Page 54 of Better Run
The hallway light flips off. I’m plunged into darkness. I blink, trying to keep my heart rate even. There’s silence. Slowly, a little light from upstairs filters into the room.
Something crashes into the door so loud my ears ring. I jump, stepping back.
Crash. It happens again. It sounds like he’s throwing his whole body into the wood.
“Lemon Drrrrop.”
Crash. Wood splinters, and the desk moves a few inches.
His voice remains even. “Let me innnn. I’m going to do violent things to that pretty body.”
I shiver and adjust my grip on the knife. My hand is sweaty. It’s darker in here than it is out there. I position myself behind the door so I can stab him when he comes in. Maybe I can get an organ or an artery.
Crash. The desk scoots again. There’s enough room to slip through.
He’s silent this time. I ready myself to slash whatever part of him I see first.
There’s a hiss, and suddenly the doorway goes cloudy. I can’t see anything in the cloud and darkness. I take a step back, trying to figure out what the cloud is.
“Hello.” The voice is right by me. I scream and slash out with the knife, making contact. There’s a grunt.
I slash back and forth again, but there’s no resistance this time. Another hiss and a blowing sound, and the air in front of me is murky again. I cough and back up.
Something clatters to the ground, and my back is slammed into the wall. My head bounces off it painfully. I slash out again and make contact with something. I cough against the film in the air.
He groans, but it sounds…turned on. I tear my hand back again, but it’s also slammed into the wall. I feel like my front is up against a solid wall of muscle.
“Mmmm. Little one.”
“Fuck you.Fuck you.” I struggle to free my hand. Desperation fills me. This is my chance. I have to win this. I have to get away.
His body moves on me. He shrugs out of something, a jacket sleeve, then pins my knife hand with his knee. I jerk it away, but he presses harder, making me cry out in pain.
“Easy little one. Be still.” I still and feel the pain radiating from my wrist, his bone digging into me. He shrugs the rest of the jacket off and replaces his knee with his hand. A jacket. He wasn’t wearing a jacket before. He must have put it on to get an advantage.
“You cheated!” I try to head-butt him, but I can’t get much leverage. His body heat sinks into me, traveling lower.
“How?” He ducks his head to my neck and pulls in a deep breath. His beard tickles my skin.
“The jacket!”
“First,” he grinds his hips into me, “there were no rules against that. And second,” he grinds again, “you got me through it. Bloodthirsty girl.” His voice rattles through his chest and into me. I smell spearmint.
“Fuck. You. I’m done playing your stupid game. Let me go home.”
“Pfft. Although you did make the chase fun. You deserve a reward for that.”
He strips the knife from my hand faster than I can stop him. He flicks it up to my neck, and I freeze. The metal is cold against my skin. I feel my heartbeat pounding against it.
Cole leans to the other side of my neck. I feel his hot tongue lick from the base up to my ear. Goosebumps prickle on my body.
“Yes. Let’s make this pretty thing feel good. Too much stress lately.” He steps back until the only thing touching me is the knife. “Get on the bed.”
As soon as he lets up, I duck under him and try for the door. He snatches me by the hair and flings me back. I bounce on the bed. He’s on top of me in a flash. The knife is back at my throat, and I feel a small, white-hot line of pain there. Fuck, the knife is digging into my throat.
“My god,” he groans. “Were you made just for me? You’re perfect. I love it when you fight.”
I look into his eyes. They’re alive with light and lust. He looks devastating. Against all reason, my core feels wet.
