I stood awkwardly as Dace paid with his card, this was the feeling I was hoping to escape. I knew he said I shouldn't worry about it, Dace offered to give me a treat but still, I couldn't shake that feeling that I was leeching off him, maybe it had to deal with how worlds apart we were in terms of status, even as I stood beside him, I felt like an off piece of the puzzle. His presence was far off radiative with his charms and his style and I was… just the average girl.
We walked out of the restaurant and we both welcomed the silence, luckily the hall was a bit noisy so the silence wasn't that much awkward, I heard Dace's phone ring and my gaze moved to it, due to the close proximity we were in I was able to see the caller, it was his 'Angel' I felt that sting again as memories of what happened that day flushed in.
"Yeah? " he picked. "Really Emilia?"
I paused, wait, the 'Angel' was his sister?
"So what if I didn't respond to the link"
The link? What's he talking about?
"How sweet of you" he ended the call.
"I-Is everything alright?" I was worried, Dace and his sister seemed to always argue about things, this was the first time I spent with them together, and yet I was able to notice the tense air around them.
"They left"
"Oh" I made a sound downhearted.
"Don't worry Emma, it's not about you, I'm sure they had something to take care of" he assured me with that smile of his but I still couldn't shake the feeling that there was something he was not telling me, ever since what happened at the table.
"Emma!"
I whirled seeing the gang at the entrance, my eyes met with Sarah but she quickly looked away.
"Oh, it's a Devereaux," Miles muttered.
"Emma, are you okay?" Owen asked.
I frowned. "I'm fine," I said wondering why he would ask such, his gaze fell on Dace before darting back to me.
"We're heading home, let's go,"
"I will take her home," Dace said as his eyes fell on Sarah but she leveled her gaze.
"Well Dace I was the one who brought her here, so I will take her home, I promised her Aunt"
Did he?
"I wasn't asking, Sherman"
"Woah, chill guys, chill we can't-" Henry began but Owen was quick.
"Come on Emma let's get you home"
I didn't know if I should move or not but my legs just did and I felt Dace gently grab my arm and pull me to his side back.
"Dace," I said but his gaze remained on Owen.
Owen huffed. "We both know she's safer with me than you"
A smirk crossed Dace's lips but it was faint. "Better with me than you"
Owen closed the distance and my heartbeat quickened fearing for the next cause of action.
"Woah, Owen" Miles stopped him with hands on his chest, Henry was at the other side.
"Remember the treaty, Owen," Henry said to him. "Don't do anything stupid"
What were they talking about?
"You should listen to your friends Sherman, we do not want things to get bloody"
Dace's tone was somewhat lifeless and it gave me the chills, I faced him but couldn't read him, his looks were stone-cold different from the soft expression he always gave me, I didn't understand a flick of what was going on even if I did, this was just a normal misunderstanding that got heated in a matter of seconds, but there was one question at the bad of my head, what exactly is going on between the Sherman's and the Devereaux's because this seems deeper than it should be.
I noticed as both Henry and Miles tensed at Dace's words, they didn't shift their gaze away from him almost like if they did Dace might do something.
Owen still stood his ground, I could tell he was on the verge of doing something, whatever he was planning please don't do anything stupid Owen! We were already the center of attention.
"Come on man, let's go," Miles said to him.
"I'm not leaving Emma with him!" he said through clenched teeth. "With a damn beast!"
It played quickly before I could recall it, they were head to head and I knew something was about to play, I was already panicking.
"Dace!" there was a hand on his shoulder, it was Lucas, where did he come from?
"Calm down, you're scaring Emma" he intoned as his eyes fell on Owen. "Both of you"
I noticed how Dace's primal look softened and his eyes darted to me and my breath caught, his eyes were gold? Was I seeing things? He quickly looked away before I could tell further, what did I just see? Was it the fluorescent or what?
"Easy boys" a sweet sensual voice came in as well as clicking heels, it was Emilia, I thought they left.
"You're already causing a scene, if you wanna get bloody then we do it the right way"
Okay, she wasn't helping, she was only adding fuel to the already burning flame.
"Guys come on, that's enough," Sarah said from behind.
Owen yanked his body away from Miles and Henry's hold, I could tell he was still pissed. His eyes darted to me. "So you're going with him?"
What was he expecting me to say?
He shakes his head and I couldn't help the sting in my chest, he turned on his heels walking away and I couldn't help it.
"Owen!" he halts, facing me.
I faced Dace who had his eyes on me, his eyes weren't that strange color anymore but they were confused as they looked at me, silently praying that I wasn't about to do what I was about to.
"I-I-I'm sorry, Owen's right, I came with him to the mall, not you, my aunt will be expecting him to bring me home" I walked away before he could say anything not looking back, it hurt so much in my chest, a feeling deep within me but this was the only way and what more I was sort of scared about what I saw in Dace just moments ago, it wasn't just primal look but the killing intent that radiated off him, I didn't know how but I felt it and it scared my insides, my aunt's words seem to echo in my head like it was destined to, marching the scene at play perfectly.
'Stay away from Dace Devereaux, he's bad news,'