Heartbeat of the Ruthless Criminal (English Version)

Chapter 16

When I woke up, I found myself alone, reclining on the soft bed, naked beneath the weight of a thick blanket. The room was bright. As I remembered what happened last night, a sense of embarrassment warmed my cheeks.

I yawned, stretching my body. I was on the brink of rising from the bed when the doorknob began to turn. Quickly, I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep. I couldn't even pull the blanket to cover my chest as the door suddenly swung open.

The soft patter of footsteps echoed, filling the room. I maintained my eyes firmly closed, lying on my back. The cool breeze of the air conditioning grazed my skin.

After a few moments, the room remained quiet, and I couldn't hear any sound or footsteps. I thought the person who entered had left, but I almost gasped when I felt the gentle pull of the blanket towards my body. It covered me up. After tucking me in, I heard a deep exhale, and then I felt a gentle stroke on my head.

I wanted to open my eyes to see who the person was, but I was nervous, so I chose to keep pretending to sleep. When I heard the footsteps moving away and the sound of the door closing, I finally opened my eyes.

I let out a sigh as I sat up. My heart was still pounding heavily. I had been holding my breath for a while. I glanced around the room, and my eyes landed on the paper bags lying nearby. I hurriedly got up and walked over to them.

I smiled when I saw the contents of the paper bags. These were probably what Henry bought. But my smile turned into a suppressed chuckle when I saw the size of the panties and bra—so small. They were medium-sized, but they looked like they were meant for a child. Henry was really something else.

When I entered the kitchen, Larco and I locked eyes immediately. He was sitting at the table beside Henry. I noticed his raised eyebrow when he saw what I was wearing.

"Ah, you're awake, Kierra. What would you like for breakfast?" Arel asked me, and I turned my gaze towards him.

"Any will do, it's okay," I replied softly and walked towards a table to sit down, but Larco suddenly spoke up.

"Sit next to me."

I glanced at him, swallowing involuntarily, before quickly averting my gaze from Larco, who still sported a furrowed brow. His expression suggested annoyance once again, evident in the lines on his face.

With some reluctance, I approached their table. Instead of occupying the spot beside Larco, I opted to sit next to Henry, who seemed unaffected, engrossed in his coffee and pocketbook. I hadn't realized he had an inclination for reading. I even caught a fleeting glimpse of a suppressed smile that he fought to conceal.

Arel placed a steaming cup of coffee in front of me before excusing himself to Larco, who was leaving the kitchen. This left the three of us in the hushed atmosphere of the kitchen.

"Why are you dressed like that?” I lifted my gaze from the steamy coffee upon hearing Larco's question. "Are you feeling cold? Is that why you're dressed that way?" He inquired once more, raising an eyebrow as if he disapproved of my choice of wearing a layered T-shirt.

Well, the thing was, I wasn't wearing a bra, and my n*****s were bound to show through if I wore just a single-layer T-shirt. So, I wore three layers to avoid that.

"B-Because the bras Henry bought d-don't fit properly…" I mumbled my response, keeping my gaze trained on the coffee before me.

From my peripheral vision, I noticed Henry lowering his pocketbook and fixing his gaze upon me.

"What do you mean they don't fit? You said medium size. I just followed your instructions!" Henry retorted with a hint of irritation.

"M-Medium size they may be, but they're kids' mediums, meant for ten-year-olds," I retorted with a frown, raising my glass to take a sip.

"Tsk…" I heard Larco's disdainful sound. When I subtly glanced at him, I could see him rolling his eyes at Henry.

"I'll just buy again, boss." Henry got up from his seat.

"No need," Larco responded swiftly, also rising and then turning his gaze toward me. "Once you're finished there, change and prepare yourself. We're leaving," he instructed before exiting the kitchen.

It was as if my face lit up upon hearing that, and I couldn't help the small smile that escaped my lips.

"Did I hear that right? Is he really going to take me off the island?" I asked Henry to confirm, and he returned to his seat. "Does that mean..." I covered my mouth and secretly whispered a "Yes!" This meant there was a significant chance for me to escape.

Henry just shook his head slightly. I wasn't sure if his headshake was directed at me because he kept his gaze on the pocketbook he was reading, but I noticed him stifling a laugh, whispering something that didn't reach my ears. It was hard for me not to roll my eyes.

"By the way, Henry, how are those two perverted guys from last night? The ones you shot in the leg? They're still alive, right?" I asked before taking another sip of coffee from my cup.

"They've been taken care of," Henry replied curtly, still not bothering to look at me.

"Taken care of?" I knit my brows. "How exactly? T-They're not dead, are they?" I asked one question after another, my anxiety growing. I suddenly felt nervous.

"They've faced the consequences," Henry responded in a clipped manner, his gaze evading mine.

"Consequences?" My forehead creased further. "What kind of punishment? W-Who punished them? You surely didn't kill them, right?" I asked in rapid succession, my voice catching. I was getting worried.

"You'd better not know the details," Henry answered and put down the pocketbook he was reading. Then, he stood up and looked at me seriously. "If you're planning to escape later, it's best if you reconsider. Boss doesn't take well to disobedience, Miss Gabriel. Let's assume you manage to escape him today. But what do you think will happen next? To your siblings and father, who are always at the police station?" Henry grinned at me, the kind of smile that sent shivers down my spine.

A heavy swallow caught in my throat once again. It was as if I suddenly had a flashback to that moment when I overheard the discussion in that room, the one where the old man floated the idea of bombing the police station.

"So, if I were you, I'd stay put in the lair of the two fierce lions and sweet-talk them. Who knows, luck might favor you, and you'll have them wrapped around your finger," Henry appended before exiting the kitchen.

I was left alone, staring at the door through which Henry had exited. What in the world was that about?

My thoughts were interrupted when Arel suddenly entered the room, carrying a large tuna.

"Oh, Kierra, are you okay there? You look a bit pale."

I offered a faint smile and rose from my seat. "I'm alright, thank you. I'm sorry I couldn't assist in the kitchen today. Larco and I have some plans to go out."

Arel shook his head and placed the brought tuna inside a basin. "Oh, it's alright, I understand. Well, you better go out now. Boss might have been waiting for you for a while now. He doesn't take kindly to being kept waiting, you know."

I didn't manage to finish my coffee; Arel's words prompted me to stand up hastily. I hurriedly left the kitchen.

Just as Larco had mentioned, we left the island on a white speedboat. We docked at the far end of a beach resort, away from the people enjoying the beach. I was wearing a black cap with sunglasses and a black face mask. I felt like a famous K-pop star hiding from fans due to my disguise.

I thought I was finally going to get a chance to escape. But I was wrong. We stayed inside a hotel room at the resort. Larco had a woman come in to check my size. When the woman returned, she had six paper bags containing panties and bras.

So, I returned home empty-handed.

I remained silent as we headed back to the island. I wasn't sure what time it was. Darkness had fallen all around, and the moon's light was the only illumination on the ocean. Larco was sitting beside me, and even without looking at him, I could sense that he was observing me.

"Why? Hmm?" he inquired, the brush of his fingers sweeping my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear. A flinch escaped me when the gentle touch of his lips graced my neck.

"N-Nothing," I replied. I was just frustrated because my escape plans always seemed to fail.

Upon reaching the island's shore, Larco carried me off the speedboat, so my feet didn't get wet. As we approached the mansion, I heard the sounds of what seemed like breaking objects and the angry shouts of voices. It sounded like Darius's voice.

"s**t!" I heard Larco curse, and he quickened his pace, prompting me to do the same.

"DO EVERYTHING TO GET BACK QUICKLY! DON'T MOVE SLOWLY IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE MY ANGER! I NEED KIERRA! I NEED HER RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW! RIGHT NOW! BULLSHIT!" Darius's voice echoed through the air, accompanied by the unsettling sound of things being broken.

I suddenly felt a knot of nervousness in my stomach as I heard my name being shouted. Darius's voice was filled with intense anger. But why was he calling for me? I couldn't recall doing anything wrong before leaving the island earlier.

As Larco and I entered the mansion, we were met with shattered, expensive vases scattered all over the floor. Darius stood in the midst of it all, surrounded by his staff who seemed terrified and kept their heads down. A few drops of blood stained the tiles amidst the broken vases, and Darius's right hand appeared to be the source of the blood.

“What happened, Darius? What's wrong with you?” Larco asked, his brows furrowed at the sight before him.

Darius quickly turned his gaze to us. His face was flushed, especially his eyes, which seemed almost bloodshot.

“Why did you take so long to come back? I was about to die waiting! My stomach has been hurting since earlier—damn!” he exclaimed, his frustration evident as he turned his gaze to me.

I swallowed nervously, feeling a surge of anxiety even though I hadn't done anything wrong.

“I don't understand you, Darius. Explain so we can—”

Larco's words were cut off as Darius swiftly approached me. Without a word, he grabbed the back of my head and forcefully kissed me.

My eyes widened in shock, and I stood frozen in place. I felt a stinging sensation on my lips from the intensity of Darius's kiss. His grip on my head was tight, causing discomfort in my neck. He released me only when Larco intervened.

“Damn it, Darius! What the hell is happening to you?”

“Those fcking Japanese! I didn't realize they spiked my drink with s*x drugs!” Darius angrily retorted in a loud voice, his grip shifting to my left arm. “Let's go to my room. Treat me from this fcking pain!”

But before I could be pulled away, Larco swiftly caught my other arm, causing Darius to halt his movement.

“Get some girls from the other island and bring them here now!” Larco yelled at his staff. They immediately began moving, but their actions were interrupted when Darius suddenly kicked a vase, sending shattered fragments flying towards his staff.

“Damn it, Larco! Do you want me to die? It's too far to get girls from the other island. I might die from the pain in my stomach while waiting for those women! Kierra is here! She's all I need!”

I winced in pain as Larco's grip on me tightened.

I remained silent between the two of them, feeling incredibly anxious and confused by the situation unfolding before me. The mention of s*x drugs was something I had never encountered before, and it only deepened my confusion and worry. s*x drugs? I had never heard of that before, but based on the name, I knew it was dangerous.

As they locked eyes for a tense moment, Larco eventually released a heavy sigh and slowly let go of his grip on my arm.

“Treat him,” I heard Larco say before he swiftly left the mansion without looking back.

I couldn't do anything as Darius pulled me away, leading me into his room. Once inside, he forcefully pushed me against the closed door before attacking me with another intense kiss.

I felt the pain on my back as it hit the hard surface, making me almost cry out in pain, but I held myself back. Despite my efforts to hold back tears, a small sob escaped me. It wasn't because of the pain on my back, but because I tasted my own blood on my lips from the intense kiss.

My sob caught Darius's attention, and he immediately released my lips. He held my chin and lifted it to make me meet his gaze. There was a different expression in his reddened eyes, as if he was taken aback by his own actions.

“Be my medicine tonight. I need you... I really need you...” he huskily said, his fingers tracing my face down to my lips. “I want this to be rough, so please don't cry in front of me. I hate tears.”

Before I could respond, he swiftly grasped both my arms, lifting them above my head and pressing them against the door before he kissed me again.

This time, his kiss was even more intense, filled with tension and a sense of punishment. He seemed like a wild animal released from captivity, and I was the helpless prey he had cornered.