Page 54 of Runaway Girl
I held up my end of the bargain. Now, it was time they followed through with theirs by leaving my girl the fuck alone.
Then, a new message pinged through.
“Look up, Superstar.”
My gaze flipped upwards as I took in my surroundings. I was alone on the gridiron, an abnormal hush taking over the arena as the Jumbotron transitioned into a live feed of the car park.
My eyes widened as I processed the image on the gigantic screens.
Jake fought against three police officers as they tackled and restrained him. Katy sat in the backseat of a cop car, silently sobbing while trying to hide her face from the cameras. And the grand finale was my mother, Audrey Collins, struggling and screaming as she got placed in handcuffs.
“Do you know who I am?! Bring me my son! Get your hands off me. Ethan!”
Even then, in front of an audience, she was entirely deranged.
Overzealous applause invaded from all sides as everyone witnessed my mother and her two accomplices get arrested.
How is this real?
That’s when anxiety began to creep in, threatening to drown out that pesky hope that dared to form.
Please be real. Please be real.
I was pulled back to the present, as one heeled foot stepped out of the shadows. Beneath the beaming light, Alicia was immediately coated in a golden halo.
Everything fell away. In that moment, all that existed washer.
Alicia gave a tentative smile as her eyes sunk into mine across the expanse. A single moment, a stagnant beat in time was all it took for our souls to stitch back together.
My arms automatically opened, granting her access, begging for her acceptance.Run back to me, love. I’ll catch you.
Her features flared with recognition before a beautiful grin spread over her face. Then, she ran. Full-speed. Towards me.
Alicia vaulted into my chest, and my flesh sparked from the blissed contact. “You do all this, love?” I asked, tilting my headto the screen, now displaying the cop cars departing with their prisoners in tow.
She gave an innocent half-shrug. “I cornered Katy and struck a deal. We made her squeal on the others in return for a lighter sentence.”
I stared at her, frozen, in complete awe of my powerhouse of a woman.
Shock quickly took over. “Shit! Your job. Ali, let’s go inside. We can come up with a plan to tell Felix.”
Alicia ran her hands up over my shoulders, causing a shudder to run down my spine. “Fuck Felix. And fuck the job.”
“Ali?” I didn’t want her sacrificing anything for me. I never wanted to take anything away from her again.
“It’s fine, Ethan. I mean it,” she said with complete sincerity.
My eyes began to burn from her public declaration as all my past insecurities and feelings of inadequacy were immediately sated.
My nose dropped to the base of her neck, wanting to hide my vulnerability since I was on the verge of breaking down. “You saved me, love.”
“You saved me first, Superstar.”Alicia palmed my face until our eyes caught, tears gathering in both. “You were going to give it all up for me?” she asked, her voice scratchy and hoarse.
I shook my head, in disbelief that she didn’t know my heart already. Then, I repeated the same words that were forever ingrained in my soul. “I love you, Alicia. Nothing else matters if I don’t have you.”
Alicia pressed closer until her lips hovered before mine, the minute touch igniting a heatwave beneath my skin. “I love you, Superstar. How could I not?”
Then, in front of the cameras, in front of the crowd, in front of the entire world—I claimed my Runaway Girl, kissing her with the full belief that I was finally worthy of love.Her love.
