Page 9 of The Runaway

“Your girlfriend must be happy.” Breaking from my dark thoughts, I jumped in surprise as Joci materialized behind me. She smiled, her smooth, pale face rosy and eyes bright with happiness. “Hello, Jacob.”

“Joci— yeah, hey—” Gingerly wrapping an arm around her waist, I hugged her lightly, and the strangest sensation tingled my side. “I don’t know abouthappy, but at least she got an apology… even though it wasn’t to her face. What are you doing in Manhattan?”

“I don’t know. I don’t care. I’d rather hang out with you.” Smiling broadly, I nodded as the line became a little shorter; there were so many people around that it’d take us 20 minutes just to step foot in the pizza place. Joci gazed up at me, the thick eyeliner making her doe-brown eyes bigger, and my mouth dried as expectancy locked my lungs. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, of course you can. Are you hiding from your friends again?” She nodded without any hesitation, a shadow passing through her eyes before they left mine. Curiosity sparked in my chest, but I ignored it for the moment as I unhooked my arm from her waist. “I may have been a little harsh on Caleb, but his shit needs to stop. It’s worse knowing I don’t have a usual reason to kick him out. You were right, Joci. I don’t want him around, and that’s got to be reason enough.”

“He’s an asshole.” Chuckling as she waved her hand in dismissal, I nodded before Joci reached to grab my hand. Her unexpected touch sent shocks up my arm, and my brows furrowed as she pressed my palm against the small of her back. Under her jacket but over her shirt, the hairs on the back of my hand bristled when she arched, a pained expression thinning her lips. Thepopof something under her skin wasloudand shifted noticeably under my palm, and alarm bells rang in my head. “I’m sorry— my back hurts, and I can’t reach.”

9

Joci

Icouldn’t help but look over my shoulder nervously, and my brows furrowed as I scanned the crowded streets. With so many people, the cold air wasn’t so cold, but I shuffled closer to Jacob anyway. His lean arm against my back tightened slightly, his warmth radiating through his and my coats to seep into my ruined skin.

“Is everything okay, Joci?” Jacob’s murmur laced thickly with concern, and I nodded automatically. My body ached dully—everywherewas a time bomb just waiting for the moment I sit down to go off. “I don’t believe you, but okay.”

“… I’ve been all over all day long. It’s not good.” I didn’t like anyone knowing how fragile I really was, and he hummed softly in acknowledgment. My chest tightened at those words I’d never spoke before. They left a bad taste on my tongue. “It’s a secret.”

“I’m pretty good at those.” Jacob wouldn’t press me for details, but, maybe, that’s why I felt like I could give them. Inhaling a sharp breath, I folded my arms over my chest and rocked back on my heels into his side. We were slowly but surely getting closer to the pizza place, and even my watering mouth couldn’t wash away the sourness on my tongue.

“My ex tortured me for breaking up with him. No one knows how bad it is.” Tensing with a slight hitch of his breath, Jacob frowned as I glared at the ground. I couldn’t look at his face, and anger at my own stupidity pouted my lips. “He hold me above the floor— that’s why my arm caps hurt like that. There’s other stuff, too.”

“Oh… that’s… I don’t really know what to say to that.” I shrugged lightly, scuffing the heel of my boot against the concrete. Jacob didn’t make me look at him, only flexing his palm against my back as he sighed roughly. “That’s some shit. Is that why you moved here? You’re not safe or something in Russia?”

“Yeah. He can find me anywhere— anywhere but America. He’s not allowed in America.” My English really needed work, and that shame heated my face as silence nestled between us. “I broke up with him because he’s evil.”

“Sounds like it.” What else was there to say about Anatoly?Nothing.I didn’t want to talk about him. I didn’t want him to linger over me like a ghost whose only purpose was revenge. Moving to America wouldn’t mean anything if I didn’t leave Anatoly in Russia. “Do you have anyone to talk to about this kind of thing? Are you going to see a therapist?”

“I’m not sure yet. We still have to sign stuff. When they go back, I am here— until then, I am planning. Like you said, Jacob. It’s better to have a plan. I didn’t come here with one, but I can make one.” Resolve firmed in my chest at my own words, and I shook my head wildly to free myself of my disturbing thoughts. Jacob’s warm smile shone on me like the weak sun peeking through dark clouds heavy with snow. “How about your day?”

“I feel a lot better now that Caleb’s not on my ass. He’s been bugging me since he got home at 2-ish. He works doubles all weekend, so he’ll be too tired to argue with me about kicking him out, at least.” Interest twitched my brows, and Jacob reached his free hand to rub the back of his neck and roll his head in discomfort. “He just got on my nerves. He invited himself with me when I told him I wanted to go alone, and then got upset that I was annoyed with him.”

“Yeah. Why you didn’t lose him on the train? That’s what I did.” American transportation wasdisgustinglycongested, but it could be that I just wasn’t used to it. Watching Jacob shrug lightly and shake his head, I pursed my lips thinly. “You grow up in New York City?”

“Yeah, I did. It’s harder to get rid of people once you get the flow of human traffic. It becomes a thoughtless process to find someone in the crowd. How are you handling the culture shift?” My mind went blank at that question, and we shuffled along as I tried to find an answer. The smell of American pizza was thick in the frigid air, muddying my thoughts even more.

“If I was poor, it would be worse. Rich people can do a lot of Western stuff.” Even though I’d been living off Makovich money these past five years, I didn’t think that detail mattered. “The world is smaller for rich people. Have you been outside America?”

“I went to Mexico a few times in college to party, but… no, not really. I’m not missing anything. Travel is stressful. So, where did you go today, Joci? How’d you end up here?” I glanced behind me again, a sigh of relief slithering up from deep in my chest. “I’m surprised your friend didn’t try to call you, yet.”

“I turned my phone off. It’s fine. We went to see the Statue of Liberty and Time Square. It started to hurt after that. They’re somewhere around here. Ophelia doesn’t know. I’m glad I found you.” His smile rustled his thin stubble, and heat suffused my cheeks. Rolling my lower lip between my teeth, my heart thundered, and the marred skin on my back tightened when Jacob pressed his palm just above my ass.

“I’m flattered you turned off your phone to spend time with me.” Oh— I hoped Jacob would kiss me, and blood drummed furiously in my ears. His face drew close, until I was worried his beautiful features would distort from my eyes crossing. “I’m glad you found me, too, Joci.”

Slowly, Jacob raised his arm out of the extreme peripheral of my vision, and the fine hairs on my face stood up. Anticipation tingled my lips as my heart went wild. Closing my eyes, I held my breath in flaming lungs before his fingertips pressed against my forehead.

And, so, so gingerly, Jacob ran his fingers up my crown and through my hair. Wisps of hair tickled my face as he pulled them back, andpleasurecoursed through my veins. Sucking in a sharp breath through my nose, I clenched my jaw hard as the unfamiliar sensation of my hair moving rippled down my neck. He scratched my crown, his fingers firm even while I craned into his touch. Hugging myself to keep my scars from bursting open at the incredible euphoria of such a simple action, I gripped the sides of my jacket with white-knuckle tightness.

“You’re so cute— like a cat.” A shiver lodged between my shoulder blades, and I tensed as my eyelids popped open. Jacob’s eyes glittered with tenderness, his fingers burying deep in my hair to slide down. Licking my lips heavily, I cleared my throat a little, but the dense lump there didn’t budge.

“No one touches me… there.”That sounds bad!My pupils blew as my own faltering confession echoed in my ears, but Jacob’s hand against my lower back stopped me from stepping away. Palming the back of my head, he held my cheek to his chest to knead my scalp.

“That’s really good for me, then.” Embarrassment thickened my tongue until I couldn’t breathe, and he pulled back to smirk at me. Blood rushed to my face, and I gulped harshly when his hands finally fell from me. Humming a strangled sound, I jerked my head in a nod as my frazzled nerves tingled wildly.

“Uh— Uh— so… so— p-pizza…” The flames engulfing my face intensified, and I reached to keep my cheeks from melting right off my skull. “You’re terrible.”

“Sometimes.” Peeking out between my fingers at the dull reply, my breath hitched when Jacob’s smirk faded. “I was up all night thinking about it— how do you wash your hair— scratch an itch— what happens if it’s really windy out? You can’t put your hair in a ponytail.”