Chapter 9 (lock in)

Jake's POV.

Ray’s gaze fell on Jake's trembling fingers.

He patted the unoccupied side of the couch.

“Sit….” He cooed, his voice softened.

“No,” Ray paused.

Ray froze, probably because Jake had never said no to him, never.

“I demand an explanation” Jake stamped his feet hard on the wood floor.

“I can't speak to you like this” Ray responded, his face expressionless as usual.

Jake's legs strode, pacing across the living room for what almost felt like forever.

Before he dropped into the side where Ray had just patted.

“I never wanted to drag you into this” Ray started, his fingers reaching over Jake's on the couch.

“Can you get someone to stand in for you at the office, for now” he continued.

Jake's veins stretched along their length on his neck as he exhaled every breath.

Jake pulled his hand away from Ray's grip almost immediately. “I don't like this… whatever you and Enzo are doing, should better end fast”. He retorted.

And peeled himself off the couch, making for his room.

A gentle knock was placed on Jake's door a few minutes later, and he stared, not sure he was ready to see, whoever it was on the other side of the door.

The knocking continued, different from last night’s but lingering enough to pull Jake out of his not-so-laid bed.

His legs dragged as they made their way to the door, “Hello, Mr Leon, I hope I didn't disturb you?” Henry said as soon as Jake's tired face popped out.

Jake let his door hang open, as he walked back to his bed.

Henry followed.

“Sir, I came to update you on the secretary’s availability” Henry's words faded and his eyes darted everywhere else but Jake's face.

A small smirk tugged at Jake's lips masking the tired wrinkles around his eyes.

He could recognize exactly what was going on.

That happens when you stay around Ray.

“Can I continue?” Henry asked, pulling Jake back to reality.

Jake nodded. But he was soon lost in His thoughts again.

The moment Henry walked into his home he knew his revenge had already started.

Being with Ray for 3 years had given him the leverage to identify Ray's weaknesses and strengths.

“Sit” he ordered, his lips curling into a small smile.

Henry's eyes twitched as he narrowed them at Jake, who was now motioning to the reading table and chair next to the tall window in the room.

Henry hesitated but followed his direction to the seat.

“You were saying?” Jake asked, letting his gaze rest on Henry's trembling knees.

Henry paused.

“I said, Mr Raymond has asked that instead of the secretary bringing the contract over, I go get it myself” he paused, to catch his breath.

Then raised a file towards Jake, “Here you go, sir”

Jake, motioned his hands towards the table for Henry to drop the file on it.

Silence followed.

“You didn't seem very scared of me yesterday, what changed?” Jake asked, breaking the silence.

Henry's head dropped to the wooden floor, “Mr Ray said you were upset and if I got on your nerves more, he'd show me hell” he words dragged as he spoke.

Another silence followed with Jake wondering why Ray still cared after everything that happened and Henry wondering if his loose mouth would finally be the reason for his demise.

“I'm angry at him, not you” Jake smiled, taking small strides towards Henry.

Henry shifted uncomfortably on his seat as Jake's large hairy palm rested on his shoulders, massaging them softly.

“You don't need to be scared,” he cooed.

Henry sprang up from the chair like it burnt his balls.

“I will be in my room, sir” he bowed and pointed towards the door but stood for Jake to agree to his escape.

Jake snickered his laughter, “ok” he responded, making his way back to the bed where he watched his doorknob click with Henry's exit.

“This is going to be easier than I thought” Jake snickered.

Henry's POV.

His heart pounded hard against his chest. As he stood before Ray in the living room.

He had just finished college 6 months ago and didn't want to waste any time stuck at home like his father and elder brother.

He also didn't have enough experience to get a decent job either so he worked hard and joined Elite Valley Tech Ltd as an intern.

His life could have been easy from then on but it wasn't.

Right from the first time he met Ray.

Ray had walked by the seminar hall where Frank was addressing them and in that moment, he lost his ability to think.

He sought out opportunities to get closer to Ray, from trying to get his attention at the car park, to insisting on serving tea during conference meetings, to assisting Frank with submitting documents at late hours when he was sure Ray would be alone in the office.

Was he scared of Ray, yeah but that excited him about Ray the most.

His eyes darted to the smoky-eyed Ray lying lazily on the couch with his shirt buttoned down.

“Travel to Ridge Stream and use this card” he ordered. pointing a platinum black and gold debit card at Henry.

Henry nodded, his stomach twisting.

Going out was the problem, the last time he went out, he noticed odd overly masculine figures trailing him in the shadows.

Going out was a risk he wasn't sure he wanted to take on.

He froze, his lips opened to speak but words failed to form.

“Sir, I'm scared” his lips quivered.

His head daring not to meet Ray's gaze.

“The men outside are there to safeguard the house, if they wanted to attack they would have done that a long time ago” Ray's voice was firm, laced with disgust echoed across the room.

Henry's eyes glistened with tears forming around the corners of their eyes.

He hated the ring of frustration and irritation in Ray's voice every time he spoke to him, he hated how he couldn't just bring himself to stop his heart from leaping at the smell of Ray's musky scent and his demeaning aura.

He wanted to stop his mind from imagining Ray’s lips tracing the lines of his neck, his lips, his body.

To stop the cycle of wet dreams of Ray grinding against his ass with his cork buried into him.

But he couldn't, he didn't want to.

“Leave” Ray waved his hands dismissively.

Henry nodded, turning immediately, almost stumbling against a cushion.

“Wait” Ray ordered

Henry froze with his hand clasped around the doorknob.

“What's rule 2?” Ray asked.

“To make sure I'm not seen when going out of this house and I'm to make sure nobody traces me back to this house”