Warning: Steamy scenes at the end of the chapter.

I don't realize I am still holding Christopher's hand until I reach my room. It was around half-past eight in the evening when we informed Martha and left her house, and a small part of me feels incredibly sad for not getting a chance to bid a proper adieu to Millie as she was asleep. She had been such a sweet kid the entire time with Martha being an exceptionally friendly host. I could never forget the hospitality and love that she had shown to me on our very first meeting. I felt so happy because, after a long time, I've been in such a heartwarming homely atmosphere.

It was really a lovely experience hanging out with them, and I hope that I'll get to see them more often.

We reached home by ten and it seemed like we got back in lesser time than I actually expected. I guess it was because during the entire ride my mind couldn't stop itself from pondering about the horrible truth that Christopher had disclosed to me about his past. It was shocking for me to discover that such a terrible thing could have happened with Millie. I could feel the anger seeping through my veins as I picture Christopher's narration in front of my eyes. She didn't deserve to experience such a horrendous thing at such a young age. How could a man think of doing that to a little girl? After all, she was just a 13-year-old kid. Hell! Nobody deserves to experience something as close as that in their lives ever.

I feel bad for Christopher too. Watching Christopher break into pieces while narrating that incident was something absolutely terrible. It aches my heart to think about the mental trauma he had endured with everything happening shortly after his accident. To witness your loved one being sexually abused in front of you by none other than your own brother is truly unimaginable. I would never want that to happen to anyone.

An intolerable lump form in my throat as I try to envision the raw pain that I saw in his eyes. Now I could understand why he was fuming with anger with the reference of his brother's name. That rage and suffering in his eyes have been justified after I discovered the truth. I realize now that I shouldn't act impulsively all the time around him, instead, I should try focusing on understanding his situation and act accordingly because, for a man who had been through a lot in his life, it might sometimes become hard to tackle other things with such a mental state.

It was the reason why I didn't want him to drive back. I wanted him to relax, leaving me to take care of everything for the rest of the night. Keeping that in mind, I even asked Christopher to let me drive as he didn't look in a fit state after whatever he revealed to me, but he just straight refused. I don't know if he was being super cautious because of being followed earlier, or he just doesn't trust me with his car. Anyway, in either case, he wouldn't have left any room for me to protest.

Getting in the room, I switch on the lights and turn around. My eyes rake over Christopher's face, studying him, and I notice his eyes, still gleaming red, corresponding to the tears he shed earlier. My vision slowly settles on his perfectly long lashes as he blinks, and for a minute I feel jealous for not being blessed to have such long ones for myself. I go down with my gaze descending to look at his sharp nose and then lower to his inviting plump lips. I find myself unable to look anywhere but at his lips. Can I just kiss him? Okay, no Nicole, not the right time. Shrugging that thought off my mind, I move further. The dark stubble on his fine jaw makes him look hotter despite how heartbroken he is from inside. How can he be so perfect and broken at the same time?

Regardless of how dejected I am feeling looking at him right now, I plaster a smile and do the only thing that I have been wanting to do since he told me everything. Without any prior warning, I pull him into a comforting hug. I press my head firmly against his chest, wanting to be as close as possible to him. The erratic beating of his heart rings in my ears as I close my eyes and listen to it. Christopher doesn't move for a minute and it seems like he is surprised by my sudden action, but he eventually eases up and hugs me back, putting his arms around my waist. With that, I relax tightening my arms, and sense his beating gaining up a rhythmic pace as it steadies down indicating to me that he is slowly calming down.

After a moment, I pull back. Christopher then lowers his gaze at me and speaks. "I am sorry for not telling you this before." He says slowly. "But trust me, Nicole, it was too painful for me to narrate it to someone without having that horrible image playing in the back of my head. The state in which I saw Millie, the terror in her eyes." He blows out with his face suddenly getting drenched with a terrified expression. I realize then what he is trying to explain, so without saying anything I reach for his hand to hold and calm him down.

"I've never gathered the courage to reveal this part of my life to anyone." He sighs. "No one has ever tried getting this close to me. No one has ever reached to me the way you did. I never trusted someone to an extent that I would have thought of opening up to them." His gaze flickers, scanning over my face as he admits.

"I've never felt like this, Nicole. The way I feel about you." He says and I bite my lip to suppress the knot trying to build in my chest, listening to his words. "I've never been this confident to let anyone know about my weakness, my mental state, and about my horrible life." He halts for a minute and I squeeze his hand comfortingly. "Everyone was aware of my accident, but they never knew about what happened later. They never knew about the incident that happened with Millie. All this time, I've kept it buried in my heart." He closes his eyes and utters. "You are the first one to know about Millie and everything after me and Martha."

I see his pupils dilate when he opens his eyes to continue. "I tried to keep this from you because I didn't want to burden you with the darker side of my pathetic life." He chuckles sadly and looks away.

"No, Christopher. There isn't anything wrong with your life." I instantly oppose and wait for him to look back at me. "I am sorry for not trying to understand this before," I say to him softly.

"It's not your fault." His face turns gloomy as he states in a straight voice. "I am the one to be blamed for all this. I have never done any good in my life, Nicole. I have always done wrong to people. Ruined families by supplying poison in the form of drugs, exporting killing weapons, and slaughtering people." Unblended agony seems to drizzle in his voice as he says. "This is karma, Cole. This is my life...I am suffering for my own deeds." His lips purse into a thin line as he shifts his gaze, looking ashamed. "The only good thing I ever thought of doing in my life was to protect Millie...and I couldn't even do that..."

"Shhhh, don't say that." I interrupt, placing my finger on his lips. The lines over his forehead begin to fade as he looks at me. "Who told you that you couldn't protect her? What if that night you didn't help her get out of that club? She could have been in a much worse place then, doing something she would have never wanted to do. You saved her, Christopher. You saved her from getting her into the hands of many other monsters who would have turned out like your brother." I join our hands together and step closer to him. "You helped her get home. You helped her get a family because you care about her. You have treated her like your sister, it's something really great and she loves you for that. She is happy now, Christopher, and that's what matters." I offer him a small soothing smile. "You have done everything to protect her and you are still doing."

Saying nothing, he just keeps staring at me with his gleaming grey eyes as I proceed. "I am proud of you, Christopher. If it had been in some other circumstances, I wouldn't have said killing Oliver was the right decision. But what he did to Millie? It's bigger than any other crime in this world, and for that he deserved it. He deserved that for molesting a 13-year-old." I clench my jaw, recalling Millie's innocent face. "Those who think that they could take advantage of women and children, especially finding them in a vulnerable state, have no fucking right to live in this world." I spat, feeling utterly disgusted, thinking about people still having such a filthy mentality.

I pause for a moment and take a deep breath. "I wouldn't say that I could compensate for what you went through or take away the pain you have experienced...But I can promise to be by your side and support you." I assure him with a kind smile.

"Thank you, Nicole." His expression softens as he returns me a brief smile. "It means so much to hear that from you. I just want you to trust me."

"I do," I reply instantly staring at his sad yet angelic face. He takes a step closer to me with his arms instinctively going around my back. At that very moment, I seem to lose myself in his beautiful grey eyes as I watch them growing bigger with every second as his face inches closer to me. When his lips are about to touch mine, my mind suddenly snaps, making me remember something important. Not something, but someone. Someone who I've met today. I have to tell him about my meeting with Peter and especially what happened today. It's something serious, and he really needs to know it. I am afraid if Christopher gets to learn about what Peter tried to do, later, he wouldn't take it lightly, and I definitely don't want any more complications in our relationship. I want things to be clear between us so that we could have a fresh start.

"Christopher?" I place my hand on his chest, stopping him, and glance at his face. "I want to tell you something."

"What is it?" He asks with slight confusion in his tone.

"I went to meet Peter today," I tug a stray strand behind my ear and tell him hesitantly.

"What the fuck?" He snaps with his tone instantly changing as I expected. His eyebrows knit together as he directs an annoyed glance at me, pulling his hands away.

"Christopher, please listen to me first..." I frown witnessing his unexpected reaction and urge him to hear.

"Peter called me yesterday saying that he wanted to talk." After losing the touch of Christopher's arms, I bring my fingers together and fiddle with them nervously, looking down. "So I went to his office today."

I swallow tensely, peeking at Christopher, and find him still glaring at me.

"He asked me about you..."

"What did he ask?" He questions me bluntly.

"That if I knew you...because he saw you taking me out of the hotel. He wasn't sure about why I left with you that night at his party." I tell him, sounding a bit uncertain. "He thought that I did so under some kind of obligation." I try not to repeat the exact words of Peter because I know it would make Christopher angry.

Then coming straight to the point, I tell him. "He warned me to stay away from you, saying that it is dangerous to get involved with you."

"What the fuck? I can't believe this?" Christopher scowls as he starts pacing in front of me angrily. "He is saying this kind of fucking shit to make you against me. Do you understand?" He purses his lips and turns his head towards me. "Why the hell you even went to meet him in the first place."

"But I don't believe any of his words. I told him that I know you, Christopher..."

Before I could complete the sentence, he speaks. "I don't know who the fuck he thinks he is to say that to you?"

The room suddenly grows silent and when I look back, I see Christopher standing in front of me. I look in confusion at his now cooled-down figure. He doesn't seem angry anymore with his eyes turning a lighter shade of grey as he lets out a heavy sigh. He gives me an apologetic look and says. "I am sorry, Cole. I shouldn't have reacted that way. I just...I just don't like that guy." He takes my hand into his this time and smiles. "But I am glad that you told me this..."

I grin awkwardly and look at him, aiming to reveal the next critical information. "Christopher....um...There's something else too that I want you to know." I hope this goes well too because I don't want us to end up fighting tonight.

"What?"

"Promise me you won't get angry after listening to it?" I ask him timidly to which he just nods looking doubtful.

"You were right about it, Christopher. About Peter having feelings for me.." He frowns and looks at me and I feel stupid telling this piece of information to him. It's so freaking childish. I could have easily skipped this part, but I don't want any more misunderstandings to build between us, so it's better to flow the damn thing out now.

I take a deep breath before blurting it out. "When I went there to his office today, he tried to kiss me..." I guess I just earned the tag of being the ultimate stupid of the century by saying that. Nicole, you are freaking ridiculous!

Christopher gazes at me, taking a moment, and it looks like he is trying to process what I just said. And when he finally realizes it, I see his nose flaring with ferocity. "That bastard!?" He growls and marches towards the door with his body consuming wrath.

"Christopher, wait!" I stop him before he could go out of the room. "Listen to me. I cleared everything with him. I told him that I don't like him and there couldn't be anything more than friendship between us." He looks at me furiously.

Being terrified by seeing the expression he is carrying right now, I stutter. "And probably I am not going to meet or see him anytime soon." I look straight into his eyes and say. "I could have skipped this, but instead, I told you because I wanted you to know everything. I didn't want you to discover it later and create problems in our relationship. Believe me." I plead to him with my eyes. "You work with him, Christopher. Don't do something to ruin your professional relationship with him."

As I am trying to explain to him, my phone buzzes suddenly. When I take it out of my pocket, I see Christopher's eyes falling on the caller Id before me. His jaws clench hard immediately in response and I frown, looking down. It's Colby. I guess another problem is ready to knock on my door.

I clear my throat and move towards the window to answer the call.

"How are you, Nicole? Hope I didn't wake you up." Colby asks.

"No, you didn't. I wasn't asleep."

"Nicole, I am sorry, but I don't know how to say this..." He says nervously and I furrow my eyebrows in confusion, not being able to understand what he is trying to say. "I couldn't get anything about Christopher. He is not picking up his phone." He adds, and I realize what he is intending to say.

"But you don't have to worry I promise I'll find out soon.."

"He is with me.." I cut him off before he could say anything. Colby is a nice guy and I feel bad for being rude to him at this moment. But I know I don't have any other option than to keep this conversation short because I could sense the intimidating presence of Christopher behind me in the room. I don't know why, but I feel like we are going to have a long argument about this.

"What?" He asks.

"Yes, Colby. He came back, and he is with me." I answer him abruptly. Shit! I feel horrible. I assume I could call him later after sorting things with Christopher and explain everything to him.

"Okay..." He drawls sounding unsure. After a minute, sensing the indifference in my tone, he hesitates and says. "I hope things would get better between you guys. Goodnight, Nicole."

"Thank you and goodnight, Colby." I hang up and put my phone back in the pocket, taking a deep breath. That was really an awkward conversation.

When I turn around, I see Christopher's intense eyes glaring at me.

"How do you have Colby's number?" He shoots that directly at me, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh, he gave it to me when he came to the house with Richard." I shrug, trying to sound normal as I say. "He told me that I could contact him if I wanted any help." After a moment, when I see him still looking at me furiously, I realize what I have actually said. Shit! I just confirmed to him about Richard being here. Why am I so stupid?

"So Richard was here?" His face hardens as he quirks an eyebrow at me. "He was the one who told you everything?"

I exhale slowly and look at him. "Yes, he was here. But it doesn't matter now, Christopher. I don't care about what he said or did because now I know the truth." I stare into his eyes, trying to make him believe my words. "It's not about Richard or anyone else. It's about us, our relationship. You trust me and I know that I trust you... What else does matter to you?"

He studies my face, still carrying a stern expression as he asks. "Why did Colby call you?"

I groan in irritation and answer. "That's because I have called him. I didn't know where you were so I called him to know if he had any information about you.."

"How could you trust someone whom you have barely even met?" He questions all of a sudden, making my eyes grow wide in surprise.

"What do you mean?" I ask, not believing what I have just heard from him. Isn't he the one who told me that Colby was one of his nicest friends?

"How could you trust Colby when you don't even know him?" He questions with an ugly scowl taking over his face.

"Are you serious?" I let out a frustrated chuckle and shake my head. "How can you say that about Colby? He is your friend, Christopher." I know it's not him but his jealousy that is speaking right now.

"Yes, he is my friend, and you were talking to him behind my back." He accuses, making a disgusted face. Seriously? What is it with men and their freakishly jealous asses?

I roll my eyes at him and say. "Oh, come on, Christopher. You know it's not like that."

"Would you be liking it if I would be talking to your friends behind your back?" He growls in a low tone. What the fuck? It's really surprising to see how instantly the situation changes, from us having a serious heart-wrenching discussion moments ago to fighting over a fucking silly topic.

"What was I supposed to do when your phone was switched off?" I throw my hands up in the air in frustration. "You didn't even care about informing. I was worried about you, Christopher."

He simply ignores my statement and continues talking. "I know Colby is a good friend, and he is a really nice guy, but you can't trust anyone like that.."

I stare at him in disbelief and assert. "Do you even hear yourself, Christopher? You sound ridiculous."

"I know what I am saying and I am saying the right fucking thing. You can't trust anyone like that." He repeats.

I scoff and exclaim, losing my patience. "He isn't anyone, he is Colby." I shoot an irritated glare at him and confess. "I trust him because he helped me, Christopher. He helped me run from your men. That's the reason how I escaped a year ago. I didn't do it on my own. It was because of Colby. He helped me."

His mouth hangs open in bewilderment as he peers at me. "Why haven't you told me this before?" He asks slowly after a moment.