Chapter 5

Andrew

The hideout was silent, they must be all asleep by now but usually, hideouts like these have men to keep watch. A satisfying grunt came from the trees as five bodies tumbled down, dead before they even hit the floor. A group loaded the bodies into a car we brought for transporting the dead bodies.

The gang crept up to the building, surrounding it within seconds. All exits were guarded within seconds and we slowly pulled into the house. Just for an added bit of fun, I smashed my fist against the fire alarm and people started scrambling around wondering what's wrong. They stopped when they saw us, fear clouding their eyes.

No mercy was given as every single member was eliminated. It was quite anti-climactic, maybe we should've let them grab their guns before fighting them but meh, that would take too long. I want this to be over quick.

"Andrew! What do you want?! Why are you doing this to my gang?!" Zander, the leader of this said gang looked out over the railing of the second floor, bloody murder written across his face.

"Don't you f*cking dare act all innocent on me!" I screamed pointing a pistol towards him. "You know what you did!" Zander knew what I was talking about as recognition surfaced on his features. Zander had always been stealing away my girls, I would date and lay with a few and a few days they're gone. I knew it was Jack all along and that something was up. I didn't use to get all riled up like this but this time it's different and this time around they'll all pay. I lowered my aim to his shoulder and pulled the trigger, he fell back and I ascended the steps to get to him. He stood up, staggering away from me.

"Hey-ugh, h-hey Andrew, pal let's talk about this," he said walking backward as he faced me, he stumbled using the arm that was shot to keep him upright, big mistake. He screamed in agony as he fully laid there on the floor.

"You've touched someone you never should've," I pushed the gun against his head. "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Checkmate," he smirked and I felt an immense pain from my side and I immediately pulled the trigger, blasting him dead.

A bullet was embedded deep in my torso and I pressed a hand against it, trying to lessen the bleeding.

"Boss?!" I heard Steve call from downstairs.

"Up here!" I shouted and Steve along with Clarence found me in the state that I was in. They hauled me up and brought me to the backseat of one of the cars we came in.

"Tell them to make sure that no bodies will be left behind," I said and Steve left Clarence in charge of the clean-up.

Steve drove the two of us and a handful of my men back to the hideout. The bullet to my side stings with every bump we approach on the road and it didn't help that I had to move actually get in the damned building. They laid me down on the dining table and removed the ripped piece of cloth that we used in an attempt to stop the bleeding. A collective hiss resounded amongst them as they saw how deep the gunshot went.

"Alright people! Give me some space! I got this!" Steve got to work immediately.

Jacob

I woke up with strong arms around me, my whole body hurt, I knew why and I don't know if it made me feel worse than I already felt. I looked at the owner of the arms around me and saw that Andrew was fast asleep, he was shirtless revealing the side of his torso that was bound with bandages. I traced my fingers along with the bandages curious as to what happened to him. I felt my arms and legs wrapped in the same bandages but made no move to remove them. Maybe this way I could hide how tainted my skin has become. I saw a small smile play across Andrew's face as he stirred awake, gently pulling me closer if that was even possible. He buried his face underneath my neck and I was thinking of pushing him away for it. I let him.

I let him lay like that for a few minutes before the curiosity got to me."Hey, Can I ask you something?" He hummed against my neck as a go signal. "What's up with this?" I asked tapping his side that was bandaged up. He removed his face from my neck to look at me eye to eye. There were dark bags underneath his eyes, looking like he hasn't slept much. He flinched a bit when I touched the bandaged part so it must be pretty serious.

"I-" he stopped for a while, closing his eyes and tapping my hip with hand to an unknown beat. "I took care of some business last night, it was related to your, uhm, incident," He said and I stiffened up a bit at the mention of it but I need to calm down, he's not here whoever was that person he's dead now, he can't get to me anymore. But still. I rubbed my skin, scratching, and pinching at it absent-mindedly.

"Stop, you're hurting yourself and by that, me as well," He grabbed both of my hands and clutched it, keeping it on his side.

"I'm sorry but it's just-I don't know anymore, I know he's dead and all but he's just there in the back of my mind. Waiting and waiting for the right moment to remind me how dirty I've become," I said and this time, tears don't spill because I've grown tired of crying and I'm just too emotionally exhausted from everything that has happened the past few days. I mean I'm still technically a hostage but they're treating me so well it's like I'm living in a college dormitory and they're all just stressed college kids instead of killing machines.

"It's okay, what you've been through is something no one should've gone through. Do you want me to help you seek professional help?" He asked making my arms wrap around him as he went back to rubbing slow circles on my hips.

"No, I'll be fine." I doubted the words myself but Andrew seemed to be okay with it as he nodded and didn't push me further. He kissed my forehead before he stood up and went to the bathroom. I kinda wanted to ask if we can go to my workplace right about now because I don't really want to miss work. I went to his closet to find a fresh set to change into but my eyes immediately went over to the picture frame he was keeping behind all his clothes. I heard the shower running and it can't really hurt to take a peek. I carefully reached for the picture frame and turned it around. It was a picture of a younger version of Andrew and an old man. They were smiling in front of a rundown looking cabin in the woods, Andrew was holding up a fish the size of his head and he had this big smile on his face. I heard the shower stop and immediately placed the picture back in its place.

"Hey, can we go to my workplace again today?" I asked and this time he seemed a bit skeptical.

"Sure, I don't see why not," he said back.

We arrived at my old workplace and I was surprised to see that my father was there. I glanced at Andrew to seem him visibly stiffen at the sight of the man. I walked over to where Mr. Yu was talking to my father. I stood patiently waiting for their conversation to end or until one of them notices me. Andrew stood still beside me, he wasn't moving nor breathing it looks like. He was acting really strange.

"Oh hey there Jacob! How are you!" Mr. Yu smiled, he was probably nervous because usually, he would have the American accent when he speaks in English but when he gets nervous he slowly slips back into his Chinese accent till he regains his composure.

"I'm good sir thank you, dad why are you here?" I asked my dad just smiled widely at me.

"Can't I just visit my son at his workplace?" he asked wearing the fakest smile I have ever seen him put on. He wants to control me, what I do, make sure I was kept in line, and was ready to take over. All he ever cared about was his business, the business he always claims to be more important than anything else. If he loves it so much it might as well grow arms and feet and he'll call it his son.

"We promoted him to art director just a few days ago," My dad looked taken aback by this comment, he doesn't like what I want to pursue, that was clearly obvious. It was one of the factors why I left his company in the first place, he had forced me into a course I didn't want for college and afterward he forced me into a job that I also despised.

"Oh well that's wonderful, I'll leave you to it," He smiled back at Mr. Yu as he left the department office, my boss trailing behind him like a puppy to a master. I clenched my jaw at my dad's retreating figure and sighed. I might dislike the man with a burning passion but he was my dad. And we only get one in a lifetime.

Andrew looked like he didn't even breathe the whole time that my dad stood in front of him, his jaw, eyes focused and sweat dripped down on his forehead as he stared at my father's retreating figure. I stayed quiet as I walked, intending to question his weird behavior later rather than now. I walked to my office and he followed me around silently. A few of my coworkers, men, and women alike, stared at him with hungry and lustful eyes when said eyes land to me they moved to the man behind me as if asking if they can have a piece. I always give them the shake of the head with a "what the fuck" expression and they solemnly go back to their work.

I walked faster towards my small office, It didn't have a window or a big space, just a small room with glass doors that make me visible to everyone else in the art department. I wanted to paint the walls just so I can have a bit of color and life to the dull room but Mr. Yu was fervent on keeping it the way it originally is. That is, dead. "Lexie? can I get a chair, please?" I asked my kind coworker just outside my office doors, she nodded shyly when she saw Andrew looking at her. Her mess of curls bobbing up and down like a pair of pom-poms.

I sat down on my chair and booted my computer, occasionally glancing at Andrew who stood as stiff as a pole by the wall to my left. He didn't move nor look up, only staring intensely at the black and white tiles of the office. Even when Lexie approached him to hand him his chair, he just grunted acknowledging her presence and the shy girl dropped the chair beside him to run out with her face as red as a tomato. I could feel more concerned about the fact that all my office workers seem to gawk at this man so openly, but I was more perturbed with Andrew's sudden mood shift.

He took the chair, placed it in front of my desk, and sat down, playing with the corners of his mouth, scratching it, and pulling at the light stubble. I swerved my chair more to my left so that the desktop computer didn't obstruct my view of him. He still didn't meet my eyes but he sighed after I stared long enough.

"Just tell me whatever in your mind Jacob," He said bringing his eyes up.

"Alright, then sour puss. What's up? What's suddenly crawled into that dick?" I asked and this got his attention, he was looking at me like I just told him that there's a prince of America and said the prince is gay.

"You are...I swear to anyone that is holy," He said chuckling, the sound brought a small smile to my lips. The sound was manly, deep and resounding, even such simple things like that about him was attractive, so many girls must find him so. "It's nothing I promise, must've just woken on the wrong side of the bed."

He said and gave me that smile, you know the one that guys use to get what they want. I know about it because I've used it too and hell apparently it's supper effective now that it's being used on me.

"Fine," I said as I swiveled my chair back into place, the lock screen of my computer coming into view.