Red String Of Fate

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

-- Back in New York –

I picked up the paper on the desk. I ran my eyes over and over the printed image and felt the reality of the situation weigh down on my shoulders. The picture captured the moment I was entering the school with Devon. I was smiling and laughing at something he had said. A large bold text was written in the body of the email.

ONLY ONE MAN ON HER, THORNE? THAT’S DISAPPOINTING. KEEP AN EYE ON THIS SWEETHEART. ENJOY YOUR TIME TOGETHER. YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOUR LAST WILL BE. SHOULD I END HER LIKE I DID WITH YOUR MOTHER? SHOULD I? WHADDAYA SAY?

“They … they were there?” I noticed the slight waver in my tone as I asked the question. I begged him telepathically to say it was a joke and that he had just hired to take it to teach me a lesson. I eyed their grim faces before collapsing down onto a chair.

“One of them was there.” Kyler sat and stared at the email, looking put out.

“I ran the scan. I traced the IP address to a computer café a few towns over from Genesis High. I had a guy fly over and he just sent me his report. The café only had dummy cameras at the entrance. He dusted the computer a few times. No finger prints. According to the guy that was working at the time, the place was pretty much deserted. It was a school day and all. He did recall someone that was in at the time the email was sent. White. Wore a baseball cap, white shirt and jeans. Black leather jacket despite the hot weather and gloves, leather as well. Blonde hair. That’s probably our guy. He didn’t get a good look at the face though so we don’t have enough to generate a sketch. We also looked into the email address. He made it there. Fake information. We found the camera in a bin at the location. No prints … basically, nothing.” Devon concluded and Kyler spun around on his chair to face the city panorama from the wide window.

“Dammit.” He cursed and slammed his hands down on the arm rests. The tight silence hung in the air for a while before he spun back around and looked me square in the eye.

“You will stay with me at every single moment of each and every day. I don’t care anymore. If anything happens, I will not forgive myself.” He ended it with a dismissive tone and I got up to leave before he yelled again. “Did you not hear what I just said?”

I pushed down all the fear and yelled back. “I have work to do. I’ll be at your villa. There’s security there right?”

“Move into my office. Devon, go.” He spoke with authority and I sat back down, frustrated.

“Kyler, look, I’m making a wedding dress. It’ll be noisy, I can’t work here.” I reasoned as calmly as I could but he refused to listen.

“No. I don’t care. That’s final. Devon, go get her stuff and move it into my office.”

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I weaved my needle back and forth through the cream coloured material and formed sash I was hoping for. I grinned satisfied and laid it aside. I picked the ivory base of the dress and continued to cut and sew. I grimaced at the loud whirl of the machine and made a mental note to go by a quiet one.

After a few hours of studious sewing, I held up the base and gave it a once over. I placed it back down on the desk before beginning to create folds in the bottom half of the dress. I worked my way through it for a while before I felt warmth against the side of my arm. I looked up in surprise to see Kyler sit down on a chair opposite me with his own coffee.

“Thanks.” I put down the scissors, dropped the needle and picked up the cup. I sipped it quietly, waiting for him to say something.

“You’ve been working for a long time. Take a break.” He suggested and I laughed.