Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 55059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55059 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
“I’m Ryu,” he finally announced with a released breath, and it was like the mystery man could finally breathe now, making him even more of a mystery to her despite finally learning something about him.
The way he seemed to look at her was way different than anyone had looked at her after the accident, and even different than how Kenji looked at her. It was similar, as it wasn’t out of disgust, but more powerful—much more powerful—yet so pure. There was something she doubted in Kenji’s eyes that had her flight mode kicking in, and while she was frightened of Ryu, the longer she stood before him, the less she felt the need to run. She would think she might still feel the need to fight, but truthfully, she wasn’t much of a fighter, and it was clear there was absolutely no point against him.
Usually, her gut, bones, and all the other matter in her body told her to run from dangerous men. So, why was every cell in her body now telling her she was in the right place at the right time? It wasn’t like it wasn’t clear that Ryu was, in fact, dangerous, yet her body felt magnetized to his.
She kept her feet steady on the ground, but it wasn’t without difficulty, as she internally ached to move closer to him with each passing second.
The question was: did he feel it, too?
While her body might be convinced of him, her mind had yet to be.
“Why is it that I’ve never seen you around the village before, Ryu?” She repeated his name as if to commit it to memory.
“I live in the next village over.” His eyes wavered, like they were searching for something, until they landed on her tote with the contents of her market run spilling out. “To get supplies.”
Okay, now I really need to run.
Eira’s own eyes searched around for the best escape route, and right when she had decided which way to run, he did something to distract her.
Ryu crouched to the ground, holding his hands out in surrender. “Please, don’t run.”
Pausing in astonishment, she knew full well she should be booking it back to the house. Instead, she couldn’t help herself from asking, “Why are you crouching?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted in defeat. “I thought I might seem less intimidating down here.”
“Well, you’re not. It’s making it worse. I feel like you’re about to pounce on me at any second.”
“Sorry, I’m just scared you’ll run from me, and then—” He breathed, rising back up ever so slowly, debating on whether he wanted to say his next words. “And then, I’ll never see you again.”
Strangely, it felt like Eira held all the power from the sheer desperation in his voice.
Her chest suddenly became heavy again as she whispered, “Why?”
Ryu thought for several more anguished, breathless moments, still wondering exactly what he wanted to reveal. “If I tell you, then you really will run from me.”
A knowing chill went down her spine …
He felt it, too.
5
Make No Promises
The rain droplets falling onto her cheeks reminded her that she needed to get going, that her grandmother was probably getting worried sick about her.
“I really need to get home,” Eira announced, quickly picking up her tote and fallen-out contents. Wanting to begin her journey, she was careful to go the long way around him. She thought that might be it between them, which strangely caused her heart to scream out in pain, but then she looked back to see he was following her, keeping the same distance that was already between them. It should have scared the hell out of her, so why did it make her heart sing? “What are you doing?”
“Well, I really can’t let you walk home in this storm alone.”
“Yes, you can.” She had to yell back at him over the rain. “I’ve walked this trail a million times. I’ll be fin—”
Eira fell as fast and as hard as the pouring rain that had suddenly started coming down. She had barely gotten her brain unscrambled before he almost …
“Don’t!” she screamed out in horror.
Ryu had quickly closed the distance and was just about to touch her arm when he halted his hand. Calmly, he spoke in an even, soothing tone, careful not to move another muscle. “I was only going to help you up, I promise.”
Eerily, she believed him, but … “Please, just don’t touch me.”
“I know we only just met”—the plea in her eyes had Ryu’s voice turning soft—“but I can promise you here and now that I wouldn’t ever hurt you, Eira.”
Again, everything about herself told her to trust him at his vow. However, that wasn’t the problem.
“If you don’t ever want to hurt me, then swear to me you’ll never touch me. Not even if I’m falling.”
“I ca—” Even through the pouring rain, it was clear in Ryu’s fierce eyes that he didn’t want to agree to that, but then he backed off. He didn’t put the kind of distance that had been there before between them, but he at least gave her a foot, showing her he didn’t want to go far. “I swear not to touch you until you ask it of me, if you make a promise to me in return.”