Chapter 2

Catherine

The noises were slowly subside and I hear only shallow breath. I stand turning my head around. I look at the stranger breathing hard, his hand on his waist. Then I remember he's been shot. I rush toward to him to check his wound.

"Are you okay?" I ask him, scanning his wound.

"Yeah. I'm fine."

"No. You don't look fine. Let me check your wound." I tried to lift his shirt but he caught my hand and push it.

"I said I'm fine." Gah! This man is really stubborn!

"C'mon don't be stubborn, I want to see your wound." I lift his shirt off this time he didn't stop me. I gasp not because of the wound, but because of his six pack that was engraved on his body. I am pretty sure, I'm drooling. God, why is this man so perfect?

"It will heal soon. Don't worry." His voice is deep and rough. There is something in it that I can explain. It makes my heart flip.

"But you're pale. You have to get the bullet out before you collapse and die. We have to go to hospital."

"No! It's dangerous. You have to go now."

"Why it's so dangerous? You're afraid they might arrest you for killing these men? Why are they running after you anyway?"

"Just talking to me is already dangerous. If I were you I will walk away and never turn back."

"But you've been shot because of me. How the hell I will leave you here if you are bleeding because you chose to save my life!"

"Fine! If you don't want to leave, I will"

"Arrgh! Can't you just please let me help you?"

"Why are all women so stubborn?"

"Are you referring to me or in general?"

"Okay, I'm talking about you."

"Men are not all stubborn except you. So can you please shut up and let me help you? Let's get out of here." I grab his arm and pull him to walk with me.

Finally he let me drag him. I tried to hold his arm but he keeps pulling away. I just shook my head in frustration. I don't know why I keep worrying about this man. The fact that they've been chasing him and wanted him dead means he's done something bad or he is just simply dangerous. But I refuse to believe the latter. He may be done something bad but that doesn't mean he is a criminal. Besides, he just doesn't let his life at risk for me if he is a bad person. Right?

I look at him and my eyes soften. He looks tired, beaten and his face is pale, bloody and sweaty. We were walking on the side of the road and the lights from the lamp post illuminate us. Finally, I got to see his full feature and no doubt he is a very beautiful man. And this man save my life. I will be forever grateful to him.

"Put your arm around my shoulder" I told him when I saw he walk a little wobbly. He just stare at me. "Oh c'mon, you need help. Put your ego aside and accept my offer." He just walk pass by me. I sigh in frustration.

"You know what, I don't know why I keep insisting on helping you. I should leave you alone and let you die. Beside you're the one who put me on this situation. But I can't! I ask your help and you helped me. I just want to return the favor."

"I didn't ask you to return your favor. I ask you to walk away."

"I can't! I can't take my conscience to leave you and let you die. I will forever carry that guilt if that happens"

He sigh and closed his eyes. He looks defeated and I feel a little bad for arguing him. But it's his fault. I cross my hands on my chest and patiently waiting for his answer.

VINCENT

"Fine. For your conscience sake." She smile sweetly to me. How can I turn down that dimples on her cheek and sparkle in her eyes?

I feel quite uncomfortable having her walking beside me. I worry that if someone saw her with me, she might end up dying. I don't want to let that happen. But she's persistent and I can't resist her green orbs round eyes especially when she's doing her puppy dog look. I admit that they are the most gorgeous eyes I've ever seen.

I stole a quick glance at her and studied her feature. She looks fragile and tired but it never lessen her beauty. She's more beautiful in person than in newspaper or magazines. And one thing I noticed on her face, she looks at peace. The more I look at her, the more I become curious.

"How long we still have to walk?" She must feel bored on me or she feel really tired.

"We are here." I simply said. We stop in a abandon building in a remote side of the city. I scan the area before I walk in. I look at her direction and she's frowning. Her mouth slightly open.

"You live here or we just don't have a choice?" she ask curiously.

"You'll find out". I walk inside leaving her in a state of confusion.

I went upstairs and went straight to my medicine cabinet. I pull out the things I needed to clean my wound. I sit on the side of the bed and rip my t-shirt. My lips curve up on the side when I heard her say "You really live here".

"Okay, what should I do?" she walk toward me. She sit beside me and check my wound. Her scent linger on my nose and I lost myself for a moment. She smell sweet lavender combine with sweat, its intoxicating.

"Grab some clean cloth and warm water to clean the blood" I ordered. She nod and stand up. I follow her through my eyes and surprise when she enter on the bathroom. How did she know where is my bathroom?

She came a minute after, holding a basin and a small towel.

I recall when I saw her with those men dragging her. I couldn't help but rescue her. She sounded desperate and the moment I saw her I knew I couldn't let her go. Even I was in pain I endure it to help her. I know she was more in danger with me and I will look more dangerous if someone saw us together. I'll let her help me but this is the first and last. I can't jeopardize our life, especially hers. After this night I will tell her to come back home and forget that I existed.

The moment she touch my stomach with cloth I can hear her heart started to race. She seems nervous and she swallow hard. I don't know if she's scared that she might hurt me or because she's seeing something she like.

I don't know if my super senses-that's what JT calls it, is a advantage or not. I can hear everything even in miles away. I don't need stethoscope to hear the heartbeat or a pulse of a human. All I need is to listen intently and I can tell whether they are nervous, happy or scared.

"How did you find my bathroom that easily?" I couldn't help myself to ask. She's like a ninja who have been here before.

"Years of sneaking around makes me became expert. And besides that's the only door in this room. You don't have kitchen. Your fridge and tables are in the corner." She said, while wiping my blood. Her fingers gently touching my skin.

"You could be my interior designer" I said giving a little humor.

"I wish, but my parents wants me to become a lawyer." I saw sadness in her eyes and I understand why she run away from her parents. They are powerful and they are very protective to their only daughter.

"There. Now, how can you remove the bullet?" she put the towel away that was full of my blood and she sit again beside me. Watching me. I pull out my scalpel from my surgery kit. Before I push it through my wound she grab my hand and stop me.

"Wait! How can you be so sure that this is safe? How can you get it? Is it safe to use this" she's rambling, her heart race like a rocket.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." I assured her.

"You do? What if you didn't get the bullet out and you will only push deep in your stomach?" I don't know if I want to laugh or piss at her concern.

"Trust me. Okay. I'm a doctor" I blurted out before I control myself.

"Oh. Really?" Shock and embarrassment painted on her face.

"Yes. So please would you calm down?"

"Okay"

She watches me as I put the scalpel on my skin and buried it through my wound. I cringed from the pain. I fight myself to scream because the agony of taking the bullet out is unbearable.

I remember the last time I talked to JT. He asked me if I really wanted this- to be back in normal. Of course I wanted to have my normal life back but I realize that it's too late. I never have it back. There are times that I regret my decision. Like now. I have to endure the pain but back the days when I am still a monster, I couldn't even feel the pain. My wounds will heal faster.

She saw me cringing and there she goes again. Freaking out. "Oh my god, oh my god! Are you okay? Oh my! Its bleeding again!" she cried.

"I can't concentrate if you keep freaking out."

"What would I do? You're hurting!" I saw single tear on her eyes.

"Don't watch me then. Turn around. I will let you know if I'm done." I saw her hesitation before she turn around and walk a little far from me.

"Are you done? Is it over?"

"No."

Minutes later I finally pull out the bullet from my stomach. Relief flooded through my body but still it's painful.

"Why you take so long? Are you still alive?" I smirk a little. She's cute when she's freaking out.

"Yeah. Just few stitches then I'm done."

She rush toward me and check my wound. Why this beautiful lady is concern about me?

She helped me to put the gauze bandage around my body. She take her time and carefully tying it around me. I don't know why but I feel this pull between us and the look on her face says that she felt it too. She look up and our eyes met. I heard her gasp and her pretty lips parted. Damn. I should tear my eyes away before I could do anything to her.

"I think you're done. You can go home now"

"What? No! I'm not leaving!"

"I let you help me and now that I'm fine you can go now"

"I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay here."

"You can't stay here it's too dangerous."

"Dangerous how? I can't see any harm for staying here unless you do something bad to me".

"Why do you want to stay?" I ask her, catching her off guard. She bite her lip before she answer. Damn that lip.

"Because I don't have any place to go. And… I feel safe here with you". She whisper the last words.