CHAPTER 4 :You Can’t Run
560 Words
She couldn’t breathe.
Not when he was standing there.
Watching her like that.
Like she belonged to him.
The café felt too small.
Too quiet.
Too dangerous.
“Hi,” she managed.
Weak.
Useless.
His gaze didn’t soften.
Didn’t move.
If anything—it darkened.
“You ran.”
Her fingers curled against the table.
“I left.”
A step.
Slow.
Controlled.
Deadly.
“Without permission.”
Her breath hitched.
“I don’t need your permission.”
Another step.
Now he was close enough for her to feel him.
Heat.
Power.
Something that made her pulse race uncontrollably.
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m not.”
A lie.
His eyes dropped briefly—to her lips.
And that was worse.
Much worse.
“Look at me,” he said.
She already was.
But somehow, it felt like she wasn’t seeing enough.
Not until he reached out—
And tilted her chin up.
Her breath caught.
“Say it again,” he murmured.
“That I’m not yours.”
Her heart pounded wildly.
“I’m not yours.”
Silence.
Heavy.
Electric.
His thumb brushed her lower lip.
Soft.
Slow.
Testing.
And just like that—
Her control snapped.
“Then why are you still here?” he asked quietly.
She didn’t answer.
Because she didn’t have one.
Because she didn’t leave.
Because she couldn’t.
His gaze dropped again.
Her lips parted.
And that was it.
That was all it took.
He pulled her in.
Fast.
Sudden.
Like he’d been holding back for too long—
And finally gave in.
His lips crashed against hers.
Hot.
Demanding.
Unforgiving.
A gasp slipped from her, but he swallowed it, one hand tightening around her waist, pulling her closer—closer—until there was no space left between them.
Her hands came up instinctively, gripping his shirt.
She should push him away.
She should stop this.
But instead—
She kissed him back.
Harder.
Faster.
Like she hated how much she wanted it.
His grip tightened.
A low sound escaped him, rough and satisfied, as if he’d been waiting for this exact moment.
“Tell me to stop,” he murmured against her lips.
She didn’t.
Couldn’t.
His forehead rested briefly against hers, their breaths uneven, tangled.
“Exactly,” he whispered.
Her chest rose and fell.
“This doesn’t mean anything,” she said, even as her voice betrayed her.
His lips brushed hers again.
Slow this time.
Dangerous.
“It means everything.”
Her heart slammed.
“No—”
“You came back.”
“I didn’t—”
“You stayed.”
Silence.
Because he was right.
Because she had.
Because she still was.
His hand slid slightly, holding her in place—not forceful, but certain.
Claiming.
“You can run again,” he said softly.
“But you won’t forget this.”
Her pulse raced.
Her mind screamed at her to leave.
To walk away.
To escape before it was too late.
But her body—
Still leaned toward him.
Still wanted more.
And that scared her the most.
“Run,” he said again.
A challenge.
A promise.
A warning.
This time—
She stepped back slowly.
Her lips still burning.
Her heart completely out of control.
And even as she turned to leave—
She knew.
This wasn’t over.
Not after that.
Not after him.
- Writer
