"You Can Stop Progress"

I wonder how you are doing now? I thought you were stronger than that Damien! I leaned back into the office chair and crossed my right leg over the left. The gentle swaying of my foot cleared my head.

With all of our previous actions resurfacing in my memory, I bit my lip. Damien. You've really let me down. Couldn't you have played with me a little longer? I rubbed my temple. That was last night, but what I have in front of me needs to be dealt with now.

The warmth of the printer still lingered on the sheet of paper, I picked up from the desk. The report was concise and to the point. The full list of men and women abducted sat in my hands. Such a pain to retrieve the living ones. Why didn't Tendom just kill them all?

"Carlos." I called out. The man walked through the office door.

"Yes, Mr. Ackerman."

"Has any more information regarding where he is holding them here yet?" I placed down the sheet of paper.

"No, Mr. Ackerman. However, this was just sent up." He stretched out his hand that contained a plain white envelope with a red wax seal attached behind it. I know that you are old fashioned, but this is ridiculous. I stared at the crescent moon seal.

"Thank you. You may leave." I instructed him.

"Thank you." He left the room closing the door behind him.

I felt my front pocket. Not there. I patted myself down. Phone, wallet, gum... no knife? I opened a side drawer in the desk and rummaged around the stationary. No knife? I checked the other drawers in succession of each other.

"Where the Fuck are all my pocket knives!" I shouted. Finally frustrated, I took up the butter spreading knife from my plate and pried open the envelope like an uncultured swine. The knife clattered noisily onto the plate.

"Carlos!" The door opened once again.

"Remove these dishes from my desk. And where are all my knives?" The exasperation in my voice took him by surprise. He fixed his expression and cleared his throat.

While clearing away the dishes he spoke, "You buried all of your knives in Mr. Winston's body. We had asked if you wanted them back. You then said to leave them in him as a parting gift. Too many matters came up thereafter, diverting our attention. Which is the reason why we were unable to replace the missing knives. Mr. Ackerman."

Oh. Right, It seems I've killed so many people the methods of their destruction rarely stays in my memory.

"Send someone to get more to replace them." I ordered.

"Yes, Mr. Ackerman." He walked out of the room with the dishes and silverware in hand. The door clicked shut. I took out the envelope, reading it in silence.

"Like I will listen to scum!" I threw the letter down.

The dialing tone of my phone rang in my ear. The call connected.

"I'm going out on a limb and assuming you got a letter as well." Axel's voice sounded heavy through the phone.

"I am not giving that man my time of day." I jumped straight to the point.

"Even though he has seized a little over a quarter of Ackerman territory overnight?" My lips formed a thin line. I paused before I continued, "I have better things to do during the day and night." I retorted. His laughter through the phone was unrestrained.

"Really, like what? Chasing panties, no wait, briefs? I heard about what went down last night." I stayed quiet. His breathing deepened, "You could have just finished him. Why send him to the hospital?" I don't know.

"That was stupid Ace! He could easily request a rape kit. Then what? You practically gave them a crime and a witness. That's all they need to pin even more unrelated charges on your head!" Axel practically screamed into the phone. You care about me this much? I chuckled. Nice try. You just want him dead and out of my life.

"Don't change the subject. This isn't the reason for this call. I'm ensuring you decline his meeting on your end. We are not going to see that arrogant piece of shit. Furthermore those areas weren't a substantial loss. We can just as easily claim the areas around it, closing it off from his access." I said, hoping the point came across. Axel's voice went silent.

"You've never treated any of the others like this. What is it about him that changes the way you play the game?" Stubbornly changing the subject again are we?

I exhaled. "Your persistence will be the death of me one day."

"I know... Answer the question Ace!" said Axel, the irritation in his voice seeped through.

"I don't know." Both sides of the call went silent. I could imagine the deep scowl Axel would've had on his face.

"Did you claim him?"

I pondered on the double meaning of his words and simply replied, "No."

The collar of my shirt felt tight suddenly. "Do you intend to?" My grip on the phone tightened.

"Yes. Soon."

Axel ended our phone call without any salutations. I released the first two buttons on my shirt. My thoughts circled in my head. I might as well have outrightly said to Axel, 'I'm in love with Damien'. Only one person has ever been claimed as my property and she is no longer here.

A message came through. My eyes ran across the words. Speaking of property I almost forgot about this. I got up from my seat and walked out the door. The trip was slow with the midmorning traffic against me. We soon arrived at one of the safe houses. As my feet touched the pavement, the door swung open.

"Good day Mr. Ackerman." A younger man addressed me.

"Good morning." I smiled warmly at him before proceeding inside to the inner room. The two men that sat at the table turned to look at.

"Good morning Boss." Number One spoke. He looked over to the man sitting next to him.

"Good morning, Mr. Ackerman." The familiar stranger greeted me.

"Good morning. I assume you have some news for me. From the sound of your text I also want to assume it's good." I took a seat at the round table. One smiled, he placed the frame on the table.

"This is Mr. Thorton, he will tell you." He passed the conversation to the man next to him.

"From my appraisal I can safely announce this is worth a base price of twenty-five million pounds. This is indeed the original lost blueprint that was patented by the Wright Brothers." My elation soared through the roof. Wait. What was that Heifer doing with something so valuable in her possession?

"Mr. Ackerman if you are interested," he paused, looking at One for approval. One nodded. "We can organize a black market auction," said Thorton. I thought about it. That would give a great financial boost, but then again. This item could create a whole new legacy for the Ackerman name.

"I need to give that some thought. We can't host an auction with only one item, so let's sleep on that for now." I replied.

"Of course Mr. Ackerman." He humbly replied.

"Thank you for your services and discretion. Send the bill to my main office." I stood up, taking the frame in hand.

"Ah! No. There is no cost attached!" said Thorton. I frowned. There's no free lunch in this world. I turned to face them.

"Really, Boss." One spoke up before I could say anything.

"Nair asked me to do it. I willingly came so there is no cost attached," said Thorton. He hurriedly spoke, as he looked at One. I caught the glance they gave each other. My eyes lowered slightly.

"In the future if you need help come to me. Once it is within my reach, I will try my best to help you." I stared at the man sitting before me.

"Thank you. Mr. Ackerman," said Thorton. You should be thankful, if you weren't his lover you'd never hear those words from my lips! I turned and walked out the room. My arm began to itch. Where is the star of my life? I stepped into the car.

The phone rang. Giving the caller i.d. a glance, I answered the call.

"Hello good morning, Mr. Ackerman?" A beautiful, feminine voice entered my ears.

"Good morning Racheal." Finally.

"The doctors are ready to discharge him now. He said he intends to return home when they do," said Racheal. A relieved smile played across my features.

"Address." I listened intently as she read the patient file.

"Thank you." I stated.

"Please wait!" Obeying her outburst I stayed on the line.

"Yes Racheal?"

"I was given a promotion to Nurse Supervisor, effective from the first of next month. I hope that I can become more useful to you in the future!" said Racheal. I know already. My title isn't Boss without a reason! I sneered in my mind.

"That's great! I thank you in advance for your future service to the Ackerman family!"

"Thank you Boss. Goodbye." The call was cut.

"Driver we're going downtown." I relayed the address to him. I glanced at my watch ten minutes past the hour of ten. I have time. After one short detour, the car headed to my destination.

You have amazing taste. I walked into the main entrance of the condo.

"Hello." I smiled brightly at the woman in the front desk.

"Good Morning and how may I help you sir?" said the receptionist.

"Ah I'm here to visit a friend, he isn't well. I believe he came in this morning from the hospital. A Mr. Damien Dagasse," I said. She looked at her computer screen.

"He is in. Would you like me to call him?"

"Ah, that isn't necessary. Can I have his floor number?" I smiled.

"Only pre-approved names can access that information," said the receptionist. I nodded in agreement.

"Mr. Von Vilter. Check and see." I smiled. She tapped away at her keyboard.

"Hmn. Ah. There ... you ... are." She sounded slightly confused.

"The number!" I broke her attention from the screen.

"Floor number sixty-nine," said the receptionist.

"Thank you." I walked into the elevator adjusting the flowers in the vase. The ride was surprisingly short. I stepped off and walked up to the only door a few meters away. I rang the doorbell. Standing to the side, I gazed at the view through the window, in the miniature lobby area. A few seconds later heavy footsteps were heard.

The door burst open.

"What!" A very angry voice shouted at me.

With my side profile facing him I said, "Is that how you greet guests?" He froze in the doorway. His hand clenched the door knob tightly. A myriad of emotions could be seen on his face. I handed him the vase.

"These are for you." He looked at the vase as though it contained an arm or a leg, before gingerly accepting it. I walked through the wide door.

"What are you doing here?" said Damien.

"Good morning Damien." He blinked.

"Uh. Good morning?" He whispered, before closing the door.

He walked down the hall and took a left. The display of my affection was carefully placed on the center of the kitchen island. I glanced around. Everywhere was spotless. A theme of white, black and silver was used throughout the space giving it a very modern feel. Stylish. Damien bustled about the kitchen ignoring me. His movements were smooth and practiced.

"Would you like something?" Damien paused his actions to look at me.

"I'd like to know how you are feeling, but water will do fine as well." A bottle of water was removed from the fridge and handed to me. He placed his palms on the countertop and stared at me.

"Why are you here?" said Damien. I let the question sit in the air, as I drank from the bottle.

"To see you." He looked at me with a grimace.

"You've seen me now you can leave." He walked towards me. Looking expectantly. Who does this little bird think he's talking too? As fast as lightning, I nabbed him by the waist.

"I'm not ready to leave." I smirked as he struggled relentlessly to escape my clutches.

"Let me go Ace!"

He pounded on my chest, each hit becoming weaker than the last. I caught his right hand, and placed light kisses on his knuckles. I could see the embarrassment on his face. Stretching his arm along my neck, I placed well deserved kisses on his skin.

"Ace!" I stopped trailing kisses on the inside of his arm.

"Yes Damien?" He turned his head away.

"Can we stop this? Whatever it is. I'm not... I'm not gay!"

His adam's apple bobbed several times. I blinked twice. What? I held a stoic image to resist bursting out into bouts of loud laughter. Not gay! At this point that might as well be a bad joke!

"Damien after all that we've done? Your kidding me right?" I smiled. Ah, Aha! A few notes left my throat.

"I'm not joking, Ace." His words stung. My heart felt as though it was being ripped out of my chest still beating. I stayed silent for a few moments.

"What do you want to do?" I lifted his chin and stared into his soft hazel eyes.

"I'd like for us to stop seeing each other," said Damien.

"Not possible."

He looked distressed upon hearing my words. He broke eye contact shifting his gaze to the left. Snatching the opportunity presented to me I closed the space between our lips. His chest jumped in response to the sudden contact.

The sweet sound of our lips parting echoed through the room. I stared into his watery eyes.

"This... is how much I love you," I said. The tears that threatened to spill fell one after the other marring his beauty. I kissed them as they rolled down the contours of his face. He sucked in a sharp breath.

"Ace..." Hesitant hands rose up, wrapping themselves around my waist. I smiled, applying kisses on his lips and neck more generously than before.

"Do you like this?" I asked between pecks on his lips.

In a breathy voice he replied, "Yes." Good.

Leading him to the living room. I sneakily reached out squeezing his round butt. He spun around, eyes wide open in fear. Every step I took forward, he took one backward. This game continued until he fell back onto the couch.

Not wasting a moment. I climbed atop him sucking deeply on his neck and collar bones. His breathing increased.

"Did you like that?" I paused staring at him.

"Yes," said Damien in a low voice.

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