Nathaniel

I need time. I need to keep him occupied till Vincenzo arrives. I chanted those words as I gazed at her. Her head was down. I never saw her like this. 

My chest tightened and I flexed my jaw muscle. Why is she not looking at me?

I ran a hand through my hair.

"Why are you doing this?" I seethed at him.

He smiled. Son of a bitch.

"You're too clever to ask such obvious questions," he said, his hands resting in his pant pockets.

The cold breeze ruffled my hair tingling my face. 

"And you're too clever to risk so much just for power," I snapped back at him.

He furrowed his eyebrows at me.

"Busted," he said, feigning shock and putting his hands up in the air in surrender.

"Stop playing games and tell me the truth. Oh, wait! You're incapable of speaking it," I spat at him.

"Revenge. For taking away what is solely mine," he said, his eyes burning with anger and hatred. 

"And what's that?" I said, amusement evident in my voice.

"The CWT," he said. 

 "You are ridiculous," I said, my chest heaving as I laughed at his jocular words.

He nodded at one of his men and they punched her face. Droplets of blood oozed out of her nose but she didn't utter a word.

My blood boiled and my nose flared.

"What is wrong with you, Ashley? Speak something. Anything." I begged her. But she just blinked at me.

I never ever thought that I would beg her to speak. Her voice was the last thing I wanted to hear and now, it's all I wanna hear.

"You bastard. Don't you dare hit her again," I screeched while striding toward him.

Two bulky guards dressed in black suits came from behind me and held my arms as I tried to restrain out of their hold. 

"Make a move and believe me when I say she'll have a torturous death," he said.

I stopped trying to break free. I need to think rationally. But how can I? Seeing her like this---helpless, defeated. I want her to spat back at me so badly. But, here she is. Standing like a lifeless statue. 

Nathaniel, focus. What are the odds of getting out of here? There are two guards at the door fully equipped. Four, restraining me and more four with her. I am here, armless so chances are none. 

"What you want me to do? I will do it, let her go," I tricked a bargain. He smirked. 

He moved toward her and clutched her mouth in between his slimy fingers.

I gritted my molars, my nose flaring as I resisted the cuffs they put my hands in. 

"Leave her alone or I will kill you with my bare hands," I roared, my chest heaving with each word I uttered. I growled as I fought against the refrains.

"Raising your voice would only make her suffer more," he said in a playful voice. His eyes were gleaming with mischief. 

He was planning something wicked.

"You're sick. What do you want?" I spat at him, my eyes boring holes into his head. 

I wanted to chop his head into pieces and feed them to the crows. I wanted to rip his heart out of his ribcage.

'You know what I want," He said straightening his blazer. His voice calm and composed.

"You have the papers already," I reasoned. 

"Stop trying to engage me in a pointless conversation, Nathaniel. You know it isn't that simple," he said in a solemn tone.

"Which you'll never be the owner as the CWT never violated any law," I said, staring at his eyes which were now narrowed at me. 

I saw something flicker in his eyes. And he smiled.

"You little clueless cunt. You violated ample of laws, my dear. You allowed a traitor to stay at your house. You kissed a traitor, didn't you?" he prompted. He looked at her with a dark look, a muscle in his jaw flexed.

What the hell?

"She is not a traitor," I whispered.

"Stealing the prestigious file from the owner makes her certainly one," he filled in. 

"And if you think I have no evidence then you're right, I don't but your friend has. He is going to present the evidence to the board members too. Now, you're gone anyways," he continued, without a pause.

It took me a while to gather everything. Friend, who? Who the hell is he talking about?

"What friend are you talking about?" I asked, perplexed. 

"You Aussies are that thick, seriously?" he said while passing me a patronizing glare.

He took out a bunch of papers from his blazer pockets and handed it one of his men. 

"Your best friend Hudson," he said.

Hudson? He betrayed us? Why? No, no, no, no. He is lying. This cannot be happening.

But, then why would he lie about this?

My head throbbed as I analyzed the situation. I was betrayed by our own men.

"You have everything you need then why you have her and me captive?" I hissed.

"So, I could do this," he said, nodding at one of his men. 

The man at her left with the gun, raised it aiming at her, he pulled the trigger.

"One bullet for daring to betray for an Aussie blond," he said while walking out of the door. 

He shot her. The shrill voice of the fire ricocheted through the air echoing in my ears. My eyes widened, lips quivered.

"Noooo," I screamed at the top of my lungs. I kicked the groin of the man at left, pushed the other two and pulled at the cuffs with every ounce of strength I had. The cuffs broke and I ran toward her. 

She was lying on the floor in a pool of her own blood, her face twitched in agony. Blood was oozing out of her stomach. I placed a hand over her stomach and tried to stop the bleeding.

I looked into her eyes and she tried hard to keep them open.

"Nate, I am sorry. I should..h-have trusted you," she whispered in between grunts. Her voice was so frail. It broke my heart to look at her like this.

"Shh, it's okay. You are going to be just fine. Stay with me, please," I begged her. Squeezing her palms, without wasting any second, I scooped her into my arms and hurried down the stiles. 

They left. Right now, my priority was to save her.

I cannot lose her. Nothing will happen to her.

My vision seemed to cloud but I blinked rapidly to steer it away. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, my legs felt wobbly and my hands shook.

I need to take her to the hospital. Hospital.

I tightened my hold around her body, ran toward the door, and walked down the stiles as fast my legs could take me.

There was a body lying on the floor unconscious. Vincenzo. There was no blood, he was knocked off. 

I kicked the door open and ran toward my car. I opened the door and put her in the backseat and ignited the engine into life as I raced my car like a jet.

You will be alright, Kitkat. I promise.