Page 74 of Venomous Desires

The officer’s face paled visibly, a sheen of sweat forming on his brow as he glanced nervously at me. His hand trembled slightly as he fumbled with his radio, clearly shaken by whatever Kyle had said.

Confusion clouded my mind, and I stood on trembling legs, gripping the cold metal bars tightly. I leaned forward, straining to catch any hint of the conversation, my heart pounding louder with each passing second. The atmosphere thickened with tension, and a gnawing fear settled deep within me as I tried to make sense of the unfolding circumstances.

As much as I wanted to believe he was here for me, a part of me didn’t want him to be.

His presence brought a complex blend of hope and dread that I could barely process.

He spoke again, his voice a low, urgent rumble in Russian, and the officers immediately motioned to the guard behind them. The guard, expression grim and unreadable, began moving in my direction.

Panic surged through me, and I stepped back, pressing myself against the icy wall of the cell. My mind raced, fearing what his involvement might mean.

If Kyle was involved, that meant Judas was too.

And I didn’t know how that was supposed to calm me. Instead, it frightened me more.

The guard muttered something under his breath in frustration, his eyes flicking to my hands as I gripped thebars even tighter. He grumbled again, louder this time, the frustration clear in his tone.

He uncuffed my wrists, and I rubbed them together as he motioned me to follow him out. I hesitated, but then complied. Kyle didn’t look at me; instead, he gave an envelope to the officer and started walking out.

I stood there confused, not knowing whether to follow him or stand here. The officer noticed my hesitancy, and he cleared his throat.

Kyle smiled, but it barely reached his eyes. Slowly, I walked towards where Kyle was standing, my eyes darting to the officer who avoided my gaze and mumbled in English, “We apologize for the trouble.”

I swallowed, barely managing a nod, and felt the dam of emotions break inside me. I felt like a chess pawn, dragged into a mess I had no role in.

Something was wrong, but I was too confused to process it. Nodding numbly, I followed Kyle as he motioned for me to come with him. We walked out of the station, Kyle leading the way, his steps purposeful and brisk. I looked around, feeling lost and uncertain. My bags were at the dorm, and my missed flight loomed in my mind. I had no idea if I could catch another one.

My legs trembled as I took a step towards the door where Kyle was standing now, with his back to me. Then another. And the more I walked towards the door, the scarier it got. Why did it… felt like… I was walking towards another prison?

But this time, it’d be deadlier.

As we walked out, the cold air frisked into my nostrils, and I shivered. Pulling down on the sleeves of my sweater, I sniffed and, with trembling fingers; I adjusted my glasses, but my vision was still blurry and I realised I was crying.

“Why… are you here?” I wanted to ask, but the words lodged in my throat, unable to escape. Cold. It was cold out here.

The brooding man in front of me slowly turned around, his gaze softened for a moment.

I could feel my pulse quickening, each beat echoing in my ears as I struggled to comprehend what was happening.

“Why?” I asked again this time, my vision cleared slightly as I blinked and tears rolled down my eyes. I harshly wiped my cheeks with the sleeves of my sweater and barely did anything to provide me with warmth.

I suddenly missed the coat my mother had bought for me. It was larger, warmer, and… close to home.

Kyle sighed, muttering something under his breath before glancing over his shoulder at something behind him. I followed his gaze, but there was no one—only parked cars. Taking a step back, I felt a chill run down my spine.

“Ignorance is bliss, Ms. Rosewood,” Kyle said softly. So he told me last evening.

I bit my lips shaking my head in disbelief. “Can we not talk in riddles, please? Why are you here?”

“That I cannot answer,”

I took a step back, feeling overwhelmed. I felt like I were drowning. My body was tired and tense, my heart raced, and I couldn’t catch my breath. My mind was a storm. Making decisions was hard, and I couldn’t focus. I was annoyed but infinitely scared. I either couldn’t process or think too much.

I just wanted a moment of peace, but it felt impossible to find.

Unsurprisingly, he took a step forward. “I don’t want to lose my hands, but if you try to run, I’d have to use force.”

Panic gripped me as I realized I had no escape.