VEGAS
One month ago...
"You're Pete's friend right?" Vegas asks adjusting his sunglasses. According to his sources this is the girl Pete hangs out most with. They also work together in a bakery. They're pretty close. Vegas doesn't know how to feel about the last part.
"Yes sir." She replies.
Vegas scans her head to toe. She's witty. And looks pretty decent too. He frowns. Is Pete into nerdy girls? But that's not the point now, he has other things at hand.
"So you must know the people he hangs out with?"
"Sort of?" She sounds cautious.
"Then tell me, Leya, right? What happened to Pete yesterday. The truth only." Vegas stresses on the last words.
Her eyes widens for a fraction of second before the composed facade is back.
So she knows something.
"Sorry I don't follow?" She pretends ignorance.
"Oh I'm sure I can make you remember." Vegas smirks taking slow steps in her direction.
She retreats. Vegas can feel she's scared but trying hard not to show.
"Look I don't mean any harm. So if you help me I can assure it stays between us. Also I'd owe you one." He takes a different strategy now, "now it's your choice if you want to tell me everything and be on my good graces or not, because I have other ways too."
She seems to consider for a while. Then says, "you're not going to hurt Pete are you?"
"Quite the opposite actually." Vegas muses.
"Ok, I'll tell you whatever I know."
That's more like it.
But what he hears next has him reeling with anger. Someone has called for Vegas Theerapanyakul's wrath.
"What's the girl's name you said?"
"Rose, that's what was written in the letter Pete showed me. She's a Biotech major. Probably an Elite."
Vegas nods, jaw working. He just needs to find out those mfs now. It won't be tough. He'll make sure they regret having born. It's been a while since Vegas has exercised his hands.
Only old ancestral money isn't enough to maintain the power and influence their family has all over Thailand. There's a lot of dirty works Vegas often has to get involved in. Violence isn't unfamiliar to him.
"Btw...does Pete get confessed often?" He asks. He's just curious, not like he cares.
Leya laughs a little, "oh yes, he's really popular. He gets asked out every other day. Even by guys."
Vegas's face hardens. That's not a piece of information he was looking forward to.
"And...did he say yes to anyone yet?" Vegas doesn't like the way his own words sound. Something unpleasant starting to bloom inside his chest, it's a nasty feeling.
"Umm... I'm not sure if I'm qualified to answer that."
This smart bitch.
"Sure." Vegas tries to appear nonchalant. Well why should he be bothered anyways? Vegas himself is no less popular, he can get anyone he wants. Who cares if Pete already likes someone, it's not a competition.
"And what about you? Do you like him?" Vegas pretends to be busy fiddling with his sunglasses as he waits for the reply.
"Ofcourse not." She denies quickly, "we're just friends."
Oh that's what everyone says. Vegas feels a little stupid for not having considered the possibility of Pete dating someone. Somehow he was under the impression that Pete belongs to him which is true in a way. But that doesn't mean his heart can't belong to someone else. Vegas doesn't like the thought at all.
After dismissing the girl Vegas dials a few numbers in his cell. Now he just needs to wait.
After two days...
"You got the guys? Good. Bring them to the warehouse."
Vegas smirks after hanging up the call. This is going to be a long night.
While going out he finds Pete downstairs in the kitchen. Their eyes meet but Vegas quickly looks away. He's still mad at Pete for what he said that day.
Leave him alone? Sure, Vegas could do that. Until Pete himself seeks him out Vegas is gonna ignore him. Two can play a game, let's see who wins.
Reaching the warehouse Vegas could already feel his blood boiling.
There were five of them. All blindfolded and kneeled down with hands tied behind.
"Khun Vegas!" His men bow to him, "we got them, what do you want us to do?"
"Nothing." Vegas says in an ice cold voice, "I'll deal with them myself, now release them and be on standby."
His men seem to hesitate a little but dare not question him.
Vegas slowly strides to them. Even after being untied none of them dared to stand up. Their expression horrified. They must have recognised Vegas.
"So, who among you is Kite?" Vegas asks idly.
Four pair of eyes turn to one in an instant. Vegas smirks, so easy.
Vegas bends down a little so his face is in line with the guy named Kite.
"So it's you huh!" He speaks as one of his hand grips the guy by the hair and pulls his head back harshly.
The guy cries out in pain.
Vegas laughs out loud, "Already screaming? I have not even started."
"Do you guys know why you're here?"
He takes a look at everyone. They gulp nervously and glance at eachother.
Vegas stands up. "It's okay, we have time, you'll remember soon."
With that he kicks Kite in the chest with the heel of his spiked boots he wore specially for today.
Kite falls down.
"You dared to put your filthy hands on what's mine." Vegas speaks through gritted teeth. His boot crushing Kite's fingers on the floor.
The guy screams.
"We're sorry Sir Vegas! We did wrong, please forgive us!" The other four start pleading.
Vegas laughs.
"So you remember what you did wrong?"
"We beat up a guy from your department. We were stupid, Kite asked us to do it...we didn't know he was your slave. Please forgive us!" One of them says and others nod.
Vegas leaves Kite and turn to them now.
"Oh, but you're a bit too late to apologise, don't you think? Also putting the blame of your dirty work on your friend like a coward...how shameless." He shakes his head in disapproval.
The guy who spoke looks scared now.
Vegas wastes no time moving forwards and landing a punch on his face. The corner of his mouth bleeds. Vegas kicks and punches him blindly until he's satisfied.
"Okay, who's next?" The other guys start retreating now. But Vegas's men have them before they can run off.
Vegas takes care of each of them with precise dedication until his own hands are bloody and he's almost out of breath.
At last he turns to Kite again. Grabs his dominant wrist and twists it smoothly. A cracking sound is heard. Kite bends down holding his wrist and cries out in pain.
Vegas crouch down to his level and speaks in a slow deadly voice, "this is to remind you how it feels to feel helpless in front of someone more powerful than you." He spits on his face, "and you know why your girl doesn't like you back? Because you are a filthy asshole undeserving of love." He kicks him one last time in the face.
Then turns to everyone and speaks in general, "This was just a warning for all of you, if I even find your shadows anywhere near Pete you'll see what it means to be on Vegas Theerapanyakul's red list. I'll make sure not even your bodies are recognised."
"Take care of the rest." He instructs his men before heading out.
Vegas feels satisfied like coming down from a high as he heads out. But he can't go home like this, Pete will find out. So he checks in one of the hotels under Theerapanyakul, and gets rid of the clothes and blood on his body.
Pete must be waiting for him to come back for dinner, a small voice in the back of his mind says.
It's hard to stay mad at him when Vegas can feel his doe eyes following him around wistfully. Pete's going to be the death of him.
But he can't give in that soon, he needs to make his little kitten suffer a bit more. Vegas sighs in front of the mirror, guess he'd have to drink himself to sleep again.