“Sunny, don’t.” he takes a step forward, knowing exactly what’s going through my mind.
“What—” Sam starts.
Ignoring his words, I take off, sprinting past him and Sam and somehow managing to dodge the arm he tries to wrap around my waist. My heart’s thrumming wildly in my chest, but I’m free from that apartment.
I’m free.
“Sunny!” I hear both Tyler and Sam call.
Hurried footsteps chasing after me makes my heart beat even harder. Tyler’stall, which means tall legs that can outrun me.
Running down the hall and the stairs into the lobby, my long-lost athleticism from high school decides to make an appearance tonight. The guard at the desk eyes me and stands as I jet past, but he soon notices Tyler chasing after me.
“It’s fine!” Tyler yells, following behind me.
I burst through the doors, and the cold November air knocks me almost sober. I gulp up its crisp, seething bite in my throat and lungs.
“Sunny!”
My heart is rampant in my chest, heaving up and down as Itry to get my bearings to where I am and how I can get home. I blink rapidly as I sway on my feet, trying to remember which way we came.
Before I can dash to my escape, I feel his strong, scarred arm curl around my waist. I fight him—kicking and flinging my fists with no rhythm or purpose.
“Let me go!” I grit through my teeth.
I try to break from his hold, but my normally average body is small compared to his, thrashing and fighting against his broad, muscled chest and arms feels almost pointless. Especially when he uses his other arm to pin my flailing arms and uses his legs to trap my own between them.
He’s a trained killer, how can I think I’m a match against him? Yet somehow, that doesn’t scare me.Hedoesn’t scare me and I’m too drunk to remember the stupid training he gave me. I should be scared of him.I should be.
But that’s the thing with Tyler—the reason I should be scared of him is also the reason I trust him. He doesn’t hide who he is. No, he is undoubtedly himself and owns up to the bad parts of himself. He’s bared himself to me, without me even asking. I know he’d never make me do anything I’m uncomfortable with, and he’d never do anything to makemeuncomfortable.
“Sunny,please,” Tyler drawls. “I’m just trying to help you.” His eyes are pleading. “Why won’t you just let me take you home?”
I want to walk. I need to walk. I need the clear air, the night sky, the city around me to bring me back to reality. I need the reminder that it’s real. Being trapped in a car right now or someone babysitting me and watching my every move the wayhedid will only further my spiral.
Something shifted between Tyler and I the night he came over when I was sick, but I was able to navigate that. This is a whole new maze I’m struggling to find my way through.
A labyrinth.
“I want to walk.” I finally stop thrashing in his arms. He lets up on his grip, just a little.
“Okay, well if we are going to walk, One, I’m going to get you some food at a taco stand right around the block. Two, you’re coming to my place because yours is too far,” he finally says.
“Fine.”
I appreciate he is respecting my wishes, even if it comes with reasonable stipulations. Tacos don’t sound bad, either.
Easing up a little more on me, he takes a step back and watches me. I flick my eyes down the street, contemplating my escape once more. If I’m fast enough… I can bolt down the street. Then he can go home and not have to deal with me. I won’t have to face him, what we did, how hefeels. I won’t have to go back to his place where it’s just waiting for us to dig ourselves deeper in this hole.
I can make my escape right now.If I run fast enough..
Feeling the world flip, I realize he’s slung me over his shoulder as he braces an arm around my ass and hips, securing me.
“I don’t trust you,” he says.
“Tyler!” I yelp.
As I’m flipped over, I’m met with a view of his ass through his jeans and the ground below us. I groan, because it’s such a nice view.
