged him onto the platform. We found two horses side by side. Mine was white with a pink mane. His was black with a silver bridle.

"Perfect," I said, climbing onto mine. "We match."

Malachi mounted his horse with far more grace than necessary. He looked ridiculous. This tall, dangerous man in an expensive suit sitting on a carousel horse. But he did it. For me.

The music started and we began to move. Up and down. Around and around. The world blurring into colors and sounds.

I laughed. Pure, genuine laughter that came from somewhere deep inside. This was silly. Childish. Perfect.

I looked over at Malachi. He was watching me instead of the scenery. That intense gaze that made me feel like I was the only thing in his universe.

"You’re supposed to enjoy the ride!" I called over the music.

"I am," he said. "Very much."

We went around twice. Two full rounds of spinning and laughing and feeling like maybe, just maybe, we could be normal people. People who rode carousels and ate cotton candy and didn’t carry the weight of dark family secrets.

When we finally got off, I was dizzy and happy and completely breathless.

"That was amazing," I said.

"You’re easily pleased."

"Maybe. Or maybe you just don’t let yourself enjoy things enough."

He pulled me closer as we walked. His hand on the small of my back. Possessive. "I’m enjoying things right now."

The way he said it made me shiver despite the warm morning.

We passed a photo booth. One of those small enclosed spaces where you could take strips of pictures. A couple was just leaving, laughing at their photos.

"Let’s do that!" I pointed.

"You want to take pictures?"

"Yes! Come on, it’ll be fun. We can keep them. Remember today."

Before he could protest, I was pulling him toward the booth. We squeezed inside the small space. It was cramped. Intimate. Our bodies pressed close together.

I put Mr. Hopps on my lap and looked at the camera. "Okay, ready?"

The first flash went off. I smiled big. Malachi just looked at me.

"You’re supposed to look at the camera!" I laughed.

"I prefer this view."

The second flash. I made a silly face. Malachi’s lips curved into a small smile, still watching me.

The third flash. I turned to tell him to cooperate, but he was right there. So close I could feel his breath on my lips.

"Malachi—"

He kissed me. His hand came up to cup my face as his mouth captured mine. Deep. Possessive. The kind of kiss that made me forget where we were. Made me forget everything except him.

The fourth flash went off, capturing us like that. Me melting into him. Him claiming me in the small confined space.

When he pulled back, his eyes were dark. Dangerous. "Much better." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

My heart was racing. "That wasn’t fair."

"Fair?" His thumb traced my bottom lip. "Nothing about what I feel for you is fair, little bird."

The intensity in his voice made my breath catch. This wasn’t the playful morning anymore. This was something else. Something darker. More consuming.

"We should go," I whispered, though I wasn’t sure if I was trying to escape or encouraging him.

"Should we?" His hand slid from my face to my neck. Not threatening. Just possessive. A reminder that he could touch me whenever he wanted. That I was his. "Or should we stay here a little longer?"

"Malachi, we’re in public."

"I’m aware." His lips brushed against my ear. "Does that scare you? Knowing anyone could walk by? Knowing I could make you fall apart right here?"

Yes. God, yes, it scared me. Because I knew he could. Knew he would if I let him.

"The pictures," I said weakly. "We need to get the pictures."

He pulled back with a knowing smile. Like he knew exactly what he was doing to me. Like he enjoyed watching me struggle.

We climbed out of the booth and I grabbed the photo strip. Four pictures. The first two were sweet. Innocent. The last two showed us kissing. Showed the way he held me. The way I surrendered to him.

"I’m keeping these," I said, tucking them carefully into my purse.

"Good. So you remember."

"Remember what?"

"That you’re mine. No matter where we are. No matter who’s watching."

The words should have annoyed me. Should have made me push back against his possessiveness.

But instead, they made warmth pool in my stomach. Made me feel safe and wanted and claimed in a way I’d never experienced before.

We started walking again. His arm around my waist. My head occasionally resting against his shoulder. Just being together.

"Did you like it?" he asked after a few minutes. "Today. The park. Everything."

I was about to answer. About to tell him that this was the best day I’d had in years. That he’d given me something precious. That I was falling for him in ways that terrified me.

But then I felt something tug at my skirt.

I looked down and saw a small girl. Maybe four or five years old. Big brown eyes filled with tears. Her little hand clutching my skirt like a lifeline.

"Have you seen my mommy?" she asked, her voice trembling. "I can’t find my mommy."

My heart immediately clenched. I knelt down to her level, Mr. Hopps forgotten on the ground beside me.

"Hey, sweetheart. It’s okay. We’ll help you find your mommy." I looked up at Malachi. The darkness from moments ago was gone, replaced by something calculating. Alert.

He was already scanning the crowd. Looking for threats. For dangers. For anyone who might be watching this little girl.

"What’s your name?" I asked gently.

"Lily," she sniffed. "I was looking at the balloons and when I turned around, Mommy was gone."

"Okay, Lily. My name is Alicia. And this is Malachi. We’re going to find your mommy, okay? Can you tell me what she looks like?"

Lily described her mother. Tall. Blonde hair. Wearing a blue dress.

I looked up at Malachi again. He nodded once. A silent communication between us.

"Let’s go to the information booth," he said. "They can make an announcement."

I took Lily’s hand. She held on tight, still sniffling. My maternal instincts kicked in hard. This could have been Sophie once. Lost and scared and looking for me.

"It’s going to be okay," I promised her. "We’ll find your mommy."