Never Fall For The Billionaire

Blood, Ashes, and One Superhero

Chapter 12: Blood, Ashes, and One Superhero

The unbearable pain really was too much to handle. 

So much that I couldn't watch the scene unfolding in front of me any longer. 

Derek was so bruised and bloodied with so many wounds I couldn't even count it all. His blood was spilled everywhere, staining all that was in sight.

And I cried some more, because it was all my idiotic fault. If it wasn't because of me, he wouldn't even be here fighting for the life I didn't want anymore.

"Please," I whispered hoarsely. Loud enough so that only Alex could hear me. "I'll do anything you say, just please let him go," I pleaded until my voice ultimately failed me.

"No," he muttered, sounding less than pleased.

At that moment, I then remembered where I heard his name before. It was on the news report about the most prosperous companies going broke after Derek's company had moved up the rankings, therefore some could no longer be in business. Wilson Corporation was one of those unlucky companies that simply didn't make it.

With my hands bounded strictly behind my back, I was helpless. I've always been helpless now that I think about it. I have always been a damsel in distress even though nothing disgusts me more than that.

"Just s-stop, p-please," I begged once more, before I couldn't utter another sound anymore. The firm hand that held my wrists together tightened in fury and then slowly released, it instead wrapped around my tiny, weak body possessively.

Something changed.

"Guards! Stop! That's enough for now," Alex's demanding voice reverberated throughout the empty warehouse and instantly halted the men from continuing to wreck Derek's bloodied body.

As I look at Derek's broken form, I felt a persistent urge telling me that it really was all my fault. Why, just why was I so utterly useless?

Derek's gloomy eyes didn't have that shining glow anymore as he glanced my direction. I trembled in the arms of my capturer, wondering what in the world have I done.

"Let him go," Alex told the men in a sturdy tone.

My stupid tears instantly stopped and I couldn't believe what I heard. Was he really letting him go? Or was I going deaf with shock and imagining things?

Alex's arms ushered me to move and I felt his muscular chest against my back. I stumbled on a crack as I slowly head outside with him. His guards went along with him when he was a couple feet away from his torn and demolished truck.

It was for the best.

Better me than Derek.

Except Derek had other foolish plans to extract. Before the wind could dare to touch me, I was ripped away from Alex and I stumbled once more, into the brown boxes behind me. It was simple luck they didn't topple over.

"Go! Run away while you still have a chance!" Someone screamed at me hysterically, the one voice I knew in my soul. It was always Derek.

"N-no," I said quietly, I'm not going to run away anymore.

"Stop being so stubborn and just go!" But I still stood my ground.

And at that moment, Derek's gaze landed on an oil lamp. A burning oil lamp. I could see an idea click in his mind and a heartless decision being made. Alex and the guards were still dazed from Derek's surprise attacks and so, they didn't realize and were clueless about what was happening at the time.

But I did. I knew.

"Wait! Don't do it!" I screamed for the life of me and ran towards the shadow that told me was Derek.

And yet, Derek swiftly grasped the handle of the lamp and threw it, right next to Alex and his men.

I watched in horror as the sinister fire spreaded, killing everything in plain sight.

Flames took over the old building, wood was splintering apart, and the worn down warehouse almost seemed to be waving a silent good bye at me. Because I was going to end it now.

Derek hastily turned and tried to find me in the embers, knowing full well I didn't leave yet. It was smart of him, but it was already too late.

Cloudy smoke clogged my throat as I try to breathe in air and it was blinding me as the dark gray evolved into a fog that I couldn't have bothered to go through. But I had to, for the sake of five men. I couldn't bear knowing I had all the power to save them and didn't even bother to try at the end. Would I dare to live after all that guilt would tore me apart from the inside out?

I spotted Derek as his face turned into one of pure anguish. Not because I was saving the people who deserved to be called my enemies, but because as he detected me, one of the heavy storage boxes besides me caught on fire and was immediately falling. Right at me.

A vigorous push sent me flying.

It was always Derek.

He was always there to protect me, no matter what.

I hated that trait of his, the superhero trait.

His expensive shirt caught on fire but was vanquished by the harsh winds blowing in.

"Kate! Go!" But I still didn't move. How could I, when I was seeing death right in front of me?

A rough hand constrained me to move and soon, we were out of the storage unit.

I could feel my pumping heartbeat speed up as we ran outside towards the open road, clutching each other's hands because we were both too afraid we might lose each other.

Yet, I tried to stop my footing so I could run back to the ruined warehouse and save the others who wouldn't be able to survive without our assistance.

I yanked my clasped hand out of his hold, but he held so firmly there was no use trying or arguing with him.

"Let m-me go back," I pleaded, cried, yelled; trying to get him to at least hear me out as the unrelenting wind continually burned my skin repeatedly.

"Do you not understand the meaning of no?! It was you who got us in this crazy situation in the first place so just shut up and be thankful I even bothered to save you in the first place!" He roared, eyes blazing with their inner fire.

As he rotated his head to keep looking for a clearing and while still leading me, tears started to silently drip out like never before.

It's true, so why does my heart feel like it's about to split in half out of despair? Why do I feel the tiniest bit hurt that he came to save me only not to feel taken over by guilt? It stung me hard and I felt selfish for feeling like that when he has every right to feel frustrated with me.

I let out one last restrained tear and spoke my last sentence. The only reason why I wanted to sprint back into the ruthless fire for.

"Save them," I murmured. "Please."

I didn't know if he heard me or not, because the world blacked out and only more darkness came.