Page 105 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

I tilt my head back to look into his eyes. “And then?”

His lips brush against mine, featherlight. “And then we’ll disappear into paradise.”

Those words send a thrill through me. Life on the run with Kai sounds both reckless and fun. I press my forehead to his chest, inhaling his scent—an intoxicating blend that reassures me.

“All right,” I agree, lifting my head. “Vancouver it is.”

Kai’s hands cradle my face, his thumbs brushing along my cheekbones. “You won’t regret this,” he promises, his voice steady and resolute.

I believe him.

The gravity of our decision pulls me closer to him as if the air between us had thickened, becoming an unbreakable bond.

“Let’s pack,” he murmurs against my lips.

Chapter 21

Twists And Thrills

Aheavy silence greets us the second we stride into the lobby to leave the hotel. Kai frowns. And just like that, an odd sensation constricts my ribs, and an uneven pulse buzzes in my temples.

At the cafe on our left, people are having breakfast. But I feel someone watching. A man. Every woman knows that uneasy prickling sensation coming with an unwanted male gaze. My eyes flick to Kai’s, who nods.

He knows.

As soon as we stride outside, a man stands calmly. Brown hair, middle-aged, black T-shirt and khakis.

The summer sun makes Kai squint, holding a forearm up to shield his vision. While he glances around, he sniffs the air like a bloodhound.

Creepy much?

Kai opens my car doors and motions for me to get to his side.

“What?” I whisper.

His stare roams the surrounding trees without stopping to look at me.

“Something doesn’t feel right,” he mutters, his gaze darting from shadow to shadow. Every muscle in his body is taut, ready to spring into action.

A shiver prickles my skin. I step closer to him, seeking the comfort of his presence. His arm curls around me, yanking me against his side. There’s tension in his grip, a controlled violence simmering just beneath the surface.

“Kai,” I mumble, “are we being followed?”

His jaw clenches, and he gives a barely perceptible nod. “Yes.”

Last night, he parked the car in reverse, so close to the brick wall that the trunk can’t open fully. I know why. To hide my license plate.

That means he had doubts yesterday and chose not to tell me.

Maybe it’s a habit.

I glance over my shoulder, trying to spot any threat amid the swaying foliage. Shapes dance, revealing nothing.

“Do you recognize that smell?” Kai asks.

I sniff the air, looking ever so creepy, and catch a waft of oil, gasoline, and dirt. “It smells like an old repair garage.”

Kai tips his head to the side for me to look to the right.

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