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Nates POV

I'm watching how the blood of this git runs out from his mouth and also from his nose, enjoy a glass of expensive whiskey at this sight.

My men know how to inflict the worst pain on someone without even remotely endangering that person's life.

Sighing and completely unmotivated, I approach him, lift his head and pour water on his face, not to speak against his blood, which is already all over the place.

"I want my money," I say monotonously.

"You'll get it, Mr. Vance, I swear. Just give me a little more time," he pleads, spitting on the floor over and over again.

Not a single spark of pity or even emotion shows up in my body and I'm glad that hasn't changed, despite Sophia's existence.

She makes me weak and sensitive; vulnerable and transparent. It makes me what I have fought successfully for years. Never again did I want to be that helpless little bum in the shadow of my siblings or my parents. I've built my own empire through hard, single-minded work, lots of sleepless nights, and years of emotional blockage. No one could even begin to see behind my mask, except for the doe-eyed Brit.

It's like a blessing and a curse at the same time; shines my hellfire but also my kingdom of heaven.

The thought of letting her go tears my whole upper body and sends an ice-cold shiver down my spine, but right now I just can't bear the sight of her.

The current situation alone is the best proof of how much she has me in her little hands. A thought slips to her and immediately my whole head is totally in the bucket. I miss her and long for her presence, but still don't want to call her.

Maybe I'm too proud, but I just can't get the sight of her and that ugly prick out of my head.

It looked so familiar.

It looked so right.

Everyone tells me that our relationship isn't right, that I'm asking too much of her, that it's too much for her, that she can't handle my power, but that's just not the case.

Sophia is a strong fighter and a wonderful person with the patience and compassion I need.

I need Sophia She is all I have. The reason for everything I do. Even though I love my family, there are certain things that cause me to stop trusting them 100%, while I can always be so sure about Sophia.

Her eyes shine like an angel's and she's mine.

I know it, but I have a feeling since the last argument about Claire's pregnancy, she hasn't realized that I'm hers, too. With everything that's due to me.

"You'll get four more months. If I haven't gotten the money by then, I'll kill you."

It's like I'm barely there mentally as the words leave my lips and that's probably true since all I can think about is Sophia.

The last time I saw her was the day before yesterday and this morning I found out from John that she hadn't gone out all weekend. Maybe she just didn't want to go out with the disastrous weather here in New York, or maybe she just didn't want to cross paths with me.

However, as I drove past the agency this morning I watched her get out, couldn't tear my eyes away from her and when I looked into her face it was like a punch in the stomach.

I sigh and hand the glass to one of my men, check my watch and then head to my car.

"To my office," I say sternly, sitting down tensely.

"Mr Vance, it's already two in the morning." Keegan replies and looks at me with blue eyes.

"And? If I want to go to my damn office, then I'll drive to my damn office. Whenever I want and how often I want. Sure?!" I hiss angrily and ruffle my hair.

"Excuse me, sir," my driver just mumbles before he finally switches on the engine and drives off.

A few minutes later we arrive in front of what is probably my most important building in the world.

I get out and step into the elevator with Keegan, already removing my jacket and loosening my tie. Sighing and throwing my head back, I roll up my sleeves and tie my hair back.

As the elevator doors open on the top floor, I can already see the tall figure of this monkey who just doesn't want to learn.

"Don't interfere," I command Keegan before stepping into my large office and closing the door behind me.

My gaze slides down my girlfriend's ex-boyfriend and I instantly have an extreme gag reflex in my throat.

"Now I'm going to speak in a language that even you, a useless son of a bitch, can understand," I say sternly, making direct eye contact with this motherfucker.

"Then show what you've got, you ugly bum." He hisses provocatively and the next moment we're much too close to each other.

For weeks I've been fighting this sickening feeling, a mixture of anger and anger combined with sick jealousy. But today I can finally beat the trigger of these emotions; do what I've been imagining ever since we first met.

"You must have already fucked Sophia, right?", "What's that got to do with it?" I ask annoyed, impatient and tense.

"It's tight, isn't it? Oh god, how tight it is," Klein growls, looking cheekily into my eyes and smiling at the same time.

I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch.

"But you know, no matter how tight it is on you," he puts his mouth close to my ear and I'm way too close to just snapping his neck, "it was even tighter on me because I was allowed to go first . That skin is torn and God! I still know how it felt. She kept whispering, "More, Coen, please, it feels so good. More, deeper." She became insatiable after that too. I don't know how many times I've had my head between her legs alone when we were at a single party. Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to that. You know, when you I can separate you again and then I'll do it right."

Okay, that's enough, he's clearly been talking for too long.

All I can feel is grabbing his collar and throwing his body against my closet, which shatters into a hundred thousand pieces because it's made of glass.

My sanity seems gone and my brain is gone too, all I see or feel to do is the urge to spank him until his guts hang out.

Said and done.

I start hitting him and even if he defends himself well, he hits me more often than I do.

The adrenaline rushing through my body is fueled by anger and the smell of blood intensifies.

However, at a moment when after a while we just look at each other, panting, I lose my attention, which he uses as an opportunity. With his full body weight he throws himself on me and I only feel how the glass of my small table shatters underneath me and several parts dig into my back.

I don't feel the pain because the urge to kill him keeps growing.

My hand slides to the back of his head and before he can do anything I smack him in the head and then give him a final smack.

I stand up, shake all the splinters and broken glass off my body, only then notice the blood on both hands.

That son of a bitch's face just looks like shit and I've probably never been more proud of myself than I am right now.

"That wasn't the final blow, motherfucker," he curses, spitting the blood out of his mouth right at my feet.

"Next time there will be gunshots, Klein, and I'm not fucking kidding, so stop contacting my girlfriend and if you touch her again, I swear to god I'm going to torment you, you miserable bastard," I snap and then leave my office.

I see Keegan's shocked expression but don't say anything because the adrenaline is still in my bloodstream. My chest rises and falls quickly and erratically as my brain slowly seems to be working again.

"Call two guys upstairs and tell them to get this crap out of my office. Oh yeah, and tell Stefanie not to come to work tomorrow as everything needs renovations, which you'll take care of too.", I explain to him and he nods wordlessly.

"And call my dad, he needs to patch me up. I've got cuts all over and one on my back might need stitches," I murmur as the elevator descends.

I've never had a fight over a woman, and I never meant to, but how was I supposed to know she was going to get under my skin so deeply?

Sophia's POV

"John, what are you doing here at - four in the morning?" I ask sleepily, staring at the bodyguard in confusion.

"Sorry to disturb you, Mrs. Hamilton, but Keegan, Mr. Vance's driver, and I are very concerned about him," he says, and his appearance in a simple sweater makes him look younger than I would have guessed.

When his words get through to me, I look at him blankly.

"Why?" I ask, running my fingers through my hair.

"He drove to his office, got into a fight with Coen Klein and then drove home. He's alone right now and we thought it might be a good idea if you drove over to his office," John explains to me and mine Chest suddenly tight.

The longing, the desire and actually every single cell in my body craves for Nate, craves for him and yet he rejected me, which is why unfortunately my pride also interferes. I find this fight ridiculous and so manly, but I still care about Nate.

Should I go to him?

"John, you know he didn't want to see me." I sigh, looking into his blue eyes.

"Mrs Hamilton, Keegan said he was really in bad shape," he replies.

"Nate will be fine, John. He doesn't need me."

As easily as he distances himself every time, he never seems to have needed me.

"Yes, he does, I beg you." The two-meter man sighs.

"Okay, but if I get back in your car crying, I'll hit you. I'll get dressed," I mumble in defeat.

"Thank you, Mrs Hamilton." John says and I disappear into my room.

I pull on a pair of shorts and a baggy sweater with no bra before slipping into a pair of Nikes and leaving my apartment with the bodyguard.

My stomach cramps the more I think about hitting Nate's weight right now. He beat up Coen and is probably furious, and probably drunk too. On the one hand, I really want to be near him, but the fear of being made fun of by him is also pretty big.

We are much too fast in front of the big building and when I get out alone, I have to hold on briefly to avoid tipping over.

I give John a quick nod before stepping inside and taking the private elevator up to Nate's.

My pulse is so fast and intense I can hear it pounding in my ear. The adrenaline is slowly but surely making its way through my body and I can literally feel it coming towards the door.

I just knock on the door once and take a deep breath before it opens.

"What are you doing here?" Nate asks and I neither smell nor hear the alcohol.

But the coldness of his voice sends goosebumps all over my body and the blankness in his green crystals destroys me in a different way.

"The boys said you had a relationship with -", "Don't say his name." He hisses and suddenly something on the wall splinteres.

I flinch violently and take a step away from Nate, afraid of his next sudden move.

He put that damn mask on his face and I'm not going to get that mask off without his consent.

"Why did you do it Nate?" I ask with a sigh, trying to make eye contact.

"Because otherwise he won't keep his hands off you." He hisses and takes a new glass from the cupboard.

It's only now that I realize he's only wearing black boxer shorts, and it's a sight to behold.

I missed him so much.

"And to boost your ego. Nate, I'm not a bloody trophy." I hiss at him, standing on the other side of the island.

"I didn't say that," he replies sternly, provoking me with the disinterested expression that adorns his beautiful face.

"Either you take this seriously and talk to me or I'll just leave and never come back." I say sternly and totally determined, before crossing my arms over my chest and looking into his eyes.

"You would come back to me anyway. You need me. My cock."

My jaw hits the ground and my heart shatters into a thousand pieces just like the glass before.

"Why do you say that?" I ask, swallowing, feeling the howling spasms in my stomach that are about to happen.

"I'm being honest.", "You're a mean asshole. I'm leaving." I hiss at him, stunned and deeply hurt.

"See you then," is all he says, making my heart bleed.

"What did Ido to make you so mad at me, Nathaniel? Tell me how to make it up to you and I'll do it."

In that moment I just don't care how pathetic I sound and how ridiculous I look because I have to fight for this love; I need him too much to let him go without a fight.

"Now what makes you think that?" he asks, confused, staring at me like he's about to devour me alive.

"You look at me disparagingly, hiss and are obviously angry with me, but why? I didn't touch Coen and I didn't know that he was coming to me that evening. What should I have done?" I reply with a sigh and at the end of my powers.

"I'm not mad at you. You're just annoying me and I can't stand the sight of you.", "Wow, that makes it less painful now. Nate, if you don't want me anymore, tell me and I'll accept it, but please don't deny me just because you're jealous of Coen." I sob now and suddenly he gets up, causing my heart to stop beating completely for a second.

"I told you to stop saying his name!" he yells outraged and I wince again violently.

The way he looks at me and his aggressive fighting stance scares me and I search in vain for the man I fell in love with.

"He just doesn't want to understand that you're mine! And you keep letting him get at you for fucks sake! That shitty picture he gave me of your first time is burned into my brain and I get it there not go away, especially not when you're fucking near him all the time! I'm just fucking scared of losing you, and to him at that." over the face.

I take a deep breath before, with great difficulty, I bring myself to walk over to him and cup his bearded cheek with my hands.

My whole body is shaking, so are my fingers, and even though I'm really exhausted and exhausted, I gather all the strength that's left and then look him in the eye.

Various shades of green sparkle at me in a beautiful crystal-like mixture, taking my breath away and turning my head for a moment to think about what I was about to say.

because they are the reason we grow stronger together. Let's at least try, okay?"

The words leave my lips of their own accord and I don't even take my eyes off him; watch his every reaction very closely.

Nate seems thoughtful as he gently rubs my bottom lip with his thumb.

I'm enjoying the touch way too much, trying to stay calm, but it's just been too long.

"Okay," he finally mumbles and I breathe a sigh of relief.

Carefully and totally shy I lower my head and first lick his upper lip before locking our mouths together.

He immediately begins an aggressively passionate dance with my tongue, sucking here, biting there, nibbling there and making me gasp with his wonderful moaning sounds.

"It's getting late," I whisper out of breath, my nerves shattered.

"Let's go to bed," he replies, looking at me.

"I don't think we should sleep next to each other, Nate. Not today. You broke my heart - but a little bit and I just can't take it right now. Please understand me.", I breathe and get tears in my eyes again .

"I understand that, my angel, and I'm sorry. Everything. The guest room is ready, make yourself at home, darling.", he replies and kisses my forehead for a long time, caressing my arms in gentle movements.

"I love you," I murmur against his lips, watching his eyes light up.

"I love you," Nate replies, letting my stomach knot one last time before he settles in and I head to the guest room.

I think about everything for a long time, get up to get something to drink and just thinking back to the argument with my sister, I finally fall asleep and disappear into a deep, dreamless sleep.