Acumen: Riddling Life

42. Hit and Run

Halfway through, far voices speaking in rapid Italian grow louder in worrying speed. Adrien's grasp tightens as he jogs, making me run behind him. Expecting to keep on going in a straight line, he makes a swift turn into a narrow alley, causing me to almost lose my balance. He climbs up the stairs to a house two at a time and as he reaches the landing helps me go up the five steps. He peeps out. They come closer and his hand settles on my bare shoulder-blade.

"I think the guy was a drug lord, maybe the owner of the club or something. I saw him getting off his car when I was on the phone," he mutters. His focus set on the entrance of the alley. Oh shit. "He had about twenty-five bodyguards. Probably eleven of them are chasing us. We can outrun them," he whispers, his warm breath tickling me. His jade eyes lock with mine. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen," he softly promises. He gently squeezes my shoulder in reassurance. I nod and he smiles.

The shuffling footsteps near. I shut my eyelids and focus on them. They're panting too. They part and only two men's steps' echo in the vacant passageway. I cease breathing and Adrien's arm slides around my waist, pulling me to himself protectively. He places his mouth next to my ear, "Be ready to run," he murmurs, tingling my skin.

But then they stop. One of them complaining that they would have seen us if we were here. With reluctance, the other agrees and they retreat. Relief washes through me as I relax and dare myself to open my eyes and instantly become trapped in his. An unreadable emotion flickering in them. He scans my face, darting from my eyes to my lips and back up again, repeating a few times.

The sounds grow distant, but my heartbeat's rate accelerates. I'm almost certain it has to do with the intensity of Adrien's gaze and not this absurd situation I've got us all into.

"We should start moving," I push out the words, and something in him snaps. Hesitantly, he nods and backs away.

He descends the steps and holds out his hand for me and helps me climb them down too. We make our way to the end of the alley and enter a narrow and darker than the previous one.

Halfway through it, he stops and turns, letting go of me. "We have to stay here until we're confident they've left from the main ways that lead to our hotel," he states and leans to the brick wall next to him.

The humidity can be sensed. This could only mean we are still near the river. It's too dark for my liking, and I'm grateful that life is not a flop action thriller movie, otherwise, this would have been the beginning of our problems.

I nod and lean to the wall across from him. The contact causes chills to run down my spine as the warmth from all the running is replaced by the cool air. Tonight is going to be a chilly night for me. With a sigh, I rub my palms on my upper arms.

The realization of what I did creeps into my mind.

I hit someone with a beer bottle. Not just any man, a club owner or maybe a gangster. Also ran from a bunch of bad guys. This is literally my first ever actual adventure!

An unfamiliar sensation courses through my body as my lips tug upwards until I'm full-on grinning to myself.

"What?" Adrien's voice brings me to reality.

I shake my head. "Nothing," I mumble. The strange sensations mix with shame and fear.

Did I kill him?

What if he dies? Oh my gosh, I'll be a murderer! I'd be screwed.

My Harvard admission? My future? Mom and Dad!

"Do you think he died?" I blurt out, unable to function better or control my thoughts and drumming heart.

The only source of light is from the moon and a faraway building's widow. Adrien appears odd in this lighting when he looks at me, his eyes fix on my face. Without hesitating, he replies, "No,"