Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

8. Pretend

Chapter 8

Pretend

T ucked away on a quiet street near the bustling marina, a charming semi-detached house stands proudly under the late afternoon sun. Its yellow exterior and porch catch my eye as I approach. The well-kept lawn, vibrant flower beds, and the gentle sway of a wind chime by the door add to its welcoming aura. And the red front door adds a pop of color against the blue summer sky.

This place puts me at ease—my first home.

I step through the door, announcing my arrival with a cheerful voice. “I’m home!”

The scent of fresh coffee wafts from the kitchen, mingling with the familiar aroma of vanilla that always lingers in this house. Rays of sunlight filter through the tulle curtains, casting soft patterns on the hardwood floors.

Stepping farther inside, I kick off my shoes. Family photos line the walls, capturing moments of laughter and love. Nothing has changed in two years.

Despite the slight unease from last night’s events, being here washes it all away. I made the right move.

And yet, amid this comforting familiarity, a nagging thought tugs at the edges of my mind. A desire to see Kai again, to unravel the mysteries that surround him. The pull is inexplicable, magnetic.

I should’ve never let him go. I’m an idiot.

“Sorry for the delay. I had some unforeseen circumstances,” I shout.

But as I reach the last stair to the living room, I’m nailed to the spot, and all the air exits my lungs in one noisy swoosh.

What is he doing here?

Kai stands tall, his jaw tense and eyes bright, with his jacket thrown over the banister.

“Oh, Marianne! What a joy to see you! Your boyfriend couldn’t wait any longer,” says Nina.

Boyfriend? He’s way out of my league.

“Marianne,” whispers Kai. His rich voice envelops me with relief, and my spirit soars.

I forced a smile, aware that the intruding man was analyzing each movement. The Jaws soundtrack played in my mind.

Bite me, Kai.

But my aunt moves in, breaking the built-up tension.

“Aren’t you glad your boyfriend’s here, my chickadee?” she asks.

“Huh, I…” Frozen like a nose icicle in minus forty temperature.

My aunt is a vision with her cherry-red hair and warm smile. Her amber eyes sparkle with kindness, and her voice soothes troubled souls. Her presence fills the room with comfort.

I missed her.

Kai stares at me with an evil smirk, causing my pulse to race. He comes closer, fixated on my lips as if he’s going in for a kiss. I’m scared and thrilled by the idea. My mind races for an escape, but I’m stuck in his gaze as his eyes drop to my mouth.

Is this even real?

As instantly as he leans over me and touches my cheek with his lips, I relax. Nina lets out an “aww.”

However, as I wonder if he’ll kiss my lips, his stubbled cheek scrapes mine in a delectable brush and he whispers, “Don’t ever leave me again. I was scared I wouldn’t find you.”

How did you do it?

I squeal. “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise,” he whispers in my ear and kisses the tender patch of skin there.

I gasp and my eyes close.

The soft pillowy lips landed on me for less than a second, but it’s enough for my entire frame to shiver in delight.

I try to come up with a response, not wanting to ruin the charade. Because even if this is nuts, I expected it. Dare I say... like it? Yes, I do.

“Kai, why don’t you take Marianne’s luggage and drop it off in your room?”

“Yes, ma’am.” He flashes a charming smile and gives me a playful wink.

How long has he been here? And why are they on a first-name basis?

That man clearly doesn’t understand boundaries.

My eyes follow Kai’s form down the stairs leading to my bedroom in the basement. The thought of spending a night in the same bed as him sends my mind into overdrive. I shouldn’t even consider it, but I am.

“Sorry, Nina. Can he stay?” I ask.

She grins and nods toward the stairs, giving me a thumbs-up.

Good god.

Then Corey appears, and his whole face lights up as he sees me. Nina wraps her arms around me, and my uncle joins in.

“Hey, Marianne,” he says soothingly.

Seeing my loved ones and being enveloped in their comfort fills me with peace. I lean into them, wishing I had done this months ago when my mental health was worse.

“I missed you,” I whisper, holding back tears.

“Come on, chickadee, go settle in your room, and we’ll catch up over dinner,” Corey murmurs in my hair.

I nod and smile.

My good girl’s mask is on as I make my way downstairs. I hate that mask. But it’s practical.

This is crazy.

Streaks of red flush my cheeks, and my hands curl into fists as I slam the bedroom door shut. “What is wrong with you? Do you have any idea what nonsense you’re putting my family in?”

Kai stares at me with an indifference that only fuels my anger.

“We have a deal,” he says. “You offered the trip to Nay, and I agreed. Twice now, you have broken that agreement. Don’t make me state the obvious.”

I snicker at his arrogance. What evidence did he assume he had?

“How did you even find me?!”

His eyes narrow and the corner of his lips twitch. “Trademark secret.”

“What?” I yelp as I try to understand what he said. My eyes water from frustration. “You couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning?”

He pouts, his eyes lighting up with an unknown gleam. “I’m not ready to let you go yet.”

His stupid charm won’t work on me. Please. That pout is so fake.

But then his demeanor shifts, and he adds with a more serious tone, “You have to check on the stitches.”

Never. “Am I your personal nurse, now?” I snap, annoyance bubbling over.

I wait for him to say I’m not hot enough to be part of his personnel, but he steps closer and the space between us vibrates with energy. “Right now, you’re my girlfriend.”

That silky threat wraps around my willpower, determined to unravel it.

“You mean pretend girlfriend,“ I correct him, pulling myself up to my full height.

He chuckles, a sound that resonates with danger. “Damn, you’re adorable.”

Bite me.

I want to tell him he’s an arrogant bastard, scream it at him even, but a feather-light touch grazes my palm and cuts off all coherent thought. My breath catches in my throat as he reveals the jagged line where skin is pieced together.

My lips part in awe, and I must resist the urge to reach out and touch him.

“Marianne, please,” he whispers, holding my gaze with smug confidence. “Don’t leave me like that.”

Those words undo me. A spasm in my fingers travels to my heart and cracks.

Fucking manipulative jerk.

I step forward, glaring at him. “Fine,” I spit. “Just let me get my kit.”

He winks at me like I’m just another conquest to add to his list. The laugh he lets out is sensuous. Eyes wrinkled, teeth exposed, I even have a glimpse of his tongue.

I wanted spice, and I now own the entire chili farm.

And it might be too hot to handle.

A robust whiff of grilled tomato and melted cheese causes me to salivate as I reenter the house.

Nina sets the table while Corey checks for wine. He is charming, with chestnut hair and a soothing voice showing affection for his wife. It made me realize how much I missed them and that I want this too.

But right now, I must take care of a wounded asshole.

I step into my old bedroom and its sea blue calms my mind. My lips curve at the sight of the book-filled shelves in the corner. It bows under the weight of the volumes it holds, like a proud and tired sentinel of my love for literature.

And fictional villains.

My bed is an oasis of comfort, with a deep indentation in the middle from being the only mass to have ever slept in it. I’ve never shared this bed before, but I’m about to.

With an actual villain.

I put the stitches kit on my bed, and Kai removes his T-shirt before I even ask. That man isn’t afraid to take off his clothes in the presence of anyone. I wish I had that kind of confidence.

Wow. There are way too many abs for one stomach.

I focus on cleaning the wound. The scent of antiseptic fills the air, mixing with the salty tang of sweat. The antibiotic cream did its job, and the flesh isn’t as swollen now. The once-angry redness has faded to a bright pink, but the edges are too far apart.

Despite my best efforts, my gaze lingers on the trail of hair disappearing beneath the waistband of his jeans, a tantalizing glimpse of what lies beneath.

I wonder what he tastes like.

“Would you lie on the bed and turn to your left side to face the wall, please?”

And there it is—a man on my bed. A sigh of unfiltered female satisfaction escapes my lips without my consent. My fingers tingle with the need to trace every line and groove of his powerful back, but the phoenix stares at me, and it’s weirdly intimidating.

“I can’t remove the first stitches yet, but I’ll add tighter ones.” I prepare my stuff, and he turnsto face me.

Didn’t I tell him to face the wall?

“Trust issues?” I roll my eyes and sigh.

“Feels off not looking at you.”

I sting his caramel skin with precision. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch a glimpse of his smirk. He’s so arrogant. Kai is gnashing his teeth while grinning.

Yeah, he likes pain.

And I feel like a teenage girl swooning over a mischievous bad boy.

The situation is staggeringly calm. In action movies, the girl falls into the arms of the big brute at this precise moment. His breathing is regular, and I concentrate. One hand is on his side to guide the skin, and the other one works the needle. I forget about the intensity in his eyes, where his hands are, my sole focus on the task I must perform.

Sting the skin, pull the thread, simple interrupted knot. Repeat.

Kai gawks at me, eyes piercing through my skin and igniting a blazing desire in the foundation of my body.

“There,” I declare once I’m done. “No bath for at least two weeks. Dry it gently after the shower. Then, I’ll reapply the bandage.”

“Shower?” Kai whispers.

“Don’t you crave a hot shower? After all that insane running?”

“I’d love a steamy shower,” he says, giving me a weird stare.

There’s no way he’s thinking what I’m thinking because... because my brain is filled with soap and bubbles on tanned skin. I fight the squeal threatening to escape me.

“Need me to get you a towel?” I ask to put an end to my dirty thoughts.

“Yeah.”

From upstairs, Nina screams, “We’re eating in fifteen minutes!”

I walk into the bathroom to turn the shower on. The room fills with steam from the hot water, and Kai stands in the center. His movements are slow and deliberate as he unbuttons his jeans before sliding them down his legs, revealing a pair of black boxers.

My eyes flutter, and my breath slows. He has a scar on his left kneecap, raised and uneven. Running water whispers in the air, blending with distant laughter and chatter from upstairs, but my racing thoughts mute all sounds.

Can I join you?

I should leave. Get out now before things go any farther. But I can’t move, rooted to the spot, as if under some spell. Kai turns and gives me a view of the most perfectly shaped ass I’ve ever seen.

And, because of my job, I’ve seen many.

My mouth waters at the thought of sinking my teeth into his smooth, toned muscles.

Oh, Seito, I am but a mere mortal…

His underwear hugs the curves of his ass, highlighting the sexy grooves on either side. A call to indulge in the forbidden.

How much time does he spend working out to be this shredded? I just cycle to work when it’s sunny. I’m plump all over.

The steam from the shower hits my skin, causing goosebumps to rise. My hands shake as I reach out and give Kai a towel, his fingers brushing against mine. An electric shock zings through my body.

“You’re staring,” he teases. The left corner of his mouth curls into a smirk, eyes twinkling with mischief.

“I’ll get you clean clothes.” I spring around, blushing like a teenager, and load the washing machine with the clothes he wore and those I bought at the thrift store. But he’ll need more underwear. More sexy, tight, fully filled boxer briefs…

Red creeps up my cheeks as I mentally scold myself for such thoughts.

Focus, Marianne!

I put his dirty clothes in the washing machine along with detergent. But when he reaches down to remove his boxers and our eyes meet in the mirror’s reflection, I’m caught in a spin cycle—my heart trapped and helpless against its relentless spinning and churning.

I exit and slam the bathroom door shut before I can see anything.

Has he no decency?

I go upstairs, startled by my fake boyfriend’s rude behavior, yet also aroused.

“Do you have extra sweats? Kai forgot to pack his,” I ask Corey.

His suspicious smile and deep chocolate eyes draw me in. “Of course. I prepared a few things when he told us he wanted to surprise you and didn’t pack most of his stuff. Let me get it for you.”

Surprise!

“How long has he been waiting here?” I ask as I approach my uncle. The subtle streaks of gray at his temples serve as a stark reminder of how long it’s been since we last saw each other.

“About a half hour,” he says with a mysterious smile.

“What’s so funny?” I ask.

“It’s the first guy you bring home, and you didn’t even bring him.” He lets out a carefree chuckle. “He said he had some business in the area and asked if I was Corey Ramirez, uncle to the sweetest nurse ever,” he says with pride. “I’m glad you talked to him about us, about yourself.”

I’m taken aback by my uncle’s assumption I had confided in my boyfriend. “You’re not mad at me for bringing him?”

Despite the misunderstanding, a cozy sense of fatherly love and pride washes over me at Corey’s beaming gaze.

“Of course not.”

“He’s in the shower,” I blurt for no reason.

My uncle gives me a one-sided smile and nods. He’s okay with it.

Strolling back to my bedroom, I float on a strange sensation. I drop off the clothes for Kai on my bed and turn to leave when he appears.

Shit.

His freshly washed scent makes my eyelids droop. Or is it the precariously low-hanging towel around his hips? A droplet of water runs down the path between his abs and catches on the edge of the towel.

Stop staring, Marianne!

“Do you have the bondage?” Kai asks.

“What?” I take a step back.

“The bandages,” he repeats.

A nervous giggle gets out without my consent. “Yes.” I chuckle. “Raise your arm.”

I swear I want to be pissed, but... I also want to lick the groove going from his abs to his pelvis.

God, he smells amazing.

The edges of Kai’s wound are healing in a way that will leave a noticeable scar. As I kneel beside him to adjust the tapes, he looks down at me with his arm raised. His dick is right there, under the plush towel.

“Thanks.”

I sigh. “You’re welcome.”

He shakes his head and removes the towel around his hip as I exit the bedroom. I rest my back on the closed door, my eyes going to the ceiling.

When Kai joins me in the kitchen, he sits next to me. His hand on the back of my chair warms me with dirty words.

I don’t know how to act in front of my family. This is his mess, so he needs to figure out how to manage it.

“Do you want wine?” Corey asks me.

“Yes, please.”

I must be stressed or anxious because they’re my basic emotions. No, I’m fine. Because of the wine? Or is it because of the racy gangster who smiles while sipping his alcohol?

“Shall we eat?” says Corey.

Kai winks at Nina, who shoots him a radiant smile back. “It smells amazing, Nina.”

The realization that he spent thirty minutes with my family without me makes me narrow my eyes at my glass of wine. Kai has a tremendous memory, and I wonder if he remembers every word I said.

Nina leans in. “I’m dying to know how you two met.”

My lips curl into a cruel smile. No way I’m helping that man come up with a decent answer.

“Huh… She picked me up while I was hitchhiking,” Kai says.

Oh, we’re going for the truth now... Color me impressed.

“Marianne? I can’t believe you still pick up hitchhikers!” Nina exclaims.

Always have and always will.

“Most of the time, it’s fun.”

“You’re not suspicious enough, my chickadee. There are so many dangerous people out there.”

My internal wry laugh bubbles. This entire situation is so ridiculous it’s almost unbelievable. The laughter builds inside me, yet I quash it. I can’t tell everyone how illogical it is.

“Oh… Nina, don’t worry, there’s no one more dangerous than my Kai.”

“And yet, you’re the danger to me.” He picks my hand to put a sweet kiss on each knuckle, staring so deep into my eyes that I freeze. Then, the pretend boyfriend clears his throat and looks at my family. “When I first saw her, I was struck speechless,” he says wistfully. “Her soft brown eyes drew me in like a vortex. I had to make a move.” He pauses, Corey and Nina gobbling up his words as if they were true. “I’d never met anyone like her before, to be honest.”

Holy shit.

I wince and take a sip of my wine. That’s how he convinced my family we were together and he wasn’t a threat. He talks smoothly, his eyes serious but a faint amusement painted on his face. He looks honest. What a brilliant actor.

“After some time apart...”

Let the jury note it was two days.

“She agreed to see me again. Now, I can’t stop thinking about her. She’s everything I didn’t know I needed, the missing piece that completes me.”

A speedy love story in the span of three and a half days. I swallow another sip of wine, trying to ignore my rising emotions. We’re just playing pretend.

Nina squeals. “That’s so cute.”

Clearly, my aunt is head over heels for Kai. I roll my eyes, but cough as Kai slides his hand onto my thigh all the way in. A naughty thumb strokes my inner thigh, and heat pools between my legs along with a sharp pain.

I did not consent!

Why is he touching me like he’s entitled to it? I shoot him a quick glare, but he doesn’t remove his hand.

“No one else wants you.”

Was Eric wrong?

Kai takes a sip of wine and removes his hand, yet I’m left bewildered. This isn’t normal. He’s supposed to be a dangerous man, a liar, killer, yet here he is, eating lasagna and drinking wine like a normal human being—talking about me with words I have never dared dream, words I only read about.

In my skull, a stupid scheme whispers to me to enjoy it. To move my chair so our legs touch. Instead, I mull over the events in my mind, my feeling of being a fool only intensifying.

Nobody would have done what I did.

No one. Picking up a hitchhiker and patching him up and taking him home and having him unleash my dark side... No! What?

But I can’t fight the peace settling in my heart because he’s here. My mind no longer races at lightning speed. I avoid making eye contact with him, even though his gaze is fixed on me. This frustrates him, as evidenced by the way his lower lip twitches and his forearms tense.

My heart is lighter somehow, and I don’t know what to make of it.

He should talk about his job—broken legs, drug trafficking, dealing with prostitutes, concrete shoes.

Entertain me, Kai! I wanna see you squirm.

“So, Kai, what’s your job?” Corey asks.

I try to hide my bubbling giggle, but my body trembles and I burst out laughing.

“My father owns a private import-export company. I’ve been working there since I was fourteen. But now, I manage the floor employees.”

“What do they carry?” Corey asks while smiling fondly at Nina, who’s looking fondly at me, laughing not so discreetly. They know I’m having fun.

“Pharmaceuticals mostly,” Kai answers in the most neutral tone.

My smile is painful, and my shoulders tremble. Pharmaceuticals? Drugs! I’m about to burst with excitement. Kai looks at me strangely, probably thinking I’m unstable.

Nina asks, “Do you like it?”

“I’ve been considering quitting and finding something else. But we’ve managed the company from father to son for generations, so…”

Is that why he’s on the run?

“What would you do?” I ask.

He narrows his eyes at me, but that has no effect except the hilarity seizing my spirit.

He’s going to choke me with a pillow.

“I haven’t figured it out yet, cutie pie.”

Oh, my... Heartthrob alert. The big bad wolf ate the yummy, nummy cutie pie. But Kai resembles more a panther than a wolf. Smooth, silent, deadly.

“I assumed I’d take our vacation to weigh on it,” he says, running a hand down my neck. He inspects me, and I smirk, eyebrows raised. If he thinks he can impress me with his serial killer sun eyes, well, he can.

I wonder if his eyes shine in the dark, like a cat.

It’s so ridiculous.

He might murder all of us!

“That’s smart, Kai. The seaside is perfect for clearing your mind and considering your options,” says Nina.

“Thank you. An old friend told me the same.” His pleased expression fixes on mine. His magical hands massaged the base of my neck, and I almost purred. He’s probably a stereotypical criminal: adept in martial arts, violin playing, immune to tears, and full of sleep holds.

“Let go of me. It tickles,” I say, withdrawing his hand from my neck, but I keep it in mine.

My alcohol-flushed cheeks burn as I try to avoid Kai’s gaze, finding it mesmerizing and comforting like an endless abyss.

I’m so glad he’s here.