The roar of the crowd echoed through the circus tent as the spotlight focused on the massive metal cage. You stood at the center, your heart pounding in your chest, the air thick with tension. The audience was on the edge of their seats, eyes fixed on you—the girl in the middle—as the dirt bike revved up from the shadows.

Alex Black, the daredevil of the circus, was about to do what he did best: defy every law of physics.

You felt the hum of the engine before you saw him, the vibrations coursing through the cage as he zoomed in. With the flick of his wrist, his bike shot forward, and he was racing around the spherical cage, defying gravity in a blur of motion.

But it wasn’t just his speed that kept you mesmerized. It was the way his eyes locked onto yours every time he came around the edge. He didn’t just pass you by—he checked you, his gaze steady and intense, his hand always finding its way to your waist as he circled. It was as if he was tethering you to him, a silent promise that he wouldn’t let you fall.

You held your position, perfectly still at the center, the crowd’s cheers deafening around you. Alex’s bike swirled faster, the noise deafening as the world outside of the cage seemed to blur into nothing.

As he came around for another lap, his bike leaned dangerously close to you. His hand was there again, on your waist, firm and reassuring. You could feel the heat of his touch even through the thick layers of your costume. For a split second, you both shared the same breath, the connection between you palpable even in the chaos of the performance.

Your heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t just the adrenaline of the act—it was the way his touch anchored you in the middle of it all.

Around and around, the bike circled. The crowd cheered louder. But all you could focus on was the steady pressure of his hand, the electric spark that seemed to grow stronger every time he came near.