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I couldn’t let him catch me.
I sprinted ahead, spotting a small, open courtyard surrounded by high brick walls adorned with creeping ivy. Without even a second’s hesitation, I crossed the courtyard and burst through the open door of a quaint, dimly lit restaurant.
The warm, inviting smell of cooking food hit me as I entered. The restaurant was cozy, with tables packed close together and soft music playing in the background. People turned to stare as I hurried past, my breaths emerging from my throat in loud, heaving gasps.
I wove between tables, hoping the crowded room would conceal me. Behind me, the door slammed open, causing a new wave of heads to turn. Maxim’s formidable silhouette filled the doorway, his chest heaving from the chase. His eyes scanned the room, a predatory glint in them as he searched for any sign of me.
Ducking behind a large decorative plant, I crouched low, my heart pounding in my ears. I watched as Maxim started to move through the restaurant, his gaze sweeping over each table with calculated precision.
Dammit. He was so close.
I held my breath, praying to blend in with the shadows, my mind racing for any solution. The back of the restaurant had to have another exit—a kitchen door, perhaps. If I could just make it there without him noticing…
Maxim paused, his gaze lingering on a spot dangerously close to my hiding place. Our eyes met for the briefest of seconds across the dimly lit room, and a shiver of fear went through me.
Fuck.
I swallowed hard.
When a waiter walked past me carrying a tray of drinks, I seized the opportunity and sprinted into the kitchen. My heart pounded in my chest as I searched for a rear exit and when my eyes finally landed on one, I burst right through it.
Maxim wasn’t far behind me.
I hit the alley with my lungs burning, the cold night air harsh against my throat as I sprinted for freedom.
Maxim was alarmingly close behind me. I could hear the steady, determined thuds of his boots against the pavement. He was relentless.
Just as I dared to push even harder, his arms encircled my waist from behind, lifting me off the ground with an ease that left me breathless and disoriented. My feet kicked at the air uselessly as he held me tight against his chest, stopping my flight with infuriating efficiency.
“Let me go!” I shouted, twisting and turning in his grip, trying to land a kick. My heel swiped through the air, missing him by inches. His hold only tightened on me, but that didn’t stop me from fighting him.
I wouldn’t give up.
“Riley, stop.” Maxim’s voice was a low rumble in my ear, surprisingly calm amidst the chaos. “You’re not going to get away like this.”
I struggled against him, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps. “Why are you doing this? I can take care of myself!”
Maxim adjusted his hold, setting me down but keeping his arms around me, ensuring I couldn’t bolt again. His blue eyes met mine, intense and searching.
“Because it’s not just about you being able to handle yourself. It’s about making sure you’re safe and you remain that way.”
“Safe?” I scoffed, still trying to wriggle free. “Or is this really about controlling where I am and what I know?”
He shook his head, his expression firm. “You’ve seen enough tonight to know what kind of danger follows people like me. I can’t just let you get swept up in what comes next.”
“I don’t need your protection,” I hissed, frustration boiling over as I realized the futility of my attempts to escape.
“You’re going to take it whether you like it or not, little girl,” he replied, his tone far too stern for my liking.
How dare he speak to me like that?
“I’m not a little girl,” I spat back, jerking my body away from him as hard as I could, but his hold on me was too strong. I didn’t even budge an inch, which was frustrating to say the least.
“Then stop acting like one,” he countered, and I glared at him so fiercely that if looks could kill, mine would have felled him in an instant.
With a decisive motion that brooked no argument, Maxim shifted his grip on me, effortlessly lifting and throwing me over his shoulder. His hard shoulder pressed into my stomach as he strode confidently back in the direction we had come.
“Put me down!” I screeched, my voice muffled against the coarse fabric of his coat.
