Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

24. The Beach House

Chapter 24

The Beach House

A dull ache pulls me back to consciousness. My head throbs and my fingers twitch against the coarse texture of whatever I’m lying on. My senses slowly come back to life.

“Kai?”

No answer.

Groaning, I blink, trying to focus my vision. I’m still on the third floor of the parking lot, lying on a rough concrete floor. The sensation in my body is familiar. I was drugged. Chloroformed? And Kai...

“Where are you?”

Still no reply. Kai was taken. No! I close my eyes and exhale, dusting myself off.

Shadows never move alone; I should’ve known better. Vancouver was a trap. I told Kai it was a trap. He didn’t listen. And now, I’m sitting on the hard floor, alone and a bit angry he refused to play it safe.

I struggle to sit up, my body protesting every movement. My heart gallops in my chest. Panic fights to set in but is pushed back by something more profound—curiosity.

What now?

A thick liquid tickles my arm.

Blood.

Kai’s blood smeared red across my skin. I wipe it away, my hands trembling. Kai should be here. The shadows took him. My breath comes in shallow gasps as the setting sun throws its last rays at me in the parking lot.

Memories of the ambush flood back, piecing together like a grim jigsaw puzzle. The deafening screech of tires in the background, the menacing click of guns being cocked, and then darkness enveloping me.

I press my trembling palm against the ground, willing my body to move despite the pain. My muscles scream in protest, but I manage to stand, wincing at the sharp ache shooting through my arms.

“Ah…”

A tremor in my chest tells me I’m on the verge of tears. My lower lips languish, and I take in a shuddering breath. My head spins.

I must move, find cover, and reassess my situation.

Did they kill Kai?

Why did they leave me behind?

What the fuck happened?

My chest tightens, and the air becomes hard to breathe as a cold sweat runs down my cleavage. “Oh, fuck off!” I shout to the relentless grip of anxiety.

With trembling legs, I make my way back to the top floor where Kai and I had been moments before. Frantically searching for any sign of him, my heart sinks as I find nothing but emptiness. No traces of his presence, no lingering scent. Panic rises in my throat.

Shit.

On the second floor, nausea overtakes me, and I throw up. The stench of fear and uncertainty fills the air.

Each floor feels like a cruel joke, mocking my desperate search for Kai. As I finally stumble back to my car, the harsh reality hits me like a sledgehammer: Kai is gone. Our love story was cut short by cruel fate.

I wait until the sun is sound asleep to start the engine.

“If something happens, I’ll meet you at the next step.”

His words ring in my mind, and a painful ache grips my heart as I realize I may never see him again.

Get to the beach house.

Tears flow freely down my cheeks as I drive away from the scene of our sudden separation.

My little slice of paradise is a quaint abode with a weathered foundation that blends in perfectly with the surroundings. The front porch boasts two lounge chairs and a small table, creating the perfect spot to sip coffee while watching the sea.

Alone, it seems.

Relief washes over me like the waves crashing against the rocky shore. I park the car and step out, inhaling the salty breeze.

How could this happen to me?

I let out a pathetic sniffle that turns into a huff of frustration.

Now, I must wait.

Wait… Right.

I break down into tears.

“I’ll meet you at the next step,” I mutter childishly, holding back my sobs.

And here I am, a foolish girl, once again falling for another bad boy. As I sit on the familiar wooden floor of my dining room, I feel stupid for believing in this delusional fantasy with a criminal. I let out a mix of laughter and tears as I think about how ridiculous it all is.

Fat, delusional me.

My thoughts are jumbled and nonsensical as I gaze out at the sea through the glass doors. The porch invites me with the fireplace I built by hand. Beyond that, the beach and the never-ending ocean.

It’s gorgeous.

Just hours ago, I was in bed with the most beautiful man I’ve ever laid eyes on. Now, here I am, alone in my summer house.

Night has settled when I stumble outside into the cool offshore breeze. I collapse onto the wet sand and listen to the ocean’s call beckoning me toward the crashing waves. The sound does nothing to soothe me; instead, a whisper in my ear urges me to join them in their endless embrace. An eerie song that burrows its way into my thoughts.

The waves lap at my unmoving legs, and I hum to myself.

“Hush, crazy lady, close your eyes tight…”

It’s been a crazy week; I only wanted a break from my normal life as a nurse.

“In the darkness, find a glimmer of light.”

But instead, fate has thrown me into an insane adventure. The thought of going back to my usual routine seems worlds away now.

“Though pain grips and shadows loom…”

I miss Kai already, and tears start to well up in my eyes. Stepping out of my sandals, I let the tide wash over my knees, tickling them with its gentle touch.

“Hope still flickers in the silent gloom.”

The sand exfoliates my feet as it washes over them. My peeling nail polish serves as a mocking reminder of what once was between Kai and me.

“Hush, crazy lady, don’t give in.

The journey’s tough, and the ice is thin.”

The idea of never seeing him again brings an ache in my heart that won’t go away.

He’ll come back.

Lying down on the shore, I stare at the magnificent stars, silently judging me for my actions.

“Together, we’ll brave the stormy sea…”

I can’t help but wonder what Kai is doing right now. Memories of our deep conversations flood my mind.

“In this tangled web of uncertainty.”

The water envelops me, a gentle caress on my skin. I close my eyes and let out a long sigh of despair.

The beach is empty, with only holiday homes scattered along the shore.

After a few hours lying on the beach, I stand.

I make my way to the car and take Bonsa? out. “Hey, buddy, you’re sleeping with me until Kai returns, okay?”

My nighttime routine seems odd and empty without Kai. I shoot a look at my bed and grab the blue teddy bear. After a tight hug, I place him under the covers, where my ultrasexygerous should lay. The sight stirs a sadness that makes my jaw tighten.

“Just… until he’s back.”

The night crawls with sinister murmurs, a siren call that drags me from the depths of sleep into a realm of chilling reality. I blink away the haze, the darkness of the room pressing down on me. Kai is sound asleep beside me, his face relaxed.

Didn’t he hear the whispers?

The whispers that linger in the air are like icy fingers clawing at my skin, urging me to stay awake.

Driven by a desperate need for answers and a growing dread, I force myself out of bed. My feet sink into the cold, foggy floor.

The moonlight filters through the curtains, casting a ghostly glow over the fog swirling at my feet, licking my skin with a gentle mist. Low light and shadows mingle, pitching a spooky atmosphere.

Like a plunge into frigid waters, the insistent murmurs change into a primal urgency, driving me to the back door.

And so, with a trembling hand, I reach for the doorknob, ready to confront whatever darkness awaits on the other side. The wood cools my fingertips. Just as I’m about to push it open, the voices from below cut through the silence.

“You thought you could get away with it?” a man’s voice hisses.

I secure the lock chain on the door and crack it open enough to see who’s on the other side. My heart bolts as I come face to face with furious hazel eyes.

Shit.

Safety is an illusion behind this flimsy door. Eric could easily smash through it with one powerful shoulder thrust. He’s stronger than a truck.

“Hey, princess,” he sneers.

My heartbeat quickens as a thick fog fills the room.

“Eric,” I say through a jaw clenched like a vise. I had almost forgotten how handsome he was. How his leather and rosemary scent made me feel at home.

A sudden burst of static pierces my eardrums, sending a jolt of panic through my body. The lyrics that follow are unfamiliar and disjointed, buzzing incoherently until finally settling on a recognizable tune.

“The wheels on the bus go round and round,” it repeats with a ghostly undertone.

My throat tightens as I take a deep breath and force out the words, “What do you want?”

His response cuts through my chest like razor-sharp knives. “I miss you,” he says, each word dripping with desperation and longing. And all I can hear is the haunting music from the old radio.

“The wheels on the bus go round and round.”

I scoff, refusing to believe his manipulative lies. “Nice try.”

Eric’s mouth twists into an angry smirk, his true intentions clear. My nonchalant attitude only seems to fuel his fury. Cloudy fingers, seemingly made of white cloud, elongate and curl toward my throat, gripping me by the soul and cutting my air supply.

All through the town.

“I should be in that bed with you,” he whispers, his voice dripping with sinister intent.

I recoil at his suggestion, repulsed by the thought. “No, thank you.”

“Are you sure, princess?” Eric leans against the door, effortlessly bending the metal chain as if it were nothing.

“The doors on the bus go open and shut.”

Open and shut.

Damn it. The nickname brings spasms in my stomach, reminding me of all the pain and abuse he caused me.

Open and shut.

I’m going to be sick. His hazel eyes analyze me, and I feel so small.

He gives me a wicked smile. I have palpitations all over my body, and my breathing quickens. But I won’t let this jerk throw me off to the point of having a panic attack.

“The doors on the bus go open and shut.”

All through the town.

The icy fog twirls around my body, getting higher by the second until it reaches my jaw. Then, it squeezes.

“You used to be such a good girl, Marianne. Come back to me,” he urges, trying to lure me back into his grasp.

I stumble backward on the hardwood floor, my clothes soaking wet and muddy from running through the forest in a thunderstorm. And I run. I run as fast as I can, but he catches me. Lightning lights up the sky in a defying call, followed by thunder that vibrates through my legs, travels up my chest, and explodes in my mouth.

“No!” I shout, my voice shaking with anger and disgust. “I want to smash your face in for all the nights wasted getting beaten up and fucked when all I wanted was to sleep. I’m never coming back!”

“I’ve been out with other girls,” he confesses, a hint of desperation creeping into his tone. “But none of them compares to you, princess.”

Thunder cracks the sky in a beautiful pinkish hue, the resounding boom bringing me back to life.

“Leave me alone,” I spit and laugh.

His fingers snaking on the edge of the doorframe don’t make me shiver with terror anymore.

I’m stronger than that. “You hold no power over me!”

I smash the door on his fingers, and I scream so loud my veins might pop. “Fuck you!”

“No, no, no…” his voice laughs.

The fear of what he might do if he gets inside grips me tighter than his hand ever could. I scramble backward, my back hits the bed. I’m panting. I’ll get Alumina Bang Bang, my baseball bat.

My heart pounds, a wild drumbeat that echoes in my ears. My mind reels, caught between fear and disbelief.

“Cutie pie, it’s okay,” Kai’s sleepy voice calls out from a light year away.

That’s when I wake up. Soaked from fear, my head spins around to find Kai, but it only finds Bonsa?.

“It’s nothing, Marianne. Just a bad dream,” I stammer, turning on the bedside lamp. It casts a warm glow across the room, trying to chase away the shadows but failing to banish my fears.

My breathing is erratic, and my heart is like a wild animal trying to escape its cage. I sniff and wipe my tears. My stomach twists into knots. I tiptoe toward the window, peeling the curtains apart to spy on the outside world.

There’s no sign of Eric or his car. Or Kai. Or anybody. Only the ocean and the night.