Crown of Lies

“Go on.” I gasped. “Run. I’ll catch up.”

He glowered at my lie. “You won’t catch up. They’ll take you into custody.” He punched a sapling as we sprinted past. “Fuck! This is all fucked up!” Sweat glistened on his brow, his black hood streamed behind him. The soft slaps of our shoes on the pavement matched our ragged breathing.

He wasn’t afraid of a reprimand. He was livid at being caught. I was sure we weren’t the first to jump the wall and find some private time together. He was wrong to think we’d be arrested...surely?

But it was more than that to him. Whatever existence he lived was a dangerous one. I didn’t know what he survived, yet here he was, pulling me forward on false energy granted from half a chocolate bar.

I had no right to get him caught. Not when I hindered him while he tried to do the right thing by keeping me safe. For the second time.

He doesn’t even know me, yet he’s claimed responsibility for me.

My heart lurched, doing its best to force out lactic acid and provide life-granting blood to my suffering legs. But I was done. There was nothing left to do but stop and accept the punishment.

“Listen!” I tugged again, planting my feet to create drag. “You go. I’m slowing you down.”

“Shut up. Just trust me.” He didn’t look back or let go. “Run!”

I had money for lawyers if it came down to being arrested. He most likely didn’t. I couldn’t be responsible for taking his freedom away.

“No! Just let me go!”

Looking over his shoulder, he eyed the police slowly catching up. A decision flashed in his gaze just before his feet changed direction and he hurled me into the bushes off the path.

We crashed into branches and leaves. The world became an evergreen maze. But then he shoved my back against a trunk, wedged his body against mine, and kissed me so damn hard, so crazily thorough, I suffocated from running and kissing and every dangerous passion he poured down my throat.

My hands came up, clutching his hoodie as his tongue tangled with mine, knotting and licking, stealing every last breath I had.

Pulling away, he rested his forehead on mine, a roguish smile replacing his grimace. “I’m not letting you go. I’ve only just found you.” A tenderness glowed in his brown eyes that I’d never seen from another other than family.

My knees trembled. “You don’t even know me.”

He placed a whisper-kiss on my mouth. “I don’t have to know you. I feel you.” His hand slowly threaded up my side, taking liberties I’d given him in a moment of insanity on a baseball field.

Never looking away, he cupped my breast, running his thumb over my flesh.

I moaned a little, my jaw going slack as desire sprang thick.

He kissed me again, stealing my cry, pressing his hips against mine. “I feel you like this.” He squeezed my breast softly. “And I feel you like this.” He rocked erotically. “But I feel you most of all with this.” His touch climbed from my breast to my heart, pressing down over the rapidly beating muscle. “I don’t care that I don’t know you. I know enough.”

I didn’t know what to say.

This couldn’t be real.

How had my night gone from alley robbery to bush-filled kisses? How had I transcended from lonely workaholic to falling for a man I’d only just met? A man who lived on the opposite scale of me in every little thing. Wealth and poverty. Safety and danger.

“Come home with me.” If I were older with my own apartment, that invitation would’ve reeked with sex. But I wasn’t older and didn’t live alone. My need for him to be with me wasn’t just about me but him, too. I wanted to protect him, shelter him—to give him a better chance than the world had so far.

He chuckled, brushing his mouth over mine. Deliberately ignoring my demand, he murmured, “You asked me before if I would’ve been pissed if a boyfriend gave you that necklace.”

I stiffened then melted as his tongue licked mine sweetly. “The answer is yes. I would’ve been fucking pissed.”

My face burned. My lips tingled. I couldn’t help my stupid grin. “It was my father.”

His hand lashed out, dragging my face to his for another messy half-violent, half-tender kiss. I sucked in a breath as the same intoxicating arousal billowed. I bit his bottom lip. He groaned, nipping me back.

“This is crazy.” I hugged him close.

“All things worth fighting for are crazy.” He kissed my forehead.

“But I don’t even know your name—”

And then we were flying.

Something heavy and brutal knocked us sideways, tackling us as a flashlight split through our sanctuary of bushes, showing the silhouette of a hulking security guard as he threw us to the ground.

Twigs sliced through my jacket, pebbles and dirt smeared my hands, and Nameless grunted in agony as another guard landed on top of him.

My shoulder screamed as I rolled incorrectly. The earlier punch to my temple pounded in sympathy, making the park swim.

Curse words and limbs flew as Nameless fought. “Get the fuck off us!”

“Easy, kid.” Another guard appeared, grabbing a flailing foot. “It’s over. Give it up.”

The man who’d landed on me slowly stood up, towering with smug victory on his chubby face. “Can’t run, girl. You’re surrounded.”

I glowered, scooting closer in the dirt to Nameless while he punched and fought.