Music thumped through the club, the bass vibrating through the floor and rattling the glasses on the bar. At the front of the club , close to the bartender, Ash and Emil nursed their drinks.The dim lights reflected off the polished counter, casting fleeting shadows across their faces.
"Today left me drained," Ash muttered, swirling the liquid in his glass before taking a slow sip.
"He's such a piece of shit, always doing whatever the hell he wants without caring about anyone else "
Emil's brow furrowed " Is that why you were at the hospital..he beat someone again?"
Ash let out a weary sigh. "The child came out from the cupboard and he started crying and..."
"Knowing you, you couldn't just leave them like that " Emil finished the sentence for him, eyes locked on Ash genuine and unwavering.
"You've got a good heart, Ash" Emil continued, his tone soft but firm. "But in this line of work, that heart will be nothing but trouble."
Ash pushed his hair back, the motion slow and deliberate, then took another sip of his drink. The tension in his jaw eased slightly as he set the glass down.
"Yeah… I know," he murmured.
Without another word, he excused himself and walked toward the restroom, leaving Emil staring after him.
Emil watched silently as Ash disappeared into the crowd.
*************
Dmitri sat in the lounge, one arm draped lazily across the backrest of the chair. The low hum of conversations and the heavy bass from the club beyond vibrated faintly through the walls. Evan had stepped out just a few minutes ago to answer a call, leaving Dmitri alone with his thoughts—and his drink.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Ash moving.
Dmitri's sharp gaze followed the man.
Where's he going? Dmitri wondered as he kept watching Ash.
Ash weaved past a few tables, heading straight toward the hallway. The restroom.
A faint smirk tugged at Dmitri's lips, as he rose from his seat leaving the room, he told the gaurd to inform Evan that he had gone to the restroom.
He moved quickly, trying to catch up with him as he reached down to the second floor. Just as he turned into the corridor, he heard the faint click of a door shutting. His eyes narrowed.
He's inside... Dmitri thought halting Infront of the restroom door.
For a moment, he lingered there silent his hand hovering near the handle. His heartbeat echoed in his ears. He was about to push the door open when a sound from within made him freeze.
Then–creak
The door swing back, revealing him standing there right Infront of him.
For a brief second, time stilled . Blonde hair catching the dim hallway light, sharp blue eyes staring down at him. Even the simplest details– Ash's calm breath – struck Dmitri like a blow. Beautiful.
He couldn't tear his gaze away, and one step after another, Dmitri moved forward, each movement slow, deliberate, his gaze fixed on Ash.
With every step Dmitri took, Ash instinctively stepped back, inch by inch until they were both inside the restroom.
Without a word, Dmitri's hand moved to the door handle and turned it. The soft click of the lock echeod in the restroom, filling the space with a sudden, heavy silence.
Ash raised an eyebrow, giving him a questioning look.
What's wrong with him? He thought.
Then Dmitri smiled.
"Hello, Ashley," Dmitri said, his voice smooth, teasing, carrying a dangerous undertone. He stepped closer, eyes locked on Ash's, emerald green piercing into blue. "Can you give me a minute of your time?"
Ash froze, shock and confusion written across his face. How does he even know my name? May be I should ask him why he came to my room that time. And those eyes...they remind me of someone and I can't stop staring he thought, his posture rigid.
"Relax—you're not in trouble or anything," Dmitri added, his tone softening slightly, but still commanding. "No need to be so stiff."
"Well, talking to my boss under these conditions isn't exactly ideal. Pardon me if I seem a little out of sorts," Ash said, recovering some composure, though wariness lingered. He folded his arms, creating a protective barrier.
Dmitri's gaze followed his folded arms with a bemused glint. " I assumed my identity was still a secret, but you don't have to be so defensive—" Before Ash could react, Dmitri gently pried his arms apart, letting them fall to his sides. The next moment, Dmitri spun Ash around against the wall, hands caging his head. "I'm not going to eat you… well, at least not now," he said with a playful smirk.
Ash's mind raced. "So… what do you want, Boss?" he asked, voice steady despite the chaos in his thoughts.
"You," Dmitri said simply, his eyes holding Ash captive.
"What do you mean, 'me'?" Ash asked, bewildered, a flush creeping up his neck.
"I mean what I said," Dmitri replied, taking a step closer. "I'm interested in you. I want you."
Ash tried to look away, anywhere but into those emerald eyes, but he couldn't.
His red hair, sharp jawline, ethereal features… everything about him screamed danger. Ash's mind raced to rationalize the danger but the pull–raw and primal–was undeniable.
"It's just not possible, Boss," he forced out, averting his gaze.
Dmitri tilted his head, amused. "Hey, not that I care about your opinion "
"Everything about this… doesn't make sense. You're probably not in the right frame of mind right now," Ash said coolly, though internally he was a whirlwind of emotion. He caught the faint scent of liquor on Dmitri's breath.
"Right frame of mind?" Dmitri chuckled, eyebrow raised. "Are you implying I'm drunk, Ashley?"
"I'm not implying anything—I'm just saying… a relationship with my boss isn't appropriate." Ash replied, tension tightening in his shoulders.
"Appropriate?" Dmitri laughed softly, letting out a sigh. " Those types of relationship are common and that term...well , it doesn't really apply to you anymore, does it?"
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked, lifting an eyebrow, his heart pounding. Something about this didn't sit right with him.
Dmitri's fingers lifted to Ash's chin, tilting his face toward him. "Well… you didn't seem to mind when you—"
"Dmitri, are you in here?" A voice called from outside, halting him mid-motion.
"Dmitri? Are you okay?" the voice pressed again.
Annoyance flickered across Dmitri's face. Ash felt a strange mix of relief and frustration at the interruption.
But Dmitri didn't pull away. His fingers traced Ash's face—lips, cheek, ear—as if memorizing every detail. His emerald eyes never left Ash's. Leaning closer, lips brushing against Ash's ear, he let out a soft sigh, "Gosh, what are you doing to me?" he whispered, his voice rough with desire. "I want to take you right now, but that'll have to wait. Until next time, Ashley."
A soft kiss lingered beneath Ash's earlobe—warm, possessive, leaving a ghost of promise. Then Dmitri pulled away, opened the door, and slipped out, closing it firmly behind him.
Outside, Evan's concerned voice broke the silence. "There you are! I thought something bad happened to you."
"You just had to pick the wrong moment, didn't you, Evan?" Dmitri's tone was sharp, tinged with irritation.
"What do you mean? Was I interrupting something?" Evan glanced toward the bathroom door.
"Never mind," Dmitri said, brushing past him. "Let's just go home. I'm not in the mood to drink anymore."
–Meanwhile–
Nik walked down the corridor toward Dmitri's room. In one week, it would be the anniversary of their mother's death. Every year, he and Dmitri would go to church and organize a small offering—a quiet ceremony of remembrance and gratitude, honoring her memory and giving thanks for the blessings they still had. It was a solemn tradition that reminded them of the bond they shared.
Reaching Dmitri's room, Nik called out, "Dmitri?" but there was no answer. Frowning, he noticed the door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, he stepped inside. The room was empty. He checked the bathroom, but no one was there.
Puzzled, he moved toward the study. The door was open, and the glow of a computer screen lit up the room. The chair was slightly pulled back, as if someone had just been sitting there. Nik walked over, curiosity gnawing at him, and sat down in front of the computer.
The screen showed a paused video. Out of habit, or perhaps a hint of suspicion, he unpaused it.
What he saw made his mouth drop.
"What the hell?" he muttered.
He didn't know whether to laugh, shout or both...but one thing was certain. Dmitri would have to explain himself.
**************
💌Author Note 📝
Hey everyone 👋
We're really sorry for the late update 😩 Thank you so much for your patience and support—it means the world to us😭✨.