DANGEROUS ACT.

THE ELEVATOR BEEPED, indicating that I already reached the ground floor. As the elevator opened, I was greeted by the deafening silence and almost dark basement parking.

I took a deep breath before stepping outside, ignoring the sudden chill down my spine as I started walking towards the space where I parked my car.

Psst...

I paused for a moment and looked around as I sharpened my senses. I couldn't be wrong, I know it's someone's figure that caught my eye after I looked to the side. It isn't tall but has a bulky body.

I turned quickly behind me when I heard a noise from there.

"Good evening, Ms. Gorgeous."

My body suddenly turned cold when the man's devilish grin flashed at me. His big eyes were sparkling like a predator who had just found a prey.

I stepped back when he started walking towards me. "W-Who are you? W-What do you need from me?" My muscles trembled in fear when that man even pulled out a gun.

He rushed to me and held my arm tightly. "Don't scream! Or else I'll blow it through your skull!" he growled like a mad dog ready to pounce at any moment.

"Let go of me!"  I struggled, but his grip only got tighter.

"Stop struggling! Give me all your money and jewelry!" He snatched my bag from me but I didn't let it go, making his teeth gritted even more. "You stubborn woman! Give me your bag if you don't want to get hurt—"

The man stopped when we heard a metal clank on the floor.  That's from the key that fell and we don't know where it came from. I took advantage of the opportunity. I forcibly pushed the man away from me but his hand caught the end of my hair along with the sound of a gunshot that echoed around!

"You still have plans to escape from me huh!" the man forcibly grabbed my hair and pulled me towards him.

I winced in pain. I tried to untie his hand that was tangled in my hair, but he's stronger.

"You wouldn't have been hurt like this if you had given me what I wanted right away!" He violently wrapped his arm around my neck.

With an arm around my neck, I could only moan faintly, especially when I felt pain from one part of my body. I wanted to scream loudly for help at that moment, but no words came out of my mouth because I was having trouble breathing from being choked.

"What's up..."

"Ka—hmp!" I gasped in pain as the man pulled me back with his arm still wrapped around my neck. He even pressed his gun aimed at my temple more.

"Stay right there! Don't come any closer or I'll blow this woman's face off!" he snarled as he briefly pointed the gun at Kade.

With a trembling body, I swallowed hard. I stared at Kade, who's looking directly at the man with his cold gaze. The man's threats didn't intimidate him.

"You motherf*cker! I told you to stay away!" The man's thundering voice echoed around again as Kade took one more step.

"Kade..." I muttered as our eyes met. My eyes were pleading as I met his blank stare, but he just twitched his lips.

He then later turned his gaze to the man behind me. He raised both hands and stepped forward. "I have no intention of interfering, I'm just going to get my car keys." 

"You asshole! Don't fool me! I don't have your car keys!"

 One corner of Kade's lips rose. "Did I say something that you have my car key? That's my car key..." Using his lips, he pointed the car keys on the floor before stepping up to the key to pick it up.

"Thanks. I've found my keys." He stood up while playing with the car key in one hand. He didn't even bother to glance at me. "How's that boss? I found my car keys. I'm going home. I'll leave Ms. Gorgeous to you, so take care of her." He took a step back and completely turned his back on us.

I was left disheartened, weakened by what he did. I just looked down when my throat began to hurt.

"I'm not heartless to leave you here alone. I will never stop helping those in need and even if you think badly of me... you're no exception…" Those were his words before, but what about now? 

"Please...help...me"... I muttered, even though I knew it was unlikely that Kade would hear that.

 "Hey! What are you babbling about?! Give me all the jewelry you're wearing. Take out your wallet and cellphone too!"

I whimpered in pain as the stranger's arm pressed against my shoulder that had been grazed by a bullet earlier. I bit my bottom lip hard as hot fluid flowed from my wound down my arm. The white sleeve of my button-down shirt is slowly turning blood-red.

"Wait a second, Boss! I forgot to give you something—"

Kade stopped talking when he turned to us. His face darkened as he looked down at my clothes. I know he's looking at the bloodstains on my shirt's sleeve.

"Hey! Why are you still here?! Get out of here!"

"Is there anything you can do if I don't want to leave? Do you think I'll just walk away after you hurt my friend?" Kade said, darkly staring at the man.

"I told you not to—"

Kade acted so quickly that even the man holding me was left confounded when Kade forcefully grabbed his hand holding the gun.

On the other hand, Kade grabbed one of my arms with his other hand and pulled me away from the man.

Shaking his head, he faced the man and clacked his tongue. "Tsk! I don't want to do this, but you really pissed me off..."

Kade twisted the man's arm behind his back. He kicked his knee-pit one after the other, causing the man to fall on his knees.

"Let go of me—hmp!"

The man couldn't finish his words when Kade grabbed the back of his head and pushed his face to the floor.

"Keep your mouth shut." With one hand, Kade reached into the pocket of his leather jacket. He took out the phone from there. He typed on the phone's screen for a moment before he put it to his ear.

"Call the security. Something's happened here." He thriftly said in full authority and immediately hung up.

He turned to the side and picked up the bullet on the floor. "Thankfully..." he commented, shaking his head a little before glancing at me. "Are you okay, Clarity?"

My jaw tightened at what I heard. I bridged the short distance between us. I quickly raised my left palm and hardly dropped it on his cheek. The sharp sound of a hard slap echoed around as his face turned to the side!

His expression hardened as he turned to me. "Dammit, Clarity! What was that for?"

"My life is not a joke, Kade! How dare you react like that when someone in front of you is in a dangerous situation?!" I scowled.

"Let me explain. That's not what I inten—"

"Sir, what's the problem?"

Kade's attention suddenly diverted to the security guard rushing towards him. His two other uniformed companions followed him.

"What took you so long?" He asked them with his knitted, thick brows.

"Sorry about that, sir. The elevator upstairs stopped working, so we just used the stairs."

Kade clicked his tongue as he pulled the man upright. "Here. You take care of this one." He pushed the man towards the security guards.

"What shall we do with this one, sir?" It's an SG who caught the man quickly.

"Take him to the police station. Charge him with theft and harassment," he said authoritatively.

My lips pursed when he looked back at me while he shook his hands as if he held into something dirty.

"Ma'am, your shoulder is bleeding."

I turned to the security guard who approached me.

"We'll take you to the clinic." The security guard was about to hold me by my arm, but Kade stopped him.

"I'll take care of her. Just go with them." Using his lips, Kade pointed at the two security guards, who seemed to be waiting for his next order. "Leave us alone. Make sure that one doesn't get away." He reminded the security guards before they left with the man who harassed me earlier. 

Kade quickly approached me and held me by the arm. "Are you still angry about what happened earlier?"

I breathed violently as I lifted my chin. "What do you think?"

"Look... I'm really sorry for what I did earlier."

I took his hand off my arm. "If you're going to help...help, not you're going to make fun out of a situation like that!" my lips trembled with anger.

"Hey! Don't be upset, I helped you anyway."

I stared at him sharply. "Helped? It looks like you had no intention of helping me earlier. You just started helping me because you saw I was hurt. What if not? What if you really left me before he..." I trailed off as I felt my throat suddenly hurt. "Of course, you won't really put yourself in harm's way just for me. I'm not your relative or girlfriend, anyway. So there's really no reason for you to help me."

I quickly turned to the side as I felt tears welling up in my eyes.

Stupid, Clarity! For what you're crying?

"I'm sorry if I made you cry again. I know it's my fault. I shouldn't have done that act, but believe me, I won't leave you just like that." He held one of my hands.

I faintly gasped as I felt the electricity traveled down my spine when his rough and slightly calloused palm pressed against my soft palm.

He intertwined our fingers, making me quickly turn to him.

"Get your hands off me, Kade!" I firmly said, but he just ignored me.

"God...you're still trembling!" He said lowly as his jaw clenched and gripped my hand even tighter.

"Where are we going?" I asked when he started walking while pulling me.

He turned to me with a serious face. "If I say I will take you to my palace, will you agree?"

My expression frowned. "Will you just stop, Kade!"

He just laughed at me before guiding me to the front of his Ferrari. He made me sit on the hood but my eyes widened as he pulled out a butterfly knife from his pocket.

"Why are you carrying something like that? It's illegal, you could go to jail." I panicked. Although, I'm not really sure if anyone's been jailed for carrying a deadly weapon.

"Relax, Clarity. It's only for safety purposes..." he licked his lower lip as he stared straight into my eyes. "I won't go to jail unless you report me to the police."

"I'm not going to waste my time on that—shit!" I jerked when Kade suddenly tore my shirt's sleeve with the butterfly knife he was holding.

He chuckled at my reaction. "Stop cursing, Clarity. Your cursing has a different effect on me."

I glared at him. "The hell you are saying?"

"We need to clean your wound." He ignored what I said and suddenly turned his back on me.

"Where are you going?" I watched his broad back as he walked towards the driver's seat.

"I'll get the first-aid kit. We need to clean your wound." He repeated what he said earlier.

A little later, he returned, holding the first-aid kit box he had placed beside me. He brought out some cotton and Betadine from there.

"Your wound isn't that big. Fortunately, that man is just using a low caliber firearm. He's terrible at shooting so he missed your vital spots and only grazed you, nonetheless we still need to stop the bleeding." He seriously stared at my shoulder.

My lips pursed. I restrain myself to look at my bleeding shoulder because I know I will just panic. I moaned in pain when he pressed the cotton with Betadine to my wound.

He stopped for a moment and looked up at me. "Stop moaning, Clarity before I forget we're in the basement parking lot."

My eyes widened at what he said. "Perverted!"

I quickly pulled the arm away from him, but he immediately caught it again.

"I'm just kidding...you get so angry easily." he laughed. "What are you doing here at Rosewood Rise, anyway? Didn't I tell you before not to stay out late?"

"I escorted my friend home." I answered coldly.

"Friend? Is it a boy or a girl?"

I glared at him. "Do I really have to answer your questions?"

He grinned at me. "Yes, because if it's a boy...I'll be jealous, but if it's a girl...it depends on the situation." He started bandaging my wound. "Why do you have to escort your friend home?"

I sighed heavily and stared at him with my bloodshot eyes. "Look, Mr. Montalvo...if you think I'm like any other woman who would easily believe your fancy words, you're wrong. So would you please stop with your antics? Stop fooling around with me."

He finished bandaging my wound before turning to me. "Look also, Ms. Gallego...when I told your aunt that I'm courting you, I wasn't kidding."

My jaw dropped. I blinked. I don't understand why my heart beats so fast.

His personality is quite perplexing. It's cunning that you can't tell who he really is from his actions. His actions and words weren't predictable and quite mind blowing. I don't know if he is telling the truth or not.

A few minutes passed before I finally recovered from the shock. I grabbed my bag from the side and quickly got down from the car's hood.

"Running away, Clarity?" he laughed softly as he followed me. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home." I didn't face him.

"I'll take you home." He blocked his body in front of me, which made me stop.

 "No need. I have a car. I can manage to go home alone." I went by his side as I tried to pass through, but I was stopped again when he blocked his arm in front of me.

I glowered at him. "For once, Mr. Montalvo! Leave me alo—"

My eyes widened when he snaked his arm from my stomach to my waist. He pulled me into him with my body facing the opposite direction.

"When I say I'll take you home...I'll take you, Clarity."

I couldn't do anything but hold on to his arm and step backwards as he carefully dragged me back to his Ferrari.

"Hop on." He let go of me when we were opposite the open door next to the driver's seat.

My brows furrowed. "What?"

"I said...get inside the car. I'm taking you home."

 I didn't move. I darted my eyes straight to his silver eyes. "Why are you doing this, Kade?"

 "Because I like you." Desire was evident in his intense eyes as he warred against my gaze.

"I don't believe you..." I pressed my lips, giving him a sharp, doubtful look.

He cocked his head to the side, then shifted it back to me. He grinned. "As I've expected, you're really a pain in my pride. I'm not forcing you to believe me, Clarity. I just told you what I had to say."

I couldn't protest anymore when Kade gently pushed me into the passenger seat, causing me to fall down sitting there.

I followed him with my death stare after he took the first aid from the car's hood and quickly turned around to the driver's seat.

"Wear your seatbelt." He ordered as he sat in front of the steering wheel.

I did what he said, then turned to him. "How about my car?"

He started the car's engine first before turning to me. "Leave it for now. I'll just bring it to you tomorrow."

I sighed. I just leaned my head on the headrest. I yawned and looked outside of the window.

"Take a nap first. I'll just wake you up when we get to the mansion." Kade gently said, turning on the car's stereo.