The Dangerous Storm

Six

Once Erin finished getting dressed and ran her fingers through her hair in the passenger seat as Yates drove them to New York, he remarked, 'I'm surprised you're obeying orders, Detective,' while running his hand over her cheek.

The brunette quickly shifted away from his touch and warned, 'Keep touching me, and I'll bite your hand.' Yates chuckled, withdrawing his hand back to the wheel.

Erin leaned her head against the window, gazing outside. It was ten at night, and they had been driving for about three hours. 'Will you explain why you're doing this?' she inquired, turning her hazel eyes to Yates, who met her gaze.

'Would you like to know the reason?' Yates responded, fixing his gaze on the road ahead. 'If I didn't want to know, I wouldn't have asked. So, what drives you to torment women?' Erin asked pointedly, clarifying, 'I am not interested in riddles.'

Erin gritted her teeth as Yates moved his hand back to her thigh. She despised the black dress he had forced her to wear before they departed the cabin, and she detested how he frightened her each time he touched her.

'Perhaps if you behave, Detective, I might share part of the story with you,' Yates remarked as he ran his thumb along her exposed skin. Although Erin wanted to move her leg away, she thought it wiser to play along, hoping it would help her escape once they reached New York.

She simply nodded at his words and reached for his hand, prompting a chuckle from him. 'Ah, does the Detective finally know her place?' he taunted as he tightened his grip on her hand.

Erin remained silent, gazing out the window as she heard him chuckle. Yates reached to turn the radio on, tuning in to the news. Erin buried her face in her hand, saying through gritted teeth, 'Turn it off or at the very least insert a CD.'

Erin opened her eyes and cast a disapproving glance at him as he chuckled, 'You don't like the news, Detective? But it's about you,' Yates said with a smirk. 'Shut up!' Erin snapped, biting her cheek when she felt him pinch her thigh hard.

'Watch your mouth, missy,' he warned, then inserted a CD from the car. Erin sighed, relieved that the case was something she could handle.

Erin allowed her eyes to close again once she had formulated a plan to escape from Yates and reach the Special Victims Unit building. Feeling something drape over her shoulders, she opened an eye to find that Yates had thrown her jacket over her.

'We wouldn't want you to get sick, Detective,' he remarked, but Erin ignored him and went back to sleep.

The next few hours passed quickly for them, and they eventually reached the New York border. Erin slowly opened her eyes as she heard the car engine turn off, and she raised her head to see that they had arrived at a small diner.

Yates alighted from the vehicle and proceeded to the side where Erin was situated, opening the door," What is our purpose for being here?" inquired the brunette as Yates extracted her from the car," to dine, naturally."

Upon being escorted inside the dining establishment, Erin emitted a groan as Yates directed her to a booth," I am certain you must be famished, Detective," Yates initiated as he settled her in the booth," You have not consumed anything since our departure from Chicago."

The brunette acknowledged he was correct, although nourishment was the least of her concerns. She surveyed the dining area, noting the scarce presence of patrons likely due to the early hour.

Erin contemplated this as an opportunity to flee once Yates turned away, Invisalign her escape strategy. Her musings were abruptly interrupted by the waitress," May I take your order?" queried the young waitress.