Pete's POV
"Mr. Andy sent me here. I was asked inside the room." I said to the bodyguards in front of the door.
They looked at each other, but then they let me enter the room.
I looked the door.
"Stupid girl...at last Tang Yi sent you here, huh?! I bet he's afraid I'll tell my dad I've been treated poorly. Get her on her knees, while I have fun with this one first." The leader ordered.
I saw that ugly costumer from earlier and other two men pants down, holding Ton, trying to abuse him.
Those assholes don't look like bodyguard...They must be his friends.
Ton is strong, so I think he had managed to avoid them up until that point.
But he is not a fighter. Maybe they drugged him.
They tied Ton's arms behind his back. He was lying on the bed, barely conscious. Defenseless.
That disgusting costumer was between his legs, read to rape him.
"Run, Anong, run!" Ton tried to shout it, worried about my safety.
That image triggered me to a level of cold rage I have experienced only a few times in my life.
Suddenly a forgotten memory of the past crossed my mind quickly, then it vanished completely, leaving nothing but hatred.
It makes me unstoppable.
It makes me thirsty for blood.
I didn't wait for them to move. I ran towards them, not caring at all about my disguise.
It didn't take me more than a few coordinated punches and kicks to knock those two men down.
"Who are you?!" That pathetic customer got scared and tried to get his gun on a dresser to shoot me.
I grabbed him by his hair.
He started screaming for his bodyguards, who knocked on the door.
I took the gun from his hand and slammed him against the wall.
I kicked him hard in his stomach, which sent him crashing to the ground.
I punched him several times in the face until blood flowed from his mouth.
Helpless... defenseless...just like Ton.
"Haven't you asked me to come up to the second floor? Here I am, you peace of shit."
"You can't shoot me! My father will track you down and kill you and every damn person you care for in this life, bitch!" he snarled arrogantly.
I point the gun to his head.
I touch the Christian cross around my neck.
"Say your prayers, asshole." I smirk at him.
Pure joy.
Shit, I'm definitely thinking like Vegas lately.
And I'm fucking like it.
"Please, don't shoot! Please."
Just as I was about to shoot that bastard's head, the door burst open.
An old man accompanied by around five bodyguards enters the room.
They point their guns at me.
I keep the gun pointed at the whimpering bastard.
"Release my son now!" He yells at me, enraged.
I turn my neck to face him.
I keep pointing my gun at his pathetic son's head.
Unusually, the old man stares at me, and his face changes from fury to confusion. "...Tians...?!" He mumbles something.
Moments later Khun Kamol, Mr. Tang Yi and Mr. Andy enter the room pointing their guns.
"Where's Ton?" Khun Kamol shouts angrily.
Some bodyguards turn to point their guns at Kamol.
Vegas enters the room.
Tankhun stands behind Pol at the bedroom door.
That room gets crowded.
"Put your guns down!" Mr. Tang Yi shouts, followed by his security guards, who point guns at everyone.
When he sees Ton's condition, Khun Kamol places himself by my side and points his gun at the head of the idiot customer too.
The old man's guards point their guns at him again.
"What's going on here?" Mr. Tang Yi shouts.
"You tell me, Tang Yi!" The old man shouted back. "Your damn waitress looked herself inside this room to kill my son."
"Master Chen?!" Mr. Tang Yi bows to the old man, respectfully realizing who is in the room. "I'm sorry, Master Chen. But I think there's a misunderstanding." Mr. Tang Yi says calmly to the old man."
"How do you explain a woman knocking down three men?!" The old man shouted.
I sense I fucked my disguise indeed.
"Isn't this obvious?!" People turn to the door. "She is just stronger than your fruity son and his friends. Only cowards do what they were doing anyway. What is so surprising about it?! Besides women know self-defense, nowadays...you are just too old to know that. Even so, your son is such an embarrassment to be beaten like this." Khun Noo shouted from the door.
"Who is this insolent boy?! I shall have my men cut out your tongue, boy!"
"Calm down, Master Chen." Mr. Andy hurries to say. He's Khun Korn's firstborn."
"Even though you're his son, keep quiet if you want to get out of here alive." The old man says.
Tankhun shrugs but hides himself behind Pol again, realizing the old man wasn't bluffing.
"She used to work in night clubs in Thailand, Master Chen." Mr. Andy says.
"Your son brought one member of my staff here without my permission., Master Chen" Mr. Tang Yi explains. He disobeyed the rules of our house."
"Don't listen to them, father! You must shoot them!" his idiotic son shouts.
Vegas approaches us slowly.
I feel anxious...trying to figure what he's going to do.
He places his hand on Kamol's gun and whispers something to him, making him reluctantly lower his gun.
Then he extends his hand to me.
I withdraw the gun and give it to him.
I bow respectfully.
That idiot costumer slinks away from me, scared.
The old man's guards don't shoot me since Vegas and Kamol are near me.
By Vegas and Kamol imposing appearance, those guards obviously realized they could not just shoot.
I walk to Mr. Tang Yi side, lowering my head apologetically.
"This gun is not an assassin's. It's fancy, but not practical. It doesn't even have a silencer. It's your son's gun. It even has his initials, Master Chen." Vegas heads over to the old man." She probably took his gun to protect herself."
The old man's guards point their guns at him.
I regret withdrawing the gun.
Vegas stands in front of the bodyguards who stand between him and the old mafia boss.
Vegas gives a faint smile.
The old man glares at Vegas and motions his guards back.
"Do I know you?!..."
"I'm Korwit Theerapanyakul...you can call me Vegas, Master Chen."
"Theerapanyakul Minor family..." the old man laughs scornfully. "You're escorting the eldest son, I presume..."
"Yeah, that's it. He is escorting me." Tankhun yells from the doorway, then he covers his mouth with his hand, remembering the warning to be quiet.
"Just like your father...you follow behind." The old man looks at Vegas with a wry smile.
Tankhun covers his mouth again. He doesn't dare repeat that.
Vegas does not lose control of his emotions. He just smiles and hands the gun to the old man.
"Why do the heirs of important Thai mafia families care about Tang Yi's employees?" The old mafia boss says, looking suspiciously at Vegas, Tankhun and Kamol.
"Ton cannot be touched. He is reserved for Kamol only." Mr. Tang Yi glances to Khun Kamol. "Your son broke protocol."
The old man motioned for his bodyguards to pick his son up off the ground and cover him with a robe.
"But father... they must pay..."
When his son tried to protest, the old man looked at his son's face and then slapped him where I had already left my mark. "Shut up, you useless idiot. Take him!" the old man ordered his bodyguards.
Then he turned to Tang Yi.
"I can't just leave this as it is, Tang Yi. My son was attacked." The old man turns to me. "I book her."
Vegas' POV
As the elevator was occupied, We rushed through the stares to the second floor of the nightclub, where the private rooms for sexual services are located.
A kimono-clad girl coming down the stairs whispered to me.
"Go for the head."
The seriousness of her gaze made me automatically nod.
She continued downstairs.
I drew my gun and entered the room following Kamol, Tang Yi and Andy.
When we entered the room, we saw two men with their pants down on the floor, unconscious.
A tied man, presumably Ton, was laying unconscious on the bed.
That creepy waitress dressed as a maid was pointing her gun at the pathetic figure of a naked man huddled on the floor, while five bodyguards were pointing their guns at her. An old mafia boss was raging.
When they spotted us, some bodyguards pointed their guns in our direction.
After a heated discussion, Tang Yi got everyone to lower their guns, however, when Kamol saw Ton tied laying semi-conscious on the bed, without clothes, he got seized with fury. He drew his gun again to kill the bastard who had done that to Ton.
Guns were drawn again in the room.
"Not here, not now." I said in English to Kamol.
I had to contain him.
The old Taiwanese mafia boss kept complaining. He tried to book Ton, but Tang Yi refused his request.
Then he turned to the girl. "I book her."
She jolted, disgusted.
"You can't" Tankhun said. "She is already booked to me."
"..." Everybody looks at him.
"What?! Why are you all looking at me like this?!" Tankhun said as suspicious eyes were laying on him. "I met her at the bar and decided I want her."
"Oh... it's true...Mr. Tankhun was at the bar talking to Anong." The waiter who warned us about Ton and Anong remembered."
"You don't look like you know what to do with a girl!" Surprisingly, the angry mafia boss could not stop laughing at Tankhun.
"This ugly girl...oh! I'm sorry ugly girl!" Tahkhun shouted to the waitress "...is not for me.. "She's for him!" Tankhun pointed to me.
Kamol and Tang Yi looked at me in surprise. They know I don't like women.
"This boy from the minor family seems to know what to do with her." Master Chen said.
"Don't fool yourself, old man!" Tankhun patted the old man on the back." My cousin is gay just like your son."
"?!" the old boss looked at us, puzzled.
"He lost a deal, and this is his punishment. Vegas must do what I say." Tankhun said with a wicked smile.
I put on a straight face but don't respond to Tankhun's taunt.
"I see...I see...you are Khun Korn's son, boy." The old man smiled sarcastically... "Even so..." He changes his gaze to a darker one, "I can't just leave like this, boy."
Two of the old man's bodyguards quickly approached the waitress. One of them punches her in the face; another one in the stomach.
She bended over, leaning against the wall.
Andy rushed to help her.
"This is for the wound on my son's face... settle things for now."
The old man glares at me and smirks.
I bow slightly to him.
Tankhun looks at me, speechless, as if expecting a different reaction from me.
"Old cowar....!!"
Before Tankhun can storm against the old mafia boss, Pol grabs first cousin, trying to take him out of the room.
I turn to Andy.
"Send her to my special room."
Andy looks at me hesitantly, then looks at Tang Yi.
"You heard Vegas...take her to the special room. And Ton to Kamol's private room." Tang Yi says.
"I take him myself." Kamol takes Ton in his arms and leaves the room.
"No" Surprisingly that girl says, wiping the blood off her lip.
What the hell is she thinking?
I turn to her.
"Then choose...me or him" I point to the old man, that smirks glad about my words.
"What are you saying, Vegas?!" Tankhun questions, confused and irritated.
"Is it not clear?" I approach the maid and squeeze her chin, dismissively. "Choose. Master Chen or me"?!
Pete's POV
"Anong!" Mr. Andy is clearly upset with me.
Vegas will find out it's me.
"Choose. Master Chen or me"?! Vegas pinches my chin with a coldness in his gaze. A menacing tone in his voice. He is hurt in his pride.
Even if he doesn't know it's me, It's like he's asking me again if I subject myself to him or others.
The ghosts of the past sometimes come back to my mind.
"You."
Not because I could not kill the old man first.
But whatever the options to choose, my answer will always be the same.
In the end I will always choose him.
We stare at each other, then I avert my gaze from his.
"Wise choice." He says in English, then releases me.
The old man glares at me, then he walks out of the room.
"I'll be waiting in the special room." Vegas says turning to the door, followed by Tankhun and Pol.
"What the hell were you thinking, Anong?! Why did you get involved in this?"
"They would have raped Ton if I hadn't entered the room, Mr. Andy."
"They would rape you, careless girl! How would I look at Narong if something like this happened?" Mr. Andy squeezes my hands, his heart aching.
Mr. Andy has a human side that makes me emotional. He really cares about his staff. Perhaps he has gone through some hardships in his life.
Where's Arm and Macau, by the way?!
"Don't worry Mr. Andy. I can take care of myself."
"She clearly can, Andy." Mr. Tang Yi says. "Now, take her to the special room."
"...Please, Mr. Andy..."I make a pleading face for Mr. Andy not to take me.
"Anong needs a compress on her face first, otherwise it will be very swollen." Mr. Andy argues with Tang Yi.
"Take her now." He says imperatively and leaves the room followed by his guards.
...
Assistant Lee's POV
The night is cold.
I get into my car parked a safe distance away from De Light.
Damn... what is this costume?!
I call Lian from my car panel.
"What the hell, Lee...what are you wearing?"
"My baby Arm is such a nerd."
"At least nobody recognized you, right?!"
"No one. Even the astute Tang Yi passed by me and was not suspicious."
"It's such a bonus that Pete brought this guy, Arm, with him. I have plans for him."
"How about Vegas' younger brother, Macau...he's just another baby..."
"Don't be so maternal."
"Right. Anyway, I didn't expect to find Pete and Arm at De Light"
"De Light would be the most obvious place for Jade to take Pete and Arm to get information about the chess room or about us."
"Is that why you let Jade find Pete? So he could be taken to Tang Yi's nightclub?"
"It wasn't all planned, Lee. I'm just making my moves as the pieces move around the board. You were the one who said 'let Pete have his way', remember?! I'm following your advice."
"Vegas got to Pete before we did."
"I actually figured by following Vegas, you'd get to Pete faster. But I don't know if it was a coincidence or not. Vegas also took the more obvious route. Find Tang Yi to get information. Vegas, Kamol and Tang Yi know each other. Once Vegas, Pete and Arm are at the same place, we can make our smart moves.
"Like tonight's?!"
"Yes. You did a great job convincing Master Chen's idiot son to take Kamol's favorite boy, Ton. Pete has a soft spot for the helpless."
"It didn't take much effort to get Pete's attention to save Ton. Pete is a bodyguard...he realized quickly that Ton was being taken against his will to the second floor. But I confess that I doubted he would be able to kill Master Chen's son so easily."
"He would kill him if he had the chance. And he would kill Master Chen for us as well."
"That was the plan, if Tang Yi and Andy hadn't arrived so quickly in that room. Without even knowing it, Pete has failed his first mission. I gave Vegas a hint, but I don't know if it'll work."
"Have some faith, Lee. This game is just getting started."
...
De Light – Vegas' special room
Pete's POV
My right cheek is a little swollen. My lower lip was also split by the blow.
"I'm so sorry, Anong..." Mr. Andy tells me with regret on his face.
I didn't know if it was for the blow to my face or for taking me to Vegas' special room.
I admit it. I'm curious.
Mr. Andy opens the door to me.
Holy mother of Jesus.
I am not Catholic, but I hold the cross around my neck.
It's a lot worse than walking into Vegas hidden bedroom for the first time.
Mr. Andy locks the door.
It's so dark in this room.
"Come closer!" Vegas commands me in English.
He's sitting in a huge red velvet armchair, like a prince, with a glass of wine in his hand.
"Are you afraid, waitress?! maid?! Wend?! Should I call you Wend?!..."
"..."
Macau said it's Roberta!
Anyway, I keep my head down at a great distance from him.
"Aren't you say anything? Come closer, I said."
"..." What should I do?!
Vegas gets up from his armchair and walks slowly towards me.
His shirt is partially open...
He looks dangerous.
Is he trying to look hot to a girl?!
Motherfucker.
Fair to say he looks effortlessly hot even wearing Pajamas ...
I give some steps back, but I can't go back any further...
I'm already leaning against the door.
He faces me.
I keep looking down.
Suddenly Vegas grabs my hair with one hand, pulling my face up.
With the other hand he squeezes my neck.
He says dryly looking into my eyes:
"I hate girls."
...