He moved me to Croatia with him when I was twelve, and I was desperate to do anything to get out from under his thumb.
Even then, I’m still just a boy seeking Daddy’s approval. Approval that I’m never going to find.
The wind whips through the hairs peeking out from under my backward hat as I jog down the trail near the lake.
I stop for a moment to catch my breath and take in the scenery, and I don’t notice the person in front of me until she runs into me.
Literallyintome.
We both fall to the ground, and she collapses directly on top of me.
It’s only now, with her face inches from mine, that I can finally get a look at the person who just knocked me on my ass.
I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Can’t watch where you’re going, Hart?”
Zhuri quickly removes herself and stands up, brushing herself off. “You stopped in the middle of the fucking trail, Kovacic.”
“I was catching my breath,” I chide, standing up to join her.
With her now in front of me and not on top of me, I get a look at what she’s wearing, andfuck me,she looks good right now.
Tight black athletic leggings with a bright pink sports bra fitted perfectly to her body, showing off all the definition in her abdomen.
When my eyes land on her face, Zhuri is smirking at me. “Checking me out, Cammy?”
“You wish, Zhuri baby.” I wink at her, and she rolls her eyes.
She moves past me now to continue on down the trail, calling back to me, “Make sure you don’t stop in the middle of the trail, dipshit.”
I chuckle as I turn around, ready to continue on my jog.
And before I can move, Zhuri flies by me, screaming about something.
“What the fuck?” I yell.
“Goose!” she screeches.
I whip my head around and see a goose charging down the trail after her.
“Oh, fuck me…” I groan, heading off in the same direction she went.
six
Zhuri
“Couldn’tyouhaverunthe other direction so the goose didn’t want to chase me, too?” Cameron huffs, both of us out of breath as we find a spot to hide behind some trees.
“Fuck off.” I cross my arms and glare at him. “I’m so sorry that in my panic about getting away from a rogue goose, I ran him in your direction.”
“Apology accepted.”
“The apology was sarcastic.”
Cameron ignores me and looks carefully around the tree trunk before sighing. “Apparently, you pissed off the goose that holds a fucking grudge because he’s literally standing on the trail waiting for us.”
I throw my head back and groan. “Fuck me.”
