Page 63 of Runaway Hearts: Seduced by Danger

We step out in front of the teenager at the control board.

Kai’s jaw tightens and releases in rapid succession, his eyes narrowing into deadly slits. “Did you do that on purpose, fucktard, huh?” He paces with controlled fury, his fingers spasming at his sides like electric shocks. “You like fucking people’s dates ’cause you can’t get one?” Each step he takes brings him closer to unleashing a violent outburst.

When Kai stops in front of the horrified teenagers, the veil of calmness lifts like the curtain call to a gore action show. But he flicks him on the nose, saying, “Fuck you.”

And, of course, I burst out laughing.

I imagine him taking the dude by the shoulders and smacking his head on the control board. He pulls out his gun and bang, a smoking hole in the head.

I laugh at every word. “You have murderous eyes.” I laugh louder as I imagine him shirtless, shooting everywhere, wearing a tie as a hair-lift. I’m on a date with a madman. My hands take place on my thighs to control my laughter.

There’s nothing to do.

Amusement has taken over my being, and I laugh crazily while Kai stares at me with soft eyes.

“Okay.” I snicker. “Okay. I’m back.” This date will remain etched in my memory for centuries and centuries. I take his hand, hoping to hold on to this perfect moment forever. “Kai, doyou—”

Before I finish my thought, a swarm of young women engulfs us. Forty of them zip past in colorful bikini tops and trendy micro shorts. Their loud laughter and chatter deafen me as they race past, leaving trails of floral perfume and glitter in their wake.

We step aside, seeking refuge by a thick hedge of cedar trees, but there are too many of these zooming hotties. My hand slips from Kai’s desperate grasp in the chaos as people get out of the skaters’ way and bump into us.

With a loud grunt, a girl collides with the man in front of me with such force that he’s sent flying back into me. A whiff of rosemary makes me think of Eric, and I stumble backward, struggling to keep my balance before falling onto my ass with a resounding thud.

“Watch it!” I mutter, but my words are lost in the commotion.

The crowd that made place for the girls now regroups between Kai and me, making it difficult for us to find each other again.

Shit.

I’m on my butt on the ground, and I feel like shit.

“Marianne?” Kai’s concerned voice cuts through the chaos from a few feet away, making my head snap in his direction.

But I don’t see him.

Another wave of carefree skaters whizz past, and I struggle to scramble out of their path. My feet slip, and I tumble into the unforgiving thicket of bushes lining the side of the path. The sharp branches scrape at my skin, leaving angry red marks in their wake.

I reach out for something, anything, to stop my fall.

There’s nothing there to hold on to.

My body rolls under the row of towering cedar trees, only to realize the hedgerow stands there as a safety rail too late. Behind it is an abrupt drop about my height, descending into a swamp leading to the lake.

In a split second, I find myself sliding over the craggy rocks, my legs dangling precariously over the drop below. A panicked yelp escapes my lips. I grasp at a nearby branch, hoping it will hold my weight. But with an ominous crack, the branch gives way.

And down I go.

The ground gives way beneath me, and I plummet into the unknown below.

Chapter 13

Cold Hearted Pond

My body lands into a muddy pond with a resounding splash, and it takes two seconds for my brain to register the information. But the smell of rotting plants and stagnant water is undeniable, and as I try to grip onto something, I find that there are nothing but cattails, slime, and aquatic plants.

The murky water is opaque, coated with debris. Green algae cover the surface, and my feet sink into the cold, sticky mud.

I wonder why I didn’t stand my ground. I’m at least fifty pounds heavier than any of those bikini girls. They would’ve had to go around if I had just held my place. But something stopped me.

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