Page 69 of Pretty Lethal
I jolt awake,my heart hammering in my chest, a sheen of sweat causing my pajama top to stick to my skin. I peer around the semi-dark room. My room.Ourroom now.
I’m safe here.
No one is after me.
No one can touch me here.
I’m safe.
I repeat the mantra until I stop trembling, and the nightmare creeps back into the recesses of my mind where it will remain hidden until tonight.
When my mental barriers are lowered, and I’m at my weakest, it will come for me again. Just like it does every night since I was chased through the forest.
Wide awake now and no longer consumed by my nightmare, I can feel a warm body pressed against my back and an arm thrown lazily over my waist. Wilder. Hawk is on his side, facing me as he snores softly, and the last of the tension ebbs from my body as I relax into the warm cocoon they both provide.
Despite everything, I grin sleepily.Thisis my happy place.
Our first night sleeping all together was everything I thought it would be and more. Simply rolling over, I can feel the pleasant ache between my thighs as I recall how we thoroughly christened the new bed last night. Repeatedly.
Lifting my head, I look over Hawk’s shoulder. The far side of the bed is empty, although there is still a Kai-shaped indentation in the mattress, so he must have just gotten up. I notice a narrow strip of light visible beneath the bathroom door and straining to listen. I can hear him tinkering about inside.
I knew from my nights spent sleeping with Kai that he awakes at the crack-ass of dawn to go for a run, like a complete madman.
Unfortunately, I have now decided to become a mad woman alongside him. My harrowing escape and how quickly I drained of energy has terrified me into facing my greatest hatred—running.
So, with the reminder of my nightmare still pressing against my skin, I wiggle out from beneath Wilder’s arm and crawl between him and Hawk to the end of the bed.
Careful not to disturb them, I go in search of some workout gear, and by the time Kai emerges from the bathroom, I’m dressed and ready to go—even if I would far rather climb back into the warm bed.
“What are you doing up?” Kai whispers, stopping in his tracks when he spots me.
“I’m going running with you.” My nerves falter, and I suddenly realize this is a stupid idea. Kai probably runs like fifty miles for a freaking warm-up, whereas I’ll probably only make it fifty steps before collapsing into an exhausted heap.
However, instead of pointing any of that out, Kai cups my chin with his hand. His eyes bore into mine, seeing the fear embedded deep in my psyche. One planted there from the other night. And one that raises its ugly head every time I close my eyes. It’s a fear that haunts my dreams and keeps me awake long after the others have fallen asleep. “Alright, let’s go for a run.”
I follow him down the stairs and out the front door onto the sidewalk, where he stops and begins stretching. “What are you doing? I thought we were going running?”
He chuckles. “We are, but if you don’t warm up properly, you’ll regret it later when you can hardly move.”
“Oh.” I watch him for a moment before copying his movements, stretching out my muscles until they burn yet feel loose and limber.
“We’ll start out slow,” he says when we’re done. “It’s not a race. Just go at whatever speed you’re comfortable with, and if you need a break or to stop, just let me know.”
I nod, and we take off. I push myself probably faster than I should, but when I notice Kai keeping pace with me instead of going ahead, I feel like I at least need to make it a bit of a workout for him.
However, it only takes ten minutes before I start feeling winded and my pace slows.
“You’re doing great,” Kai encourages. If I had the energy to spare, I’d give him aWhat the fuckexpression, because I am most definitelynotdoing great. In fact, I think I punctured a lung. Is that possible? The force of my sneakers hitting the concrete reverberates through my entire body with every stride, my movements growing sluggish with each passing second until my legs feel like jelly and it takes all of my concentration to remain upright.
Somehow, I keep going. Keep pushing myself even though breathing has never felt more painful. Every inhale is like swallowing down needles. It prickles along my airway before burning in my lungs, and no matter how much I gulp, I feel like I never have enough oxygen.
“Another couple of minutes, and you’ll have reached the one-mile mark.”
“One mile?!” I wheeze, fairly certain I’ve done irreparable damage to my lungs. They’re literally on fire. Along with my legs. I can barely even feel my feet. Is that normal? I’m absolutely pretending that it is. Otherwise, it’s a cause for concern, and I don’t have the brain power to be concerned right now.
“One mile,” Kai announces severallongminutes later. The bastard isn’t even breathing heavily. I hate him. “Why don’t we slow to a walk for this next one?”
I’m not even sure I can stand upright, let alone walk, but I nod anyway and thank the heavens above as I sputter to an unsteady walk.
