Chapter 43: Let’s Run
Kaya
The moment I hear his voice, the air in my lungs vanishes. My breath catches, and for a fleeting second, I forget everything—the dull sting blooming on my forehead, the likely red mark that will form soon. None of it matters.
All I can focus on is the intoxicating scent of pine and the firm, steady warmth of his hand resting on my waist.
"Kaya?"
The sound of my name barely registers before he suddenly spins me around. Our bodies nearly collide, the movement so abrupt that my breath stutters in my throat.
Startled, I instinctively recoil, my back knocking into the sharp edge of the shelf. Another sharp jolt of pain shoots through me, but before I can react, Magnus’s hands tighten around my waist, firm yet careful. In a swift, controlled motion, he presses me against the opposite wall—trapping me, securing me—ensuring I don’t hurt myself again.
My pulse thunders. I feel... strange. Maybe it’s the shock, or maybe it’s something deeper, something raw and unfamiliar, but for some reason, I can’t look away from him.
And yet, he doesn’t meet my gaze. His intense amber eyes are locked onto my forehead, his expression tight with concern. He’s so close—so close that I can feel the warmth of his breath as it fans across my skin with each exhale.
Then, gently, he lifts a hand and presses the back of his fingers to my forehead. The touch makes me flinch, but instead of pain, something entirely different crackles through me—an electrifying sensation, as if our skin, the very moment it meets, sparks with unseen energy.
"Kaya," he murmurs again, firmer this time. The sound of my name in his voice snaps me out of whatever haze I’ve fallen into.