Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Perfect Man

The weight of exhaustion pressed heavily on Liam as Vanessa drove, his vision blurring slightly from the steady loss of blood. His shoulder throbbed painfully, the wound refusing to close. He clenched his jaw, frustration bubbling up inside him. His so-called regeneration should have kicked in by now, but the pain persisted, his body sluggish in its recovery.

“Damn system… useless piece of—” he muttered under his breath before realization struck him.

The last time he was shot, the bullet had to be removed before his healing ability activated.

His gaze flickered to Vanessa, her hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, her expression tense as she focused on the dark, desolate road ahead. There were no houses around, no civilization in sight. They were still in the middle of nowhere, and it would be a while before they reached her place.

“Stop the car,” Liam ordered suddenly, his voice sharp despite his weakened state.

Vanessa furrowed her brows, momentarily glancing at him before turning back to the road. “Are you crazy? We need to get you home. You’re bleeding out, Liam. If we stop now, you could—”

“Just trust me,” he interrupted, his tone firm despite the pain lacing his words.

She hesitated but eventually complied, slowing the vehicle and pulling over to the side of the road. The silence of the night engulfed them, broken only by the distant chirping of crickets and the faint hum of the car engine.

Vanessa turned to face him, her expression filled with worry. “Now what?”

Liam exhaled sharply. “You need to take the bullet out.”

Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. “What?! Are you insane? We’re in the middle of nowhere! You could bleed to death!” Her voice rose in distress, panic creeping in.

“I said trust me,” Liam insisted. His deep blue eyes locked onto hers, a silent plea hidden within them.

Vanessa swallowed hard, her heart pounding. She had no idea why, but she trusted him. Against all logic, she believed in him.

“Fine,” she finally relented. “What do you want me to do?”

Liam leaned back against the seat, taking deep breaths to steel himself. “You have to remove it… with your hands.”

Her eyes widened in horror. “Are you kidding me? You want me to dig into your wound and pull out a bullet with my fingers?” She almost felt sick at the thought.

“We don’t have time to argue,” Liam gritted out, his voice tight with pain. “Do it. Now.”

Vanessa clenched her fists, trying to steady her nerves. She knew it was dangerous, but Liam was looking at her with unwavering determination.

“Okay…” she whispered. “Just… hold still.”

With shaking hands, she reached for the buttons of his blood-soaked shirt, her fingers grazing against his warm skin as she unfastened them one by one. When his shirt was open, she took a sharp breath. His sculpted chest was stained with crimson, the wound an angry, gaping hole in his shoulder. The sight made her stomach churn, but she pushed past the queasiness.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured before pressing two fingers into the wound.

Liam groaned, his body tensing as a wave of sharp, searing pain tore through him. His breathing turned ragged, but he forced himself to remain still. Vanessa’s fingers moved carefully, feeling around for the embedded bullet. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she concentrated, her brows knitting together.

Then she felt it—a small, hard object lodged deep in his flesh.

“I found it,” she said breathlessly.

Liam’s fingers dug into the seat, his knuckles turning white. “Pull it out.”

Vanessa gritted her teeth and did as told, gripping the bullet between her fingers and tugging. Liam’s entire body jerked as a strangled groan escaped him, but he didn’t push her away.

The bullet was stubborn, resisting her efforts, but she refused to give up. She twisted slightly, loosening its hold before giving one final, forceful pull. With a sickening squelch, the bullet popped free, coated in blood.

Liam exhaled a shaky breath, his body slumping slightly against the seat. Vanessa, breathing heavily, tossed the bullet aside, her fingers now slick with his blood.

“Shit…” she muttered, wiping her hand on her pants.

Liam barely had the strength to smirk. “Told you… it had to come out.”

Vanessa rolled her eyes, but relief flooded her system when she noticed the wound already beginning to knit itself back together, the bleeding slowing.

“Tear my shirt,” Liam instructed, his voice weaker now. “Wrap it around my shoulder.”

Vanessa shook her head. Instead she quickly unbuckled her belt, adjusting her position on his lap for better access. Liam’s breath hitched at the proximity, his mind momentarily distracted from the pain. He forced himself to focus as Vanessa wrapped it securely around his shoulder. Her hands were surprisingly gentle, despite the situation.

“Are you absolutely sure you don’t need a hospital?” she asked again, tightening the belt around it.

“No hospital,” Liam said firmly. “I’ll be fine now.”

Vanessa let out a slow breath before finally moving off his lap and sliding back into the driver’s seat. She started the car again, casting a final glance at him before pulling back onto the road.

Liam closed his eyes for a brief moment, exhaustion washing over him. He had a long night ahead.

But first, he needed rest.

And revenge.

The night wasn’t over yet.

As Vanessa drove her car through the gates of her house, Liam’s eyes widened slightly. A mansion. Not just a big house, but a fully fenced, expansive estate with security cameras at every corner. He glanced at her, trying to piece together why a police officer would be living in a place like this. Was she from a rich family? Did she have some hidden side business? He didn’t ask, though. Right now, his shoulder was screaming in pain, and that was his immediate concern.

Vanessa parked the car smoothly and quickly got out, rushing to his side. “Come on, lean on me,” she said, sliding an arm around his waist to support him. Liam gritted his teeth but allowed her to help him. The pain was still sharp despite his body’s ability to recover faster than normal. His steps were slow but steady as she guided him inside.

The interior of the mansion had an air of sophistication and wealth. The furniture was elegant, the floors polished, and everything was neatly arranged. The scent of expensive wood and faint perfume lingered in the air. The whole place gave off an old-money vibe.

Vanessa led him down a hallway and into a room that made Liam stop for a moment. It wasn’t a bedroom or a guest room—it was something entirely different. The space was filled with medical equipment. Cabinets lined the walls, filled with all sorts of supplies. A metal table stood at the center with bright lights overhead, making it look almost like a mini clinic.

Liam furrowed his brows. “What’s all this?” he asked, eyes scanning the room. He had seen plenty of strange things, but this was unexpected.

Vanessa didn’t answer right away. Instead, she motioned for him to sit on the examination table. “I need to clean and dress your wound properly. You lost a lot of blood.”

He sat down slowly, still eyeing the room suspiciously but letting her work. She grabbed a cloth and a bottle of antiseptic, pouring some onto a cotton pad. “This is going to sting,” she warned.

Liam barely flinched as she pressed the cotton against his wound, but the burn was there. He exhaled sharply, closing his eyes for a second. Vanessa worked carefully, her fingers surprisingly gentle as she patched him up. “You don’t want stitches?” she asked.

“No,” Liam muttered. “It’ll heal soon enough.”

She didn’t question it. She had seen enough from him tonight to know that he wasn’t like normal people.

Once the wound was dressed, Vanessa helped him off the table and guided him down another hallway to a guest room. It was spacious and well-kept, with a large bed that looked incredibly inviting after the chaos of the night. Liam barely made it to the edge before exhaustion pulled him under. His body needed rest, needed to recover.

Vanessa watched as he slumped onto the bed, his breathing steady but his face slightly pale. Without thinking, she went to grab a bowl of warm water and a cloth. He had blood and dirt smeared on his skin—she couldn’t just leave him like this.

She hesitated for a moment before kneeling beside the bed. Slowly, carefully, she unbuttoned his shirt, peeling it away from his toned chest. Her fingers trembled slightly as she wiped the warm cloth over his skin, cleaning away the remnants. Every inch of him was defined—strong, unbelievably perfect. Her face turned red as she realized how close she was, how intimate this was.

Her hand brushed over his jaw as she wiped the dried blood from his face. Her breath hitched as she murmured under her breath, “How can a man be this perfect?”

She froze immediately, eyes widening. Had she really just said that out loud?

Shaking her head, she quickly finished up, forcing herself to focus. She had to get out of here before she did something she would regret. Liam was asleep, completely unaware of her internal struggle.

Vanessa stood up, glancing at him one last time before stepping out of the room. She still needed to clean up, change out of her uniform, and get back to the station before anyone started asking questions. She couldn’t afford to raise suspicion, not now.

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