Page 169 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

Broken rib, busted eyebrow, the stitches I made… a reminder of the violence following us.

But he grins, catching my eye in the reflection as if he’s still trying to make light of it all. “See something you like?”

I love every inch of you.“I don’t fancy the recent bruises.”

“But you did such a brilliant work.” He runs his fingers over the pale pink line I pieced together last week with a grin.

That grin says more than words ever could—he’s still fighting. Still standing.

I lean against a rack of clothes, lost in the swirl of memories. Last week feels like a lifetime ago. Back when he used the wild lines ofhis body to seduce me, to show me there was more to him than just danger.

Now, I see everything—the pain, the resilience, the strength. His tattoos tell a story, a history I’ve barely scratched the surface of. The bruises are just the latest chapter. But the colors and the ink’s boldness speak of a hunger for something more.

He wants freedom. I want it, too.

Before I can stop myself, I slip into the dressing room. The space is tight, but it doesn’t matter. I cradle his face, my thumb brushing the line of his jaw. It prickles my palm. I wish to tell him how I feel, but the words stick in my throat.

Instead, I kiss him. Slow, soft. A kiss meant to say all the things I can’t. He kisses me back, his lips warm, his breath shaky. His eyelids flutter closed as if he’s letting go of everything else, just for this moment.

Kai’s reaction to me is a compliment.

I pull away, and his eyes open, locking with mine. There’s a tenderness there, something raw and real, that makes my heart twist. “Kai…”

My voice is muffled, but he hears it. He always does. And that’s exactly what I want. What I need.

Love.

I was seduced by danger, but I fell deeper for the man.

I wrap my arms around him, holding on as if letting go would mean losing everything.

I’m never letting that man go.

We kiss again, slower this time, savoring every second. When we break apart, his breath is ragged, his forehead resting against mine. “I’ve never been kissed like that,” he murmurs, his voice rough. “Again.”

We stay like that for a moment longer, wrapped in each other.

But reality pulls us back. I exit the small space.

Kai leaves the dressing room a few minutes later, looking ridiculous in the Rubik’s cube T-shirt and cargo shorts. I laugh, the sound filling the tiny shop.

“What’s so funny?” he asks, frowning at his reflection in the mirror.

“You are,” I say, still giggling. “In those things.”

“They’re functional,” he argues, a grin tugging at his lips. “And comfortable.” A mock frown transformed into a wolfish grin. “You, on the other hand, look fucking edible in that romper.”

His grin tightens my chest, and a small squeal escapes me. The romper stops mid-thigh, hiding the burn on my inner thigh but revealing more than I’m used to.

Kai’s wolfish grin says yes.

God, I wonder how he’ll react to the black bikini.

After paying the shopkeeper with our dwindling cash, we step into the hot street, the humidity making our clothes cling.

“We should hit a convenience store first,” I say. “I need water, and we can ask where the municipal courtyard is.”

Kai buys me a bottle of water while I chat with the clerk. The guy eyes Kai warily, but he relaxes when Kai’s hand settles on my hip. He must wonder how that man charmed me.

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