Page 129 of Tethered

But I’m definitely not. There’s no way Vee and I can stay here. The company transfer was troubling, but I’d been hoping something could be done when I got my hands on the contract. We’re beyond that now.

I grab my bag off the desk, unlock the door and yank it open. Dominik falls inside the room, yelling, and I hop over his hulking body and take off down the hall. I don’t look back as I hurry to the other wing, making a beeline for Vee’s room.

Halfway down the hallway, a door opens. Tanisira shoots out, clutching something dark and blocky. She leaps back and I swerve, just about avoiding a collision. Over her shoulder, a man lies hog-tied on the floor with an abundance of cables. Too much is happening, my heart is racing, and I don’t have the time to ask questions. I shut the door on him, snag Tanisira’s elbow and tow her towards Vee’s room. Shoving her in ahead of me, I lock the door behind us.

“Captain Sekmith!”

Tanisira manages to place the object down a second before Vee barrels into her. The expression on her face would be enough to undo me if I weren’t already riddled with adrenaline.

Banging at the door interrupts before I can ask her why she’s still here.

Tanisira steps in front of Vee, gently pushing him back. My heart hiccups painfully. But I don’t have time to process it because Dominik starts yelling my name.

Vee’s eyes widen. “Is that Dad?”

I push a finger to my lips and back up until we form a triangle, with me by Tanisira’s side. It’s stupid becauseDominik obviously knows we’re in here, but I don’t want Vee getting dragged into it.

“You’re still here.” I say, shooting a glance at Tanisira. “Did you have a plan of some sort?”

She grimaces. “Yes, but it requires us getting downstairs.”

The door stops shaking in its frame, and in the lull, Tanisira retreats to the window. She slides it open and peers out before sliding it shut again. I watch her tap her fingers along the inside of her wrist whilst she considers something, and then she sighs.

“We’re not that high up, but I wouldn’t risk it with Vee.”

I’m lucky Tanisira’s still here because if she wasn’t, I’d probably be trying to lower Vee out that very window right now. I cock an eyebrow. “You could do it, though?”

She looks past me to the strange box on the bed. “Not with that.”

“What is it?” Vee asks quietly. His eyes are still wide, and he slipped his hand into mine a few moments ago, but he doesn’t sound afraid.

“It’s a projector. I have an idea to get—” Tanisira glances at him and back at me. “Us out of here.”

“Why are we hiding from Dad?”

I press a kiss to the top of his head. “Promise I’ll tell you later.”

With a roll of his eyes, Vee belly flops onto the bed and prods at the projector. The bed itself is an ancient, four-poster behemoth and probably shouldn’t be jumped on. The whole room is a picture in absurd wealth: silk-upholstered furniture, floral wallpaper, mahogany embellishments, and gilt mirrors. Across from the bed is a marbled fireplace Vee could probably walk into without hitting his head.

Tanisira takes this opportunity to pull me towards the window. I feel uneasy that Dominik has gone silent, but I can’tstand there staring at the door all night. I’m very glad for the distraction.

“I figured out how to play the call with Gryphon on the projector. If we get downstairs, I can get it on one of the ballroom’s walls and expose his threats.”

Stunned, I’m rendered speechless. “That’s why you’re still here?”

Tanisira looks slightly wary. “To take you home.” My heart does something odd in my chest at her choice of words, but I push through it. She continues, “But it seems like you would have figured it yourself.”

“Yeah.” I gesture towards the door. “All figured out. Obviously.”

But my joke goes over her head; she’s watching me with an intensity that makes me feel breathless. “Youwereleaving, weren’t you?” She asks.

“Vee deserves better than this,” I reply, throwing my arms out. “Than him.”

Tanisira exhales slowly, and the inscrutable expression in her amber eyes deepens. “You’re so incredibly brave.”

I can’t.

If I let her crack me open right now, all of me will spill out—good for nothing except tarnishing the floor. I can’t. So I step away from her, from her intoxicating scent, her tempting embrace. Her expression shutters, which I tell myself is good, even though it hurts.