Heartbeat of the Ruthless Criminal (English Version)

Chapter 8

The pain was intense, an agony I couldn't adequately describe. It felt as if Larco's sudden intrusion had torn my very core apart. As he entered fully, he held himself still above me, seemingly observing my every reaction.

I was frozen in shock for a few moments, tears welling up in my eyes.

Once the initial shock subsided, a deep sob wrenched itself from me, escalating into uncontrollable, loud cries.

"f**k!" Larco's voice seethed with frustration.

"s**t!" Darius exclaimed.

Their faces both held an incredulous expression as they watched me break down in tears.

"What the f**k! Why are you crying?" Larco's voice was laced with irritation, his brows furrowing as he glared at me.

I was unable to reply, my crying escalating in intensity.

The pain was unbearable; as though something deep within me had been torn apart. A searing burn coursed through me, causing unbearable agony.

"s**t, Larco! I think you caught her off guard," Darius commented, quickly moving to my side.

"Others find pleasure, and she's in tears? Seriously? Are you kidding me?" Larco's voice dripped with frustration, giving me a scornful look. He remained above me, unmoving and not withdrawing his length from within me.

"Shh... It's alright, babygirl... It's just a little bit of pain, it will fade away soon," Darius said soothingly, his touch gentle against my hair, as if comforting a child.

I shook my head. "N-No...stop! It hurts...it hurts so much," I stammered amid my sobsmy tied arms struggling against their restraints.

Larco angrily wiped his face, his frustration palpable as he cast a hostile glare my way.

"This is bullshit! f**k you, Gabriel!" he cursed at me before withdrawing himself from within me.

As he withdrew, a sense of relief washed over me, as if a thorn had been removed. However, even with him no longer inside me, a lingering, stinging pain persisted.

Larco stormed off the bed, snatching a white towel to hastily wrap around his body. He left the room without sparing me a second glance. I could clearly see the long red marks on his back.

Left alone with Darius, I continued to cry, the pain too much to bear.

"It's alright, calm down. Stop crying. Do you want Darius to continue?" he asked gently, his fingers still soothingly trailing through my hair.

I shook my head repeatedly. "No! I don't want to. It's... It's too painful... Please, just release my hands," I pleaded through my tearful voice.

Darius looked at me for a moment, then released a deep sigh before getting off the bed and approaching the drawer.

Despite my teary vision, I couldn't help but notice the marks on Darius's back as well, mirroring Larco's as if they had both been struck by something.

After retrieving the key from the drawer, Darius returned to the bed and released my hands from the restraints. Taking a deep breath, a sense of relief washed over me.

Quickly pulling the blanket, I covered my naked body. Darius got off the bed and picked up the scattered underwear. I averted my gaze and turned to lie on my side, using the white blanket to dry my tears as I hugged a pillow.

I had no idea it would be this painful. Contrary to my expectations from movies and others' accounts, the reality had been drastically different. Why was it so agonizing for me? Was this normal for a first time? I couldn't understand it.

"I'll just use the restroom for a moment. Get dressed and wait for me to come out so you can eat. I'm sure you're hungry," Darius instructed before taking his clothes and entering the bathroom.

Left alone, I slowly rose from the bed, intending to get dressed as Darius had instructed. Yet, the realization struck that my clothes and pants were still within the bathroom, damp and unwearable.

I picked up the white bathrobe from the floor and put it on. Minutes later, Darius emerged, now fully clothed. His gaze briefly met mine before he emitted a sigh.

"Let's head upstairs. Follow me," his voice devoid of emotion, he turned away, leading the way.

Slipping into the oversized white slippers nearby, I trailed him out of the room.

As we climbed the stairs from the basement, I couldn't help but wince due to the soreness between my legs. It was still painful and sensitive.

We walked down a long hallway. The lights were off, but it was still well-lit. Could it be morning already? When I had exited earlier, it was still somewhat dark and the lights were on.

When we turned onto a path where there were glass walls overlooking the ocean, I couldn't help but be awestruck by the beauty of the wide sea. It seemed like it was already noon, as the sun was shining brightly outside. It meant I had spent one night locked in that basement without any food.

As we reached the main lobby, I noticed several men standing around, engaged in conversation and laughter. Each of them was armed with guns. When they saw us, particularly me, they fell silent, all eyes fixed on me.

I felt awkward under their gaze. They scrutinized me from head to toe. But when Darius cleared his throat, as if giving a signal, they quickly averted their eyes from me.

"Good morning, boss!" they greeted Darius in unison, and they nodded slightly with respect.

Darius acknowledged them with a nod and continued walking without halting.

We entered a vast room, equipped with kitchen utensils. Two long tables, each around two arm lengths in length, were placed inside, accompanied by neatly lined-up chairs. It appeared to be a dining area.

A chubby man in a chef's uniform approached us swiftly.

"Good morning, boss. How can I help you?" he asked, casting a quick glance at me.

"Give her some food, a good amount, because she's quite hungry," Darius instructed before leaving the kitchen, leaving me in the care of the chubby cook.

""Please have a seat, madam," the man gestured to a chair. "What would you like to eat so I can prepare it for you?" he inquired politely.

I felt a bit taken aback by being called madam. It seemed this man had no idea that I was just a captive on this island.

"Anything is fine, thank you," I replied shyly and took a seat.

"O-Okay..." he nodded, a hint of curiosity on his face before turning away to prepare the food.

First, he served a plate of fried shrimp, but I knew I was allergic and had to decline.

Next, he brought fried tuna. I couldn't resist and quickly grabbed the fork and knife, hungrily devouring the fried fish. I heard him clear his throat, but I didn't pay much attention. I was famished after not being fed for 24 hours.

"Madam, please take it easy, you might choke..." the man politely warned as he placed the rest of the dishes on the table.

I continued eating until I finished four bowls of seafood, everything from the sea. There was no chicken or meat, probably because we were on an island.

The man sat in the opposite chair, watching me eat. When he saw me full, he quickly handed me a glass of water, which I gratefully accepted and drank.

"Ahem..." he cleared his throat, gaining my attention. Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I looked at him.

"Oh, n-no, I'm sorry... I was just really hungry... Hehe..." I said sheepishly, accompanied by a nervous laugh.

The man shook his head with a kind smile. "Don't worry, that's how it is when you're hungry." He extended his hand toward me but quickly pulled it back, scratching his neck in a slightly embarrassed manner. "I'm Arelo, but you can call me Arel if you prefer. I'm the cook here on the island."

I managed a shy smile. He seemed kind and friendly. I thought he was probably around 30 years old.

I introduced myself, "And I'm Kierra."

His grin widened, genuine and friendly. "Wow... Kierra, a name that suits you perfectly, especially with how beautiful you are. Can I ask, are you Darius' girlfriend? Or maybe a secret wife?"

His question caught me off guard, and my eyes widened in surprise. Seriously? Girlfriend? Secret wife? Was he really asking me this?

"N-No, I'm not..." I replied with a sheepish grin.

He raised an eyebrow, as if not fully believing my answer. His gaze traveled down to what I was wearing, and I glanced at myself as well.

Oh, right. I had almost forgotten that I was only wearing a bathrobe.

"If you're not Darius' girlfriend, maybe you're with boss Larco, is that it?"

I looked at him again and gave a faint shake of my head.

"Really? No way? That's quite impossible then. As far as I know, both bosses strictly prohibit any women on this island. In my two years of staying here, I've never seen any woman set foot on this island other than you."

I swallowed nervously, not knowing how to respond. Should I reveal that I'm a hostage, a police officer's daughter held captive? Why is this guy so curious?

"Um, well... the truth is..." I was about to continue explaining when the kitchen door suddenly swung open, and simultaneously, a voice I dreaded to hear cut through.

"She's our new maid. She'll be responsible for washing dishes here in the kitchen," Larco's voice was authoritative as he entered, making his way to the refrigerator.

I fell silent, and so did Arelo, or Arel as he preferred to be called.

After Larco took a bottle of mineral water from the fridge and left, he shot me a sharp look before exiting.

"New maid? You're a maid?" Arel's voice held disbelief as he expressed his astonishment now that we were alone.

I simply nodded in response. Perhaps it's safer for him to think I'm just a maid. If he knew I was a captive on the island, his attitude might change, especially given my connection to the police, their enemy.

"Why?" I asked Arel, who continued to stare at me with a puzzled expression.

"I can't believe the boss hired a female servant here on the island," he muttered, standing up and gesturing for me to do the same. "What are you waiting for? Wash your dishes!" He pointed to the table where the dishes were.

"O-Okay..." I quickly got up and began washing the dishes.

As I stood at the sink, I could sense Arel's gaze fixed on me. from behind. He still seemed curious about my role as a maid on the island.

"By the way, Kierra, after you're done washing the dishes, please do some cleaning as well. The vacuum cleaner is in the bathroom. I'll be out for a moment," Arel informed me before leaving. I nodded in acknowledgment while continuing to wash the dishes.

Once Arel left and I was alone, I felt like I could finally breathe more easily.

After finishing with the dishes, I took a seat to rest for a moment. The area between my thighs still hurt from the soreness.

I almost jumped in surprise when the door suddenly opened. Reacting quickly, I stood up and grabbed a tissue, pretending to wipe the table without looking back to see who had entered.

"Who are you?"

I paused in my actions upon hearing the baritone voice of the man behind me.

I was compelled to turn around. Slowly, I turned around, only to find myself face-to-chest with a man. I instinctively brought my hand to my forehead, which had bumped into his firm chest.

Glancing up, I was met with the gaze of a handsome man.

"I'm asking you who you are? Who brought you to this island?" he asked seriously, raising an eyebrow.

Swallowing hard, I was about to answer when Arel walked in, carrying a bucket of fish.

"She's our new maid here on the island. Boss Darius brought her," Arel interjected, providing an explanation.

The man continued to stare at me, his brow furrowing even more. He seemed to study me from head to toe before turning away and retrieving a key from the top of the fridge.

"Arel, who is he?" I asked when the man left.

"That's Henry, the right-hand man of our bosses. He's always that serious, acts as if he's the boss himself," Arel answered with a frown, clearly exhausted from lifting the fish.

I nodded, my curiosity piqued. "He's quite handsome even for a right-hand man."

"He may be good-looking, but he's also ruthless. Just as strict as our bosses here on the island. He's the one who administers punishments to traitors on the island," Arel explained, seemingly unaware that he had overheard my previous comment.

"What kind of punishment?" I asked, intrigued. I positioned myself by the table, watching as Kuya Arel placed the fish into an ice case.

"They torture them until they die, and after killing them, they throw the bodies into the ocean to feed the sharks.”

I felt myself pale at his words. I swallowed hard.

Does this mean that I could meet the same fate if they find out my true identity as the daughter of a police officer? Their enemy? Oh my god! No way! I can't possibly die and be fed to the sharks!

"Arel, can I borrow your phone for a moment? I just want to call—my father—to let him know I'm okay, wherever I am right now." I couldn't help but momentarily close my eyes and let out a breath. I almost slipped into lying.

As Arel continued his work with the fish, he turned to look at me, his expression uncertain. "Didn't the bosses tell you that cell phones are not allowed on this island?"

I furrowed my brows, growing even more anxious. No! Please, no!

"What do you mean phones are not allowed on the island?" I asked, my voice trembling.

"Like I said, Boss Larco and Boss Darius are very strict on this island. Anyone caught using a phone will definitely be punished."

I felt a sinking feeling upon hearing this. My knees felt weak.

"Wait, why so many questions? Just get me some ice from inside the fridge and put some ice on these fish," Arel instructed, his tone firm and authoritative.

I nodded absently, my mind still reeling from the revelation. As I walked toward the fridge, I realized the gravity of my situation.

This meant that escaping from this island was truly unlikely. I might even die here.

Just the thought of being fed to sharks made me want to burst into tears. I'm scared!