Run All You Can

Raul stretched out one arm, expecting to find the warm body that had shared his bed the previous night. His hand moved across the empty space beside him, but all he touched was the cool sheet.

Raul's lips curved slightly.

He slowly opened his eyes and turned his head toward the other side of the bed. It was empty as expected.

After all, the young man had looked nervous enough to flee at the slightest opportunity. Still, Raul couldn't help finding his reaction amusing. Xavier had been bold enough to approach him at the bar, and ask for a one-night stand, yet he lacked the courage to face him the following morning.

A laugh escaped Raul as he pushed himself upright. “Interesting little fellow.”

He ran a hand through his disheveled hair before reaching for his glasses. As he prepared to get out of bed, something on the bedside table caught his attention.

A small piece of paper lay beside his ATM card.

Raul picked them up, putting on his glasses before unfolding the note.

'Here is my number so I can reimburse you for the room. Thank you.'

He read the message once, then read it again.

A smile slowly spread across his face. Repayment?

He had paid for the hotel, not purchased a service.

Raul leaned back against the headboard, amused by the young man's attempt to settle their encounter. Xavier had probably spent the entire morning panicking, wondering how to escape without having to look him in the eye.

The thought made Raul chuckle.

He folded the note and placed it back on the table beside the card. Rather than feeling offended by Xavier's departure, he found himself curious about the man who had left it behind.

He hadn't expected their encounter to end with a farewell note and a promise.

Then again, he hadn't expected to meet Xavier in the first place.

Raul swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, picking up his clothes with an amused expression.

“Run all you want,” he muttered, glancing at the note once more. “We will meet again, Xavier.”

His smile deepened. “And next time, you won't get away so easily.”

---

“Brother, please save me! Please, I don't want to go anywhere!”

The desperate cry rang through the house as a young woman hurried toward Raul, nearly stumbling over her own feet in her rush to reach him.

Raul had barely stepped into the living room when she grabbed his arm and held on as though her life depended on it.

He looked down at her in surprise. “Kiara? What's going on?”

“Brother, you have to help me!” Kiara pleaded, shaking his arm. “Please tell them I can't do this. I don't want to marry anyone!”

Before Raul could ask another question, their mother entered the living room, followed closely by their father. Both looked thoroughly exasperated.

Their mother stopped in front of them and pointed at her daughter.

“Kiara, listen to me. The young man we've chosen for you is an excellent match. His family is influential, he comes from a good background, and he has everything a woman could want in a husband.”

Kiara shook her head vigorously. “I don't care about any of that, Mother! I don't want to marry him!”

“You haven't even met him yet!” her father protested. “How can you reject someone you know absolutely nothing about?”

“Because I don't want to get married!” Kiara shot back. “Isn't that reason enough?”

Their mother let out a frustrated sigh.

“Honestly, Kiara, you make everything so difficult. This is a good opportunity for you and for both our families. What more could you possibly want?”

“My freedom!” Kiara exclaimed, tightening her grip on Raul's arm. “I want to live my life without being told whom I should marry!”

Raul glanced at his sister, then at their parents, already beginning to understand why she had come running to him.

He had seen this coming.

Their parents had been talking about marriage arrangements for weeks, and Kiara had made it clear that she wanted no part in them. Unfortunately, their mother was not the sort of woman who abandoned a plan simply because someone disagreed with her.

“Mother, Father,” Raul began, “perhaps you should give her some time to—”

“Your sister has had enough time,” their mother interrupted. “We have already arranged the meeting, and the other family is expecting her. We cannot simply cancel everything because she has decided to be difficult.”

“I'm not being difficult!” Kiara protested. “I'm telling you that I don't want to marry a stranger!”

Her father rubbed his forehead. “Must you turn everything into an argument?”

“Must you turn my entire life into a marriage arrangement?”

Raul pressed his lips together, hiding the laugh threatening to come out. His sister had certainly inherited their mother's stubbornness, even if she preferred using it for different purposes.

Their mother took a deep breath, clearly trying to regain her composure.

“Fine. You don't have to decide anything today. Just attend the meeting this afternoon. That's all we're asking. Meet the young man, have a conversation with him, and then we can discuss the matter further.”

Kiara stared at her suspiciously. “That's what you said the last time, and look where we are now!”

“Kiara!”

“I'm serious, Mother! I don't want to marry anybody!”

Her mother opened her mouth to respond, but Raul finally stepped forward. “Mom!”

Raul looked at his parents before turning to his sister, who was still clinging to his arm.

“Mother, Father, I'll make sure she attends the meeting. You don't need to worry about that.”

Their mother narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Raul, this is a serious matter. You know how important this arrangement is to our family.”

“I know.” He adjusted his glasses. “That's why I'm asking you to let me handle it. I'll take responsibility for making sure Kiara shows up.”

Kiara's head snapped toward him. “Brother?”

Raul glanced at her. “You wanted my help, didn't you?”

She nodded so quickly that he almost laughed. “Yes! Yes, I did!”

“Then let me handle it.”

Their mother studied him for a moment before releasing a reluctant sigh.

“Fine. But make sure she understands that this is not a game. The meeting is this afternoon, and she will be expected to behave herself.”

“I will,” Raul assured her.

His father gave a small nod, satisfied with the arrangement.

“Good. We will leave it to you, then.”

Their parents finally turned and walked away, their mother muttering something under her breath about how difficult it was to raise children who refused to listen.

Kiara waited until they had disappeared down the corridor before releasing a long, dramatic breath.

“Oh, thank goodness!”

She turned to Raul and threw her arms around him.

“Thank you, Brother! You're the best brother in the entire world. I knew you wouldn't abandon me!”

Raul raised an eyebrow.b“That's a rather generous compliment for someone who was just using me as a shield.”

Kiara pulled back and gave him an innocent smile. “I wasn't using you. I was asking for your help.”

“You were practically climbing up my arm.”

She waved away his complaint before clasping her hands together. “Anyway, you're really going to help me, right? You're coming with me this afternoon?”

Raul looked at her for a moment, then nodded. “Yes, I'll go with you.”

Kiara's face lit up. “Really?”

“Yes, Kiara.”

“Thank you!” She hugged him again before hurrying toward the stairs. “I love you, Brother!”

Raul watched her retreating figure with a helpless shake of his head. “Just make sure you remember that when you start complaining about me later.”

“I won't!” she called back.

He heard her footsteps disappear upstairs, followed by the sound of a door closing.

Ra turned toward the window, his thoughts briefly returning to the young man who had disappeared from his hotel room that morning.

Xavier.

A curious smile touched his lips.

What an interesting coincidence it would be if the two of them crossed paths again.

Little did Raul know that his next encounter with Xavier would be far more complicated than either of them could imagine.