Page 44 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

Was Eric wrong?

Kai takes a sip of wine and removes his hand, yet I’m left bewildered. This isn’t normal. He’s supposed to be a dangerous man, a liar, killer, yet here he is, eating lasagna and drinking wine like a normal human being—talking about me with words I have never dared dream, words I only read about.

In my skull, a stupid scheme whispers to me to enjoy it. To move my chair so our legs touch. Instead, I mull over the events in my mind, my feeling of being a fool only intensifying.

Nobody would have done what I did.

No one. Picking up a hitchhiker and patching him up and taking him home and having him unleash my dark side... No! What?

But I can’t fight the peace settling in my heart because he’s here. My mind no longer races at lightning speed. I avoid making eye contact with him, even though his gaze is fixed on me. This frustrates him, as evidenced by the way his lower lip twitches and his forearms tense.

My heart is lighter somehow, and I don’t know what to make of it.

He should talk about his job—broken legs, drug trafficking, dealing with prostitutes, concrete shoes.

Entertain me, Kai! I wanna see you squirm.

“So, Kai, what’s your job?” Corey asks.

I try to hide my bubbling giggle, but my body trembles and I burst out laughing.

“My father owns a private import-export company. I’ve been working there since I was fourteen. But now, I manage the floor employees.”

“What do they carry?” Corey asks while smiling fondly at Nina, who’s looking fondly at me, laughing not so discreetly. They know I’m having fun.

“Pharmaceuticals mostly,” Kai answers in the most neutral tone.

My smile is painful, and my shoulders tremble. Pharmaceuticals? Drugs! I’m about to burst with excitement. Kai looks at me strangely, probably thinking I’m unstable.

Nina asks, “Do you like it?”

“I’ve been considering quitting and finding something else. But we’ve managed the company from father to son for generations, so…”

Is that why he’s on the run?

“What would you do?” I ask.

He narrows his eyes at me, but that has no effect except the hilarity seizing my spirit.

He’s going to choke me with a pillow.

“I haven’t figured it out yet, cutie pie.”

Oh, my...Heartthrob alert. The big bad wolf ate the yummy, nummy cutie pie. But Kai resembles more a panther than a wolf. Smooth, silent, deadly.

“I assumed I’d take our vacation to weigh on it,” he says, running a hand down my neck. He inspects me, and I smirk, eyebrows raised. If he thinks he can impress me with his serial killer sun eyes, well, he can.

I wonder if his eyes shine in the dark, like a cat.

It’s so ridiculous.

He might murder all of us!

“That’s smart, Kai. The seaside is perfect for clearing your mind and considering your options,” says Nina.

“Thank you. An old friend told me the same.” His pleased expression fixes on mine. His magical hands massaged the base of my neck, and I almost purred. He’s probably a stereotypical criminal: adept in martial arts, violin playing, immune to tears, and full of sleep holds.

“Let go of me. It tickles,” I say, withdrawing his hand from my neck, but I keep it in mine.

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