Page 23 of Heartless Game

The sound of him following me got louder, his pounding feet roaring in my ears.

I pushed myself harder. All I had to do was breathe and let my muscle memory do its thing.

One block now.

He was closer.

Was that his breath on my neck, or the wind?

Lungs burning, chest aching, I tried to push harder.

Only half a block now.

And here came the bus rolling down the street, headlights dispelling the shadows surrounding me.

Holy shit, I was going to?—

—A thick, muscular arm snagged me around the waist, dragging me backward. I opened my mouth to scream, and his other hand shot out to cover it, muffling the noise.

As he lifted me off the ground, I turned feral, scratching and kicking and biting, doing anything to get free. Doing anything to survive.

As we disappeared into a pitch-black alley, the bus continued past the stop and down the street, oblivious to the woman in desperate need of rescue.

But then I’d always rescued myself, hadn’t I? I’d never been able to rely on anyone but my mom.

I only prayed I could do it again.

Isaac shoved me up against a rough brick wall of a building, the pain and shock of it reverberating through my body. The only thing that kept me from a broken nose was his hand between my face and the wall.

What, was I supposed to thank him for that?

Behind me, he tsked in my ear. “You shouldn’t have done that. I was going to go easy on you, but I’m not feeling particularly merciful anymore.” Thoughtfully, he added, “But I guess I am a little grateful.”

“Why?” I gasped against his hand.

Cupping my breast with one hand and thrusting his hips against my ass so I could feel how hard he was, he said, “I never knew how much fun chasing down and catching my prey would be. Fuck, I’m going to like this.”

He leaned down, dropping a gentle kiss on my neck and surprising me.

And then he surprised me further when he bit my neck, so hard I screamed into his hand.

He must have broken skin, because when he backed up, spun me around, and kissed me violently, I could taste blood on his lips.

And, as truly and beyond fucked up as it was—I kissed him back.

9

Isaac

Ihad let the monster out of its cage. I’d avoided this side of myself for so long, I was almost shocked by how goddamn good it felt to let the feral, obsessed animalfree.

I’d felt fairly calm about taking Tovah home with me. I wanted her, but I could control it. Until the violent little brat kneed me in the nuts. Between the pain in my balls and my surprise thatshe’dhad the balls and bravery to hurt me like that, it took me a moment to gather myself and chase her down. At first, I thought I wouldn’t catch her. She was fucking fast, graceful in her speed and determination to get away, like a gazelle—if a gazelle was a short, curvy, pink-haired demon of chaos in human form. But, like a gazelle, she was prey, not predator.

I didn’t recognize this side of myself. I’d never, not once, chased a girl down the street before, in the dark or otherwise.

Wait, that wasn’t true.

An image appeared in my mind, briefly slowing me down: me at age seven, laughing as I chased a giggling brown haired little girl through the massive backyard of my family’s enclave. I never even knew her name, but playing tag with her was the most fun I’d ever had.

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