Chapter 2 - Target
2118 Words
He got to his feet and knocked on the bathroom door. "Don't tell me you're going to sleep there. If you're done, get out! I have to use the bathroom too!" He yelled at the young lady inside.
"Paige!" He uses a menacing tone this time.
"I-I'm here!"
Thank heavens.
His brows knitted together. "What's taking you so long?"
"I... I don't have any clothes," she admitted.
He tapped his brow. Oh, how could he have forgotten? "Then put your clothes on,"
"Ewww! They stink! I can't put them on anymore. I washed them."
This woman is getting on his nerves. "And so?! It's not my problem, okay? Wear them even if they’re wet!”
"What?! You're impossible! I can’t do that! I can get sick!”
He clenched his teeth. However, the young lady has a valid point.
He saw the towel. It's big enough to cover her private parts. He'll use the same towel she uses.
"We only have one dry towel left. I suggest that you use this to cover your body,” Damien suggested.
Paige didn’t say anything.
"Paige! Did you hear what I said?!"
"O-Okay! Hand me the dry towel,”
His brow drew together. "What? Are you giving me orders?”
Nobody dares to tell him what to do. But this young lady is different.
"How can I get the dry towel, huh?" she exclaimed in disbelief.
He took a deep breath. Alright. She win this time. They don’t have to argue. She may lie later.
"Alright,"
"I'll open the door slightly and you hand me the dry towel, okay?"
Damien has no idea what evil has possessed him this time and tries to tease her. Paige opened the door slowly, and he noticed her hand reaching for the dry towel.
Instead of handing her the towel, he opened the door wide. The young lady had no idea he would do that, so she had no chance to cover her body.
He saw her completely naked. "Wow. She is stunning," He grumbled to himself.
That's when the young lady realized what is happening. She yelled angrily at the top of her lungs.
Damien was embarrassed by himself, so he quickly shut the door. She can hear her outburst.
He is at a loss for what to do. What the hell was he thinking? He's not like this!
Okay, he admits he was at fault. Paige is a stranger. He has no rights seeing her fully naked.
He calmed down and prepared to apologize to her. But, realizing that this would be his first apology in his entire life, he chose to act irate instead.
"Are you done yet?"
"I hate you!" she yelled.
"You need to face me regardless of how much you despise me. Get out there. I have to use the bathroom too,”
Paige didn't say anything. She is forced to open the bathroom door. Paige already has a dry towel wrapped around her body.
The young lady is in tears. Damien suddenly felt guilty. He made a mistake.
Why is it so difficult for him to apologize?
He swallowed and cleared his throat. "I’ve ordered food for both of us. Let's eat, shall we?"
"I'm not hungry. Please leave me alone,” She tried to be brave, he knew.
"Paige, I can't leave you alone. We've still got a lot to talk about."
She gave him a tired expression. "Talk? What do you want to know? I told you I didn't know anything."
He guided her to the table by holding her wrist. "Don't you have a bra and underwear under your towel?"
"Apart from this dry towel, I'm wearing nothing. My underwear stinks as well. I can't imagine wearing them with that kind of smell."
"I wish I could give you my leather jacket, but it stinks just like your clothes. Now, before you sleep, and before I take a bath, we need to eat first,” He said.
"You forced me to take a bath, and here you are, eating first before showering?" Her jaw clenched.
Even with her lips pouted, this young lady is beautiful. He didn't say a word, and they began eating dinner.
She hasn't fully trusted him yet, but he can say she's more at ease now.
He pushed back the lump in his throat. "I forgot to introduce myself, my name is Damien Code," he says.
Her brow furrowed. "Damien Code? Are you kidding me? Is that your real name?"
That made him laugh. This means she is unfamiliar with him. Many people were aware that the Code family is one of the wealthiest in the country.
Where is this woman residing, and why does she appear to be unaware of him? But, yes, that's a lot better.
"Damien is my name. And my surname is Code."
"Wow. I'd never heard of that surname before. Nice,” She made a remark.
He changed the subject. He needs information from this young lady. "Where do you live?”
"Greenbury," Greenbury is their country's capital city.
He gave a nod. "I see. So, how are you spending your time with your family? What happened to them?"
She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I do not have any parents. I’m an orphan."
Suddenly, he felt guilty for asking such a question.
"I see... are you still in school? What college?"
Paige chuckled bitterly. "No. I'm no longer a student. I cannot afford to attend college."
"I suppose you're already working,"
"Yes,"
"What is your job?"
He's trying to memorize all of her responses. "I work as a waitress in a bar," she replied.
His mind is beginning to conduct research. "Are you familiar with Douglas?"
"I'm not familiar with him. Who is he?" She appears to be intrigued as well.
"Who else? Of course, it's those men who had been following us!” he said, raising his tone.
"I don't know anything about them. Trust me on this."
"So, why are they following you? They're even attempting to murder us!"
Paige began to cry once more. "I told you I knew nothing, Damien... believe me,"
He took a deep breath. She appears to be completely innocent. She’s so beautiful even if she’s crying. Paige is quite young. It's possible she doesn't know anything.
The big question is, why is Douglas following her?
Is it possible that Douglas discovered his intentions? And now he wants to kill him? Damn. Then he should avoid this young lady.
They must avoid each other's paths as much as possible.
"Give me your clothes," He ordered.
"Huh?"
"I told you to give me your clothes. I'll request the bellboy put your clothes in the dryer. Then we'll leave after your clothes are dried," he said authoritatively.
Her eyes glistened like diamonds. "Do you mean I can go home after this?"
"Yes,"
"I still can't believe it!"
He c****d his brow at her. "Why? Are you looking forward for something?”
Paige averts her gaze. "N-Nothing,"
"At that point, everything is settled. We'll leave after your clothes dry and I’m going to take a shower now,”
Damien saw the joy in her eyes. "All you have to do is promise me you know nothing about Douglas and his group."
She shook her head. "I'm being truthful. I'm not familiar with that man or his organization."
Perhaps Paige is telling the truth.
"Alright. You need to be cautious. You're young and beautiful. You have smooth skin. Maybe Douglas and his group want you to be their woman."
Paige shivered at the thought. "Anyway, let's finish this food so I can take a shower,"
He went to the bathroom after they finished their food. His clothes stink as well, but he wears them even when they are wet.
It's preferable to show himself dressed rather than naked in front of Paige. She will undoubtedly be scandalized.
The bellboy knocked on their door minutes later to inform them that their clothes were already dry. He told Paige she had to wear them, and they had to get out of here.
Damien noticed one of Douglas's men as they were about to go downstairs. He grabbed Paige's wrist as his heart skipped a beat.
The young lady appears dazed. "Damien, is there something wrong?"
'Paige, we need to get out of here. Douglas’s backups have already arrived! Hurry!"
The young lady appears to be terrified.
"I know you're scared, but we have to get away!"
He opened the small sliding window as she dragged the young lady back to their hotel room. It has no grills. He noticed that they could jump since the room is located only on the second floor.
But when he saw the ground, disappointment crossed his eyes. Garbage again. He shuts his eyes.
"What the hell happened? Why do we have to come across so much trash today?" he mused to himself.
He heard footsteps in the corridor. He turned to face Paige. "Jump!"
"What?! But I can’t jump there! I could die!"
"You won't die because there's a dumpster on the ground. Let's go!"
The footsteps are getting closer.
"Paige, just go!”
He pushed the young lady through the small window.
Paige yelled angrily at the top of her lungs. Her body was thrown into the garbage bags.
He jumped as well, without hesitation. He could hear the door open. Fortunately, he had already jumped.
He saw Paige's expression. Her reaction is about to vomit due to smell. He can't hold it against her. This time, there is more garbage.
He assisted her to stand up. "Hurry! Hurry!"
Douglas' men peer through the small window. "They've here!” He could hear the man.
Those men attempted to shoot them again with their never-ending bullets.
"Damn these cretins!" He cursed under his breath.
They run breathlessly. He saw a taxi nearby and opened the door without fear.
"Wait, what—" He pointed a gun at the driver's face before he could open his mouth.
"Say anything and I'll kill you! Now, go! Drive for us!" Of course, that is a lie. He must do this or they will die here. Those bastards will surely kill them.
Despite being a billionaire, he was unable to contact his men because he lost his phone.
The poor driver obeys his command. And they outwitted those cretins this time.
***
Damien has no choice but to bring Paige to his Villa in Southcrest. It is not a part of the city. And a three-hour drive away.
He was confident that they were safe here. This location is rural and has a peaceful neighborhood. Douglas and his group are unaware that he owns property here.
They can move around freely in this area. Since this is a Villa, there are several rooms with their own toilets and baths. He asked Paige to take another shower. They both take a bath in their respective rooms.
He allowed her to borrow a few of her small shirts. He invited her to join him for tea.
She has a worried expression on her face as she speaks. "I can't believe they've managed to track us down. How did they discover us?"
"It's not difficult to tell, Paige. That motel is nearby. They dispatched some men to see if anyone had recently checked in. A male and female. And then they found out we checked in."
Paige exclaimed.
Damien regarded her with suspicion. He rested his hands on his chin. "It's difficult for me to believe you know nothing about this after everything that has happened! Paige, tell me the truth!"
She clenched her teeth. "How many times do I have to tell you that I don't know anything? I'm not guilty! Perhaps you are their real target. Not me!"
Paige is starting to irritate him. "Wow. You were well aware that you were their target. Not me!"
The young lady began to cry. She is trembling with fear. And he despises the fact that despite her tears, he can still appreciate her beauty. She looks so innocent. He was too young for him. He figures she's ten years his junior. And what was he thinking that he wanted to console her and assure her that everything would be fine?
What the hell is going on with him?
He swallowed and cleared his throat. Trying to erase her innocent expression from his mind. "Heh! Don’t cry! Tell me the truth!"
She was crying as she looked at him. "I told you the truth already. I don't know anything. Please trust me!"
He took a deep breath. "I'm not their intended target. You're their target. Not me! Tell me the truth!"
Paige bit her lower lip.
- Writer
