CHAPTER 8: LIKE THAT

KRISTIAN

The streets blur as we run.

My chest heaves, my heart pounding hard and loud enough to drown out everything else.

Still running, Adrian glances back briefly at something behind me, then shifts his gaze to me. “Use this opportunity to admire the beautiful city!”

He keeps running while I listen to his advice.

The cold air bites at my face, but it’s a welcome sting. Around us, Södermalm is alive. The cobblestones glisten with faint pools of moisture, and the light from old-fashioned streetlamps pools in uneven patches on the ground.

Bars and cafes line the streets, their windows glowing softly, full of people laughing and drinking, oblivious to the world outside. The smell of coffee is as sharp as the breeze, and my breath fogs in the air as I struggle to keep up with Adrian.

He doesn’t let go of my hand. His grip is firm, and it pulls me forward like a lifeline.

When I’ve admired the city enough, I manage to ask between breaths. “Why are we running?”

He glances back at me, his dark curls bouncing with every step, his grin wild. “Bouncers,” he answers breathlessly. “Think they’re mad we didn’t pay the cover.”

I frown, trying to process his words because they don’t completely make sense. When I walked in, no one tried to charge me a fee. And why would they go as far as to chase us even outside the club?

I glance back and see them—two large men moving quickly through the crowd behind us. They actually look like bouncers dressed in all black with squared shoulders.

They could even pass as bodyguards.

My stomach twists, but instead of fear, something else bubbles to the surface.

Excitement.

Adrenaline surges through me, making everything sharper. The sound of our feet slamming against the cobblestones, the cold air filling my lungs, the way my hand fits so perfectly in Adrian’s—it’s intoxicating.

He yanks me around a corner, and I nearly crash into him as he slows for just a second to scan the street ahead.

Now that he’s told me to, I’m taking note of everything around me. I used to always be so focused on the tasks on hand that things around me faded.

But not tonight. Not with Adrian.

The buildings here are older, their stone facades weathered but charming. A neon sign for a kebab shop flickers weakly on the corner, and the faint sound of laughter echoes from somewhere nearby.

I steal another glance behind us. The men are still there, their broad shoulders cutting through the crowd like a pair of battering rams. My pulse spikes, but for some reason, I’m not worried about being caught. I’m not thinking about my parents or the palace or the scandal this would cause.

All I can think about is him.

Adrian pulls me again, his pace quickening. His breath puffs out in visible clouds, and I can feel the heat radiating from his body even through the layers between us. “Almost there,” he says, though I have no idea where “there” is.

He leads me down another narrow street, darker than the rest. The shadows seem to press closer here, the light barely reaching past the edges of the buildings. My boots skid slightly on the slick cobblestones, and Adrian tightens his grip, steadying me.

Then he stops abruptly, spinning us into a dark alley.

Before I can react, he presses me back against the rough stone wall. The cold seeps through my jacket, but all I notice is him. His body is so close I can feel his warmth, his chest rising and falling against mine.

“Stay quiet,” he whispers.

His hands are on either side of me, braced against the wall. He’s not touching me, not exactly, but his presence is overwhelming. The faint scent of his cologne mixed with the cold air makes me feel dizzy with every inhale.

I hear the heavy footsteps first, getting closer. My breath catches, and I hold it, every nerve in my body on edge. Adrian leans in slightly, his head just inches from mine, his curls brushing my cheek.

I can’t think. I can’t breathe.

The men pass by the alley, their voices low as they talk. I don’t catch their words, but I can see the worry on Adrian’s face. I can almost hear how hard his heart is hammering. He must have really offended those bouncers.

The footsteps eventually fade, and silence settles over us. I exhale slowly, my breath mingling with his in the small space between us.

His gaze meets mine, dark and intense. For a moment, neither of us moves. Even though the danger seems far away now, we remain where we are.

My heart still races, and I feel Adrian’s body press harder against mine.

What I don’t understand is that I want him even closer than this. Standing here in this wild, breathless moment doesn’t feel enough. I want his hands closer. I want him close enough that our heartbeats become one.

I want…I want something. I don’t know what it is, but my skin tingles with need.

I let out a shaky breath. Adrian's curls brush my forehead as he leans slightly closer, his gaze fixed on mine.

“What are you thinking of?” He asks in a low voice.

“No—nothing.”

“Then why are you looking at me like that?”

I swallow. “Like what?”

He leans in closer. “Like that.”

There’s a suggestion in his voice that makes my body throb.

The air between us feels charged, like it might explode if either of us moves. I can feel the warmth of his breath on my cheek, and the sensation seems to spread to every part of my body.

This is stupid. Reckless. I should move. I should step away.

I don’t.

The corner of Adrian’s mouth quirks up in a faint, teasing smile, and that’s all it takes.

I lean in before I can stop myself, the space between us disappearing in an instant.

Our lips meet, and I release a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding.

The kiss is soft and hesitant at first, but my pulse spikes as I feel him smile through the kiss.

Then his mouth moves against mine, and my head spins.

My hands move on their own, brushing against his sides, gripping his jacket to steady myself. Adrian’s hands grip my arm, and I shudder at his touch.

The wall behind me is cold as hell, but all I feel is him—his lips, his warmth, the sheer energy radiating off him like a storm.

It’s nothing like I expected.

It’s everything.

For a moment, I forget who I am.

More than that—I become someone else entirely.