Chapter 78 AWAKE
"Run!"
Rico said, raising his gun. The woman stared in dread and stumbled backward, scrambling to her feet. Rico just watched, his finger stroking the trigger gently.
"Gone!" he muttered, and pulled it.
The bullet pierced deep into her back, straight to her heart. She froze for a split second, her eyes wide with shock and terror, then she collapsed to the ground. Blood pooled underneath her, dark and thick.
The door opened with a metal screech against the floor, and two hefty men stepped in, dragging the body away without a word. It was the third person he had killed that day. Barking his anger on thsiewhi owed him.
The cleaners rushed in as the body was hauled off, scrubbing furiously with sponges and pouring bleach over the blood.
"Nothing must be left behind," one of his men growled. The cleaners trembled but didn't dare show it.
Rico placed the cigarette between his lips, his eyes scanning the hall until they landed on a fair-skinned girl, about nineteen. He licked his lips in lust and pointed his pistol at her.
"You. Here. Now," he commanded.
The girl froze, staring in shock. Before she could even process it, rough hands shoved her forward. She dropped to her knees in front of him, hands trembling, her gaze fixed on the cold floor.
"Here," Rico said, patting his thighs.
The girl shivered. Her mother watched from the shadows, scrubbing harder, but she didn't dare utter a word. Silence might save her daughter.
The girl fidgeted, slowly standing, walking toward him, and sitting on his thighs. He felt her plump ass press down unsteadily against his cock, and he smiled darkly. His hand reached for her chin, tilting it up forcefully so her terrified eyes met his cold ones.
"You're now the new bed whore," he snarled, then shoved her face away. A single tear escaped her eye—no whimper came, so his hand shot to her throat, squeezing just enough to remind her who held the power. She was like the others: frozen in fear.
"Y-yes," she stammered, her voice choked, staring down at her wrists, digging her nails into her skin to stay calm.
Rico's filthy hands touched her cheeks, then his gaze dropped to her breasts, still covered by her shirt. He couldn't help but stare, hunger burning in his eyes.
Without warning, his hands grasped her breasts roughly. A frightened gasp escaped her lips. He squeezed harder, but she dared not make a sound.
Then he slammed his lips onto hers.
Her mother shook with fear and helpless rage from the shadows, scrubbing the floor as if she could erase the horror, feeling every speck of dirt and fury crawling under her skin.
He kissed her harder, shoving his tongue in forcefully. She tried to fight back, resisting weakly.
He pulled away and raised his hand.
POW!
The slap echoed through the hall. She fell to her knees, trembling, struggling to keep her balance. Rico laughed coldly and snapped his fingers.
"Lock her up in the torture room for three days. Then... then we'll see."
She was dragged off.
The door creaked open again, and Rico heaved a heavy sigh. He turned as his spy walked in.
"Any news from X?" he asked.
The man shook his head.
"Last disappearance?" He asked and heard a sigh "And Erica?"
"She's Erica, but with amnesia. The medical examination confirmed it."
"After the shot to her chest, she suffered an additional head injury and ended up in the hospital for surgery. Got it done and discharged..." He paused, glancing at Rico, who looked unsatisfied.
"Recently? She was last seen with X, on his thighs." He paused again. He felt Erica had down something again! He ckche his teeth.
Rico sighed in frustration, slamming the document onto the table.
"Still useless," he groaned, standing to leave, but he froze midway.
"The restaurant. She was acting provocatively with him, and a violent fight broke out. But someone else was there—the cruel CEO, Aaron Knight! He knocked out X's men and X.... the next second, X was gone."
The man added quickly.
A sinister smile crept across Rico's lips. The cigarette shifted as he stared at the ceiling.
"Aaron Knight..."
The name sounded oddly familiar, like he'd heard it before but couldn't place it.
"Dig up every dirt on him. Every single way," Rico muttered.
The man nodded and walked off immediately.
Rico exhaled smoke and stared at the ceiling. "Meddle and help her? Pluck one of my loyal man eyes?"
A low, chilling chuckle escaped his lips, and his eyes turned feral, dark.
"I should teach you a lesson, oh Aaron Knight," he cursed at the empty air.
MEANWHILE(UNKNOWN UNDERGROUND)
The air hung heavy with dim, flickering light. Two trolleys stood in the cold room, two females strapped tightly to them, oxygen masks on their faces.
Emily and Jolie.
Their bodies lay lifeless, relentless and unmoving, tubes snaking into pale skin...
"Are we going to keep them here forever?" one man asked, staring at the bodies. Seeing them like this....barely alive, made his stomach churn.
"Not our business. We await the boss's message on what to do with them later," the other bodyguard said.
They exchanged uneasy looks and walked off, their retreating steps echoing.
A faint light flickered. Down on Jolie's body, her fingers twitched slowly—barely a motion. Her blonde lashes fluttered...
Silence.
Then, in that instant, two pairs of eyes snapped open. Drifting side ways...
She stared at the ceiling, her heart racing. Everything felt unreal, like a nightmare she couldn't wake from.
The darkness gwnashed at her...it's been mings eh stared at the darkness or light, so it blinded her for a second.
Her hand moved weakly, reaching for the oxygen mask. Her breathing was faint, haggard, ragged. White condensation of air circled the mask.
And she pulled it off her face...
"E-rica!"