Masahiro’s car pulled up to the familiar gate of his apartment complex, the dashboard clock glowing a haunting 2:03 a.m. His thoughts raced as he shifted into park, exhausted but eager to collapse back into bed beside Matthew. That brief reprieve vanished the moment he glanced toward the security guard’s station.
Darkness. No lights. Not even the faintest flicker from the small desk lamp that should have been on.
Masahiro squinted through the windshield. Something was off. The guard was always vigilant, always there to nod at him or flash a casual wave. Tonight? Nothing. He scanned the area again, his gaze settling on the shadowy shape crumpled on the pavement near the station.
His breath hitched. A body.
“No, no, no…” Masahiro muttered under his breath as he yanked the door open and ran to the lifeless form. His shoes scraped against the pavement as he crouched down, hands trembling as he reached out.
The guard&rsquo
Masahiro woke up with a start, his head heavy and his body aching from the restless night. The events from the early hours weighed on him like a suffocating blanket. He turned his head to the other side of the bed, only to find it empty. Matthew’s side. A surge of irritation bubbled within him. The thought that Matthew might have run away gnawed at his mind. He clenched his jaw and exhaled sharply. He checked the clock on his bedside table; it was almost 10 a.m. He was over three hours late. The realization did nothing to ease his frustration. Sitting up, Masahiro grabbed his phone from the nightstand, his fingers lingering on the hope that there would be some word from Matthew. A message, a missed call, anything. But the screen was devoid of Matthew’s name. Instead, it was filled with multiple missed calls from Lewis. Masahiro sighed deeply, then dialed Lewis back. The line barely rang twice before Lewis answered. “Payne! Good morning. How ar
Masahiro arrived home, exhausted from the day’s events. He stripped off his suit, his mind still lingering on Matthew. He could still feel the weight of his absence in the silence of his house, the emptiness of his bed. The space where Matthew had once been felt like a void, a gap that no amount of routine could fill. For the first time in a long while, Masahiro let himself reflect on what Matthew had become to him.How could he even begin to reconcile the emptiness he felt when Matthew wasn’t around? He missed the way Matthew teased him, the way they would lay together in silence after a long day. He missed the small things… Matthew’s laughter, his sarcastic remarks, his warm body next to his. The loneliness felt unbearable.Masahiro had tried to push it away, tried to remind himself that Matthew was a lost cause, that he was just a fleeting chapter in his life. But every time he closed his eyes, he couldn’t shake the thought: How was he
Masahiro pushed through the throngs of people in El Paradiso, his jaw tight, his patience wearing thin. The club was alive with flashing lights and pulsing music, but it grated on his nerves. He scanned the room with sharp eyes, frustration building with every moment that passed without a trace of Matthew.He clenched his fists. Two days. Two damn days. Every scenario had run through his mind… Matthew injured, captured, or worse.Then he saw him.Matthew was in the center of the dance floor, commanding attention like it was his birthright. His body moved to the rhythm, fluid and enticing. He had a cigar in hand, smoke curling lazily around him like a lover’s embrace. His head was tilted back, eyes closed, a sinful smirk gracing his lips as he rolled his hips in perfect sync with the beat.Masahiro froze, his emotions colliding in a storm he could barely contain. Relief washed over him… Matthew was okay. Alive. Unharmed. But it was quic
Masahiro was leaning heavily on the restroom counter, his palms bracing against the cold surface as he tried to steady his racing thoughts. His reflection in the mirror showed a storm of emotions… anger, confusion, and a lingering ache he couldn’t shake.Just then, the sound of the door unlocking snapped him out of his thoughts. He spun around, ready to bolt out of the suffocating space, but two women slipped inside, closing the door softly behind them. Their sultry smiles didn’t match the tension knotting in Masahiro’s chest.“Going somewhere?” one of them purred, her voice silky as she leaned against the door, blocking his exit.“I’m not in the mood,” Masahiro growled, his patience threadbare.The second woman, with dark curls framing her face, tilted her head. “Relax, honey. We’re not here to stop you. Just to deliver a message.”“A message?&rd
The sitting room echoed with the sounds of moans and skin slapping against skin.Matthew lay beneath Masahiro, his breath catching as their bodies pressed together, the place illuminated only by the soft glow of the city lights filtering through the large windows.Matthew clung tightly to Masahiro's shoulders, his fingers digging into him. "Ah... Ah..." he panted, his voice hoarse from hours of unrestrained pleasure. Each thrust from Masahiro sent a jolt of ecstasy through his body, pushing him closer and closer to the edge.Matthew closed his eyes, his mind racing. ´Does he really love me? Or is this just one of those fleeting things? Something born out of the moment. ´As Masahiro's powerful hips slammed into Matthew's soft, welcoming cheeks, he leaned down, his hot breath tickling Matthew's ear. "What are you thinking?" he whispered, his deep voice raspy with desire.Matthew blinked up at him, stunned by how easily Masahiro seemed to s
Matthew stirred in bed, the morning light streaming through the thin curtains. He blinked his eyes open, noticing Masahiro standing near the dresser, pulling on his turtleneck sweater. The fabric hugged his frame in a way that briefly distracted Matthew from the haze of waking up.Sensing the movement, Masahiro glanced back, his lips curving into a soft smile. "Hey, babe."Matthew stretched lazily, his arms reaching above his head before falling back onto the pillow. "Morning," he replied, his voice thick with sleep.Masahiro adjusted his sleeves, walking over to grab his watch. "I gotta go."Matthew sighed, rolling onto his back and hugging a pillow to his chest. "I know."Masahiro paused, watching him for a moment. "I’ll come back later," he said, his tone reassuring.Matthew turned his head, his brows furrowing slightly as worry crept into his expression.Masahiro caught the look imme
The quiet hum of the office was broken only by the steady clicks of Masahiro’s keyboard. His brow furrowed as he scrolled through a list of phone records on his screen. Beside him, Lewis leaned back, flipping through the financial reports they had pulled on David. The tension in the air was thick as realization began to take hold.“Look at this,” Masahiro said, his voice sharp but low. He highlighted a series of calls. “Jones received multiple calls from an unregistered number right before Mr. K’s convoy. Ten calls in the hour leading up to the operation. And then—radio silence.” Lewis glanced at the screen, his lips pressing into a thin line. “That’s not just suspicious; that’s damning. Whoever called him, they knew exactly what was happening.” Masahiro nodded grimly. “And these calls? They weren’t logged in the official records. It’s like he wiped them clean. But this,” he pointed to a time stamp, “is a trace he couldn’t erase. The call connected to th
The clock struck 12:45 AM, the room bathed in shadows as the faint glow of the moon seeped through the curtains. Masahiro and Matthew lay entwined on the bed, their bodies pressed close. Matthew was on his back, one arm resting lazily on Masahiro's, whose arm was draped protectively around his waist. Masahiro’s face was nestled in the crook of Matthew’s neck, their breathing synchronized in a gentle rhythm.It was a rare moment of peace.The stillness was broken by a faint buzz. Masahiro stirred, his brow furrowing as he blinked against the dim light. The phone on the bedside table vibrated insistently, its screen glowing.Carefully, Masahiro reached over, trying not to disturb Matthew, though the motion caused the other to shift slightly. He unlocked the phone, his sharp gaze narrowing as he read the message:Lewis: Come now.Beneath the terse words was a location pin, marking a spot on the outskirts of th
Arthur sat at his desk; his brow furrowed as he scribbled notes onto his notepad. Despite the calm atmosphere in the office, his thoughts were anything but. Every noise around him felt amplified… the faint hum of the overhead lights, the shuffle of papers, the clicking of Masahiro’s pen as he worked at his desk. Arthur stole a glance at his boss, Masahiro, who looked as composed and sharp as ever, completely immersed in his work.The sound of a knock at the door broke the rhythm.Masahiro, without looking up, called out, “Come in.”The door creaked open, and Masahiro’s secretary stepped inside. Her heels clicked softly against the tiled floor as she approached his desk.“Good morning, sir,” she said politely, holding out an envelope. “This just arrived from the Newcastle Police Station.”Masahiro looked up and took the envelope from her with a nod. “Oh, it ca
Matthew lay sprawled on the couch, half-watching the TV. The flickering light danced over his face, but his mind was elsewhere. The sound of the door opening caught his attention, and he turned to see Cassidy entering, shrugging off his coat with a calculated ease.Cassidy’s dark gaze fell on Matthew, lingering as if he was trying to read his every thought.“Matthew, I’ll be leaving for NewCastle Upon Tyne soon.”Matthew didn’t bother masking his sarcasm. “What’s the occasion? Vacation? Assassination?”Cassidy smirked, ignoring the barb. “Business. A capo meeting. Annual reports, territory matters, last year’s successes, next year’s plans. You know, the usual.”Matthew snorted. “How riveting. Must be nice to have a full calendar of crimes to discuss.”Cassidy’s smirk widened, and he walked toward the washroom without
Matthew stirred, his face buried deep into the pillow, half-dreaming, half-drifting in that pleasant haze of sleep. Then came the incessant buzzing of a cellphone, shattering his peace. His eyelids twitched as he groaned softly, reluctant to wake. He opened one eye, squinting at the empty side of the bed. The faint sound of running water came from the bathroom. Of course, Cassidy was already up. His phone, however, was still ringing, loud and demanding attention. "Cassidy!” Matthew called out, his voice rough from sleep. The water stopped abruptly. A silence lingered before Cassidy’s deep, dangerous voice carried back. “Yeah?” “Your phone is ringing!” There was a pause, then the same commanding tone. “Pick it up!" Matthew frowned, stretching an arm toward the device. As he held it up, he muttered, “New phone,” before answering. “Yeah?” Nothing but silence on the other end. “Hello?”Again, there was nothin
Arthur woke up slowly, the morning light seeping through the gaps in the blinds. His head felt heavy, and his body ached faintly from the night before. Blinking, he turned his head to the other side of the bed, expecting to see Cassidy still there. The space was empty. He frowned, propping himself up on an elbow.“Maybe he’s in the bathroom,” Arthur muttered, his voice rough with sleep.Pushing himself upright, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and stretched. The room was quiet, too quiet. Something felt off, but he couldn’t put his finger on it. He rubbed his face and got to his feet, his gaze landing on his trousers crumpled on the floor. His phone. He needed to check the time.Arthur crouched down, fishing through his trousers. His hand moved through the pockets, coming up empty.His brow furrowed. “Where the hell…”He stood up, scanning the floor around him. Maybe it had fallen out? He crouche
Arthur took a moment to scan Cassidy up and down, the powerful presence of the man impossible to ignore. Cassidy’s demeanor was all control… his intense eyes, his smirk, the confidence in his movements. Arthur could feel the tension building between them, like an electric current in the air.“It’s your first time here?” Cassidy asked, his voice smooth, probing. “Never saw you here before.”Arthur chuckled, his gaze flicking over Cassidy before meeting his eyes. “What? You live here?”Cassidy leaned in slightly, a glimmer of amusement in his expression. “I’m in the management team.”Arthur raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. “Interesting. But answering your question... no, I don’t come often.”Cassidy tilted his head, curiosity sparkling in his eyes. “So, what made you come here today?” His hand reached out, gently grazing Arthur’s jaw. The
Cassidy leaned back in a plush booth of El Paradiso, the low hum of conversation and the clink of glasses blending into a comforting background. But tonight, the sounds were distant… his mind was elsewhere. Frustration gnawed at him. He’d placed two calls to Matthew, but not once had the phone picked up. It was starting to eat at him.His fingers twitched as he reached for his glass, taking a sip of the amber liquid that burned down his throat. It didn’t help. Nothing helped. He was supposed to be out here, in control, but tonight? Tonight, he was feeling like the man he'd tried so hard not to become… vulnerable.“Another one,” he muttered to the barman, his voice low, strained. The bartender didn’t ask questions, just nodded, sliding another glass across the polished wood.Cassidy pulled out his phone, his thumb flying over the screen as he typed a message to Matthew. `I wanna see you back until tomorrow morning, othe
Arthur walked into El Paradiso, the lively hum of the nightclub filling his ears as he stepped through the door. The dim, neon-lit ambiance of the place instantly hit him, and he felt a wave of nostalgia rush over him. His attire for the night… a crisp blazer, a simple but stylish T-shirt beneath, and well-fitted trousers… was on point, just the right balance between casual and sharp. He scanned the crowded space, the vibrant beats of music reverberating around him.At one of the couches by the bar, he spotted Charles and Peter. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he noticed their affectionate position… Peter sitting comfortably on Charles’ lap, both engrossed in each other. It was a bit daring for a public spot, but that was just how they were… bold, carefree, and very much in love. Arthur made his way toward them, feeling a lightness he hadn’t experienced in a while.When he reached their table, he cleared his t
Matthew's breath hitched as he watched Masahiro's eyes darken with desire. Masahiro leaned down, capturing Matthew's lips in a tender kiss, before trailing kisses down his neck, leaving a trail of wetness.With a slow, deliberate push, he entered Matthew again, eliciting a soft moan. He paused, giving Matthew a moment to adjust, before pulling out and thrusting back in, setting a slow, sensual rhythm.Matthew's hands roamed over Masahiro's back, tracing the contours of his muscles. He arched his back, pushing himself onto Masahiro's length, seeking more friction. "Yes, Masahiro… just like that," he whispered, his voice hoarse.Masahiro complied, his thrusts becoming more intense. He lifted Matthew's legs onto his shoulders, opening him up further, allowing for deeper penetration. Matthew's eyes fluttered shut as he surrendered to the pleasure, his body moving in sync with Masahiro's.Then, the piercing sound of a ringtone shattered the illusion.Ma
The warm spray of the shower cascaded over Matthew’s skin, the steady rhythm of the water offering a brief respite from the chaos in his mind. He leaned his forehead against the cool tiles, letting the stream wash away the grime of the day. Thoughts of Masahiro consumed him… their brief time together, the way Masahiro’s touch had felt like a lifeline, and how those days had been the closest thing to a dream he’d ever known.But dreams didn’t last, did they?The faint sound of footsteps reached his ears, and Matthew froze. His body tensed as his mind raced. Was it Cassidy? Had he followed him here? The thought sent a chill down his spine, but he shook it off, focusing on the present. Whatever. It was just Cassidy; he’d deal with it. He turned his attention back to the shower, keeping his ears tuned to the approaching presence.The footsteps stopped just outside the glass stall.Matthew’s instinct