He had to be beyond exhausted after spending the pasttwenty-four hours fighting to keep me alive. I paused in the doorway, guilty. The strong presence in my chest promptly reminded me why I had to get out of here. Already I felt different. The bond inside me was awake, and there was no more denying it.
I hadn’t rejected it years ago, like I thought and no amount of willing it to disappear would change things back to how they were. The process had begun. It would either fade with time and distance or grow until completed. Andthatwasn’t going to happen. My body demanded I crawl back in that bed and curl up beside Kaiden like a lizard around a warm rock.
I fought the urge and stumbled into the hall, making sure the door closed behind me without a sound. I had to get out of here. The stairs didn’t creak, and all was quiet as I cautiously moved past the open kitchen and living room toward the front door. Downstairs was cool and dark. Long curtains covered the windows, but daylight fought to be seen around the edges.
There wasn’t a single alarm as I snuck out. It was really anticlimactic, but I wasn’t going to complain. With each step I took from the apartment, I grew more plagued with confusion and worry. Was I making the right choice? I was so confident inside, but now, doubt grew like a stubborn weed. There was no shaking it.
The feeling wasn’t overwhelming, my resolve to escape was stronger, but…it was almost as if the emotion wasn’t mine. I laughed. Who else would it belong to? Scanning the parking lot, I tried to orient myself and figure out the quickest route to campus.
“I guess it was too much to hope that our bond would change your need to run.”
My chest thumped with humor that definitely wasn’t mine, and the implication of what that meant was enough to urge meinto a sprint. That humor swiftly turned into annoyance as heavy footfalls sounded behind me.
“Stop!” Kaiden shouted, and I caught a glimpse of his shadows out of the corner of my eye. He was almost close enough to use them. “I will tackle you to the ground, princess!”
He would. I felt his conviction.
I tamed my fear enough to stop running and spun around to face him. His chest rose in heavy breaths as he took me in, braced for battle before him. A pair of dark sweatpants hung low on his hips, and he was barefoot as he moved in.
“Now that you got that out of your system, can we walk back? I hate running first thing in the morning.”
Technically, it was more like midday, but that wasn’t what I wanted to argue about right now. I held my ground as he kept coming, forcing a glare to my face despite the nerves eating me up inside.
“Short of throwing me over your shoulder, you can’t make me go back with you.”
There. Let him know he had a fight on his hands, and I had no plans on returning anytime soon. I needed space, my own bed, and time to figure out just how much things had changed.
One blond brow rose as he closed the distance between us. “Oh yeah?”
Wait. Why was he smirking?
I stumbled back, hands raised. “I didn’t mean that how it sounded. It wasn’t a challenge.”
Even feeling his emotions wasn’t enough warning.
“Too late.” He lunged for me and tossed me over his shoulder. “I accept.”
There wasn’t much energy in my reserves to fight him off, but I did at least try. Unfortunately, I was locked back inside the apartment and pressed against a wall before my head evenstopped spinning. Kaiden had a grip on the front of his borrowed shirt and pulled me forward.
I drew in a sharp breath. “What are you doing?”
The aquamarine in his eyes glowed, ensnaring me.
“Every time I say something that pisses you off, your eyes widen just a little. Did you know? That’s your tell.” His hand worked its way up my neck to cradle my jaw, leaving sparks in its wake. He leaned closer. “You like it.” That hand moved further until his fingers rested on either side of my throat. Not squeezing but holding me still. The bond fluttered, pleased with his attention. “I know what I want, but how about you? Are you done lying to yourself?”
He rubbed his nose against mine, and my breath left me in a gasp.
“You’re insane,” I whispered, and he chuckled.
“Liar it is.”
I broke free before the bond urged me to do something stupid like kiss him. The manhandling usually set me off, but that anger was missing now. Maybe I was getting used to it because I felt a whole slew of emotions that were inappropriate. There were nerves and borderline panic, but also arousal so strong it made me breathless.
Kaiden lowered his head again as he watched me cycle through each emotion. He said nothing, but his brows rose in surprise when the arousal won out and bloomed in my chest. He chuckled, and my eyes widened. Was he…Could he feel my emotions too? My missing anger returned with a vengeance.
“Stay out of my head,” I growled.
“I’m not in your head.”
