TouchNode | Complete

16 | The Safety of the Trees

The curtain of leaves can hide many things, especially those that go bump in the night.

"If you don't let me go right now, I'm going to scream."

He smirked, "you did that once before, or was it twice?"

"You won't be able to stop it with a kiss."

A switch seemed to flick inside him. His eyes, once mildly amused, had darkened considerably and became borderline insane. Euphrates moved close to me, leaning over my tilted head.

"Are you threatening me?"

I smiled, "tomato, tomahto..."

"Devani." My name ground between his teeth. "Are you trying to threaten me?"

"I'd say it's more like... encouraging you to make the right decision."

"And, according to you, what would that be?" He raised his eyebrows in question, trying to fight a smile from curling his lips.

"Avoiding possible assault charges and let's not talk about the problems you'll have with MPD. Do what I ask, Euphrates. Release me."

"You honestly think the police can save you? And MPD?" His brief laugh echoed in the small room. "I can handle Ballarina and Carter."

My lips thinned, "yeah, but you still won't know where I am."

"You say that as if it'll be hard to find you." His left hand caressed my cheek, "you will still attend parties as required by your contract. You'll just travel from another location." A sigh left him, "tell me. How hard do you think it'll be to follow you back home?"

"Don't you dare--"

"Devani?" We both jumped the second we heard a third voice. It was light, slightly confused and a little out of breath. Slowly, Euphrates turned and stepped away from me, letting me see the door. My brain whirled at the possibilities associated with the voice, but only one name came to mind.

"Kardena?"

The woman just outside the fitting room door sighed deeply, as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She leaned against the wall next to the door and let, what sounded like, her head fall back against it. Her body slid down the side, and came to rest on the floor before she answered.

"Yes." Her breath puffed out again, "I'm so glad I found you. I thought I was going back to headquarters empty-handed."

I wiggled against the knot above my head, nearly forgetting it existed. He was still inside the room with me, opening staring down between my legs. Half annoyed, a hiss came from my mouth, loud enough to catch his attention.

"What?" His voice a deep whisper. "Is there something bothering you?"

"Let me out of this knot now."

"I don't respond well to threats, love."

I groused under my breath, "I'm not your love. I'm not anything but an obsession. Now, let me go."

"Devani?" Kardena's voice called through the door. "Is there someone else in there with you?"

Euphrates grinned and shook his hand tauntingly. Stuck between lying and telling the truth, I patiently waited until he realized I wasn't playing this game anymore to answer. Annoyance gripped his features, but he stalked towards me and raised his hands to undo my t-shirt.

"No," I finally voice as I felt the material beginning to slip free. "Just me." We made eye contact as he pulled it apart. His eyes devoured mine, nearly suffocating me under the emotions in the depths of his green stare.