Chapter 6: Run and Never Look Back!

Dante stared at the ground, his thoughts racing like a storm. Confusion wrapped around him like a heavy blanket. He remembered every mistake, every poor choice he made in his life. But deep inside, his heart insisted he was a good person, yet here he was, wondering why God had let this happen to him and Julia.

Why did he have to wear the villain's mask just to escape from death? Why he has to be the person who ruin Julia? And why did it have to be her innocence that was lost? The questions swirled in his mind like relentless waves crashing on a shore.

His chest felt like it was encased in iron, tight and heavy. Guilt washed over him like cold water. She didn't deserve this, not in a million lifetimes.

The moment ended abruptly, like a candle snuffed out in the dark. He pulled away quickly, not wanting to cause her more pain. The pain was etched on her face, each line a reminder that he was the one who had destroy her.

Thankfully, the group around them was swallowed by their own arousal, not voicing any complaints. He anxiously kept Julia's skin hidden, desperate to shield her from their eyes. For sure they feel arouse when these evil were watch them! Surely, they could be that cruel!

Of course, he did withdrawal. In his past, he had always been careful, practiced safe sex. But with Julia, it was different; she was the first woman he had shared such a moment with, completely unguarded without protection.

This was her worst nightmare, and he felt it in his bones. He imagined her as someone who had always been careful, who believed in saving herself for her husband. Yet here he was, the one who shattered that belief. He wished he could take it all back. How could her husband leave her on their first day? And now he, a stranger, had taken what she had held dear for so long.

How could he ever make things right with Julia? Guilt clung to him, heavy and suffocating. After past encounters, he usually felt a sense of freedom. But now, it was like a dark cloud hanging over him, knowing he had altered a woman's life forever.

Julia turned away, curling into herself against the grass. He could see the slight tremble of her shoulders—she was quietly crying. His heart pounded in his chest as he struggled for words. "J-Julia… I'm so sorry. If I had known you were a virgin, I wouldn't have agreed to what happened. I'd rather die than hurt you. I hope you can forgive me…" he said with deep sadness.

"I get it if you don't want to talk to me. You loathe me,"

She shook her head slowly, her back still turned. "I-I'm not mad at you. I don't feel any anger towards you, Dante. I'm… just shattered. I'm hurting over what happened to me. To what happened to you. To us. W-We don't deserve this…" Soft sobs escaped her lips, breaking the silence.

She held her breath, careful not to stir the leader's anger again. That wicked group would just roll their eyes, thinking Julia was simply being dramatic. They were heartless, lacking any real sympathy.

Somehow, a weight lifted off his shoulders. Julia's view of him mattered deeply. He knew the way their lives had crossed was no longer good, but he wanted to demonstrate he would do everything to keep her safe.

He held off on putting on his clothes, aware they might be furious again at him for not complying. He wanted to avoid doing anything that could stir their annoyance. It would have been easier alone, but Julia was with him. If things went wrong, she could get hurt.

The moonlight told him it was probably early morning. The cold breeze made his bare skin prick with goosebumps. He glanced at the group and saw satisfaction smirking on their faces. Disgusting people, every one of them.

Some of them lit cigarettes as others sprawled on the grass, their eyes closed, as if they had been carried away to dreamland by the live action show they had seen.

The leader flashed a grin in his direction. "Very good, man. Since you were good, I'll give you a time-out. You'll need more energy later. Didn't I tell you? Even though I'm a devil, I keep my word. If you stick to our deal, we won't touch her," he mockingly patting Dante's shoulder like an old friend.

The urge to punch him in the face surged within Dante; a storm of frustration and anger threatened to explode. But he clenched his fists, forcing himself to keep it together.

These devils had no intention of letting them go; a second round was definitely on their agenda!

He made his way to a large tree and leaned against its sturdy trunk. He lit another cigarette, watching as the others had already fallen asleep, their faces content in the darkness.

He noticed that Julia had also dozed off from exhaustion, stress, and crying. He, on the other hand, stayed awake and aware of his surroundings. He looked at each of the men. The night was deepening, and he saw that they had fallen asleep.

He carefully peeked at the leader resting against the tree. He was still awake; he could see the smoke from his cigarette. So he acted tired and pretended to doze off. He lay down on the grass next to Julia. If he acted defenseless, since a person is defenseless when asleep, he would gain their trust and they wouldn't suspect that he was fully awake.

They had to outsmart the devils around them. He refused to let them enjoy a victory after everything they had endured.

Each passing minute dragged on for Dante like a heavy chain. Time seemed to creep by in this tense moment. "Fuck, I hope that guy falls asleep soon!" he thought, frustration boiling inside him.

He rolled onto the grass, angling himself to see the leader slumped against the tree. His men were sprawled out, sleeping soundly. The cigarette was no longer in the leader's hand, and his neck hung at an odd angle, showing he had also dozed off.

He didn't have to wait for a deep sleep to settle in. Just a quick moment was all they needed to sneak away. He kept his eyes on the leader for a few minutes, ensuring he was truly asleep and not just pretending. Once he confirmed the group had fallen asleep, he sprang up and whispered in Julia's ear.

"Julia, I know you're hurting from what happened. You can deal with it later, after we're out of here. Everyone is asleep. Wake up. Hurry," he urged gently, his voice firm with urgency.

Her eyes shot wide open at his words. "W-We're escaping...?"

"This is our best chance to run. They might not kill us, but they expect a second round. You know what that means. So hurry, don't ask questions. Trust me, and keep quiet," he urged, intensity in his voice.

Fear flashed across her face, but she nodded, quickly searching for her clothes and grabbing them. Just as she was about to put them on, he stopped her. "There's no time to get dressed! Once we're free, you can wear them. They might wake up, hurry!" he urged, panic rising.

"B-But… I'm naked," she protested weakly.

"So am I. Now isn't the time to feel embarrassed in front of each other. You want to live, right? So stop wasting time talking and arguing. Hurry!"

He snatched his clothes and gently grabbed her wrist. She clung to her clothes, pressing them tightly against her chest, trying to shield herself.

In that moment, Julia decided to fully trust Dante with their fate. Why should she care about being naked when he had already seen her body? Besides, such thoughts were far from her mind since they were on the brink of death. He was right.

She let Dante tug her forward. The woods were pitch black around them. The moon hung low, casting faint light on the ground. They sprinted ahead, refusing to look back. Their breath came in quick, anxious gasps. Luckily, they hadn't worn shoes, or the sound would have given them away.

Julia felt like a character in a suspense movie, fleeing from a killer. The cold didn't register; fear pulsed in her chest like a drum. The only thing that mattered was the terror of being caught.

They had been dashing for nearly thirty minutes, as if tomorrow didn't exist. They finally paused when Dante's eyes caught a flicker of streetlights and the distant outline of a highway.

Relief washed over them. "I think we're safe for now. But don't get too comfortable. Get dressed,"

Dante turned away, giving her privacy. Julia felt her cheeks heat up as the light illuminated his beautiful bare back. He was slipping on his clothes too. Quickly, she dressed, her heart racing at the thought that the group was close behind.

Once they finished dressing, Dante glanced back at her. "Are you ready to run again? I know you're exhausted, but we can't stop now."

"We've made it this far. Why not ask for help from the people nearby?" She pointed toward the few houses in the distance.

Dante shook his head firmly. "No way. They likely know we've escaped. They'll check those houses for us since they're the closest. I won't let any more innocent people get pulled into this," he said, his voice low and serious.

Julia turned her gaze down, guilt flooding her. The truth hung heavy; Dante was stuck because of her. She didn't even understand why she was the target in the first place.

"W-Where are we headed? We don't have our stuff! We don't have any money,"

"I'm sure there's a police station close by. We should get to them, it'll be safer,"

She nodded, realizing he was right; they couldn't afford to trust anyone too easily in their situation.

Dante opened his palm to her, showing he wouldn't let go until they were safe. Julia inhaled deeply and reached out to grasp his hand.

"We'll get out of here," he stated firmly, and they started running again through the dark and unfamiliar place.

Would there be a chance for a better tomorrow for Dante and Julia?