No Running Away

I stared at the screen of my phone, the text from "K" burning into my eyes. My heart was thumping so hard against my ribs that I could feel it in my throat. I looked across the wide grassy area of the courtyard, and there he was.

Killian didn't look like he belonged at a university. He looked dangerous. He was leaning back, his thick arms crossed over his chest, just watching me. He wasn't hiding. He wasn't creeping around. He was just waiting.

"Just keep walking, Elena," I whispered to myself. "He’s just one guy. There are hundreds of people here. He won't do anything in public."

I turned my back on him and started walking toward the student union. I tried to keep my pace normal, but my legs felt heavy, every few steps, I glanced over my shoulder.

He was off the bike.

He wasn't running, but his steps were so long that he was closing the gap between us effortlessly. He moved and people instinctively moved out of his way. Students stepped onto the grass just to avoid bumping into him.

I started to walk faster. My breathing was shallow. I could hear the heavy thud of his boots on the pavement behind me.

"Elena."

His voice was a low growl that seemed to vibrate right through my spine. I didn't stop. I hiked my bag higher on my shoulder and practically started jogging.

"I’m busy, Killian!" I shouted over my shoulder. "I have a library shift!"

I didn't have a library shift, but I needed an excuse. I reached the edge of the walkway, thinking I could lose him in the crowd near the cafeteria. I was wrong.

A large, rough hand clamped onto my upper arm. It wasn't painful, It felt like being caught in a trap. He spun me around, and suddenly I was looking at a wall filled with muscle.

"I told you I was watching," Killian said. Up close, he was even more terrifying. The scar on his eyebrow made him look permanently pissed off.

"Let go of me," I said, trying to yank my arm back. "You’re making a scene. People are staring."

Killian looked around with a bored expression. "Let them stare. I don't give a damn about them. I told you to stay put."

"And I told you I'm not your property," I snapped, my temper finally bubbling over the fear. "I don't know who you think you are, but you can't just follow me around campus."

He didn't argue. He didn't even look annoyed. He just stepped closer, forcing me to tilt my head back to see his face. "You’re a runner. I like a chase, Elena, but I’m hungry and I’m out of patience."

Before I could even ask what he meant, he moved. In one swift motion, he leaned down and threw me over his shoulder like I was a sack of grain.

"Hey! Put me down!" I shrieked, my face heating up as my feet dangled in the air. "Killian! Everyone is watching! Drop me right now!"

"Stop squirming," he said, giving my ass a firm, playful tap that made me gasp in shock. "You're just making it harder for yourself."

He started walking back toward his bike. I pounded my fists against his back, but it was like hitting a wall. I was mortified. Students were stopping in their tracks, some pulling out phones, others just staring with wide eyes.

"Is she okay?" I heard a girl ask nearby.

"She’s fine," Killian called out, his voice booming and full of dark humor. "She just forgot how to listen."

"I am going to kill you!" I hissed, hiding my face against his jacket so no one would recognize me. "My reputation is ruined. I'm going to get kicked out of school because of you!"

"You're too smart to get kicked out," he grumbled.

He reached his motorcycle and finally slid me down. But he didn't let go. He kept his hands on my waist, pinning me against the side of the bike. His heat was overwhelming.

"Put the helmet on," he commanded, holding out a black helmet.

"I’m not going anywhere with you."

Killian leaned in, his nose brushing against mine. His blue eyes were glowing, the pupils blown wide. "You can walk into that library and try to hide, but I’ll just walk in and carry you out of there, too. You want to do this the hard way or the fun way?"

I looked at the helmet, then back at his stubborn, scarred face. I knew he wasn't joking. He was the kind of man who didn't care about rules or scenes.

"Where are we going?" I asked, my voice small.

"Somewhere quiet," he said. "You need to eat, and I need to make sure you stop shaking from fear."

I took the helmet and pulled it over my head, clicking the strap. Killian climbed onto the bike and waited for me to get on behind him. I hesitated for a second before sliding onto the seat.

"Hold on tight, little bird," he said.

I wrapped my arms around his thick waist, my chest pressed against his back. He revved the engine, a sound so loud it made my teeth rattle, and then we were flying.

We left the campus behind, weaving through traffic with a speed that made me squeeze him tighter. I closed my eyes, feeling the wind whip past us. After about twenty minutes, the sound of the city started to fade.

When the bike finally slowed down, I opened my eyes and gasped.

We weren't at a house or a restaurant. We were deep in the woods, stopped in front of a massive building, It looked like a fortress hidden among the trees. Huge windows looked out over a private lake that was as clear as glass.

"What is this place?" I asked as Killian helped me off the bike.

"My home. And for today, yours too." he said, taking my helmet.

I looked up at the building, marveling at how hidden and beautiful it was. It felt a world away from the dusty library and my cramped dorm room. It felt powerful.

Killian took my hand, his fingers locking firmly with mine. "Come on. I prepared food for you. Don't run off, or I’ll have to go find you again, and next time, I won't be so nice about it."

I followed him toward the doors, my heart racing for a completely different reason now. I knew I should be scared, but looking at his broad shoulders and the way he held my hand like I was something precious, I felt a strange sense of belonging that I couldn't explain.