CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Run With Me25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3OOn44Xhjs
(Matteo’s POV)
His hands were shaking.
Not from the blood.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAd9u2U9T6P
Not from the pain.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡutl8s1gxGn
But from the fear that she’d look at him differently now.
He was no longer the man in her fantasies.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt0MiKkRHYm
He was the man who broke bones for her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3SdvyOv46v
The man who nearly pulled the trigger.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFFt7p1NCAp
The man who chose violence just to keep her breathing.
She sat on the counter.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHg5uRjo5V
Wrapped in his hoodie.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLKceLamOkM
Silent.
Watching him clean his knuckles with trembling fingers.
Neither of them had spoken since the cops left.
No one got arrested.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxKMhWDD9X5
No questions were asked.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXyrvxQiEO
Matteo had connections.
But he also had scars.
Too many.
“You’re not safe here,” he finally said.
Her lips parted, but she didn’t argue.
Because she knew.
He turned toward her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDMAh33undx
Eyes dark, vulnerable.
“If you stay, they’ll find you again.”
“If I go, they’ll find you instead.”
“I don’t care,” he snapped. “I’ll burn the world for you.”
She slid off the counter.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2Yr9SLJMT
Stood in front of him.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡodn0kCEv2F
Reached for his hand.
“Then don’t burn it,” she whispered.
“Just leave it.”
Matteo’s breath hitched.
“What?”
“Let’s go,” she said. “Let’s leave everything.”
He stared at her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknW56EfwJo
Like she’d just said the sun would follow them wherever they went.
“You’d really do that? Leave your life? Your job? Your friends—”
“You’re my life now.”
His throat tightened.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKcPQAxfOlE
He looked away.
But she cupped his cheek.
“Don’t ask me to choose you,” she said softly.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPFJxKN2NU
“Choose me too.”
He nodded.
Once.
Then kissed her.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRVxQI5ytzF
Not because of lust.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoDWHAf2xWI
Not because of desperation.
But because they’d made a decision.
And tomorrow, they wouldn’t be in this city.
They wouldn’t be hunted by ghosts or haunted by pasts.
They’d be on the road.
With nothing but clothes, cash, and each other.
“Where will we go?” she whispered.
He smiled.
“Anywhere I can make you moan loud enough for the stars to remember our names.”
She laughed.25Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMM4i4akrf
Then kissed him again.
