Jarrod silently draped his jacket over Nicole, continuing forward as he pleased.

Nicole's clothes were completely wet. Her underwear clung to her skin, hot and uncomfortable.

She hit and kicked the man carrying her, struggling frantically. "Put me down!" she pleaded incessantly. She was determined not to let her efforts against Deniz go to waste.

Witnessing her restlessness, Jarrod paused for a moment and soothingly said, “I'll have Alec handle the aftermath. Deniz will face the consequences."

A sigh of relief escaped Nicole. With Jarrod taking charge of the situation, at least some things would go the way she wanted.

Deniz's sister-in-law was married to the brother of the Hampton Corporation's chairman. The Hampton and Schultz families were deeply entwined in business relations. Jarrod's move against Deniz, which had come without any prior indication, amounted to a slap in the face of the Hampton family. It was sure to create a crack in the rock-solid cooperation between the Hampton and Schultz families.

Nicole finally relaxed, but it was quickly followed by an intense craving. The restless itch at the bottom of her heart threatened to overwhelm her.

Carried by Jarrod's robust arms, Nicole found herself being ushered into the car.

Without hesitation, Jarrod instructed the driver to raise the partition and speed toward the hospital.

In her half-dazed, half-resisting state, Nicole did not hear the car's destination.

Her reddened eyes shot a glare at Jarrod, and her voice was raspy as she questioned, “What do you want?"

With a disdainful look, she warned, “Jarrod, if you dare to touch me, I swear I'll kill you!"

Her words dripped with venom, a testament to her deep-seated hatred.

Jarrod's hand slowly clenched into a fist, his gaze shifting from tense to inscrutable. "Kill me?"

He suddenly laughed, lifting Nicole's chin. "Dying by your hand doesn't seem so bad."

Despite his gentlemanly appearance, the ruthlessness in his speech revealed the wildness beneath his skin.

His hand shifted from Nicole's jawline down to her neck, his fingers hovering over her skin in a teasing manner.

Despite herself, Nicole heard a small moan escape her mouth. At the moment, even the slightest of touches made her feel as if her entire body had turned to water.

Jarrod's Lips curled into a mocking smile. His firm fingers continued down her neck, tracing the outline of her collarbone. "Are you going to take your clothes off, or should I do it for you?"

When Nicole heard his shameless words, her eyes blazed with fury. Her clenched hand quivered lightly, highlighting the stark contrast in strength between men and women, especially now when she felt weak and powerless.