Chapter 5 05

05

It was the same group of guys that saw me crying in my car at the stoplight. Just my luck. I guess the universe really wanted to keep me humiliated. Still, I took the time to actually look at him now-really look.

He was tall-like six feet of solid muscle tall-with jet-black hair that curled slightly at the ends. He wore a tight white shirt that clung to his chest and arms, showing off every defined muscle like he knew exactly what it did to people. His dark blue jeans were faded and scrunched up at the bottom, tucked into combat boots that made his entire presence feel even more intimidating.

His friends flanked him like a little army. The one on the left had short brown hair and startling blue eyes that practically glowed under the porch light. The guy on the right had shaggy dirty blond hair and piercing green eyes that didn't blink nearly enough for my comfort. The last one had shaggy brown hair that curled just a bit at the ends and deep brown eyes that looked warm-but also a little wild.

They were all tall. Broad shoulders. Chiseled jaws. The type of guys you'd see in a magazine or maybe guarding the gates of Valhalla. Every instinct in my body screamed that something wasn't normal about them. They were too... intense.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when the black-haired guy stepped forward without warning and yanked me straight into his chest. My breath hitched as he pressed his face into the crook of my neck and inhaled deeply, like he'd been starving for air and I was oxygen.

"Uh-what the hell?" I froze, my body tensing like a steel trap as he wrapped his arms around me. I felt his thumb glide slowly across the back of my hand in a weirdly gentle, almost loving motion.

"Okay. This is a little too weird for me. So if you could let me go, that would be great," I said, trying to push away from his rock-solid chest. I might as well have tried to move a boulder. He didn't budge.

Instead, he growled-yes, actually growled-and pulled me closer like I belonged there.

"Mine."

What?

My head snapped up, and I noticed the short brown-haired guy was grinning like he'd just won the lottery.

Uh yeah. Because this isn't weird at all.

Sam, now is not the time to be sarcastic. Save that for another time. Preferably a less dangerous one.

"What is taking you so long, Sam?" Kyrn asked, stepping outside, confusion painting her face when she saw me basically bear-hugged by a hot stranger.

"Mine," I heard brown-haired guy say. And just like that, he reached for Kyrn and yanked her into his chest.

"Congrats, dude," the other guys said to him like this was all completely normal.

"You too," he replied, nodding toward black-haired guy and then looking down at Kyrn with that same weird, possessive smile.

Kyrn and I locked eyes. Hers were wide, matching the absolute what the hell expression I knew I was wearing.

"Can you please let us go?" she asked, her voice calm but clipped.

Both guys turned their eyes on us, glowing with something primal.

"No," they said at the same time, their voices low and firm.

"Fine. Shall we?" I asked Kyrn, keeping my voice light like this was some kind of game.

She smirked that wicked little smirk of hers. "We shall."

And with perfectly timed precision, we both brought our knees up-right into the most vulnerable parts of their anatomies. They dropped like sacks of potatoes.

"Run!" I hissed.

We booked it into the house, slamming the door behind us and locking it with a satisfying click. My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest. What the hell was happening?

Three seconds later-bang bang bang.

"Leave us alone, you bastards!" Kyrn shouted.

"Seriously. Go away!" I added, my voice a lot more shrill than I intended.

But the banging didn't stop. If anything, it got louder. More aggressive. The doorframe rattled with each hit.

"Back door?" I asked.

Kyrn nodded, and we darted toward the kitchen, slipping through the back exit like trained escape artists. The cool night air hit my face like freedom. We stuck to the shadows, hearts racing, breaths short.

Thank God it was dark out.

"What the hell do they want?" she whispered, barely loud enough for me to hear.

"How should I know?" I whispered back, keeping low. "I've never met them before."

Like they had super-hearing or something, both of them-black-haired guy and brown-haired guy-turned toward us at the same time. Their eyes locked on us like heat-seeking missiles.

"Shit!" we screamed.

We ran. Fast. As fast as our legs could carry us. But they were faster.

Five seconds later, I heard Kyrn scream. I whipped my head to the side just in time to see brown-haired guy scoop her up like she weighed nothing.

"Let her go!" I yelled, lunging toward him.

But I didn't even make it a full step before I was hoisted off the ground. The world tilted. Arms locked around me like iron bars.

Black-haired guy.

"Kyrn!" I screamed, thrashing in his arms.

"Sam!" she yelled back, panic thick in her voice.

We struggled, kicking and flailing, but it was like trying to fight statues. Strong statues. Hot statues. Unfortunately.

"I swear to God, if you don't put us down right now-"

"Stop fighting," he murmured into my hair, his voice low, a strange mix of command and something... softer. "I won't hurt you."

"Yeah? Funny way of showing it!" I snapped, elbowing him in the side. He didn't even flinch.

Kyrn was still squirming in brown-haired guy's arms, yelling things that would make a sailor blush. His only response was a satisfied smirk and a soft growl that made her still immediately.

"What the hell are you people?" I gasped, trying to twist around to look at him.

He didn't answer. Just tightened his grip.

"Put me down right now or I swear-"

"I can't," he said, almost like it physically pained him. "You don't understand yet. But you will."

Cryptic much?

Behind us, the other two guys were approaching slowly, their eyes scanning the area like bodyguards on alert.

Great. Just great.

Kyrn and I locked eyes again, but this time, there was something unspoken in that look.

We were in trouble.

Big, hot, muscular trouble.

And somehow... it was just beginning.