Page 26 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

“Not now! Just fucking drive!” he snaps, tension radiating from him like heat.

The answer should scare me, but instead, it ignites something within. A reckless defiance, maybe. I punch the gas harder. The SUV fades in the distance.

Where’s the police now?

As I navigate through the streets, the city becomes a haze. The thrill of the chase is intoxicating, but the danger is very real.

“Just one more crazy move, and I’ll lose them,” I declare, pulse thudding hard in my throat as adrenaline spikes through my system.

I need to shake them off for good. Ahead lies a narrow alleyway, barely wide enough to fit my car.Shit. My fingers grip the wheel tighter. The alley is empty. I slam the gas on an impulse, my heart drumming as I squeeze through the tight space. The pursuers hesitate, thrown off by the daring move. I bet their SUV is too large to come in here.

I cackle, my breath hitching with the rush as I put distance between us and the furious men. The sharp sting of sweat trails down my spine, but relief crashes through me.

“Ha! Suck on that, you oversized tin cans!” I yell, voice ragged, throat dry from the wild tension that’s been gripping me.

It’s been ages since I’ve felt truly alive. I rush with abandon, the music blasting. Nothing can touch me at this moment of pure euphoria.

As the sky turns shades of pink and orange, I finally reach the outskirts. The energy from the chase has left me breathless yet exhilarated. With every turn, the weight of my life lifted off myshoulders, replaced by a newfound sense of freedom. I bite back the “whoop!” threatening to escape my mouth.

I didn’t even know I could drive like that. I slide the sun visor’s mirror to look at myself and laugh. My cheeks are a deep pink, my eyes have an electric gleam, and my lips are stretched into the most wicked smile I’ve ever seen on myself.

“That was wild,” I whisper to myself.

Stranger Danger shakes his head with amusement and worry. “You drive like a maniac.”

“Maniac but living!” I reply, a wild grin on my face.

But the adrenaline surge recedes, leaving my heart rate back to normal and my heart empty. A quick look at the rearview mirror shows me an empty road.

Phew.

Stranger Danger has changed his clothing, but he remains lying across the back seat. I didn’t even see him change his underwear, and that’s a disappointment. A car chase will do that to you.

I press the phone button again, my fingers trembling.

“Hey, chickadee, is everything okay? Nina and I are getting worried about you,” Uncle Corey says.

Trying to sound calm and in control, I say, “I have a flat tire, but I’ll head to the garage tomorrow morning.”

Corey sighs. “Are you sure everything’s all right? You sound stressed.”

“Yes, Corey. Everything’s under control.”

A loud honk from a passing car startled me, and I let out a small yelp.

Corey hears it, too, and snorts. “Okay, just keep us updated. You might want to take Taylor Street instead of Bayview to get to the house. There’s some construction going on there.”

“Oh, what kind of construction?”

“It’s just a sewer pipe that burst three houses down.” My uncle chuckles.

“Got it. All right, talk to you later.”

Corey’s voice softens as he speaks. “Take care, Marianne.”

“Yeah.”

I know what to do. No more foolishness. I’ll take the wounded hitchhiker to the hospital as a sensible person would. But I pull up to a rundown motel and mutter a curse because of the mess I’ve gotten myself into. Again.

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