Chapter 61: One Last Run

"Who are you and how did you get in here?" Sebastian asked with authority.

JJ turned on the lights of the apartment and revealed Addicus with three of his men, two by his side and one blocking the exit.

"Good evening, Sebastian, isn't it? I've been looking forward to meeting you," Addicus got up from his seat and gave his hand out to Sebastian for a shake.

Sebastian looked down at his hand and noticed that he had his right hand inside his jacket and his face was badly scarred.

***And then he realized!***

Sharon wasn't lying when she told him about a madman who was out to get her. It was all true and now, here he stood.

"That look of realization on your face must mean only one thing; *Sharon has told you about me," Addicus said softly, almost in a whisper.*

Sebastian looked over his shoulder at the door, trying to plan his escape, but the man blocking the exit was bigger than Goliath himself.

"She didn't say much, but she did leave out the gory details," Seb said and pointed at Addicus' face.

He decided to play it cool and not panic. He needed to be smart if he was to get out of this situation alive.

"Ah, yes! The wounds she inflicted on me. Constant reminders to find her and make her pay."

"Well, unfortunately for you, Mr...?"

"Addicus -- Addicus James Worthington," he said, and took a bow.

"Si! Unfortunately, Sharon isn't here. She left Puntarenas this morning because she was always afraid that you would find her. You're too late. So, I'll advise you to look for her elsewhere because by now, she's probably halfway around the world," Sebastian lied.

"Hahaha!" Addicus laughed haughtily and JJ laughed as well.

"Do you think I'm an idiot? Huh, Sebastian, my friend?" Addicus said angrily and stood face-to-face with Seb.

"You think I'd come all the way out here if I wasn't completely certain that she was still here? You underestimate me, my friend. Why don't you take a seat and we can wait for Sharon together?" He said evilly.

Sebastian quickly grabbed a knife from the kitchen counter and held it against Addicus' throat.

"It seems you're the one who underestimated me.., my friend."

"Let him go, and I promise you a quick death," JJ said to Seb.

"No, I'm not doing that. All of you, on the ground with your hands out. Now!" Sebastian yelled.

As the goons were complying with his demands, Seb's back was turned, and he had no idea that there was a fourth goon. The goon walked up to him and put his gun at the back of Seb's head.

"Let him go, or I blow your brains out," the goon said.

Seb slowly let go of Addicus and quickly turned around to attack the goon, but before he could even swing his knife, Addicus struck him on the head with his gun and Seb passed out.

When he came to, he was tied up to a chair with blood on his clothes.

"Welcome back, Sebastian! A very valiant attempt to escape, Sir. Valiant indeed," Addicus applauded him.

"Sir, she's here," JJ said when he saw Sharon outside through the window.

"Good! This party is about to start," Addicus smirked.

"Sharon! Run away, Sharon! Don't come up here! He's here! He's..." JJ walked over to Seb and punched him hard, making him quiet.

"Did she hear him?" Addicus asked JJ.

He walked back over to the window and saw Sharon rooted to the spot.

"Yes, she heard him. She stopped walking," JJ said.

"Damn it! I guess we'll have to do this another way," Addicus said, and walked over to the window.

Addicus walked over to the window and Sharon could see him in full view.

"Hello, my dear," he said in a cool, calm yet menacing voice.

Sharon turned around to run away again but was stopped by Addicus' words.

"Where do you think you're going, dear Sharon? You don't want to leave me so soon with your little boyfriend here!"

*LITTLE BOYFRIEND* - The two words set to simmer in Sharon's head.

He meant **Seb**.

Was it his voice she heard a moment ago that was yelling and telling her to run? She wondered in horror. Was he in there with Addicus? Was he even still alive?

"You found yourself yet another good one. It's a shame his life is about to be cut short," Addicus said with a sad yet not-so-sad look in his eyes and gestured at JJ towards the tied-up Sebastian.

"Wait! Please, don't hurt him. It's me you want, not him. I'll go with you, back to America, back to where ever you want, just... don't hurt Seb, please, I beg of you," Sharon said out loud, looking up at Addicus, something she always seems to do whenever he finds her which served as a symbol of his supremacy over her.

"As much as I love the fact that you finally see things more clearly now, I still have to punish you so that you learn not to defy me ever again," he said to her with more seriousness in his eyes.

"Addicus, please!" Sharon burst into tears, dreading what seemed very likely to come next.

"Kill him," Addicus said to JJ.

"No, no, Addicus, you don't have to do this. I'll stay with you. I won't run anymore. Please, don't do this!" Sharon begged desperately.

She wanted to run up into the building and try to stop the heinous act before it happened but she was rooted to the spot. She couldn't bring herself to take even a single step. She was just too afraid.

JJ walked up to Sebastian and stared into his eyes. He pulled out his knife from his jacket and held it out for Sebastian to see, foreshadowing his impending and inevitable end.

"Sharon! I love you," Sebastian began saying to himself, and it was almost like time froze while he was soliloquizing in his mind.

***"I have absolutely no regrets. You made me a happier person and I wish I had more time with you. All I can hope for now is that you remain safe and happy. Free of your tormentor so you can lead a full and happy life. Adios, Sharon. Hasta que nos volvamos a encontra en otra vida,"***

And with a swift slicing swing, JJ split open Sebastian's throat, and he bled to his death. An end to another chapter of Sharon's life, another death, another loved one gone, another collateral damage in the grand scheme of things, but this was the worst of them all for Sharon because she knew it could happen this time but chose to listen to her heart and not her head.

Seb's lifeless body was thrown at her feet through the first-floor window. It landed on the ground with a thud that felt like a hammer crushing her heart. Sharon walked over to his body slowly. She fell to her knees and screamed in pain and agony.

"You monster!" She screamed at Addicus.

"No, Sharon! You're the monster. You killed this man, not me. You could have ended all this bloodshed a long time ago, but you chose not to. You kept running and running, and what has it brought you? Only more pain, more loss, more heartbreak, and only I can mend your heart. Just stop running and come with me. I'll treat you with respect. I'll forgive you for everything and I won't hurt you anymore, I promise," Addicus said.

***Were his words really sincere? Were they to be believed? Could they be believed?***

"Let's go, JJ. I have her now. She won't be running away anymore," Addicus said quietly, so he and his men all left Sharon's apartment and walked towards her location to acquire her and take her back to Colorado.

It suddenly began to rain and Sebastian's blood was spread across the pavement by the rainwater. Sharon stared at him and considered her options; Go with Addicus, knowing fully well that he would force himself on her and also coerce her to marry him or maybe he would just kill her after raping her OR run away again, but instead of trying to live, she ends her life on her own terms so he could never hurt her ever again.

Addicus finally reached outside where he expected to find Sharon waiting for him, but she was gone, and he was outraged.

"SHARON!" He yelled in anger, "You fool! You've chosen your fate."