Page 33 of Runaway Girl
“You don’t have to,” he murmured. “I’ll give it to you now. Just name a price.”
There was a certain synergy building between us. Ethan’s severe stare penetrated beneath my skin, the stark blue of his eyes shimmering with unspoken pain. He looked as if he was drowning, a continuous hurt beating him down beneath the surface he couldn’t breach—where he couldn’t breathe.
I don’t like it. Take my breath. Take my air. Just don’t look at me like that—like you need me tolive.
I tentatively raised a hand and smoothed my fingers down his cheek. “You hurt me.”
“I know, love. I wish I could take it all back.”
“Oh, Ethan. I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“Me? Don’t waste your worry on me, Ali. I don’t deserve it.”
“Even so… I’m sorry about your mum, Superstar.”
His eyes widened just a fraction. “You still care… about me?”
“That’s stupid. I’vealwayscared.You’rethe one who stopped caring aboutme.”
“Ali, you’re the only one I do care about.You’re the only one who matters.”
“You have a funny way of showing it.”
“I know, love, but I plan on fixing that. I’ve been keeping my distance because I don’t want you tainted by this crap with Audrey. But once it’s all over, I’m coming after youhard,so be prepared.”
“Harder than you already have? I think you need to learn some new tricks.”
“I have some, with the help of a new friend. I’ve got you, Alicia. Name it, and it’s yours.”
I sniggered. “Hmm, you do owe me a new dildo. You stole my last one.”
“Pretty sure you gave it to me… More like threw it in my face. But I’m more than happy to oblige, love.”
Darkness crept in as sleep threatened to pull me under. His hesitant whisper just managed to penetrate through.
“Can I hold you, Ali… Just for a minute?”
“Mm, that sounds nice,” I said, syllables slurred and barely making sense.
Yet, he understood. The last thing I processed was being buried in a comforting warmth I hadn’t felt in months.
I was safe. I was protected. I was home.
Chapter 20
ALICIA
Throughout the night, whenever I roused, Ethan was there. Two blue orbs burnt with emotion as his stare never wavered from my face, forever lurking and watching like a stoic sentinel.
Stalker creep.
However, as morning approached, he reluctantly fell into a deep sleep.
Ethan’s arms anchored around me as his soft snores puffed against my neck. I took one long second to bask in the comforting embrace before I let dreaded reality settle back in.
With the rising of the sun, our impasse had come to an end, and it was time to leave. I slipped out of his hold and sat on the side of the bed, letting my body adjust to the change in position.
I still had a killer headache, and the injured side of my face ached, but as I tentatively stood, my feet were steady.
