C2 Unperfect Runaway

"NO! I have to run. I have to leave! Liam's a demon and he's a monster!" Alessia babbled in vain. She ran with all her might, leaving Liam behind.

Alessia didn't care about her bloodied face. The icy air froze the flow of hot blood that continued to seep from her wound.

"Alessia! Stop! Don't run!" Liam roared and chased after Alessia who ran away terrified of him.

Alessia ran through the city of Nottingham. She ran away as fast as she could. Moving in no particular direction, anywhere as long as she could get away from Liam Coltrane. Both her kneecaps began to feel heavy. Alessia looked for a way out.

She was a long way from her London flat. Although Nottingham was not a foreign place, she had no one in the city. It was the middle of the night, not many people were out and about.

Without looking back, she darted off while enduring the pain in her face and all over her body.

Alessia was so terrified at the thought of Liam finishing off all the dark organization's troops who kidnapped her. Carefree, with his maniacal laughter like a demon, and he seemed to enjoy the slaughter so much.

Alessia cursed inwardly. “How am I supposed to spend the night with such a horrible man?!”

Liam growled resentfully. He was unyielding. Wouldn't let her go no matter what. "Alessia, I said stop! I won't let you run away from me!"

"HELL NO!" Alessia searched for options. She took a deep breath to gather strength at the end of the block. It was not easy to run when her whole body was being stabbed by excruciating pain. Her head was throbbing violently. All this burning pressure was overpowering her common sense.

"Alessia!" So fast, Liam sped up and cut the distance behind her. His footsteps were strong and firm. It was hard for Alessia to escape from him.

Alessia hailed a taxi. She howled for the driver to help her. The taxi pulled up right before her eyes. The driver's face was shocked at the sight of Alessia, covered in wounds, bloodied and in need of help.

"Oh my, young lady? Are you okay? What happened?! Why are you hurt like this?!" the driver asked, his anxiety palpable.

Alessia jumped into the passenger seat. She quickly closed the door tightly. Her breath caught, she pleaded with a scream of horror. Alessia wasn't completely safe yet. She didn't want Liam hanging around. "Sir, move now! Fast! Please take me back to my flat! To London! Now! Move! I don't care how much it costs!"

"Are you sure? Shouldn't you go to the hospital? Were you assaulted by someone? Need to the police station?"

Alessia glared madly as Liam's figure approached and almost grabbed the taxi door.

"Move, sir! MOVE NOW!" ordered Alessia in panic. Her voice was strained with terror. Alessia was in a minefield now. There was no time for the taxi driver's persistent questions.

It made the driver reluctant to ask any more questions. He didn't know what had happened to this strange woman. It was just that he didn't have the heart to leave her behind like this. "Alright, miss."

The taxi stepped on the gas, leaving Liam just as he almost grabbed the door. The taxi pulled away and took Alessia Dawn away.

"Ah, sh*t!" Liam cursed in exasperation. "You should have listened to me first, Ally!" He caught his breath and his racing heartbeat. Hitting the streetlamp post that stood beside him. "I can't lose you, Dawn. You can't. Why? Because you're mine."

***

"Are you sure you don't wane go to the hospital, miss?" the driver asked once again. "Do you know who attacked you?"

Alessia shook her head. She looked down for a moment and closed her eyes. She needed calmness to control her breath that was interrupted by the tightness. Regulate the pounding of her own heart that seemed to be stroking from the highest altitude.

Her insides were melting. Ally's body was wracked with unbelievable shock. Her hands were shaking violently. All of her bones ached as if they had been forcibly ripped out. Her face felt heavy from being battered.

The memories of the corpses that had fallen in the armory kept flashing.

"How horrible, this was insane!" Alessia couldn't get the memories of exploding human heads out of her mind. The sickening smell still thickened under her nose.

Her life was ruined after Kayla Dawn's death, instead of getting better. It's been a mess ever since she met Liam Coltrane months ago. In fact, Alessia had thought — entrusting her life to Liam. It was her biggest mistake; she'd decided too quickly without thinking. Liam was too perfect to resist. When Ally found out he was a contract killer. It felt like part of Alessia's life evaporated somewhere.

“All men are the same, right?!”

Everything happened so fast, she was kidnapped by foreign troops who wanted to kill her, Alessia was repeatedly threatened by death, and suddenly Liam came back into her life by killing those bad guys before her eyes. Liam who chortled full of satisfaction like a demon. Ally shivered again.

Alessia muttered in despair. “At least, I escaped now. God, why is my life like this?”

She doesn't know what kind of defense she had. Her face was battered, pressed by death and almost dead. She survived.

“Survive, I'm used to surviving. This soreness was nothing compared to the bitterness of my life."

“Shouldn't you go to the police, young lady?" the driver pressed his words once more.

Alessia shook her head. Her voice trembled. "I just wane go home, sir. I'm fine. I'm used to this. I can handle it. But thank you so much. You've gone to the trouble of worrying about me. But really. I'm fine."

The taxi driver let out a long sigh, a sign of surrender.

Although Ally couldn't believe her own words just now. Consolation. Perhaps. For whatever reason, the pain was so intense that her breathing was labored. Both her legs even slipped helplessly.

She was forced to wipe the blood off her face using her coat sleeve. She winced as the swelling on her cheeks and the cuts on her temples were extremely painful as she carefully wiped away the thick blood that had been dried by the cold air outside.

In silence and soreness. Alessia felt exhausted. She leaned her head, thinking about the fate of her life that was turned upside down in just a matter of hours. If Liam could find her in Nottingham, right at the criminals' base. He would have no trouble finding her flat.

“Oh, Liam. You're a billionaire. Why choose such a dark and horrible way of life? What do you lack in life? You have everything. To the point where killing people is a job you enjoy. I fell in love with you, from the first sight. What should I do now? I've gone insane loving a hitman.”

Alessia had witnessed it herself earlier, how Liam's movements when charging into the warehouse. He strikes alone, without anyone's help, with tactical and fast movements. He took them all out without much difficulty.

“It wasn't a random skill. Liam appeared highly trained and skilled.”

Ally thought of a definite course of action for her life. The kidnapping threat had changed her outlook. Things could get worse or end horribly. She didn't wane be stuck in that stressful situation again. “Should I move? Leave London? But where? I don't have anyone anymore.”

***

"Finally." Alessia breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door to her flat. With her hands still shaking, she slammed the lock shut. Her head spinning, she staggered to her feet.

Ally leaned her back against the door.

Exhausted and worn out beyond her insanity, her body slumped under the floor. Alessia could not feel anything on her face other than a stabbing pain or numbness. Tears dripped down her stiff and bruised cheeks. "This is worse than I thought." muttered Ally trying to move to the sink. The soreness was getting unbearable. She gazed in the mirror and grunted sadly at the pathetic reflection of her heavenly face. Her cheeks were bruised, the edges of her lips were torn, and her temples were lacerated. "They're such as*s*holes!"

Alessia washed her face with cold water. The thick blood melted away with the flow of the sink water. A burning stinging pressure that pierced her skin. Ally winced as she closed her eyes. The tension in her whole body relaxed. Alessia was much calmer now. She could think clearly.

The small bleeding on her temple had stopped, her fingers carefully brushing the edges of the wound. "It needs stitches." Ally needed a plastic bag of ice cubes to solve the bruise. She walked out, heading for the kitchen. However, her jaw dropped in surprise when her eyes caught sight of Liam Coltrane sitting on her couch.

"Oh my God!" Ally screamed in terror. Her eyes widened in horror. She backed away slowly, breathless with fear — intimidated by Liam. "How did you get in here?!!!"

Ally was sure she had locked the flat tight, but where did Liam get in?!

Liam stood up, he took a sip of his canned drink and smiled airily. His demeanor remained relaxed as if nothing had happened. He moved forward to cut the distance. "You should have listened to my explanation first. Why did you run away, Ally? It didn't help."

Alessia hissed furiously. "Stop it, Liam! Get out of my life! Don't ever come back! I've heard everything about you! How stupid of me to trust you! I decided so quickly that I couldn't think straight! You're horrible, a demon and a monster! You're an assassin! Leave my life alone! Just forget whatever happened between us. Please leave, before I call the police!" Ally felt the hazardous increase when hanging around Liam.

Liam shook his head. He stood his ground. Stepped forward without hesitation. Cornered Ally against the wall and locked her there. Nothing had changed about him. He was still being affectionate before Ally. His shady eyes flashed alluringly, observing Alessia like the only star in the sky. His allure smile and impressive voice melted her heart. Alessia swallowed hard. Her ravish face was pale without blood. Her heart was beating chaotically.

Their faces were so close, there was no distance between them. Alessia had to get over Liam — that charming and alluring man. Their lives were clearly different. Ally doesn't see a dream future with Liam anymore. Not when Ally finds out who Liam really is.

"Please, Liam. Just go away. I don't want anything more to do with you!" Alessia spoked tremblingly. Her brilliant eyes were dim with hurt. "That's enough! It's end here! If you don't wane leave. I'm calling the police right now!" Ally threatened sternly. She prepared to grab the receiver. Alessia didn't wane wait until Liam did something bad to her.

Liam let out a long breath. He gripped Alessia's hand that was soaked in cold sweat. Ally was trembling. Her defenses were down. She couldn't resist Liam's warm touch. "There's no one you can trust right now but me, Ally. No one can save you but me. I was wrong to involve you. It's useless for you to run. They will keep coming after you. Even those law enforcement officers won't be able to do anything to help you. You're only safe with me. So, you’d better listen to me—"

***