Runner: Chapter 12

My muscles ached, and I pushed myself harder, running on the treadmill as fast as I could. I’d already pushed myself to my limit during my workout, and I shouldn’t have even considered cardio. But I’d rather feel my body screaming with exhaustion than focus on the terror that had sunk into my bones when I got that email.

After a few more minutes, I slowed to a walk, sucking in air before I took a sip of water. I was at a local gym on the south side, and I ignored the stares from women who were here just to scope out the single men instead of working out. There was a gym inside my apartment building, but there were cameras, and I didn’t want anyone connecting me to living there. I’d been moving to different gyms throughout the city. So far, this was my favorite one.

Turning off the machine, I jumped off, grabbing my towel and wiping my face. I’d been working out way too much in the last few days, but I needed something to keep my mind from wandering to the past. As I walked out of the gym, I pulled my phone out and opened the email for the thousandth time, fear washing through me like it did every time I read it.

No one had called me Lina in five years. I detested that nickname more than fucking anything. It brought back memories of the life I’d barely survived. A life I’d escaped from and would kill myself before ever going back to.

I collapsed onto the bench outside the building, ignoring the mist of rain hitting me. I hit Caleb’s number, bringing the phone to my ear.

“You okay, Mili?”

“No,” I muttered, making sure no one was within earshot. “I haven’t been okay for a week. Ever since I got this fucking email.”

“I tracked it,” he said quickly.

My heart sank. “Who sent it?”

“He did.”

Fear cemented me to the bench, and my grip on the phone turned painful as I stared at the cars driving past me. That wasn’t fucking possible.

“He’s exactly where he’s been for five years,” Caleb said softly. “I don’t know how he got access to the internet, but he’s not free. You’re still safe.”

“No, I’m not,” I hissed. “I was safe when he thought I was dead.”

“Mili, I warned you this could happen.” He paused, as if trying to think of what to say. “I told you not to take the Sapphire name. Even with how careful we’ve been, it was only a matter of time before his people realized it was you.”

“How’d he get my email?”

“I have no idea.”

“Maybe I should leave Ridgewood,” I mumbled. “What if they know I’m here—”

“They don’t,” Caleb cut me off. “I’ve been keeping an eye on everyone he used to be in contact with, and they all still think you’re out of the country like we wanted.”

I sighed. “I can’t leave anyway. I need to do this Panther job, Caleb. Especially now that he knows I’m alive. It’s the only way to get rid of him for good.”

“I know. Just make sure those guys you’re working with aren’t blabbing your name.”

“They haven’t so far.”

“I don’t like that you’re working with them. We can’t trust anyone—”

“I can’t do this job by myself. You know that.”

“Just be careful,” he urged me. “Don’t take any unnecessary risks.”

I chuckled humorlessly. “Like going to the desert to race? I’m regretting that now.”

“No one in California has any contact with them. That wasn’t the reason they found out you’re alive. Don’t feel guilty for wanting to have fun. Just be careful, okay?”

I didn’t tell him I’d been having more fun than I had in years. Messing with Kade and Gray had been giving me a feeling of joy that I hadn’t had in years.

“Mili?”

I looked up to see Rylan striding toward me. I muttered a goodbye to Caleb and hung up. Tingles of suspicion ran down my spine as he approached. I didn’t run into someone this many times unless I planned it. He seemed to pop up wherever I was, and I was getting sick of it.

“Long time no see,” he said with a warm smile. “Have you been staying out of trouble this week?”

“How’d you know I was here?” I asked, my gaze stone cold.

Confusion swept across his face, and his eyes flashed with hurt as he raised his arms, acting like he came in peace. “I didn’t know you were here. This is the gym I go to.”

I glanced at his outfit, realizing this was the first time I’d seen him in something other than a suit. He was wearing black track pants with a baggy white shirt. All designer, of course, but he looked like a normal guy now instead of a politician. A fucking hot normal guy. Not that it changed anything.

“My office is in the next building.” He pointed to the large skyscraper. “I come here almost every day.”

Sounded plausible. But after the email, I wasn’t taking anything to chance anymore. I grabbed my bag, sliding the strap over my shoulder as I stood up.

“I have to go,” I told him curtly, walking away.

He hurried to catch up with me, making my guard rise. “Did I do something wrong?”

I scoffed, shaking my head. “Not that I’m aware of. But I can see how you look at me. And let me break it to you early—I’m not the kind of woman you want. So cut your losses and go find some blonde whose goal in life is to look pretty on your arm.”

He darted in front of me, making me stop my quick strides. “You have no idea what kind of women I like.”

“I can promise you won’t like me.”

“You crying at the police station was an act, wasn’t it?”

The only reason I was able to rein in my shock at his blunt question was because of years of practice. Raising my eyes, I met his gaze. There was no anger or suspicion. He looked honestly curious about me.

“Tell me, Mayor,” I tilted my head to the side, “are you as straitlaced as you claim to be? Or are you in someone’s dirty pocket?”

He frowned at my accusation. “I don’t work for anyone. No one pays me off. I’ve been in city politics since I was twenty-one. I work my ass off to make sure everything that comes out of my office is honest.”

“And I really believe that,” I said softly, watching his eyes widen. “You are a gentleman. Someone who seems like he wants to do good and get rid of crime. I researched you after we met. You haven’t had one scandal. You respect women, and you seem to really care about those who need help. I am not part of that world. I don’t need a big, strong man to help me. I take what I need and leave everything else burning. You don’t want someone like me being associated with you.”

Being honest usually wasn’t how I went about things. But with him, this was the best way to go. He saw me as someone he could help, and until he realized that would never happen, he wasn’t going to leave me alone. He could even believe I worked with the crew. I didn’t care anymore. There would never be evidence tying me to anything. If he couldn’t take down Kade and Gray, he’d never be able to touch me.

“I don’t believe that,” he said slowly. “I can read people pretty well. And you don’t come off as someone dangerous at all.”

Raising my arm, I gently patted his cheek. “And that’s why I’m so good at it.”

He looked taken aback but didn’t move, letting me trail my nails down his cheek. I waited for fear or suspicion to cross his features, but he still seemed stuck on curiosity. I sighed, giving up. That’s all I was sharing with him. I wasn’t going to come out and say that my list of crimes was longer than his impressive resume.

“Bye, Rylan.”

I spun around, not waiting for a response. Hurrying down the street, I pulled my hoodie out of my bag and slipped it on, pulling the hood over my hair as it started raining harder. A hand wrapped around my arm, and I reached for my knife until I realized it was Rylan.

“Wait,” he said gruffly. “You didn’t let me answer you.”

I laughed. “You really can’t take a hint, can you?”

He tugged me off the sidewalk, onto a small side street between two stores. I let him push me against the wall, knowing I could handle myself if he tried something. He planted his palm on the bricks next to my head, leaning down until his eyes bored into mine.

“Everything you said about me is true,” he murmured, heat entering his gaze as he glanced at my lips. “Except one thing.”

“And what would that be?”

“I am not always a fucking gentleman.”

He captured my lips in a bruising kiss, and I jerked back in surprise. He only leaned closer, trapping me against the wall as he dominated the kiss, pushing his tongue in and sweeping it inside my mouth. He tasted like a delicious forbidden secret—two worlds colliding that would never survive together. He was probably the most innocent thing that had ever touched my lips.

And he kissed like he was sinning.

He jostled my bag out of the way so he could press his body against mine. His growing erection hit my stomach as I pushed off the wall, wrapping my arms around his neck before I realized what I was doing. His hand slid under my shirt, gripping my hip as if making sure I wouldn’t try to leave.

He groaned into my mouth, and I snapped my eyes open. What the hell were the men in this city doing to me? I was always in control. But when I was with one of them, my strict rules seemed to fly out the damn window. I slammed my palm on his chest, giving myself much needed space as I broke the kiss.

“You’re exactly the type of woman I like,” he said, his voice husky.

“That was a mistake,” I muttered as I ran a hand through my hair.

“Didn’t feel like a mistake. You wanted it as much as I did.”

“Forget about me, Rylan.” I stepped back onto the busy sidewalk. “I won’t be here much longer anyway.”

“I want to see you again.” Determination gleamed in his gaze, making my stomach flip.

“No.”

This time, I nearly ran to make sure he couldn’t catch up with me again. I didn’t go straight back to my apartment. Instead, I walked down some random streets until I was positive I was alone. I rubbed my temples as I walked into my building.

I loved sex as much as the next person. And there were three men in this city that I wouldn’t hesitate to fall into bed with. Even if two of them would probably rather see me dead. But it was becoming a problem. I was getting so caught up in the fun that I was forgetting why I’d come here in the first place.

No more thinking about them. From now on, the Panther job was the only thing that mattered.