Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

9. Deep Breaths

Chapter 9

Deep Breaths

“ H ey!” shouts my uncle when he returns from his after-dinner walk with James.

My eyes burn while my neck and shoulders hurt from the long drive. I should go to bed, but I’m sprawled on the sofa, and my bedroom feels a gazillion miles away. The chick flick I watched with Nina while the guys were out replays in my head. Some one-on-one time with my favorite aunt. Only have one, though. She was silent for most of the movie, her fingers playing in my hair while she hummed and giggled along with the scenes. But when I snorted to the masculine main character proclaiming his love—who likes billionaires anyway—she asked me so many questions about Kai...

“What went through your mind the first time you saw him?”

“Yummy.” That’s what I answered. And Nina giggled.

“How is he in b… you know… is he treating you right?”

I snorted and sighed. “Depends on the mood. He can be a bit self-centered.”

Nina frowned. I felt it rather than saw it. “Don’t be afraid to ask, chickadee. Most of the time, if I don’t ask, your uncle doesn’t even think about going downto—”

I shriek. “No! TMI!”

Ew. Wow. But ew.

The next questions were inoffensive, and I patched in some of Seito’s history and a bit of mine where plot holes shone through.

I think I did a good job. Arietta would be proud of me, neck deep in an adventure beyond my imagination.

My very own novel.

Tome one: Embrace the Chaos .

A stupid chuckle erupts from my mouth. “It’s already past ten,” I mutter, rubbing my tired eyes.

I want to go read in my bed.

Seito’s about to find out who’s been hired to wreck his shipment. I bet it’s Paulina, the alien hottie.

Corey hands Kai a box and grabs his wife to go into the hot tub. They want to leave me all alone with my “boyfriend.”

As Nina and Corey share a laugh outside, Kai stands in the kitchen with a half-smirk.

“Corey told me you used to cut hair,” he says.

“That’s what you guys talked about? Haircuts?” I frown.

Kai’s expression softens into one I don’t recognize. “We talked about you and how you haven’t come home in two years.”

Subject change needed. Now.

“I used to do haircuts. Three years ago, while I was studying.”

Kai faces me and threads his fingers into his shoulder-length black hair. “Care to tackle this? I’ve always had it quite long, and I need a change.”

I want to go to bed.

But a light desire burns in his eyes, pulling me in. He pushes the box on the table and opens it, revealing the scissors and clipper Corey uses.

Great. Now they’re friends. They’re my family, dipshit.

“Okay,” I say before letting a heavy breath out. “But you have to answer my questions honestly.”

“Deal,” Kai says with a raspy voice, sending tremors of turmoil through my bones. He comes forward, and I get dizzy. Subtlety isn’t his thing. Kai pulls out a chair from the kitchen table and sits straddling the chair, his chin resting on the backrest even if he has to lean in. His nose is just at the height of my breasts.

I roll my eyes. “Turn around.”

He gives me a pleased glance. “No.”

Since when are you so mischievous?

I swallow and shrug. “What do you want?”

“Whatever you want.”

I want a passionate kiss.

I wonder if he has condoms in his bag. I would never be without protection if I had a body like his.

“How does someone like you end up in this situation?” I ask.

His eyes close every time I thread my fingers in his hair, and it gives me flutters in my lady parts.

“I’m not allowed vacation outside of our territory, and I needed one.”

“You need to be away to think clearly,” I say, and he nods, but his eyes stay closed.

Just like me.

I swallow hard, gripping the scissors a little tighter in my hand. “Does this mean your own men are after you?”

“Not right now.” I notice a faint tremor in his fingers, a hint of vulnerability threatening to shatter the tough exterior he so painstakingly built. “But my father will chase after me if I don’t come back in a few weeks.”

Oh, daddy issues alert. I’ve got them, too.

I trim his hair shorter on the sides, leaving a nice length on the top. “How did you really get your glass cut?”

He lets out a derisive snort. “I’m not used to lying low.”

“So, you caused a scene and ran through a window?” The phrase slips out before I can stop it.

The corners of his lips twitch upward, revealing a sliver of amusement. “Yeah. That sums it pretty well.”

I giggle, put the scissors down, and pick up a clipper.

My hands run through his smooth, inky-black hair, and I’m swept away in a world where only Kai and I exist. Silence descends upon us, and all that can be heard is the soft hum of the clipper and the distant laughter of Corey and Nina from the hot tub.

“You’re so gentle, I’m going to purr,” he murmurs, his voice low and inviting.

“Want me to pull your hair, Kai?”

“A little,” he teases, his eyes opening to meet mine.

As heat spread from my chest to my fingertips, my hands clutch onto the clippers, desperate for something to ground me, but I lose my composure.

The urge to pull him close and kiss him until neither of us can breathe is undeniable.

It’s insane.

But my mind is still, undisturbed.

Keep cutting.

With a fresh trim, my fake boyfriend looks gorgeous. I run my fingers into his hair to shape the haircut as I finish. When both my hands are tangled in the strands, Kai’s gaze locks onto mine and his pupils dilate.

He doesn’t blink or break the stare, and I’m trapped. “You’re so much more than meets the eye,” he whispers, his voice cutting through the silence like a knife. Kai gets up, and his hands reach out toward me, his fingers curling slightly to cup my cheek before his thumb slides down my throat.

My body reacts in a flash, stumbling backward at lightning speed, the clipper still clutched in my hand.

“That’s what you get for being such a crazy cunt,” Eric voice snarls in my head, his hands clenching around my throat. “Now get on your knees and open wide.”

“I’m sorry,” I blurt out, but it’s too late. “You startled me.”

Any trace of flirtation disappears from Kai’s eyes, replaced by an icy glare, and a cold sweat forms on my forehead. While my mind disconnects itself, I hear my voice begging.

“I’m sorry, Kai... I’m sorry.”

He shakes his head and pushes the chair to the side. Kai might be around five feet ten inches tall, but right now, his lethal energy is eight feet tall. His posture tenses, and his hand reaches out toward me with fierce determination.

My breath stops.

But his hands cup my cheeks so gently I shudder, and the freezing grip of fear melts away with his thumb, tracing the contour of my face.

I don’t know what to think because his posture screams “predator,” but my soul shouts “protector.”

Kai lets out a powerful sigh and approaches me until I’m pressed to the kitchen wall, and the warmth of our bodies mingle.

Apologize!

“I’m sorry,” I mutter automatically, but Kai only snorts.

He grabs my hands and guides them to his neck, wrapping my fingers around it.

“Squeeze,” he orders.

I gather every particle of courage dispersed within me to squeeze his throat.

But I can’t.

“If you push your thumbs hard enough right here,” he says and guides my thumbs, “you can choke me to death.”

What the fuck is happening?

“Do it!”

My hands shake, fingers clenching, and my mind searches for a way out. I make another attempt.

“I bet Eric loved to choke you,” Kai says like he’s discovering a secret that could destroy the world. My world. That name is poison to my ears, and nausea rises in my stomach.

Shutdown activated.

Kai’s eyes are so intensely locked on mine that I stop breathing, and my body softens in submission. I’m stuck in a parallel dimension, forced to relive the painful memories Eric left behind. Images, scents, and sounds fill my mind. They don’t belong to the present, but they suck me in, nonetheless.

I fight my mind’s isolation as hard as I can, but it’s slowly drowning me. Kai’s expression darkens, absorbing all traces of lightness, and I can tell he understands the disgusting truth now.

Just let him do what he needs to do and sing.

“That’s why you almost throw up whenever you hear his name,” Kai growls. His sunlight eyes search mine for an answer that will never reach the surface. “That’s why he never met your family.” Pain and anger vibrate in his voice, lashing out at my insecurities. “But he didn’t just choke, did he?”

No!

A painful sniff escapes from my nose as I hold back tears of frustration. “You know nothing!”

But Kai is an arrogant ass who needs to prove a horrible point. “Eric.”

Twinkle, twinkle, distant star…

And I gag, unable to escape the torment that comes with the word.

In the void, where demons are…

This was the only way for me to survive with a violent man like Eric. I disappear into myself. Barely conscious, like a freaking puppet.

Up above the world so cold…

The hot, shaky breath Kai lets out brushes down my neck to my cleavage, and my body softens even more.

Lonely soul, lost and untold.

He bends and whispers in my ear, “I know this asshole does not define you.” His words snap me back to reality, and I release my grip on his throat to wrap my arms around his neck, taking deep breaths to ground myself. “I know you didn’t deserve it.” Kai’s nose nuzzles against my temple as he embraces me in a strange yet comforting hug. “I know you’re stronger than you think.”

But I’m not. Strong people don’t run away from their lives. And certainly, don’t attempt suicide.

My head drops until my nose touches the soft skin between his collarbones, and I take a shuddering breath. I detect hints of cedarwood with a touch of citrus. The fragrance is earthy and natural, with a touch of spice that makes my heart race.

And I realize something mind-boggling. Kai is right. I refuse to let the imprints of Eric’s actions stain my life any longer. For too long, I have allowed his memory to haunt and dictate my choices. But not anymore.

I pull away from his weird hug and point to the mirror in the hall.

He walks to it with slow strides, careful not to trigger me, and a piece of humanity comes back into my soul.

I need space to regroup, and Kai gets it. “Tell me what you think,” I say.

“I like it,” Kai says, smiling at his reflection. “Do you?”

I nod.

The hard gleam in his eyes subsides as if he can see something more than his appearance. “Corey told me about a fair downtown. Would you like to go with me tomorrow night?”

“No. I want to leave tomorrow at noon.” My answer rushes out of my mouth before I can assimilate what that man just did. That man, Kai, the utterly attractive felon, asked me out. And I refused. A horror movie scream fills my entire mind.

What the fuck?

“I’ve never been to a fair. We could win a teddy bear,” Kai continues, seemingly unfazed by my sudden rejection. Amusement flashes across his face before disappearing just as quickly. “I work too much. I want to have fun during our holidays,” he explains, his eyes sliding down my frame.

That look makes a visceral heat fill every cell of my body.

Our holidays?

But the moment shatters when Nina interrupts our conversation with her boisterous laugh. “Hey! You two should go in the hot tub; it’s great.”

I’m at a loss for words, still trying to process everything that has occurred in the last few minutes.

“I just invited my cutie pie to the fair tomorrow night to start the holidays off right,” Kai shares with Nina, utterly unaware of my internal turmoil.

“Oh... That’s such a marvelous idea. That means you’ll be staying one more night?” Nina asks, her smile widening even more.

Shit.

I sigh. “We will.”

When a giggling Nina leaves for her bedroom, Kai caresses my hand with his thumb. “I didn’t want to trap you.”

Don’t be so sweet, damn it.

He’s a hardened criminal. Act accordingly!

“If you don’t want to go—”

“It’s fine,” I answer. “It makes sense since we’re supposed to be dating.”

Boom! Pchh!

That’s the sound of my dignity exploding. He’s too tempting for me to say no. And if we’re stuck together anyway, I’d better try that handsome devil.

A powerful force presses me into a firm chest. It’s Kai, hugging me as tight as an anaconda. I can tell he’s not used to showing affection.

“Thank you, Marianne.”

Warmth envelops me in a bubble of sweetness.

But this time, my uncle appears, looking straight at Kai. “You can’t say no to a hot tub. Come on.”

I spring away. “Kai can’t. He has…” A skin condition?

“The offer is nice, but I have a new tattoo. Can’t soak it yet.” Kai taps his side. “Or I might get on her bad side.” He smirks at me.

Corey erupts in deep chuckles. “There’s no bad side to Marianne.”

Only unicorns and rainbows. I roll my eyes and snort. Seito, get me out of here.

The disbelief in his tone stings. Fantasies of assertiveness cramp into my mind, battling for the premium spotlight.

Nina comes back and slaps Corey on the shoulder. “Your niece has a wild side. It’s not because you haven’t seen it that it doesn’t exist.”

Corey’s eyebrows shoot up, intrigued.

“Oh, how true.” Kai smirks and winks at me, causing me to blush.

My uncle studies me, his gaze searching for a trace of this alleged wildness.

I could be, if I let my guard down.

“What about a game of Rock Band?” Corey suggests.

Kai questions me with his eyes, and I’m a breath away from screaming until my lungs explode because there’s this stiffness tugging inside of me, wanting my truth to blast into the open.

No! I don’t want to!

Nina senses something because she moves in between us and pats Corey’s arm. “They look exhausted, honey. Let them go to bed. We’ll spend some time together tomorrow.” She turns to me, amber eyes sparkling. “Right?”

Smashing Nina’s hope requires a level of badness I don’t possess. “Yes. I promise.”

I try to smile, but it takes so much effort. I’m drained. With the road and the panic attacks I had, my body demanded to go to bed.

Corey nods, but the sad veil in his expression tugs at my heartstrings. “Videotapes are on the lowest shelf, left of the T.V.”

“Thank you,” I breathe out in relief.