Chapter 8…something broke

“Hell no…”Jake blurted, shutting the door right in their faces.

“Bro, what the hell?” Enzo asked, barely able to contain his shock.

Ray said nothing, his eyes lasered at the door like he could burn them off there and then, and his heart?

They melted almost immediately.

He let his fingers Braille across the door frame for the doorbell and rang it again.

“I won't leave until you listen” Ray called out, now banging on the door.

“I'm out of here” Enzo's voice laced with rage, echoed in the void, causing Jake the intern to …

“And I'm taking the car” he yanked the car key away from Ray, and made for the car without waiting for a response.

Ray continued to alternate between banging the door and ringing the doorbell after Enzo drove off.

He knocked until the door handle clicked.

“You have 5 minutes to leave” Jake's hand stayed on the door handle as he spoke.

Ray searched Jake's eyes with the light that pushed its way from inside to the porch where he and the intern stood.

“A partnership deal with your new company and you'll get 60% of the transaction income”.

Jake scoffed, so you have come to throw money at my face”.

Ray blinked, letting his eyes linger behind their lids.

He sighed, “I really need your help Jake”

Jake chuckled, “I don't care” he made to shut the door when the intern who dissolved in the tension strain, and gloom between couples interjected.

“If this matter isn't handled, your name will be dragged in eventually and you will lose every investor and client you have now” his lips quivered slightly as he spoke.

Jake and Ray turned to the intern.

“How do you propose that to happen?” Jake asked.

“Well, Mr Jake when the transaction with Mr Fernando happened, you were still married…” The intern replied.

“If you researched well, you'd know it was during our divorce process that the deal went through” Jake interjected.

The intern nodded, “regardless…. Mr Leon"

He paused to weigh in on his next words.

“If the media gets the information, it can be twisted to suit whatever controversy there is to cook up”

The intern searched Ray's expressionless face, hesitating before stepping forward.

“And you are?” Jake narrowed his gaze.

“I'm Henry… Henry Dénaz, nice to meet you Mr Jake Leon” he stretched his sweaty palm forward.

Jake nodded but didn't accept the shake.

“So what exactly do you want?” Jake turned now to Ray.

“A place away from the noise and spotlight" he hesitated before answering

The loud cricket noises cricking in the small garden in front of the apartment, grew louder in the awkward silence.

Jake walked into the house, letting the door hang open.

“Send your secretary over with the contract first in tomorrow,”

Ray took the cue and followed but not without first turning towards the intern.

“Don't ever do this again” his voice firmly strained with rage.

The intern’s gaze fell to the ground. “I apologize”

The apartment was simple, a 32-inch plasma t.v hanging in the white-painted living room, a chandelier, three couches, a dining room by the side, a kitchen, and doors leading to some rooms behind, in the apartment.

Ray and the intern trailed behind Jake,as he made his way across the kitchen to the passage door.

“You will stay here” Jake pointed at the first door to their right…, his eyes stared straight at Ray's. “With Henry,” he added.

Ray's eyes turned cold, his aura burned with flame, and Henry shifted uncomfortably.

“I will…” he caught himself before he finished the sentence.

But Ray had already lost it, he reached for his neck, squeezing his fingers around it as he made to throw him across the wall.

But Henry moaned, he did not groan from pain, a small quiet moan escaped his lips.

Ray pushed his butt flat to the ground, he fell and so did his gaze.

Ray's eyes widened with disgust.

“I will take the sitting room” his voice cold, spoke and walked back the way he came without waiting for a response.

The next morning, Jake walked into the living room, probably ready to head out for work.

Ray lay on the longest couch, eyes shut, one leg folded and the other stretched, shirtless to the waist.

He noticed Jake's eyes lingered on his chest, he felt it, the heat of his gaze crawling through every inch of detail on his body.

He felt a thug in his chest, it was anger, disgusting or irritation as he had been feeling recently, it was different.

chills ran down his spine, his fingers curled instinctively.

And almost immediately, Jake turned away, the door clicked and his footsteps receded.

“Good morning sir,” the intern greeted a few hours later, Ray was now standing beside a picture of Jake on the wall.

“Pick up paper on the table” Ray ordered without looking back.

Hebr6 reached for the paper on the table.

“Hand your phone over” he ordered again.

Henry scrambled over, handing his phone over like he was a priest serving bread at Jesus' feet.

Ray scrolled to his contact list, and right under Henry's starry eyes, he deleted everyone in his contact list except his secretary's number.

“If you breathe a word of all this out” he paused.

Letting the weight of his words rest on Henry's chest.

Henry nodded, almost yanking off his head from his neck.

“I'm your god here” Ray clenched his jaw and motioned.

“That paper is your commandant… I'm not merciful, especially when it comes to 2 and 6”

He waved his hands dismissively, handing Jacob back his phone.

The door knob, Ray stood still, back against the door.

“What kind of mess did you fucking get yourself into?” Jake's voice strained with rage.

Ray turned his head to the crimson-skinned, red-eyed Jake. Glanced for a brief moment and shifted away from his course back to the couch.

“I just lost two massive contracts and different faces are lurking around all of a sudden” he continued, his fingers shaking.