Chapter 3 - Don't kill her

Natalie's POV

It's been four weeks since I first met this man.

A full month.

Four weeks equals twelve sessions. Twelve sessions means twenty-four hours.

I've spent a total of twenty-four hours with him yet I am no way near close of figuring him out. If possible, with every session, he gets more complex and harder for me to read.

He never gives me a direct answer to my questions. He is always so mysterious and full of secrets.

I keep arranging the pieces of his puzzled mind together in a very wrong way and every time I mess it up, I am obliged to restart all over again.

In short, this man is driving me crazy. Literally.

I huffed in annoyance as I gathered my things, I placed the notepad into my purse and with one last look at my office, I turned off the lights and headed out. As I waited for the elevator, I turned my head and looked at the window outside noticing how the darkness had already blanketed the city. I scoffed, of course.

Our twelfth session just ended a few minutes ago, and even though I am taking from my free time to deliver his session, yet still I see no improvements or whatsoever to leave me a bit satisfied. I know that one month is nothing and we are still in the very beginning of the road yet all I need from him is to open up for me a little, to trust me. He doesn't. It's like he wants to prove to me that I can't fix him. He's challenging me, I can feel it.

He is beating me in my own game.

This hot human being is no piece of cake.

The ding sound of the elevator almost had me jumping, startled as it pulled me out of the sea of my thoughts. All thanks to Mr. Viarchi.

I am so angry. Furious even. Ugh.

I tried to kick him out of my mind as the elevator took me to the underground floor and into the parking lot. I ran my hand through my hair, fixing it a bit and pulled into a deep calming breath.

I just can't wait to get home. Nothing a glass of wine can't fix.

I was a bit calmer as I reached down and walked toward my car. I unlocked it and placed my things in the backseat before I got in and started the engine...but luck wasn't on my side today. Not at all. I turned the keys again, trying to roar the engine to life but alas, it wasn't working.

"What the hell?" I mumbled to myself as I tried again and again. The stupid car didn't listen to my silent pleas and just like Nikolas, it gave me no response.

"Ugh!" I groaned in anger before I hit the steering wheel. As if I needed this right now.

A light knock on my car's window had me jumping up in my seat.

Jesus, I am really on edge lately.

I could only wonder why...please sense the sarcasm in my sentence.

I turned to my intruder and my heart involuntarily did that little jump. I swallowed hard as I lowered the window and flashed him a nervous smile as my stomach twisted into a hundred billion knots, "Yeah?"

"Are you okay?" Nikolas asked, his eyebrows pulling together.

I gulped and nodded, "Uh-huh," I managed to say, "Why?"

"Well, I was getting into my car," He nodded toward the car beside mine, "But I heard you screaming at...something." He said the last word as he looked inside my car, as if expecting to find someone else.

I chuckled nervously and redness creeped all over my being, "Yeah, my car isn't working, apparently." I mumbled as I opened the door.

He backed away and I stepped down, "It's too late to call anyone, I will just deal with it tomorrow." I mumbled as I took my things from the backseat and locked the car again. Stupid car...stupid. It embarrassed me in front of Nikolas.

"How will you go home, then?" He asked.

I showed him my phone, "Uber will do just fine."

There was a short moment of silence and he still didn't go away as I went through my phone and opened the Uber application.

He broke the silence and said, "If you want, I...I can drop you off."

I had to tighten my hold over the phone to stop my fingers from shaking. God, why does he have to make me so nervous. My eyes drifted from my phone's screen and fell into his beautiful eyes, "No, no, there is no need," I mumbled with an appreciative smile, "I will just get an-" I waved my phone in front of him, unable to form a complete normal sentence.

His hand landed over mine, over the hand holding the phone, stopping me. If I thought my heart jumped before, now it's definitely on the floor, fainted and passed out from his mere warm touch. My eyes that were on the screen, now were on his hands, they widened a bit before they shot up to him.

"Actually, I would feel better if I dropped you off," He explained, before he retreated his hand back from mine, "You stay this much late for me, it's kind of my fault, so it's the least I can do."

After he touched my hand like that and said those sweet words, how can I say no to him. On instinct, I nodded my head, "Okay." I mumbled, he is still right though, it is his fault I stay this late. And I am so angry at him, so this is the least he can do.

As the gentleman I think he is, he opened the car's door for me, allowing me to get in. Once inside, I couldn't help but admire the interior of his car. Man, what business did he own exactly? As fancy as cars get, this is by far the fanciest I've ever been, and most probably will ever be in.

When he got inside, I couldn't help but throw my comment at him, "An Audi R8, you really know how to pick them." I gazed at the digital gauge cluster taking the center of the cockpit, "This has a 602 horse-power, doesn't it? Oh dear god," My gaze wandered over the beautifully sculpted black sport seats, "This car is fast, like really really fast."

When my gaze finally fell on him, he was eyeing me silently with amusement. I gulped down, realizing how I was flirting with his car out loud and without noticing.

"What?" I asked, nervous under his gaze.

He smiled, "There is more to you under those glasses you wear, isn't there?" He commented. I don't know if he was trying to offend or complement me. I involuntary reached for my glasses and took them off. I was so angry when I left the office that I forgot to take them off.

I shrugged as I looked ahead of me, "It's more of a hobby."

"I thought your hobby would go as far as reading a book," He commented as he started the car and the sound of the beautiful engine roaring to live almost gave me an orgasm.

Then, I registered what he actually said. I gaped at him, "Well, I guess there is really more to me than those glasses, huh?" I said sarcastically, way too offended by how fast he judged me. He doesn't know me.

I leaned back into my seat and decided to enjoy this car ride without the need to talk with him. It made my heart sink a bit, that all he got from me was some nerdy vibes.

"You do know that if you don't tell me your address, I won't be able to get there, right?" He sarcastically remarked as he reached the main road.

Air harshly pushed out of my nose and I gave him my address. He pulled into the road and started driving toward our destination. Fifteen minutes in and he still didn't mutter a single word, he seemed to enjoy this silence. Unlike me, silence makes me feel awkward.

And when I feel awkward, I get uncomfortable, and when I get uncomfortable, I started to ramble and talk.

"You never told me, what kind of business you own?"

His eyes went from the side mirror to me, "Why?"

I shrugged, "Just curious."

His gaze drifted to the rear-view mirror then to the side one, "It's a bit of everything," He answered.

"Such as?" I pushed on, annoyed by his usual vague answers.

His eyes kept drifting between the road ahead of us and the side mirror. I felt him speed up a bit, "You know, I own some clubs, bars, hospitals, like I said, it's a bit of everything."

"Explains the car," I mumbled but he didn't say anything back.

"Which club do you own?" I asked, still trying to fill the silence, "Maybe I can give it a visit sometime."

"What?" He asked, clueless, like he didn't even hear what I asked.

"You're so distracted, and you keep looking at the side mirror," I mumbled, "Is there someone following us?" I asked jokingly.

He didn't give me answer, all his focus absorbed by the road ahead of us and whoever is behind us.

"Okay, you didn't answer my sarcastic rhetorical question with a sarcastic rhetorical answer," I chuckled nervously, he is really getting me worried. I turned to look back but there were many cars, so I couldn't comprehend if there is anything of that sort.

"Fuck," he suddenly cursed under his breath and pressed his feet harder over the gas pedal, suddenly accelerating the speed of the car. I held into my seatbelt and noticed how his hand went to the back of his pants and pulled something out.

My eyes widened when they fell over the metallic weapon in his hand.

"Oh my god!" I gasped, "Please tell me you didn't have this on when you were in my office."

"Can you not comment on everything?" He said in annoyance as he reached for the glove box in front of me and took something from there, "I am trying to focus over here!"

He loaded whatever he took from there into his gun, all while driving us with full force, speeding between cars, "You won't mind if we take another turn to your house, right?"

Before I could manage to speak, he takes a very hard turn to the right making me grasp tighter into the seatbelt, my heart flying right out of my chest, this time due to fear.

"I did not say yes!" I scream at him.

"Well, I wasn't exactly waiting for an answer."

The nerve of this man.

************

Nikolas's POV

"I need you to stay down," I said, more like ordered her yet all she did is stare back at me, dumbfounded.

"I said, get down!" I stressed out through clenched teeth. The last thing I need now is the guilt of killing my own therapist. I won't hear the end of it from Alex.

The black SUV chasing us didn't hesitate now that we were in the clear. They fired at us, and that finally had her gasping and cowering down her seat. I used one hand to lead the car and with the other, I aimed and fired at them.

"You better pay me extra for this !" Natalie said, more like screamed, her voice barely audible through the tires screeching and the bullets still being fired at us.

I tried to speed up more, going left and right, and dodging their bullets as much as I can.

They were more in number, and it was getting harder trying to avoid their shots. I had to go for another plan. I started slowing down, bit by bit, trying to decrease the distance separating the two cars, "Natalie, I am gonna need your help," I said, urging her to look at me.

She removed her hands from over her face, "Me..me?" She asked, "What?"

"Get a bit closer and place your hands on the steering wheel," I said and she did it. I removed my hand from over it, "Now, you're driving," I said and her eyes widened as I positioned myself in a way to enable me to get my upper half out of the window. I fired at the first man I saw and the bullet went right through his head.

They tried to shoot at me but I leaned back inside, "Oh my god, if I die today, I am gonna kill you," She said, the threat in her voice sounded convincing. I leaned out of the window and this time shot for the front wheels of their car, not just once, enough to cause them to swerve away.

When I noticed the driver starting to lose control, I leaned back inside and took control over the steering wheel, nudging Natalie away. I started to slow down again as I noticed them crashing into a parked car at the side of the street. The crash had me halting my car to a stop, a bit far from theirs but enough to let me observe if any of them is making it out alive.

"I should've just taken an Uber," Natalie's voice pulled me out my haze. I turned to her and my eyes took a full scan, making sure she is okay. She had her fingers grasping over the seatbelt so tight, her knuckles almost turning white. Her eyes pressed shut, too scared of opening them.

"Are you okay?"

Her eyes shot open and she turned to me, "What do you think?" She snapped, glaring at me.

My eyebrows pulled together, a bit confused at her tone, but some sounds from outside, like metal clinking grabbed my attention. I grabbed my gun, "Stay inside," I said, "No matter what don't get out of the car, you get that?"

She didn't answer me, her shocked eyes only focused on the gun in my hand. A loud breath made it out of my mouth and I stressed again, "Natalie?"

She gulped down and nodded, "Okay."

I took that as my cue to get out of the car, all of my senses on high alert and aware of my surroundings, I held my gun up high as my eyes scanned all around. When I reached the car, it was damaged to a big extent but just to make sure, I fired at the gas tank, more than once, making sure when this car goes up in flames, everyone inside it will die.

I can't let them live and report back to Isaac about my whereabouts. Usually, they never get that close to me, I am always beating them up, making sure I am one step ahead. But today, they had the luxury of chasing me down.

Light footsteps behind me had me twirling around so fast, my gun already aimed and ready to fire. Natalie's eyes widened at my defensive state and she stumbled backward a little. I lowered my hand down, "Didn't I tell you not to get down?" I grated out through clenched teeth.

"I heard gunshots," She mumbled ever so innocently, swallowing hard as her eyes drifted around the isolated street.

I walked closer to her, "Come on," My fingers tightened over her arm, pulling her away before the car burst up in flames.

The sound of a gun's safety click going on had my eyes widening, with my hand I pushed Natalie behind my back and twirled around, immediately firing at the sound's source. He was standing right beside the car, the bullet went right through his head, knocking him backward. But before I had the chance of firing at him, he had already taken his shot, I was lucky enough to move out of the way, having the bullet barely grazing the side of my arm.

I turned around to check on Natalie, who was cowering behind my back, shaking, "I told you don't get down of the car, didn't I!"

She lifted her gaze up to me, "How is this my fault!" She snapped back, her eyes going to the man, they grew wide, "Oh my god, you...you shot him, you might've killed him, oh my god..."

"Well, if I didn't, he would've killed us."

"No, no, oh my god, we should call an ambulance, he might still be alive," Her eyes drifted from the man's corpse and to the car going up in flames.

She gasped, her hand flying to cover her mouth, "Oh my god!" She fumbled through her pockets and pulled her phone out, "I am calling 911," She placed the phone to her ear, "We should help them."

Is she stupid?

My hand immediately shot to her wrist, my fingers wrapped tight as I pulled her hand down. My eyebrow raising as I remarked, "If I wanted to help them, then why did I fire at them in the first place?"

Her eyes grew wide, "You...you, who the hell are you?!" She snapped as she snatched her hand away from my grip.

"Will you get in the car now so I can take you home?" I suggested, already making my way to the car. I needed to get out of here because soon enough someone will notice the dead people around and this will turn complicated. I don't like complicated.

I opened the car's door but she was still frozen in her spot, not moving. I huffed out, as if I needed this right now. I walked closer to her and tugged at her arm, pulling her into the car.

She didn't object at first, too lost in her thoughts but when we reached the car, she snatched her arm away, "Don't touch me!" she snapped, her eyes glaring at me. For someone who just saw me kill a bunch of people, I was hoping she'd get scared and just listen to me.

Her glaring eyes drifted from my face and into my arm, they widened and she stepped closer, "Oh my god, you're bleeding!" She tried to reach for my arm but my hand shot out, stopping her, "I am fine," I said, I barely even felt it, "It's just a graze, no big deal."

She pressed her palm over her forehead, "Oh god, he's bleeding and he says it's no big deal!"

She really is overdramatic. Reminds me of someone.

"Come on, take me home," She said, finally getting into the car, "I can help you with it."

I got in as well and started the engine, "There is no need, I am fine."

"Just shut up and do as I said!" She shot out and me being shocked is a total understatement.

Don't kill her Nikolas, she is you therapist.

Don't kill her.

Alex would make a big deal out of this. Don't.

I stared back at her dumbfounded, "Come on, don't think this look of yours is gonna scare me."

Okay...what's happening?

Did I really lose my talents?

I decided to ignore her, just not to trigger the killer in me, who would be delighted to shut her up right now, as I continued driving her home.

"Okay, park there," She pointed out to an empty space in front of a building. Once parked, she opened her door and went down, she shot me a glare, "Come on," She said, "If you don't go down, I am telling the police what you just did."

Does she really think this scares me?

When I didn't budge, she pulled her phone out, "Okay, as you want."

I rolled my eyes and went down as well, "Okay, I got down." She's so lucky I am just not in the mood to kill more people tonight.

She nodded in satisfaction and placed her phone away, "Now, follow me."

I rubbed my hand over my face, my patience wearing me thin at her tone. She walked inside the building, greeting whoever that old man standing by the main entrance is. She walked up the stairs to the second floor before she pulled the keys and opened the door for her apartment.

She stepped inside and I followed her. Something small and furry rushed toward her, "Oh baby, I missed you too," Natalie said as she crouched down, petting the small animal's head as it rubbed itself all over her leg.

"I will get the first aid kit," she said without looking at me before she disappeared inside leaving me alone with the animal thing. It looked up at me and walked closer, it's little tail swinging left and right. I moved backward, running away from it and into the nearest room, which turned out to be the living room, as I waited for Natalie.

*************

Natalie's POV

Furious. I am so furious at him and everything.

He really managed to ruin my day and night even. Too much for a glass of wine. I am gonna need the whole damn bottle to get rid of tonight's events.

I walked back and saw him standing in the living room, waiting for me. Massie, my cat standing by his side and just staring up at him. I almost laughed, she looked pretty much astonished by the hot male specie in my room.

I placed the kit aside and pulled out some cotton and alcohol in order to clean his wound, "Sit," I said, more like ordered. I don't understand where this courage is coming from. I am literally screaming and ordering the man I saw kill a bunch of people just few minutes ago.

I am either stupid or stupid. There is no other explanation.

But, it's not like he would hurt me. Was I too dumb to think this way?

My tone seemed to infuriate him even more and to that I was delighted. I wanna annoy him just like he has been annoying me lately.

I sat down beside him, my hand went to the sleeves of his white shirt, pulling it up, and trying to reach the wound, where it's heavily bleeding. I wonder how he's not even in pain.

"I can't reach the wound," I said, "Take off your shirt." I almost facepalmed, "I mean, just so I can see the area that got grazed, that's...that's all."

"Is this necessary?" He questioned, "I really can do it myself."

"Just let me do this, and you can leave after," I said, "I would feel better if I knew you're okay."

I shook my head, "I mean, it was kind of my fault, I went down when you said not to, and then that happened," It happened because he pushed me behind him, protecting me. That's why I don't feel threatened by him I think.

Those men wanted to hurt him, it was obvious. So, maybe he had to fight them back.

Look at me, justifying killing for his sake.

I am really not okay today.

He didn't seem satisfied but his hand went to his shirt and unbuttoned the first few buttons, too tired to negotiate with me anymore. I tried to be careful enough not to eye-rape him because I know myself and seeing his upper body naked is capable of getting rid of all of my anger toward him.

I tried to focus my gaze elsewhere but it got hard as he opened the shirt and my eyes traced the scar that's engraved on the side of his neck, I always wondered how far it went down his chest but what I saw knocked all the breath out of my lungs. Not just one, not two even, his body was scarred beyond my imagination.

I bit at the inside of my cheek to stop myself from reacting or saying something. One thing I know, what scars leave behind mentally is worse than anything physical. So, it's for my sake not to react or say a thing.

I gulped down and inched closer, my eyes not once drifting from his wound, only focused there as I cleaned the blood away.

Nikolas didn't even flinch, but then if he endured whatever made those scars persistent over his skin, this little graze holds no pain.

Silence enveloped us, something he seems to like. I didn't mutter a thing as I placed the bandage over the wound, my mind busy thinking about what my eyes witnessed.

Who would've done it? We talked about his father's physical abuse, but it never crossed my mind it could be this much, was it him? Or was it someone else?

One thing I deduced after tonight. Nikolas is dangerous. The men who followed him today with the intent to kill him. These scars mapped over his body are enough proof that I need to stay away from this man as far as possible.

But the curious psychologist in me only felt more intrigued, drawn to him in ways my logical mind couldn't comprehend.

His story. His secrets. I want them...but how?

"Done." I mumbled lowly as I backed away. He buttoned his shirt again and I didn't dare to even glance. Too afraid of my own reaction.

"You know normal people would say thank you," I mumbled, trying to change the subject.

"I didn't ask you to do this," He said as he got to his feet and looked more than ready to leave.

I turned to him, his words only adding fuel to my buried anger, "You know something, you're a jerk, a big one," My voice raised, "I don't understand you, I don't, you're unbelievable," Frustration seeped within my words, "You're nothing like I expected!"

"What did you expect?" He asked, quirking an eyebrow at me.

"I don't know, I really don't know!" My loud voice made Massie hide under the couch, thinking I am angry at her, "You didn't give me the chance to expect anything anyway, you never...never give me a straight answer to my questions, you keep running away, from everything, you're just wasting my time, trying to prove to me that there is no way in hell a mere therapist like me could break through whatever wall you have built around yourself!"

I was too tired and exhausted which lead me to just speak my mind out loud, "You think you're playing a game with me? What do you think you will get by the end if you proved to me that I failed? You said you will try, but you lied, you don't want to get better, you're not even trying to get better!" I wasn't done yet, "You like being like this for some reason, you made that pretty clear the first time you stopped by my office, you told me you're beyond help, do you know whose fault is that, it's only your fault because if you wanted, you wouuld make at least an effort."

He didn't say anything back, he didn't care enough to defend himself, "You have given up on yourself."

He nodded, "You're right."

I shook my head, "If that's the case, I can't help you, because I care about my patients enough not to stand and witness them do this to themselves." I said, the whole situation bringing bitter memories back, "It's better if we stop this whole thing, we're only wasting each others times." I gulped down, feeling a weird heaviness press against my chest, "You are not ready to trust anyone and I get that, based on what happened tonight, you don't have the easiest of lives." I shook my head, "But if you're going to enter my office again, you'll need to trust me, to be vulnerable in front of me, and to be okay with that. Apparently, you're not, you lie, every question I ask, you answer it with a lie. It's been a month, and as your therapist, I should know a bit about you know, but I really don't know anything."

"What do you want to know?"

My eyebrows pulled together, "What?"

"Ask." He said, "You say I never answer you honestly, ask now, if it will satisfy you, I will give you the answer you're waiting for."

I felt he's bluffing me with me, so I went for a sensitive question right away, challenging him, "Who caused those scars over your body?"

He didn't even seem affected, like he expected I was gonna ask that question in exact, "I've actually lost count," His sneer was mocking, "But the big ones, my uncle caused them."

What?

"Your...your uncle?"

He nodded, "In short, when I was young, my uncle, who hates my father's guts, kidnapped me, tortured me for five years and then let me go."

The news hit me like a whiplash. He talked about it so casually, like it didn't affect him at all.

"What," I swallowed past the lump forming in my throat, "What did he do to you?"

He shrugged, "Anything that could cross your mind, he definitely tried it on me."

I backed away till the back of my knees hit the couch. I sat down, trying to drink in the feedback of what he said, unable to process how young he was, or in which ways he was tortured and by no one but his own uncle.

If his answers were meant to clear my confusion, they failed. They only complicated it more.

"You want to know why I never answer your questions," He started, "Why I never tell you about these things, it's because I don't care anymore."

"Natalie, you can't help me because my problem is not what these people did to me," He shrugged, "I've moved on from that along time ago, it doesn't affect me anymore."

"My real problem is what I have done to the people around me," The amount of guilt I saw in his eyes had me sucking down into a deep breath, "The things I've done can't be fixed."

What did he do?

He backed away, ready to leave but he concluded his words with a sentence that he believed in more than anything, "Meaning, I can't be fixed."