Gun wiped his tears then picked up his phone that was ringing. When he saw it was Troy calling him, he placed the phone back down and got up to use the toilet.

Gun was miserable.

He knew he had fallen in love with Kai and he wanted Kai to tell him he didn’t leave, but the man just walked away.

He had gotten on the jet with two men he didn’t know and escorted him out of the airport when they landed in Thailand. They helped him get into a taxi and the taxi that should have taken him home had driven around aimlessly.

He ended up at a hotel, an expensive one, and was planning to stay there for the duration of the ‘trip’. 

But all Gun was doing was moping around and crying his days away.

It’s been two days since his arrival and he hadn’t been out of the room, not did he wash or ordered anything to eat?

The manager of the hotel had gone to his room to see if it was still occupied and saw the state in which Gun was.

Gun kicked him out and they sent a complimentary basket and meal up to the room, which he ate with no intention of savouring the flavours.

*

King sat across the table from beautiful ladies who wanted to go into business with him and launch a beauty line, but he had to make the investment.

They were eating all the delicious foods the restaurant owned, but he wasn’t partaking.

He looked down at his phone in his lap and sighed. He turned it on and sent to his gallery.

He was staring at a picture of Gun that Troy had sent him with a message calling him stupid for letting Gun go.

As reluctant as he was, it was for the better, but Gun’s scent was permanent in his nose and his arms wanted to wrap around something or someone.

He tried it, with a prostitute, then with a woman he knew, but… as small as they were, they didn’t feel comforting.

Gun made him feel comfortable, dangerously comfortable. 

That’s why he let him go.

If only he had known that things would end up like this, maybe then… he would have considered…

‘I’m not good enough,’ he said to himself.

Looking through the pictures, he found the one he took of Gun asleep and remembered the feeling of his lips against Gun’s.

His heart started racing, and he grew uneasy.

As he was staring at the picture, a message shot across his screen, ‘I’ve been monitoring Mr Laedeke and he hasn’t returned home since leaving the airport.’

King stood up and walked out of the room after excusing himself.

He dialled Troy’s number, who immediately answered.

“Boss?”

“What do you mean, he isn’t home?” 

“Lyle and the guys were waiting outside his home for him, but he never arrived. I thought he must have gone out, but when I contacted Captain and Shaun, they said they placed him in a taxi and told the driver to take him home.”

King took in a deep breath and said as he turned to Chips, who was following him, “It’s been three days, Troy. THREE FUCKING DAYS!”

“I know boss, I didn’t want to bother you, but I have no choice right now. I’ve asked around, and many have heard about Gun because of the incident here in Singapore, but no one knows anything of his whereabouts. I’m having a team check the traffic tapes to see if we can find a lead.” Troy explained as he trembled.

Looking at Chips, he said, “Arrange for the jet.”

Chips pulled out his phone and did as he ordered.

Turning his attention to Troy on the phone, he said, “Tell me everything.”

*

“Gun?” A man called.

Gun looked up at him from his phone and smiled tiredly.

The man smiled down at him. “It’s your turn.”

Gun nodded as he smiled and followed the man to a locker room past the reception desk.

Looking at him as he stopped in front of a locker he said, “Please place your belongs in here and change into the robe. I’ll be waiting outside for you.”

Gun nodded and waited for him to leave. He had booked himself in for a spa day at the hotel, trying to overcome his sadness.

Walking out, he looked at the man then was led into a room that was dimly lit and aging instrumental music.

“What would you like to start with? The body massage or the foot massage?” The man asked.

“Body massage,” he answered.

“Please lie down,” the man said as he turned his back on Gun.

Gun was twenty minutes into the massage and floating off to sleep when suddenly, he felt cold hands touching him.

He didn’t speak, not that he cared, he just wanted his money’s worth and this massage was helping him relax and forget about the mother fucker who he fell in love with.

The cold hands soon turned warm, and they were a little rough. 

Gun had a towel over his eyes as he laid on his back. Suddenly, the fingertips gliding across his skin felt like they were scorching him.

‘Why does it feel so familiar?’ He wondered.

The man stopped massaging him and ran his fingers down Gun’s stomach to his side’s then back to the centre and stopped at his belly button.

Gun’s waistline was covered by a towel and his fingers couldn’t move further.

He trailed them back up, stopping by his neck, then moved up to his ear and returned to his neck.

The man leaned down slowly and hovered his lips over Gun’s

Gun had been too busy wondering why it felt so familiar and was stopped when the man placed his lips against his.

Gun quickly shoved him off and took off the towel from his eyes. As he sat up and stared at the man who should have been the masseur was Kai!

Gun’s insides twisted in anger and growled at him, “What the fuck are you doing here?”