CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Run With Me24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡREDCjKTHN7
(Matteo’s POV)
His hands were shaking.
Not from the blood.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKayIukCwZz
Not from the pain.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoKJbzWaa4
But from the fear that she’d look at him differently now.
He was no longer the man in her fantasies.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYiK9g0IWK
He was the man who broke bones for her.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYqrqDraFB
The man who nearly pulled the trigger.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSZWS281cj6
The man who chose violence just to keep her breathing.
She sat on the counter.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5T7efYDCKZ
Wrapped in his hoodie.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiWu22dOKFp
Silent.
Watching him clean his knuckles with trembling fingers.
Neither of them had spoken since the cops left.
No one got arrested.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ86ABWn9FwC
No questions were asked.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6WmpczkROr
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8a1OPmqK16
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHY7kM2Y0b
Stood in front of him.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqSxL7cWFm3
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiih8QafiWa
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcaJmmLtKM
He looked away.
But she cupped his cheek.
“Don’t ask me to choose you,” she said softly.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLU6Js8amCN
“Choose me too.”
He nodded.
Once.
Then kissed her.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcedzb2DL74
Not because of lust.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRGOosuPuhF
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.24Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPZcBt646r5
Then kissed him again.
