Chapter 53
They had just gotten out of the shower after another heated make-out session that left them both breathless. Drogen couldn't help but wonder: they hadn't even had sex yet, and she had already made him experience pleasure that surpassed anything he'd ever felt.
If the time came when he finally tasted her completely, would he be able to stop? Being with her was dangerously addictive. Bruce's words echoed in his mind, taunting him. You're falling for her, aren't you? Was he really falling for her, that would be the only reasonable explanation to all this.
Natasha, on the other hand, wasn't faring much better. She'd insisted on getting dressed alone, not because she needed space, but because Drogen's presence was an unbearable distraction. The way his damp hair clung to his forehead, the water droplets trailing down his neck—it was enough to make her abandon all reason.
It took about thirty minutes for them to finish getting ready, and they coincidentally stepped out of the room at the same time.
Not giving him any chance to tease or flirt, she rushed past him and out of the apartment. His scent lingered in the air—a maddening mix of musk and soap, almost making her go back to hold him closer and feel his strong arms around her. But she quickly snapped out of it. Besides, she still had a lot of questions about last night. It was time they got to business.
Inside the elevator, Drogen reached for her hand, his fingers brushing against hers, wanting to teleport with her straight to the car, but she pulled her hand away. His brows furrowed slightly, wondering about the cause of her sudden distance.
"Hey, Nat, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice soft yet concerned. Nothing seemed wrong with her emotions, so...
"Someone's coming," she said, her voice a quiet whisper. Just then, the elevator door opened, and two couples stepped inside. The penthouse was inhabited by tenants, given how large it was.
Drogen took her hand again and squeezed it gently. This time, she didn't pull away but glanced at him, offering a small smile.
Once they were in the car, Natasha's face turned serious.
"Drogen, about last night. I've been wanting to ask you… what happened after the accident?" Her question caught him off guard, and he tilted his head slightly, studying her expression. Why was she suddenly bringing that up?
"I healed you both and brought you home. Then, before dawn, Billy woke up. I explained everything to him, and he returned to his house. What else could have happened?" Drogen replied, keeping his tone casual.
"I... I saw something," she stammered, hesitating as her thoughts raced.
In the haze just before she passed out, she had seen how Drogen tore through that man's chest. It wasn't anything new; after all, he had done the same to her when they first met. But at that time, he had seemed so different—so cold—and anyone nearby could literally feel his murderous aura. Even with all that, she wasn't afraid of him. What she mainly wanted to confirm was whether he'd face punishment for killing a human or if there would be some sort of consequence.
Her question made Drogen's eyes flicker, and his heart raced. It wasn't like she was judging him or anything, so why did he panic? Was he afraid she would be scared of him once she found out what he was actually capable of?
"What did you see?" he finally asked, his voice calm but hesitant.
"The people who caused the accident—you killed them, right?" she asked, her gaze steady.
He nodded in response.
"Will you get punished?" she asked again, her voice filled with obvious worry.
Wait. Was she worried about that? Shouldn't she be scared, knowing he could kill humans without a second thought? He was merciless and could kill anyone effortlessly without thinking twice. She had seen that last night, right? So why was she worried? Drogen wondered.
"I don't know yet," Drogen admitted. "But we've got a bigger problem at hand, so that one's still on hold."
"Problem? Is it that seal?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.
"No," he said, his tone dropping lower. "There's this group of people that appeared. They seem to be immortal. One of them attacked me last night. He was strong enough to make me unleash my full powers to defeat him. But even after that, he resurrected like it was nothing before disappearing."
He paused for a moment, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "When I went to the underworld to report the issue, I found out that several high-level grim reapers also reported being attacked by someone with similar abilities. We suspect they're from the same cult, but we still don't know what their goal is."
When she heard him mention he was attacked, her chest tightened for a moment. Panic bubbled within her, but she quickly reminded herself that he was sitting right in front of her, as healthy as ever.
"Meaning they might come for you again anytime?" she asked, why was she so worried. He's a grim reaper, he's immortal, he can't die. She tried reminding herself.
"I don't know. I'll have to wait and watch," Drogen replied, studying her intently. "Why all these questions? Are you, perhaps… worried about me?" he teased, leaning closer with a mischievous smile.
"Of course I am," she admitted, not bothering to deny it.
Something flickered in Drogen's heart. It was the first time someone was actually worried about him, and it felt… nice. Warm.
Not wanting to show the slight vulnerability in his eyes, he leaned closer, pulling the seat belt over her. Their faces were only inches apart. Natasha's heart skipped a beat, thinking he might kiss her, but instead, he simply secured the seat belt and pulled away.
To calm her racing heart, she decided to shift the conversation. "About the accident—how did it happen? I don't think it was just an accident."
"Because it wasn't. Someone was trying to end my life right there," he admitted, his tone laced with frustration.
Her heart almost leaped out of her throat. So even humans were after him now? He really needed to tone down on the people he messed with.
"Who, and why?" she asked, her voice edged with concern.
"Mr. Edward. The same man whose party we attended together. I had crucial evidence against him, so he wanted to get rid of me to hide the truth."
"Those politicians are so twisted. So... how did you deal with him?"
"He committed suicide last night. And guess what?" Drogen leaned back slightly, his voice dark yet calm. "I was the one who collected his soul."