Page 34 of Nowhere to Run

“Trust me, once he starts digging—finds out who I am—he’ll back off.”

His voice was casual, certain.

“Everyone knows my reputation. He’ll figure it out soon enough… he’ll back off.”

His fingers brushed my jaw, tilting my face toward his.

“In the meantime… it’s a good excuse for me to stick around more.”

Shit.

My pulse raced. Not only did my plan completely backfire, but now—I was worried for Ryan.

“You won’t do anything to him, will you?” My voice came out small, a squeak.

“To Ryan?” he repeated, like the name barely registered. Like he’d already moved on.

I nodded.

He exhaled, shaking his head.

“I won’t need to.”

He casually plucked a grape from the tray. Popped it into his mouth.

His confidence was unshakable. Absolute.

“He’ll know just how bad he fucked up soon. And he’ll leave you alone, too. Both of us.”

I sighed, nodding, playing along while my mind spun.

So he wouldn’t bother Ryan.

Thank God.

But now… Adrian had promised to stick around more.

Protect me.

Didn’t he realize? The only person I needed protection from was him. What did I have to do to make it clear? I’d tried everything—ignoring his texts, running away, telling him to leave me alone. Nothing worked.

He was relentless, forcing his way through every boundary I tried to set.

And yet—

Despite myself, my heart fluttered. I sat there, watching him bring grapes to his lips. The bob of his throat as he swallowed. His sharp jawline cut like stone. His profile—maddeningly gorgeous.

I sighed. Was it really so bad to be with him? Did I have it all wrong?

His unexpected moments of softness chipped away at my resolve. The tenderness. Bringing me food. The feel of his hand at my back. His promise to protect me. Albeit from an imaginary threat. It stirred something inside me. Something raw and primal. Maybe—maybe I just wanted to be taken care of.

My mind kept drifting—back to his mouth, his hands. Those fingers that had traced every inch of me, making it impossible to forget.

The tray clinked softly as he moved it to the nightstand. Then, he came closer. His lips pressed gently to my forehead, his arms wrapping around me, holding me close.

And I melted.

“I’m going to take such good care of you,” he murmured.

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