The RunAway Model

XV. It's Burning Fire

Desiree went back to the cabin, her face ashen.

Theo looked over his computer lid and frowned. "What's wrong with you?"

The sound of his voice snapped her back to her senses. She blinked and swallowed. She made a motion to go to the bathroom, changed her mind and sat on the bed. He followed her every movement with interest.

"What happened?" he asked, this time worried that she must have done something wrong to jeopardize their plan. "Desiree, what the fuck happened?"

"Do you..." she started but stopped, shaking her head. Then she turned her head and faced him. "Do you know what package your client bought?"

His frown deepened. "No. It is not our business to know what the package is. Our job is to make sure that the transactions are clean and the delivery happens without a problem."

When she didn't say another word, he stood up.

"Why? Did you meet Berkeley? Did he tell you anything about the package?"

She shook her head.

"Then what the fuck is wrong, Desiree?"

"Theo, I think I know what they are."

He was getting impatient. "What do you mean by that?"

"I just have this feeling. Oh God, I hope I am wrong."

He finally reached his limit and he stormed toward her and placed his hands on both sides of her, trapping her in bed. "Tell me what the fuck is wrong," he ordered, his eyes boring into hers.

Her eyes wavered. "I made a deal with Berkeley."

"What deal?"

"To work with him."

"You already told me that."

She shook her head. "But I was actually considering it. Seriously considering it."

Anger surged up inside him. He pushed from the bed and walked away from her. If he as much as touch her, he could kill her. "You were fucking going to stab me behind the back. Is that what you are saying?"

A tear fell from her eyes. She didn't plan for this to happen at all. She thought that she might have had a chance to escape Theo's hell if she worked with Berkeley. But after what she had discovered, she didn't think she could do it. Those kids were going to land into someone's hand one way or the other. The only chance she could save them was to go back to Theo's good side. He may be as bad as everyone else in The Liaisons, but he was a better option for the kids right now. She could talk him into saving the kids.

"You know I trusted you to do exactly what I said, didn't I?" he spat out icily.

"Don't go talking about trust here, Theo. You know very well there is not an ounce of that where we are concerned," she retorted, wiping her face dry with both hands. "I told you what I had planned to do, right? You shouldn't have trusted me to do exactly what you asked for. You know very well where I stand and that is to get the hell away from your world."

His jaw clenched as he stared down at her. "What changed your mind then?"

"Berkeley has been talking about the packages for the entire week. Packages, Theo. Not just a package."

"And? What does it have anything to do with the operation and you changing your mind about double crossing me?"

"It's the kids."

He frowned. "Don't talk riddles, Desiree. I'm on the verge of strangling you right now."

"It's the kids!" she screamed at him. "The packages are the kids!"