Kill Or Be Killed

Chapter Twelve

Scale Number: 1

"I'm ready," Caterina's voice tore him from his thoughts. His eyes settled on her, taking in the outfit she chose to wear based on his choice of clothing. A top that was navy blue with long lace sleeves that flared out around their hands. Dipping low, she wore a charcoal tank top to keep from showing too much cleavage. A black pair of dress pants that formed to her thighs and cuffed around the cowgirl boots she wore underneath.

"Well?" She asked a little self-consciously now when he made no comment of any kind.

He wanted to tell her she would look beautiful even if she were to decide on wearing a potato sack, but decided with a stiff nod instead. "Let's go," leading them outside, he locked the door behind him, leaving the light on. That way if someone were to stop by to 'visit' then he would at least know.

Escorting her to the passenger side of his truck, he opened the door for her, closing it once he knew she was tucked inside safely. Only then did he walk around to the driver's seat, debating on if he was doing the right thing, bringing her along. But when she gave him a bright smile, one that said she was truly joyous for him bringing her with, as he climbed into the vehicle, his indecisiveness vanished completely.

It was almost half an hour before they reached the blacktop, the driveway to the cabin was over a mile long on its own, leading to a back road which led to another.

It was then she finally asked, "So, where are we going?"

The Sepireer chose his words carefully before replying, "I have some investments in a couple of different businesses outside of my investigative work." Casting a sideways glance at her, "My most lucrative being a couple of the nightclubs that littered the continent."

It wasn't a lie, it just happened to be the one place he planned on meeting Halrim, who'd just called him to say he'd found something important in the investigation of Jession. Apparently it was something so important that it couldn't wait another couple hours, let alone until morning. Which meant he had either followed the false trail that Kalayavan had created linking their two cases, or he had missed something and his well trained prodezha had found the evidence.

He would keep his woman in his private booth, where she would be safe and unseen by his fellow Relevent.

Caterina thought about his answer, punching her lips together in a thin line before nodding her head a couple of times. "I guess, that makes sense," it wasn't until her smirk broke through that he knew she was messing with him. "You don't know how to have fun, so you own the closest thing you could get."

His palm twitched at her playfulness, if he didn't think it was too early, he would have pulled the truck over to show her just how much fun he knew how to have. When he was done with her, she would never question his ability to enjoy activities again. "Oh the fun I could introduce you to, Caterina." He couldn't help himself from enjoying the slight flush that armed her skin under the glow of the dashboard lights.

Although she turned her head away, he could have sworn he heard her mutter, "Promises, promises."

Which nearly forced him to hit the breaks and pull them off into one of the many dirt trails that littered the woods around them. She was lucky he had things to tend to, otherwise he would have taken her roughly against a tree faster than she could beg for mercy.

The rest of their ride was silent, until they pulled up to the back of a familiar building with loud thumping music spilling out. He didn't miss how she tensed, her excitement vanishing as panic quickly flooded her in exchange. "Cat, look at me," she did as he commanded, her eyes widening a bit at the use of her nickname. "You're safe with me, do you understand?"