Burning Passion

CHAPTER 142: SAVING NIKKI (Fifteen) and the Past 

"SPECIAL CHAPTER EDITION: ENCOUNTERS" 

* * * 

Present Time 

"Oh, my god! They kissed?" Erika squeals. 

Jeremy nods, but his face twitches. Erika is sitting on his lap, and it will create a dangerous reaction to his body if she keeps moving. So he reminds Erika who is now his girlfriend. "Sweetheart, mind, where are you sitting?"

She blushes upon realizing their sitting position.

She and Jeremy were now intimate toward each other. Rubbing their body like this will rise to a sensual tension. However, she was in wonderment hearing of Jeremy's memory about that day.

The accident ten years ago crippled him. His countless surgeries make him even weaker and dying, causing him to forget what happens that day. His treatments support that he was alive. When he slowly remembers all the events he had forgotten, whom Theo still lost and the one in a coma for a year and loses his memories.

Jeremy heaves a sigh and rests his forehead on one of Erika's shoulders. He then said with a timid tone. "I later remembered this when I am regaining my health, but it took years for me, and Theo is shutting his world from us."

* * *

Jeremy has been observing his brother; his jaw dropped from his sudden move. He shook his head and looked outside the window to give the new couple some privacy. 

Theo pulled himself out of the car. He stood outside while he rested his head on the roof with a huge grin on his face. He is stupid to do that, but he didn't regret it. He forgot that Nikki is just 14, for Christ's sake. 

It took him another thirty seconds before he sat in front of the steering wheel. Instantly, Jeremy's knuckle landed on his right arm, in a way that his brother was teasing him. Theo did not glance at Jeremy's direction but remained with a wide smile on his face. 

Later, when they arrive home, he already foresees that Jeremy would tease him annoyingly. 

He glances at the rearview mirror— Nikki is hiding her blushing face, and she's biting her lower lip.

It never crosses her in mind that she will get her first kiss today, and it was from her crush!

Today when someone attacks her and even almost got raped. But Theo's kiss washes all her distress. The panic she was trying to fight, now gradually fading inside her chest. Instead, all she could think of was Theo's kiss and his warm embrace comforted her entire being… I just thought of him. She feels okay.

With his kiss, it was like she woke up from a nightmare, and everything turned like a blooming garden. She's biting her lips to conceal the smile that is playing on her mouth. She is shy to look up, or glance at him and have a glimpse through the rearview mirror. 

'Ah! Why did he do that in the first place?'

But it calms her. She still dazed from his kiss. 

Silence remains inside the car, but two hearts beating nervously from awkwardness, at the same time, delight. 

Wait, can it be possible that Theo is now her boyfriend? 

Ahhhh… but it was just a kiss. There must be no meaning with it, but a simple kiss. 

Oh! After Theo ended the kiss, he murmured to her. He said, DEAL.

What?

Nikki remembers the paper in her pocket. She shoves her hand, but the paper has now gone. 

No! Did she drop it in the cemetery? That cannot be. She needs to return that to Theo.

Watching her from the rearview mirror, Theo notices that Nikki was restless and begins digging her hands into her pockets. Her expression was about to cry. She must look for the paper where they exchange messages. Theo slowed down the car and reached for his jeans back pocket and waved the paper, saying the words… 

"Are you looking for these?" 

Looking up and stared at Theo's hand, Nikki's eyes dramatically grew. 

"Hey! Why did you steal it!" 

"Isn't I just taking back what's mine? Besides, takers should be keepers. I took it, I'll keep it." 

Nikki's face blushes pink. She wants to give it to Theo, but it should be tonight. But now he read what reply she wrote. Ah! She was embarrassed! 

Nikki looks away and bites her fingers. 'Dang. So what now? And tonight?' 

'Oh, gosh!' Then Theo is truly her boyfriend from now on!?

Delight flashes on her face. She can't wait to be home and share a dinner with Theo and her parents tonight.

Feeling the pressure of being the third wheeler, Jeremy shook his head. Up to now, he couldn't believe he was witnessing a teen romance story. Well, it considered him now as the young adult here, at the age of 27.

And Theo looks happy. He never saw him displaying such emotion.

Once again, Jeremy threw his knuckle at his brother and promised to himself. He will give his support of what makes his brother happy. 

* * * 

PRESENT TIME 

"Oh, that's the promise you made! You're playing like the bridge. And forcing Theo and Nikki for surrogacy is for them to meet once again." 

"Yes. So, I have been thinking that maybe all he needed is someone that his heart remembers… might Theo have the courage to face his past."

Listening to Jeremy, Erika put her arms around his neck. They stayed like that position for a minute until she noticed Jeremy's warm breathing into her cleavage. She asked him, "What are you doing, Mister?" 

Jeremy responded naughtily. "You are comforting me, right?" 

Erika twitched her brows and said, "You are taking advantage of me!" 

Jeremy chuckled when Erika reached for his waist and pinched him. He caught her hand and pinned it to her lap while he covered her mouth. 

They were sharing passionate kisses when the door suddenly opened. 

"Mast— holy Molly!" Rubin blurted out. 

Jeremy and Erika parted. The girl instantly stood on her feet as her face flushed red, thinking her brother caught her kissing with their master. Regaining her composure and hiding her embarrassment, Erika snaps at Rubin. "Why aren't you knocking!" 

Rubin ignored his sister as he remained astounded at the moment. He processes his head from shock, and he cannot determine the possibilities that his sister and his master were now in a relationship. The big question marked popping out on top of his head. 

Erika could comprehend what her brother pondered at the moment. "Quit the shock in your face!" she blurts out.

"Ah! I just wanted to share the progress of the search." 

"Did Theo already find Nikki?" 

Rubin raises a brow. What's gotten into her? She was complaining about the surrogacy and things about Nikki. But now his sister is showing eagerness. 

"Rubin! I'm asking you!" 

"Yeah, I heard you! Don't be such an old-maid." Rubin teases his sister.

"Hey!"

"Alright! About the progress of the search…"

* * *

Senator Lu's Villa

Theo kicked the chair that was closest to him. Nikki is nowhere to be found inside the villa. They even search even the underground room, but it was empty!

"Where are you, Nikki? How long should I keep chasing our past, and we would be together and be happy?" Hopelessly, Theo murmured to himself while gaping at the gloomy ocean.

Meanwhile, Matt and David speak to the other men. They finally forced Senator Lu to speak up.

Matt looks for Theo to give the new report. He found him near the shore.

"Theo!"

"Matt? Any progress?" he asked.

Matt nodded and said, "According to the senator, Brandon Hale sailed using his yacht to get on a huge fishing boat the Hale rented to reach Russia."

"Russia? And what they will do in Russia?"

"Senator Lu doesn't know of the entire plan of the Hale. By now, we have to make Kevin Hale confess what is the fishing ship they rented and what they will do in Russia. Where exactly in Russia," said Matt.

Not long, David joins them after he speaks with his older brothers, Kier and Karl, and Chairman Shun Crow.

"Matt, Theo… brother Shun already sends a team to search every company who owns a fishing boat that sails toward Russia."

"Great then. I can't believe Hale has this kind of connection," Theo's remarked.

David responded. "They have several foreign partners when they build the Island Resort and Casino. Surely, they used this connection to do whatever they place. Kevin Hale and Brando Hale can confess to us who these people are."

"They will be the key to solving the International cases we are trying to work on. This organization is giving pains to our ass," added by Matt.

Theo nodded at the brothers. He yearns to find Nikki as soon as possible. The truth is, he's struggling to be patient and waiting for reports. He badly wanted to see Nikki as soon as possible to make sure she was safe and their child. He's praying that they were alright.

Later, David received good news.

"They found what ship! And brother Rudolf is now searching the ocean through ATHENA. So we have to prepare and follow that ship."

Theo closes his eyes.

'Nikki, please, hold on… just a little more time. I'm coming for you…'