Loving The Temperamental Adonis
Chapter 244: Not love

Chapter 244: Not love

Those words did it. Neil froze in the process of shooting another man. He turned slowly towards the direction where Mia stood, with Owen holding her at gunpoint. His blue eyes savagely dared Neil to take another step, promising he would shoot Mia. Neil felt his blood run cold at the sight. He immediately tried to move forward to attack Owen, but Owen fastened the gun’s chamber and said,

"If I were you, I’d think twice. I am not like you; I won’t hesitate to shoot Mia to her death and then kill you. Tsk, you better drop that gun right this instant if you want to keep her alive." He warned, meaning every single word he spoke as he used the tip of the gun to stroke Mia’s neck and leaned down to sniff her hair that still held the sweet scent of her signature Jasmine fragrance that Owen always liked and would dream of basking in at night. He pressed his lips on her neck and felt Mia stiffen and shiver in his arms. And he mistook her shivering for pleasure.

"I don’t want to do this, Mia. So stay still and don’t make me shoot you," he whispered to the shivering Mia. She wasn’t shivering because she was scared of the gun or death, but because she was angry. She was shaking from anger and hate and disgust; his mere kiss repulsed her and made her skin crawl. She wanted to kick him and move away from his grip, but she knew he was manic and could pull the trigger. She feared not for herself but for her unborn children. She wanted to live for them and Neil, so she didn’t make any movement and only swallowed her rage and clenched her fists.

"I said drop the fucking gun, or I’ll fucking shoot her!" Owen yelled like a madman, spitting in anger as Neil remained holding the gun and glaring at him like he’d shoot at any time.

At first, Neil thought Owen would never shoot Mia. Someone who loved her would never hurt the person he loved. He could never do that to her, and he believed if Owen indeed loved her as he claimed, he wouldn’t. Thus, Neil didn’t drop the gun and continued to calculate with his eyes how to get there, grab the gun out of Owen’s grip, and take back his wife. However, Owen surprised him by pulling out a pocket knife from his trousers. The knife’s blade glimmered under the light of the warehouse as he looked at Neil manically and warned,

"Drop the gun, Wayner. This is going to be my last warning to you." He placed the knife at the side of Mia’s stomach, and when Neil didn’t drop the gun, he made a deep cut on the side of her stomach that made Mia cry out in pain and almost fall to her knees. Owen’s hold around her was so tight it was crushing the breath out of her as she felt something warm begin to soak her gown.

Blood drained immediately from Neil’s face as he watched the crimson blood soak the side of Mia’s dress. He’d thought Owen would never hurt her and was just trying to make him drop his weapon. But seeing the blood and looking at his wife’s pained expression, Neil lost it. He was about to run forward and attack Owen, but seeing him raise the knife again, he froze in place and automatically dropped the gun without being told again.

"Good decision, Wayner." Owen smirked in satisfaction as he saw Neil drop the gun. He’d hate to hurt Mia again because of Wayner’s stubbornness. He didn’t want to hurt her, but to save his own life, he’d have to hurt her and treat the wounds later. After all, his doctors would still cut her open to remove the child when they arrived in three days.

"Don’t you dare hurt her again, you crazy shit!" Neil gritted through clenched teeth as he watched the pain on Mia’s face and the blood on her dress. His heart clenched tightly in his chest with fear and anger. It was his fault; he should have known this psychopath had no idea what love was. When you love someone, you’d never hurt them or be able to see them in pain. Owen had no idea that what he felt for Mia was just a crazy obsession, not love. He wanted her but didn’t love her.

Realizing that, Neil felt angry at himself for even hesitating to drop the gun, and now Mia was in pain and losing blood because of him. "Let her go and I’ll do whatever the fuck you want," Neil said slowly, his clenched hands coming unclenched at his side as he stared at Owen, avoiding Mia’s pained expression.

Owen smirked, relishing the moment more than he should. He knew he should kill Wayner now and whisk Mia away to the house he’d prepared to keep her until his doctors arrived, but how could he miss such a golden opportunity to see Wayner’s pride and arrogance broken into pieces before his death? He’d be a fool to let this slip away, and so he whispered soothingly into Mia’s ear as he felt her trembling in pain, "Don’t worry, the pain will soon go away, my love. It’s Wayner’s fault that I cut you; I will make him pay for that. Relax and watch him suffer."

"You need an asylum, you are completely crazy!" Mia rebuked angrily, "You cut me and dare blame it on my husband. Let me go; I hate you with every fiber in me!"

"Yes, I am crazy, but only for you, my sweet," he chuckled, enjoying her little struggles. Women, he thought in amusement, would never admit they like one’s touch or attention, and no matter what, he refused to believe Mia didn’t love him or didn’t like his touch. She loved him, and her love would bloom once Wayner was out of their lives.

"You are hurting her, damnit! Let her go, and I’ll do whatever you want!" Neil yelled in angry frustration as he watched Owen manhandle his wife like a toy. The more she struggled in his grip, the more he seemed to enjoy it, and that, Neil could never bear to watch. He wanted so badly to be in front of the bastard and squeeze the life out of him, but he couldn’t because he’d never risk Mia’s life to kill Owen.

"You’d do anything, right?" Owen raised a brow in amusement. "Then go down on your knees and apologize to me for everything you’ve ever done to disrespect me. Apologize for being the reason behind my university suspension five years ago, apologize for destroying my company and breaking my arm. I want you to fucking apologize and make it seem sincere or, I swear, I will cut her with every mistake or reluctance!" He spat angrily, remembering how Xavier Galverra had destroyed his education years ago and ruined his opportunity of graduating and being a good person like his silly late, optimistic mother had wanted him to be. He’d have never turned to Rodrigo if Xavier, who turned out to be this fucker, hadn’t ruined his life!

Neil clenched his fists. He was a prideful man who would never lower himself by going down on his knees for someone as stupid as Owen, but when he looked at his wife and saw her shaking her head from side to side, silently begging him not to do it, he felt there was no use in holding on to a pride that would cost his wife’s life. Without her in this world, nothing else would make sense in his life again.

Who was he without the girl who’d looked at him with innocent little eyes years ago.

Who was he without the girl who’d become the main source of his breath, his soul...his wholeness?

Who was he in a world without her?

Her slight pain caused his the agony of a million cuts.

Her love soothed him like sweet nectar.

He was whole with her but broken and shattered without her.

Who was he without Mia?

He was absolutely nothing but an empty shell of a being.

His pride meant nothing when it came to her, and he’d do anything to keep her from suffering another injury.

"Neil, don’t do it," Mia pleaded, her voice trembling with anger and pain. She wished she had no pregnancy to consider, she wished she could throw caution to the wind and use her martial arts skills to kick and take the gun away from him, but she had two souls in her womb to consider and a husband who would risk anything to see that she was safe, who would let go of his pride to stop her suffering. If her thirteen year old self was told that Owen would turn out to be the reason she’d be in so much pain today, she wouldn’t have believed it.

"Don’t go on your knees for him, Neil..." She whispered anguishingly as she saw the remorse in his gray eyes as he stared at the blood at the side of her dress.

Neil ignored her and only gave her a reassuring smile that he’d do anything for her. To everyone’s astonishment, Neil Wayner dropped down to his knees. It happened in slow motion, making Mia’s eyes burn with tears at the sight of her husband going down on his knees to apologize to someone like Owen.

With a voice devoid of any emotions, Neil opened his mouth and said, "I apologize for all the things I’ve done to you, which I thought you deserved, but because you are holding my wife, I beg your forgiveness, Mr. Sullivan."

Despite the fact that he was apologizing on his knees, he did it in his own way that didn’t reduce his class. There was still an air of dignity around him, a silent strength that spoke volumes even in this humiliating position. His eyes, were as emotionless and as dark as a gloomy sky. One thing was for sure, no matter what Owen made him do, he could never change the fact that Neil Wayner was more superior than him in everything.

"Now, let her go. You’ve gotten what you wanted." He said, his voice still holding the same detached tone.

Despite the apologies and getting want he wanted, Owen still didn’t feel any satisfaction from it because Neil didn’t look one bit defeated. He was the one kneeling, but Owen felt like the one being humiliated. His grip tightened around the edge of his pocket knife then he signaled his men forward.

Mia watched in horror as men with thick sticks circled Neil. "What do you think you’re doing? He apologized to you already!" She yelled at him, grimacing in pain when the wound on her side suddenly burned.

Owen ignored her and with his orders, his men began to hit Neil from different angles.

Neil grunted in pain but remained on his knees, refusing to fight back while Mia was still in Owen’s grip. He refused to be the reason for her pain again, she’d suffered enough.

Owen watched with satisfaction, his smile widening. "My forgiveness doesn’t come easily, Wayner. You’ll have to earn it."

Each blow landed with sickening force, and Mia’s heart shattered with every hit. "Stop it! Please, stop it! You’re killing him!" she screamed, her voice breaking with desperation and anguish as blood began to roll out of his mouth and nose with the hits.

Neil’s vision blurred from the pain, but he focused on Mia, drawing strength from the sight of her as she struggled in Owen’s grip. He knew from the blows and the pain in his head that he might lose consciousness, but he fought it and tried to stand on his feet. Another blow to his neck brought him down again, and he grunted.

Owen handed Mia to one of his men, then walked closer to Neil, who was fighting to stay conscious. He made sure to stand three feet away, fearing Neil might suddenly attack him. Owen raised his gun directly to Neil’s head, his voice low and taunting. "How does it feel, Wayner? To be brought to your knees, to be broken? Do you know what will happen once I kill you?" He asked. "I will own everything that ever belonged to you, including your wife. Your properties and company—everything will be mine. Any last words, Wayner?" He asked, readying his gun.

"Please, don’t!" Mia exclaimed as Owen raised the gun to Neil. But before she could do more than scream, the gun went off.