Chapter 75 - The Promise

**Three Months Later**

Natalia finally had the casts off her legs and was working with her physical therapist, Hannah. She was able to take a couple of painful steps before having to sit back down. It was slow work, but it would be worth it in the end. Hayden came to every appointment with her, much to the delight of Hannah, who had an obvious crush on him.

Hayden avoided her as much as possible while staying near Natalia. It made him uncomfortable each time Hannah accidentally touched him when there was no reason for her to do so. Natalia laughed it off, telling him he should be used to it by now with how handsome he was. However, Hayden was getting seriously annoyed and was close to saying something to her about it.

"How soon before Natalia will be able to walk like she used to?" Hayden asked Hannah, rolling his eyes when her face turned red, and she fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"It may be months. So you may have to come here for a while." She answered, pretending to accidentally touch Hayden's hand. He'd had enough.

"We won't be coming here after today. I've found a new physical therapist that says he can have Natalia walking in a month. You're obviously too busy trying to focus on me instead of focusing on my fiance." He was seething with anger. At first, he didn't want Natalia to have a male physical therapist because he didn't want any other man's hands on her body. Now, as long as he was there, he would just be thankful for someone who acted professionally.

"What do you mean? I'm the best physical therapist in the state. You'll be making a big mistake leaving me." Hannah realized her error as soon as it was out of her mouth. She was pleading with Hayden to stay with her, not focusing on Natalia at all. She looked toward her patient, who was now glaring at her.

"You're right, Hayden. It's time to find a professional. Hannah, at first, I laughed off your crush on Hayden, but it's obvious that it's gotten to the point you can't do what you're hired to do. Let's get out of here." Natalia saw Hannah's face turn red, knowing she was caught. She didn't have the nerve to argue as Hayden pushed Natalia out of the facility.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I couldn't stand the way she was acting. By tomorrow, I'll have a new physical therapist for you. I did find a guy who has good ratings. I'll call him as soon as we get in the car." Natalia looked up at him with a smile.

"I'm glad you did it. At first, I thought she was harmless, but it was apparent that she was trying to drag out my therapy to keep us there longer. I'll go to whoever you find as long as they help me to walk." Hayden was ready to get married, but Natalia refused until she could walk down the aisle on her own.

In the past months since the chaos ended, things had started getting into a routine for them. Hayden's shoulder was almost fully functional now. With Natalia able to stand, she could transfer herself with little to no help. They had returned to work at NC, where Will had kept things going for their businesses.

Natalia had promoted the receptionist Aimee to be her assistant because Will told her how much Aimee helped after Patrice was arrested. He'd finally got up the nerve to ask Aimee to dinner, and they were now a couple.

Dorian and Krista were still staying with Hayden and Natalia, but they were looking for a place of their own. Dorian's place was a studio apartment barely big enough for himself. Krista wanted nothing to do with her place after Jon had been there. Natalia and Hayden were also looking for a new place they could call theirs. They were taking their time waiting for the right home to come around.

Lily Black took a plea agreement and will spend twenty years in prison. With the evidence recovered from the hitman, Simon Black will spend the rest of his life in prison for the contract on Natalia and those he'd had killed. Arrests were made all over the United States and several other countries due to the information Dorian had found.

Jon was also signing a plea deal so that he could prevent being put to death. He would spend the rest of his life in prison. Today was the day he was being transferred from jail to prison.

By the time Hayden and Natalia got home, he'd made arrangements for the physical therapist he'd found to meet with them the next day. Natalia shook her head when he told her the good news.

"You're definitely a businessman. You have a way of talking that makes people think everything was their idea." Hayden chuckled as he pushed her over to the couch.

"Yeah, but you love me anyway. I think you're like that in some ways too. I've seen the ice queen at work, and it turns me on more than I'd like to admit." Natalia laughed as he sat next to her.

"Then I guess we're made for each other." She expressed before kissing his cheek. Dorian and Krista walked in from their bedroom and sat down.

"What's going on?" Hayden asked, noticing their serious expressions.

"Natalia, do you remember what you said to me in the hospital after Hayden was shot?" Dorian questioned her as he turned his laptop on.

"Yeah, I told you to kill Jon. I didn't care what you had to do. I assumed now that he was locked up, you wouldn't be able to do it." Natalia looked between Dorian and Krista.

"I'm getting ready to keep that promise. Do you want to see it? I have a camera across from the jail where he'll be leaving soon." Natalia looked up at Hayden. Did she want to see him killed? It was morbid, but she had to see it with her own eyes. She had to know he'd never walk this earth again.

"Yes, I want to watch." She said in a whisper. Hayden held her tighter as Dorian and Krista moved next to them. With the laptop on the table, they all watched the front of the jail.

______________

Jon was lying on the bottom bunk in his jail cell. Today he would be leaving and going to prison. He hadn't wanted to sign that plea agreement, but with all the evidence they had against him, it was the only way for him not to be put to death. Jon still planned on escaping somehow. He wasn't done torturing Natalia and Hayden. It was just a matter of time before he would haunt them again.

When the officers came to get him, he stood up with a smile. He loved getting under their skin, telling them about all the ways he'd killed the women. Jon figured he had nothing to lose because they already knew about all his kills. He was proud of them and looked at each death as a trophy.

"I'm glad this asshole is finally leaving. He's sick, and I'm sure the men at Rikers will love him." Jon shook his head as the officers went on and on about what the other prisoners would do to him.

"You idiots have no idea what you're talking about. I'm the worst of the worst. If anyone tries anything, I'll carve them into little pieces just like I did all those women. I miss the feeling of the blood on my hands and seeing the light die in their eyes. It's exhilarating. You should try it sometime. Nothing makes you feel more powerful than standing over someone as they take their last breath." Jon laughed like a maniac as their faces turned white.

As they led him outside, Jon took a deep breath of the warm afternoon air. Who knows how often he would feel the sun on his face once he was in prison? They paused for a few minutes while waiting for the van to come that would transport him.

As they waited, Jon saw something shiny glint from a roof across the street. Before he had time to react, he felt a piercing pain in his chest. When he looked down, he saw blood covering his shirt as he fell to the ground gasping for air. He felt like he was drowning as he stared up at the sky. Before he lost consciousness, he saw the officers look down at him with smirks on their faces.

"You're right. We do feel pretty powerful watching you take your last breath." That was the last thing Jon ever heard.