WATCH ME DIE

“Since you refuse to be my bodyguard, it simply means you’re willing to watch me die,” Derek said bluntly, his voice low but firm.

Rafe let out a heavy breath, lowering his gaze before meeting Derek’s eyes again.

“I honestly can’t watch you die… but I still can’t be your bodyguard,” he replied quietly.

“Then you can leave. I’ll find my own way home,” Derek declared, stepping forward without another glance.

Rafe remained rooted, watching him walk away.

“Wait!” he called suddenly.

Derek stopped and turned back.

“I’ll at least get you home safely,” Rafe promised.

But Derek shook his head, one brow raised.

“Just drop you safely,” Rafe corrected. “I don’t really know you, and I’m not interested in being anyone’s bodyguard.”

“Why?” Derek asked abruptly.

“Why what?” Rafe responded, confused.

“Why don’t you want to be my bodyguard?” Derek pressed, scoffing lightly.

“I… I want to help, but I can’t,” Rafe admitted.

“I’ll pay you well,” Derek offered immediately.

“No. It’s not about the money. I just can’t. Please try to understand.”

“Rafe…” Derek called, frustration rising.

“Please,” Rafe insisted. “At least let me take you home.”

“Why are you this stubborn?” Derek exhaled sharply. “Fine, I’ll increase the pay. Just agree.”

“I can’t. And besides, I already have a job I like,” Rafe said.

“A waiter?” Derek shot back. “Come on. We both know you’re terrible at that.”

“I’m improving,” Rafe muttered.

Derek froze, astonished. He couldn’t believe someone would turn down his offer. He had lived his whole life getting anything he wanted, yet here was someone unmoved by his name, his power, or his money.

“You can leave,” Derek said eventually, his voice cold.

“And what about you?” Rafe asked, brow raised.

Derek didn’t respond.

“I don’t mind taking you home,” Rafe added.

Derek finally looked at him.

“Since you can’t be my bodyguard, I don’t need you.”

His eyes hardened as he leaned closer to Rafe and whispered,

“Watch me die, then.”

He turned and walked deeper into the forest.

“Sir! Mister! Hey, man!” Rafe shouted after him.

Derek didn’t stop.

“Sir! I don’t even know your damn name, but you need to get home safely!” Rafe yelled, but Derek continued forward.

“Bodyguard…” Rafe murmured to himself, shaking his head. “I can’t. I made a promise… No, Rafe, you can’t. You should never think of that again.”

When he looked up, Derek was already far ahead.

Rafe broke into a run.

“Wait! Sir, wait for me!” he shouted.

Derek glanced back.

“Don’t come with me! Go your path,” he said sharply.

“What if you get caught or ambushed?” Rafe warned.

“Isn’t that what you want?” Derek replied, still walking.

“No. Just… slow down,” Rafe insisted, but Derek kept going.

“Look, you honestly won’t want a bodyguard like me,” Rafe admitted carelessly, but surprisingly Derek stopped and turned to him.

“Leave me to be the judge of that,” Derek said, then continued walking.

Rafe stood watching him leave.

“Find your way home alone then,” Rafe said as he collapsed to the floor.

“I’ll pass the night here,” he muttered, shutting his eyes as sleep drifted over him.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhh! Rafeeeeeee!”

A sudden voice jolted him awake.

He stood up. It was very late into the night; he could barely see.

“That should be that mister,” he muttered, moving toward the direction of the voice.

“Mister?” he whispered, but the night answered with silence.

Then he heard another sound. His steps slowed until he reached a cluster of trees, moonlight barely slipping through. He peered from behind a trunk…and froze.

Derek was on his knees, hands raised, chest rising and falling rapidly. Standing before him was the same masked man they thought had left earlier, a knife glinting under the scattered moonlight, while another man stood behind Derek, gripping his shoulder tightly.

“You thought you could escape?! Where is your skilled bodyguard?” he sneered.

Derek’s jaw clenched. “Leave him out of this,” he demanded, his tone fierce yet trembling.

“Leave him out?” the masked man mocked. “Do you know how many men I lost to him?”

Derek’s eyes darted subtly to the left, toward Rafe’s hiding place.

Rafe’s heart dropped as he gestured for Derek to keep quiet.

The masked man noticed the shift and tilted his head. “Your friend is here, right?”

Derek quickly looked away. “He has gone.”

“Oh, don’t lie,” the masked man hissed, stepping closer and grabbing Derek by the chin. “You’re terrible at it.”

Rafe’s fists tightened, his pulse hammering as panic and anger battled within him.

“Damn it… I shouldn’t have followed him… but I can’t just watch this.”

The man behind Derek forced him to stand. Derek winced as his arms were twisted behind him.

Just then, another masked figure appeared.

“Hello, Derek,” he said.

Derek stared; the voice felt familiar.

The man removed his mask, and Derek recognized him immediately; Lucas Grayson, CEO of a rival company.

“Lucas… it was you all along,” Derek said, his voice laced with pain.

Lucas burst into laughter.

“You fool. You think I’m the only one after you? You really don’t know your life is priced cheaply. Many people besides me want you dead,” he said, lifting Derek’s chin.

“Funny,” Lucas murmured. “You were always so unshakable, Derek. Untouchable. Protected by guards, money, and walls.”

He pulled out a knife.

“But look at you now. On your trembling feet. Hopeless.”

Derek clenched his jaw, teeth grinding.

“You’re a coward, Lucas. Always have been.”

Lucas smiled coldly. “Maybe, but cowards live long.”

“I promise you won’t get away with this,” Derek said.

“Of course I won’t just get away; I’ll be rewarded. It seems you don’t know about the life deal your late father made with Lorenzo D’Amato,” Lucas revealed.

“What deal?” Derek asked, confused, but Lucas lifted the knife, pressing it lightly against Derek’s jaw.

Rafe stepped out before he could stop himself.

“Stop!”

Both masked men turned sharply.

Derek’s eyes widened. “Rafe… what are you doing?!”

Rafe swallowed hard. “Let him go. Whatever you want, don’t take it out on him.”

Lucas studied Rafe from head to toe.

“You must be the fool protecting him.”

Rafe stiffened.

Derek’s gaze fell, pained.

“A waiter pretending to be brave,” Lucas continued, then laughed. “Touching.”

Rafe took another step. “I said let him go.”

“And if I don’t?” Lucas challenged.

Rafe’s jaw tightened. “Then you’ll have to deal with me.”

For a moment there was silence.

Then, unexpectedly, Lucas lowered the knife and laughed.

“You really think you can protect him? You can’t even protect yourself.”

He snapped his fingers.

The man holding Derek shoved him forward, making him stumble.

“Take him,” Lucas ordered.

Before Rafe could move, Derek cried out,

“Rafe, RUN! They’re after me, not you. Don’t be stupid!”

But Rafe didn’t run, instead, he stepped in front of Derek.

Lucas tilted his head again, amusement fading, replaced by irritation.

Lucas raised his knife, this time toward Rafe.

“Then you both die.”

Derek clenched his fists behind him.

“Rafe…” he whispered, his voice shaking with fear and anger. “Why didn’t you just leave me alone?”

“Because I’ve accepted to be your bodyguard,” Rafe whispered back, Derek eyes bright with excitement, though the joy quickly vanished as reality set in.

“Kill both of them!” Lucas ordered.

.