Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Brielle was pacing restlessly around her apartment, nerves on edge. Despite the gnawing worry, she didn't know any of Dustin's friends well enough to call and check on him. All she could do was fret.

In the dead of night, a nightmare jolted her awake, leaving her chest tight and heavy. She shuffled to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of warm water, hoping it would soothe the unease gnawing at her heart. But just as she took a sip, her phone rang. Thinking it might be Dustin, she quickly answered.

But it wasn't Dustin. It was Kenzo Barnes, who had been MIA for days.NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.

"Hey, Brielle? *cough* *cough*"

Kenzo's voice was raspy, punctuated by a bout of harsh coughing.

"Kenzo, where are you?" "Home."

"Are you sick?"

But all she got in response was more coughing and then the unmistakable sound of a phone hitting the floor.

Brielle's heart sank. "Kenzo?" she called out, but there was no reply.

Grabbing her keys, she dashed to her car, determined to check on Kenzo. Being a celebrity, his address wasn't exactly a secret.

What she didn't expect was to find Kenzo staggering along the roadside before she even reached his place.

"Kenzo?"

She pulled over and saw him clutching his shoulder, looking pale as a ghost. A few men were chasing him, and without thinking twice, she flung the car door open. Kenzo collapsed inside, his eyes shut, his voice hoarse. "What are you doing here?"

Brielle didn't waste any time. She pulled out her phone to call Max, but Kenzo's bloodstained hand stopped her.

"Don't tell anyone."

In the dim car light, Brielle could see blood spreading across his clothes. "Should we go to a hospital?"

"No hospitals."

His voice was still gentle but heavy with fatigue.

Brielle was bewildered. Kenzo was seriously hurt and he didn't want medical help? He looked into her eyes and managed a weak smile. "Can we go to your place?" She was stunned. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

"Yes, but your wound-"

"Just go to your place."

He closed his eyes, ending the conversation.

Brielle kept an eye on the rearview mirror as she drove back to her apartment complex, Pearl Estate. Half an hour later, they arrived at the underground parking.

After making sure the coast was

clear, Brielle helped Kenzo out of the

car. "Kenzo, are you sure you don't

want to tell Max and the others? It might be better to handle this together." en

Kenzo just coughed in response, sidestepping her question.

Once they were inside her apartment, Brielle fetched the first aid kit and filled a basin with clean water in the bathroom.

Kenzo was ghostly white as he

peeled off his blood-soaked clothes. Brielle thought about the recent mess with the Barnes family. Maybe someone was holding a grudge against Max for revealing that Kenzo wasn't a blood relative, and now he didn't want Max to know?

After all, Max did it for her sake. Feeling a tinge of guilt, she helped Kenzo cut off his shirt with scissors.

The room was brightly lit, and once he was bare, she saw the wound on his abdomen. It looked like a gunshot, but it wasn't too deep, as if something had slowed the bullet.

Sweat beaded on Kenzo's forehead, and his lips were pale. "Turn around, don't look," he said, voice rough with pain.

Brielle turned away as he disinfected a dagger and plunged it into the wound. She felt a sympathetic jolt of pain and quickly averted her gaze.

Kenzo expertly removed the bullet

with a grunt and, instead of

bandaging the wound right away, he watched Brielle's back. She stood rigid, her neck exposed in the bright light.

Kenzo looked down at his bleeding abdomen and began wrapping the wound with gauze.

"Kenzo, are you okay?" Brielle asked, her mind swirling with questions.

Kenzo finished bandaging but remained silent, just staring at her back. Brielle's figure was indeed striking. No wonder Max had been captivated by her. Kenzo reached out a hand but paused when he saw the blood on his fingertips, frowning.

As Brielle turned around, she caught sight of his bloodied finger hanging in the air.