Chapter 73: Mr. Creepy Stalker

< Shirley >
"So, is that coward of a boss of yours not going to see me?" I managed to ask with a bitter smile on my lips.
"He said he will meet you once you're willing to marry him," John, the blondie, whose name I recently got to know, questioned.
"I will decide when I see him," I made up an excuse. Before dying, I wanted to see the face of the person who had made a joke out of my life.
I had lost so much blood, I doubted if I would live to see the light of the next morning. Oops, I couldn't see light from the place I was in.
I was sure that I must have lost a few pounds down here. I refused to eat anything, which resulted in them trying to shove the food down my throat. It was hell.
I felt disgusted with myself. I was filthy with blood, scratches, wounds, dirt—all over my body.
"Okay, then. I will talk to the Boss," John said and left after closing the door.
I rested my head against the wall behind my back and closed my eyes. I seemed to have finished up all my tears. It's been almost seventy-five hours since I was here.
I missed everything and everyone so badly. When one was confined, only then could one start valuing how they used to walk freely at their home.
I missed Dylan, Adrian, Mom, Dad, Xavier, Sienna, and all my friends. More than anything, I wished for Dylan's wellbeing. I was sure he was alive now because I wasn't completely bluffing when I said that my heart would know about his troubles.
Maybe Dylan would come to save me? Maybe...
Okay, okay, Shirley. Don't get your hopes high. Even if he wanted to, do you think he can come into this situation? poked my subconscious.
Ignorance is bliss, I retorted my subconscious.
The door of my cell opened up and some light fell over me, making me open my eyes. A male was standing at the door frame, his figure seeming somewhat familiar.
The man walked towards me and kneeled down in front of me. I tried to make out his face while he ran his index finger over my face sensually. I restrained myself from cringing and maintained a pleasurable expression, imagining as if it was Dylan who was touching me, not some creepy.
"Who are you?" I finally asked
In response, the person let out a melancholic chuckle. Just then John came into the room and turned on the dim light. As soon as the light washed over the stranger's face, I gasped.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The feeling of betrayal overwhelmed me.
"You wanted to meet our boss, there he is," John introduced.
My eyes were wide as saucers. I found it hard to grasp. I have known him for years, he wasn't like that.
It's not possible! my mind screamed, but my eyes weren't playing tricks either.
"You're dismissed, John." With that, John left us alone.
"You were behind all of this? I can't believe it, Ryan! Why did you—" I shrieked while his emerald eyes held obsession for me.
"Don't be ridiculous, tigress. I love you. What more reason do I need?" Ryan laughed.
You don't know how deceived I felt. I considered him one of my best friends. I never doubted him, even though he tried to force himself on me. I thought it was his adrenaline acting crazy and he was drunk.
Who could have thought that Ryan would be my stalker, the one who stalked me for almost three months?
It couldn't be, could it?
Then it hit me like a train. It all made sense.
I remembered. Every time I looked for the stalker, I never glanced at the group of my friends. When I was on the plane, I observed everyone but my friends. I even suspected Dylan, but not them. At the restaurant, I did the same thing. Ryan wasn't there when I went to check up on the waiter.
The biggest clue was that—Ryan was stabbed, and Dylan was blamed for that when, it was obvious, Dylan had no idea about it. Since Ryan was in our friends' group, he could gather information regarding me as well.
"Too shocked, tigress?" Ryan smiled creepily. I threw a nasty look at him. "You know you look even more gorgeous with all those injuries. Ah, I love the red color on you. It suits you so much." He inhaled my fragrance, bringing his face close to mine.
I had the strong urge to puke.
If my hands weren't chained or my legs weren't shackled, I would have killed Ryan this time for sure. He was seriously getting on my nerves now.
"You know, tigress, I always wanted to have you chained like this," Ryan murmured, and I felt disgusted. He brushed his lips against the skin of my neck, making me quiver and bite my lips hard.
"I want to make you mine, tigress. Won't you be mine?" Ryan kissed the crook of my neck. I wriggled as an act of desperation.
"Never." I was trying to keep a straight face. I wasn't going to give him the pleasure to see me scared. However, on the inside, I was freaking out.
"Then I will have to force you." His hands traveled up from my thigh, his fingers trailing under my skirt. He kissed the corner of my lips, licking the blood off there.
I want to die. Please kill me, someone, I wished.
It was a wrong decision to meet this creep. I should have killed myself beforehand.
"Please stop it," I requested, feeling myself getting impure at his touches.
"Why? I'm enjoying myself." Ryan bit my shoulder and started sucking it. I whimpered and tightly closed my eyes.
Resistance was futile. All hopes were lost.
"Do whatever you want. But I will always love Dylan," I responded, angering him.
Ryan was about to rip off my sports bra when the door flew open. An injured John busted in. His left arm was bleeding profusely. "Boss, we are in grave danger. We are under attack."
Ryan's eyes darkened at the piece of information as he asked, "How many of them are there?"
"Just three," John replied.
"Are you kidding?"
"No, Boss. They are the rumored mafia gang. One of them is a killing machine, and the other two seem to be monsters—" John was cut off by three gunshots. Blood splattered on the floor as John fell forward.
"John!" Ryan screamed in anguish. Someone's footsteps approached closer. My heart was beating fast in anticipation.
Please, let it be him. Please, plea—
"Take your filthy hands off her," spoke up a dangerous voice. I never thought that instead of shivering at this intimidating tone of his, a bright smile would break out on my face.
My eyes were longing to see his handsome face as I took his name slowly, "Dylan..."
Dylan stepped in the cell with two SMGs in his hand, a merciless expression on his face but it softened briefly when his eyes met mine.
Before Ryan could react, he was shot twice in his shoulder. Dylan grabbed his collar and pulled him away from me, slamming him into the ground. "I'm going to deal with you later. A world of pain is waiting for you, anyway, bastard."
Dylan glanced at me, his grey eyes softening completed as he rushed towards me and kneeled down in front of me. "I'm sorry. I was late," he apologized and shot down the chains and shackles, breaking them.
Pain jolted up in my limbs. As soon as I had been freed, a pair of warm hands wrapped around me. The familiar homely feeling engulfed me. I rested my chin on his shoulder, feeling the safest. The pain didn't matter anymore.
"I'm so sorry..." Dylan breathed out and kissed the top of my head. "They caused you a lot of pain, didn't they?" His voice was dry and cracking, his face pale and weak.
I didn't know if I ever felt that much relief. He was alive and kicking; I couldn't have been happier.
"Dylan." I cupped his cheeks and he averted his eyes. "It's really you, isn't it? I'm so happy." Hot tears ran down my cheeks. But this time they were the tears of happiness. "Is something wrong, Dylan?" I asked as he avoided looking into my eyes. I could see him biting his lips.
I took his hands onto mine and made him look at me. My heart clenched when I noticed his teary eyes. His beautiful grey eyes were filled with tears.
"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked, bringing his face close to mine.
"You are in so much pain... You are hurt..." he mumbled under his breath and kept staring at our entwined hands. Indeed, I was in pain, but I wasn't going to let him know that. I couldn't lie, either.
"If anything, I got a little taste of what you went through when you're young," I managed to say, even though it hurt whenever I opened my mouth as there were cuts on my lips. However, it was true that I wanted to go through what Dylan had gone through as a child to be able to become worthy of him.
Dylan sniffed and said, "That's the last thing I wanted you to face. I'm sorry. It's all my fault." He sure did love blaming himself for everything.
"Everything isn't your fault," I said softly.
"It is," he insisted.
I wanted to comfort him but I didn't know what to say anymore. Tears rolled down his cheeks, making me panic. I had never seen him this broken. before.
"Please don't cry," I urged and made circles on his cheek with my thumb, wiping his tears. It only made him cry more.
Dylan rasped out in between his sobs, "It hurts."
"Why?" it came out as a whisper. Something was hurting him. Even the thought made me want to burn down this world. Whoever hurts my Dylan will—
"It hurts because I love you so much," Dylan confessed.
Did I hear that right? My ears must have been ringing from hearing all my screams.
He sobbed and continued, "I love you. It hurts to see you in pain. It really hurts a lot. Trust me, this strange hurt feeling really—" He whimpered, making my tattered heart melt.
I tried to keep my waterworks at bay, but it wouldn't stop. I softly stroked his hair.
I smiled through my tears and said, "And I love you so much that my wounds don't hurt, but your tears do." He raised his head and bored his eyes into mine as if asking 'really?'. I nodded. "Please don't cry. It tears apart my heart," I pleaded with salty droplets rolling down my own eyes.
"I— I am so sorry." He wiped his tears first then wiped mine and forced a small smile.
At that moment, I wanted to kiss him so badly. Before I could ask for it, he pressed his lips on mine, taking me by surprise.
It was a tender kiss. He made sure not to hurt me. I never thought I would miss the butterflies in my stomach so much. The familiar warmth feeling was enticing itself. Not to add the overwhelming joy of knowing that the person, you loved, loves you back.
Dylan repeated the three magical words for me again, "I love you."