Page 54 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

I can’t.

My stomach churns like a sick whirlpool set to pull me under as the hands of the improvised masseur work on me. I want to scream out in agony, to beg him to stop, but the fear of what might happen if I speak keeps me silent.

Kai pushes too hard on my muscles,and it hurts.

A dark cloud takes hold of my chest, threatening to asphyxiate me.

This isn’t Eric.

“It’s too much,” I whisper.

“Okay,” he says.

I struggle to grasp why he’s being so kind to me.

My palms become clammy, and a shady vibration settles in my heart when I think about opening up to Kai. The potential of us being something slips away with each moment I remain closed off.

I pull away from him. “Why are you doing this?”

“I’m trying to be nice. You saved my life, Marianne. Twice. That’s worth something.” He sighs and keeps massaging my shoulders. “No one would’ve done what you did for me without asking for something in return.”

“Well, you’re not surrounded by the cream of the crop,” I mutter, looking at my toes.

“You... Marianne, you’re a bright light in a very dark world.”

That’s why he won’t leave me alone. “Just trying to be nice, right?”

“Yeah.”

The tension in my muscles retreats, and I exhale, relieved by Kai’s tentative kindness.

A splash of vulnerability appears in me. As he massages my back, his fingers slide slightly higher, exploring the tense muscles at the base of my neck.

The contact is intimate, comforting, but not sexual at all.

I let out a small moan as his touch becomes more intentional. His fingers freeze for a second, waiting. But I sigh in bliss, and he carries on. My body responds to the tender touch, and I melt into the floor beneath me, like a puddle of relaxation pooling at my feet.

Kai’s voice comes out lower than usual. “Is that okay?”

“Yes,” I managed to get out, but my throat suddenly dried and tight. This connection is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. This vulnerability seems like it’s coming from a place of trust, a place where I can let my guard down.

I don’t know if I can trust him entirely. After all, people in my life often disappoint me. But for the first time in a long while, I feel seen.

After forty-five minutes, I played all the videos.

I gaze at the blank screen before me, feeling a strange connection with Kai. In the dimly lit living room, he watches me as I rise from my seat on the floor and head back to bed.

“Just give me a minute,” he says with a drop of hesitation.

It’s a peaceful feeling. Maybe I shouldn’t have watched those two hours of videos that Corey saved for me, especially not with Kai. But it felt so natural...

The morning light filters through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I awake to find Kai sitting beside me, his eyes fixed on my face. His gaze makes every hair on my body stand up. My heart rushes with a mix of uncertainty and anticipation.

“What?” I mumble, pulling the covers up to my chin in a feeble attempt to hide from his inspection.

“You’re beautiful when you sleep.”

I frown at his words. “Creepy much?”

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