CHAPTER FIFTEEN: Run With Me13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlLsse2WkDH
(Matteo’s POV)
His hands were shaking.
Not from the blood.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdsT7g90TY2
Not from the pain.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyemAh1gcXP
But from the fear that she’d look at him differently now.
He was no longer the man in her fantasies.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsjkUjHOYPJ
He was the man who broke bones for her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIZFUfGPG1c
The man who nearly pulled the trigger.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVdgixsTjnE
The man who chose violence just to keep her breathing.
She sat on the counter.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAN1dLOxIw
Wrapped in his hoodie.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcr76IH3QX
Silent.
Watching him clean his knuckles with trembling fingers.
Neither of them had spoken since the cops left.
No one got arrested.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkf9rG9XIYr
No questions were asked.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQUyobZYK6S
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1OhLWCljk
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡun7UJeb1b0
Stood in front of him.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE9QEWCAfys
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AsFD2hCu5
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaqCZjnRSY9
He looked away.
But she cupped his cheek.
“Don’t ask me to choose you,” she said softly.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnZVgcQnGg
“Choose me too.”
He nodded.
Once.
Then kissed her.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4XBMpDDi7U
Not because of lust.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDQGZQF4Xb
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.13Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5qqzvTLwX
Then kissed him again.
