Page 24 of Run for Us

I wrap my arms around his neck, and as he stands, I secure my legs around his waist. My pussy throbs against his back, the tiny scrap of my thong not covering much. But the last thing I need is to be wet sitting at his parents’ table.

We head into their dining room, and all eyes fall to me. Their table is massive, and a birthday cake sits in the center with the candles lit. Everyone sings “Happy Birthday” as we awkwardly stand there. New faces I’ve never met are seated at the table. Once they stop singing, Beth stands from her chair.

“Blow out your candles and make your birthday wish.”

Shore slides me down his back, and I nervously walk over to the table.

“She doesn’t need a birthday wish. She has a date with me,” Shore announces.

“Shit! Quick, new girl, wish for a new date. It’s not too late,” Tyde says, and I laugh, then blow out the candles.

My heart pounds from a surge of emotions. My mother hasn’t celebrated my birthday in many years. I highly doubt she has even messaged me today, and I don’t feel the need to check. None of my so-called friends have bothered to call me either,which I expected, since I’ve come to realize our friendships are only about what I can do for them.

“I will pop the cake back into the kitchen until after dinner,” Beth says. “Cove, come and help me bring out the meal.”

An older replica of Shore stands from the table and follows his mom.

I have to blink back tears as I take a seat beside Shore. He introduces me to everyone I haven’t met yet, and I immediately feel like I’m part of their family. I can see why foster kids love living here. Somehow it feels like home.

I am happy I came here tonight, and it cements the fact that staying here longer is the best choice for me. This is the life I always wanted, a life that is carefree. With my days spent doing what I love, surrounded by people who will welcome me into their home, and are genuine and caring.

This has officially been my best birthday yet.

Chapter Thirteen

Kasen

The Fourth of July festival is a huge deal in Bluebell. I think every resident is in attendance—except for us. Instead of watching the fireworks from Shore’s truck, we plan to chase Kinsley. We’ve given her the coordinates of where to meet, and she arrives right on time, wearing the same cute dress as on her birthday dinner. We watch as she wanders down the sandy path, all three of us waiting perched on the boulders lining the edges.

“Are you ready to run for us one last time?”

She turns and smirks before taking off. I give her a brief head start, then launch myself onto the damp sand. Ripley’s boots pound behind me, and Shore’s steps close in from the other side. The hidden stairwell, half-buried in the drifting sand ahead, is where we are leading her.

Once I reach it, the first three treads feel like quicksand under my feet. My boots skid twice before I yank myself up. Ripley vaults over a half-collapsed barricade, his blue-lit grin tilting sideways.

Tonight is the last night we plan to stay the masked men in Kinsley’s life. We signed a contract stating we would stay anonymous. But now that she plans to stay, we each have our sights set on her, so we decided it’s best not to drag this out any longer.

I continue my chase. Kinsley looks fucking stunning in her dress, and I can’t wait to rip it off her once we catch her. As I duck sideways beneath a rusted scaffold beam, so close my mask’s mouth grazes the metal, Shore’s red “X” eyes flick past me, and he overtakes me. The asshole made this a competition. The first one to catch her gets to fuck her overlooking the cliff. It’s beautiful, with the waves crashing against the side.

As we get higher, the narrow ledge forces me to lean into the sandstone face as the handrail vanishes. My palm presses against the grainy cliff, and my heartbeat thunders in my chest. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea—the fall would seriously injure us.

Kinsley keeps a steady pace ahead of us. She loves the chase, but I know she wants to get caught. It’s what makes this fun and not illegal.

At the top, two poles have yellow caution tape pulled tight between them. Kinsley ducks beneath the tape, and I push forward, beating the others to the top. I run straight through the tape, grabbing it and tearing some off because I have the perfect plan.

Kinsley stumbles to a stop at the wooden barrier of the cliff’s edge. Her body stills as I step up beside her, my chest heaving.

I hold up the tape. “Hands behind your back.”

She does as I ask, putting her hands where I need them, and I tie her wrists together.

Pushing between her shoulder blades, I guide her to lean forward on the barrier, then pull her dress up over her ass and snap the flimsy material of her thong.

“Fuck,yourpussy looks good overlooking the ocean.”

I press my body close to hers, sliding one hand between her thighs, and my fingertips graze the dampness already pooling there. The gasp that escapes her is all the invitation I need.

I curl a finger through her pussy lips, spreading her apart.“God, Kinsley,”I murmur,“you’re so wet for me.”

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