Chapter 161: The nightmare

Then he saw his shoes stepping forward. His breath hitched.

The man standing at the center, the one they had all been calling boss, stepped forward into the light. It was James.

Alex’s eyes widened more, his entire body going rigid as disbelief crashed over him. He shook his head slowly, like denying it would make it untrue.

“No… no, no, no… this can’t be.”

A loud, unhinged laugh echoed through the room.

“Hello, honey,” James said, tilting his head with a mocking wink. “Why are you shaking your head like that? You look so surprised to see me.”

Alex’s throat went dry. “What… what is going on?” His voice trembled despite his effort to stay calm. “Please, just untie me. We can talk like normal people, please.”

James’s smile vanished and his eyes glared at Alex. “Normal people?” he repeated, his tone dropping dangerously.

The room seemed to grow colder.

“So now you’re saying I’m not normal?” His voice sharpened with anger.

Alex shook his head quickly, panic rising. “No, that’s not what I meant. I didn’t mean it that way, please…”

“Oh, really?” James cut in.

He turned lazily to the masked men standing nearby. “Hey… strip him.”

Alex froze.

“Let’s show him what not normal really looks like,” James added, bursting into laughter again. It was loud, unstable, and echoing off the walls.

“No, please!” Alex cried out, struggling against the ropes as the men stepped forward.

Rough hands grabbed at him, pulling and tearing his clothes. The fabric ripped under force, the sound sharp in the suffocating silence between his pleas. He winced as their grip dug into his skin.

“Please…don’t do this!” His voice broke, desperation spilling out. “James, please… I…”

The words caught, but he forced them out anyway.

“I love you!”

Everything stopped. For a moment, even the men hesitated.

James’s laughter died instantly.

He stepped forward slowly, his expression unreadable now, eyes locked onto Alex like he was seeing him for the first time.

“Love?” he repeated quietly.

He crouched down in front of him, close enough that Alex could feel the weight of his presence, the danger in it.

“Did you just say… love? “You’re so stupid,” James sneered. “Pay up or the world sees how dirty you really are.” James turned his back to go.

Alex raised his voice and begged, sobbing for mercy, “James, don't do this, please. You said you love me, please let me loose.”

He paused and gave out a wicked loud laughter but the voice wasn't James’s anymore.

It had changed as he asked, “Love? Me? Love you?”

Alex’s eyes widened as he stuttered, “Lu…Luc…

Then he turned and he saw Lucas. His eyes were blazing with hatred.

“Lucas?” His eyes widened more as if they were going to pop out of their sockets. Alex cried, “Lucas, untie me please. I love you. Baby I know you love me. Please set me free.”

Lucas laughed, “Naive you are, Alex. Never trust anyone who says, ‘I love you’”, he shouted at him, then started walking away.

Alex cried out in pain, pleading.

He paused and looked back at him. The face had turned to James’s again. He winked at him and said, “Don't let him lose until he pays up.” He turned again and Lucas’s voice said, “Pay up sweet boo.”

Alex cried, “Come back please, don't leave me here.”

Whether Lucas and James, none give a damn. Alex kept screaming, “No, Lucas, please, James,” until he jolted awake.

He sat upright with a gasp.

His chest heaved violently, sweat clinging to his skin as his eyes darted around the room. It was daylight.

He gazed at his legs and hands. There were no ropes or masked men around. It was just him breathing and shaking

A silence stretched.

“Damn it, what kind of nightmare is this? Did Lucas know James?”

For a moment, he didn’t move.

Then the pounding in his head hit him.

“Damn…” he groaned again under his breath, pressing his fingers to his temple.

The hangover throbbed behind his eyes, but it was nothing compared to the lingering fear clinging to his chest.

He forced himself out of bed, his steps unsteady as he made his way to the bathroom.

The cold tiles bit into his feet.

Without thinking twice, he turned on the shower and stepped under, letting the icy water pour over him.

A sharp inhale escaped him. His body tensed, but he welcomed it. Anything to drown out the chaos in his head.

He tilted his head back, eyes closing but instantly…The nightmare came rushing back.

James and Lucas’s face interchanging. Then the mocking laughter and unmerciful voices. His

breath caught violently. His eyes snapped open.

“No…” he whispered, gripping the wall as water streamed down his face. “No…”

He dragged in a shaky breath, but it didn’t steady him. Because now it wasn’t just about the nightmare. It was about what transpired last night.

The video of Nathan and Lucas kissing and then tangled up in bed.

“Damn it,” He hissed out. His chest tightened painfully as his thoughts spiraled out of control.

“Lucas, how could you?” his voice broke, barely above a whisper. “What have I done wrong?”

He shook his head slowly, like he could shake away the images. “I don’t want to believe you’re this bad,” he muttered, his voice filled with conflict. “I don’t… but the evidence…”

His jaw clenched.

“It’s so goddamn undeniable."He inhaled to hold himself.

The water kept running, but he barely felt it anymore.

“I wish it were only the kiss,” he continued bitterly, his voice trembling. “Maybe I could’ve… maybe I could’ve forgiven that.”

A hollow laugh escaped him. “But getting into bed with him?” He swallowed hard, pain flashing across his face. “That’s not a mistake, that’s not even a fling.”

He shut his eyes again, but this time forced himself to stay grounded.

“Get it together, Alex,” he muttered under his breath. “You have to be strong. You’ll be fine… everything will be fine.”

The words sounded empty, even to him. Still, he straightened up.

After a while, he finished up, changed, and got ready for work, moving like someone on autopilot.

By the time he stepped out, his face was composed, though his eyes weren’t.

The office felt colder than usual.

Or maybe it was just him. Alex barely acknowledged anyone as he walked straight to his office, shutting the door behind him.

Silence stretched. He stood there for a second but suddenly he moved straight to his system. His fingers hovered over like he was indecisive. Then suddenly he started quickly getting to work, pulling up the surveillance feed.

His jaw tightened. He skipped through timestamps, scanning every frame with sharp, restless eyes, looking and waiting. One question echoing in his mind…

Did Lucas show up for work?

The screen flickered as the footage played.

Alex leaned forward slightly, tension building in his chest.

Because he didn’t know what would hurt more…Seeing Lucas or not seeing him at all.

Then he saw him. Lucas was in the kitchen standing by the counter, as if nothing had happened.

Alex glared at the screen.