Claimed By The Biker King

Chapter 12

Rhea

Everything felt frozen like my brain had completely stopped working and my body had decided to follow as we held each other's gaze after pulling away. I didn't know why but the rate at which my heart was beating grew two folds.

I pushed myself up so fast I nearly slipped again, scrambling off his body and stepping back.

What the hell just happened?

Ryan was still lying there for a second, eyes fixed on me. He was as stunned as I was.

"I...I... will..." I forced myself to breathe. "Goodnight."

It came out too fast. I didn't wait for a response. I turned and walked out or much more run off.

I didn't slow down until I reached the hallway of my room.

It was an accident. I kept telling myself.

A fall. Bad timing. Nothing more. Still... my lips tingled in a way I refused to think about.

I pushed the door to my room open finding Anne sitting on the bed laughing as she held a book. Reading.

She looked up. "Oh! You're back!"

She dropped the book and stood up quickly.

"I was so bored I found this book in the drawer," she said quickly. "The female lead is actually so funny, you should read it—she keeps insulting the male lead and he doesn't even understand it at first—"

I wasn't listening. Still trying to regulate my breathing. Still trying to understand why my chest felt tight for no reason at all.

Anne tilted her head. "Rhea...?"

She stepped closer with worry itched on her face."What's wrong with you?"

I straightened. "Nothing."

Her eyes narrowed. "Why is your face red?"

"I'm not—"

She reached up and touched my forehead. "Are you sick?"

I flinched back. "I'm fine," I said too quickly.

Anne frowned. "You don't look fine."

I forced a smile. A terrible one.

"I said I'm fine. Nothing happened."

Anne stared at me like she didn't believe a single word. "...Did the boys gang up on you?"

That question should've been easy. It wasn't. Because my mind, traitorous as it was, flashed back to one thing I absolutely did not want to think about.

Ryan's arms around my waist. The fall. The moment that didn't make sense.

I swallowed hard and shook my head. "No. Nothing like that."

"Hope I'm safe," Anne lifted a brow, half-joking but still clearly worried.

"Of course, I handled it."

Handled it. Did I?

The boys had left in anger. They didn't even know it was me who delayed everything. All because Ryan had dragged me away.

Because of that fall. Because of—

No. I exhaled sharply in my mind. Don't think about it, Rhea.

Anne nodded with a toothy smile. "Alright... goodnight then."

"Goodnight."

Anne was almost out when she stopped. "Are you sure you're okay?"

What's with her and the question?

I gave her the best smile I could manage. "Of course, I'm fine."

She left and the door clicked shut behind her. I groaned and punch the pillow aggressively. Damn you Ryan!

**

I don't know why I'm even running this early. The sky is still dark, the kind of dark that makes the streetlights feel too loud and the world too quiet at the same time. My footsteps keep hitting the ground in a steady rhythm, but my mind is nowhere near steady.

Let me be honest.

I couldn't sleep. And that's the part that annoys me the most.

This isn't me. I don't lose sleep over anything so easily. Not over people. Not over situations. Definitely not over something as... accidental as what happened yesterday.

I groaned under my breath and ran a little faster. By the time my legs finally gave up on me, I slowed down and dropped onto a nearby bench, grabbing my water bottle immediately.

I took a long sip, leaning forward, elbows on my knees.

I let out a breath and shook my head. "This is not like me."

I leaned back, tilting my head up at the dark sky.

"It's not like this was my first kiss. So why am I acting like this?"

I rubbed my forehead. Well....I just needed air. That's all. Clear my head. Done.

Yeah. That sounded convincing enough. I took another sip of water.

Then—

"Didn't know you were the early morning type."

I froze. That voice. Ryan.

He walked out from the dim side of the field like he had been there the whole time waiting for the exact right moment to show up and ruin my peace.

He stopped beside the bench, hands in his pockets, looking way too calm for someone responsible for me being here very early in the morning.

"Can't sleep?" he asked lifting an amused brow.

I blinked then immediately frowned. "What do you mean, can't sleep?" I shot back. "Is that why people jog around in the morning?"

His eyes flicked over me. "You don't look like the type."

I scoffed. "Excuse me?"

He shrugged. "Just saying."

I sat up straighter, narrowing my eyes at him.

"And what are you doing here then?" I asked. "Don't tell me you also can't sleep."

"This is my normal routine."

I let out a short laugh. "Oh wow."

His brows lifted. "What?"

"So we're both just randomly roaming around because we can't sleep?" I gestured between us. "That sounds healthy."

His lips twitched almost a smile, but not quite.

“I didn’t say I couldn’t sleep,” he finally said, voice calm. Then, a pause. “But I guess it was that for you. Perhaps it was because of… you know….” He trailed off.

I immediately let out a laugh fanning myself like the air suddenly got hotter, which made no sense because the morning breeze was literally freezing.

“I slept well!” I said loudly, pointing at him.

A beat of silence.

Ryan just looked at me.

“Oh? You’re very defensive for someone who slept ‘well.’”

I frowned. “I’m not defensive.”

His lips twitched again.

“I mean it,” I added quickly. “I slept perfectly fine.”

His gaze didn’t move. Not even a little. Why is he looking at me like that?

I shifted my weight on the bench, suddenly very aware of my own hands, my own voice, my own everything.

Say something normal. Say something normal. Why are you overthinking this?

“I don’t know what you’re implying,” I said, forcing my tone to stay steady. “But whatever it is, you’re wrong.”

He hummed. “I didn’t imply anything.”

He took a small step closer to the bench, still relaxed, still annoyingly composed.

“But you’re the one talking too much about it,” he added.

“What does that even mean?”

“It means,” he said slowly, “that people who sleep well don’t usually feel the need to announce it.”

My mouth opened. Then closed again.

Because unfortunately, he had a point. A very annoying point.

Shut up. Just stop talking. Why are you still talking?

I crossed my arms. “I was just correcting you,”

Ryan nodded again. “Of course.”

That tone. That calm, slightly amused tone. It made my jaw tighten.

“You’re enjoying this,”

“Enjoying what? Your morning denial?”

I scoffed. “I’m not denying anything.”

He raised a brow. I stared at him. He stared back.

And I knew deep down I was completely failing at convincing him.

“…Fine,” I muttered under my breath. “I just didn’t sleep much. That’s all. Nothing more.”

Ryan nodded. “Better.”

“Don’t ‘better’ me.”

A low chuckle escaped him. And for some reason, that sound stayed with me longer than it should have.