I Want To Paint Your Lips

Chapter 12

“Soon” was further away than Evan had liked.

Delirious stuck close to him as they’d walked. He was radiating anxiety and his tight lips showed his pain all too easily. Evan could feel his internal struggle of his partner as he fought and argued with the voices. The vulnerability of his bare face always affected his strength against them.

Evan just focussed on getting them both out, repeatedly knocking his hand against his Delirious’ to remind him that he wasn’t alone. To remind him that Evan was there and he was going to be there for a long time. As they made their way down winding corridors, avoiding the main halls, he allowed Delirious to link two of their fingers for further comfort.

“Mr Fong?”

Shit.

Evan rose his eyes and slowed his pace as the woman closed a door behind her. She wore a bright grin and big eyes. Without hesitation, she stuck out her hand invitingly. “Hi! I’m Eveline Warner! I’m going to be standing in for you in taking care of Delirious. It’s so nice to meet you, I’ve heard such good things about your skills in taking care of patients!” Her voice bounced around the area and Delirious stepped back slightly, keeping his head low and fingers linked with Evan’s behind the man’s back.

Evan faked a smile. “Hey I’d love to chat but I have to take care of something really urgently,” he forced out between grit teeth. He didn’t have time to worry about this chick. She wouldn’t be standing in for him or doing anything with Delirious any time soon.

She frowned lightly at his dismissal and stepped back a moment to look at his partner, confusion drawn all over her face. Delirious’ eyes flicked up to look up at her, head still bowed in fear. The moment her eyes caught his, she stumbled back and slapped the button on her walkie. She reached for her other hip.

The fingers in Evan’s vanished and Delirious slammed the woman against the wall.

Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

“Delirious!” Evan hissed as the woman clawed at the fingers that tightened around her throat, holding her up off the ground as her walkie started to vibrate. Delirious didn’t budge and his lips pulled back into a smirk as he felt her windpipe crush beneath his fingers. Not a word left his lips and he stepped back, her body dropping to the ground, crumpling in on itself. “Fuck!” Evan cursed, grabbing Delirious’ shoulder and yanking him back. The icy eyes met his with a ferocity that vanished in seconds. “Move!” he barked, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down the hall. He felt his walkie vibrate at his hip, flicking the off button as he ran, Delirious right behind him.

They darted around a corner and two hands grabbed Evan’s shoulders to stop him from colliding head on with someone. Delirious crashed into his back, staggering. Evan’s mind raced and he bounced into action, grabbing the arms of the man he didn’t know. He yanked down at his elbows, pulling him close and jerking his knee up into his gut.

“What the-” the man wheezed and collapsed against the wall. Delirious yanked his walkie from his hands before he could call to anyone and shoved Evan forward.

The two ran alongside each other, ducking through a door into a quieter hallway. They moved with swiftness and silence, Evan glancing around each corner. He flinched at any sound and at one point they had moved past a woman walking with a stack of files in her arms. When she had called after them, neither had responded or even spared her a glance.

They rounded a corner that lead straight to the entrance to the building and were met with two men with guns standing at the very door they needed to pass through. Evan’s lungs clenched and he stepped up, confidently walking with his eyes on the door. He could feel Delirious right behind him and he had a hand on the door when one of the officers put fingers to his chest and looked him up and down.