Page 122 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

“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 Bonsaï 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.

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