“Hello?” I ask the air. The apartment is completely quiet.
Perfect.
I dash upstairs and drag one suitcase downstairs and set it at the front door. Then I follow with the other one. The taxi app tells me I’ll be out of here in three minutes. A driver is nearby. I should be excited that I’m doing the right thing, but my heart aches instead. I stand at the front door, hand on the knob.
“Tia?”
I yelp and turn. Victor crosses the distance toward me, walking away from the downstairs bathroom.
He’s gorgeous in his running shorts and a white T-shirt, skin glistering with sweat. The fabric sticks to his body, contouring his defined pecs and emphasizing the dark ink of the bull through the material.
Just my luck.
“Were you going to run away?”
I tilt my head back to be able to meet his gaze. I’m not apologizing for what I have to do.
My phone beeps, signaling my ride is waiting for me in the driveway. Victor’s eyes narrow.
“Don’t move a muscle.” He doesn’t sound threatening, but his voice drips demand, control, and alpha male charm.
I freeze in response.What the heck?Command Center is sending signals to my body. The wrong signals.Run, dammit! It doesn’t listen.
Victor disappears into the living room for a brief moment and comes back with his wallet in his hand. He passes by me, brushing his shoulder into mine, and walks outside.
Ohmigod!
What am I going to do now? I doubt I’ll be catching a ride to the train station today.
I haven’t moved. When Victor stands in front of me again, I only see determination in his eyes. His full lips turn slightly up.
“What are you running from?”
I swallow the dryness, the knot, and the true answer in my throat.
I have to reason with him. He’ll see my point.
“If you knew what was good for you, you’d let me go, Victor.”
His jaw muscle barely twitches.
“I don’t know what’s happened, but I want you to know, I’m here to listen.”
“Talking and listening won’t help me. I have to take action. And I was going to… until you let my taxi go.”
“The solution is not to run away, Tia, but to fight.”
I’m about to yellWhat do you know about fighting?when I remember he is a fighter. I blush and shake my head. “You don’t know anything.”
I hold my breath.
He steps even closer, the personal-space invader. I take a step away and my back collides with the cold wall.
“Victor, I’m serious. You have to let me go.” I stare into his multicolored eyes, trying to find a way to convince him. I don’t have much time to waste anymore. Charlie knows where I’ve been staying for the last few days.
“I’m not able to do so. Not possible.”
“Why? Are you afraid of what Alek would say? No one will know.”
