chapter 10

Lewis jumped out of the bed the moment his mind fully caught up with what was happening.

“You kidnapped me!” he shouted again, pointing wildly between Derek and Paulo. “This is illegal! Do you hear me? Completely illegal!” His voice echoed through the room.

Derek was already sitting on the edge of the bed. He looked more annoyed than concerned. Yes, he was irritated by Lewis but he was mad at himself for getting involved with Lewis.

Lewis grabbed the nearest piece of clothing he could find. He saw a shirt on the floor and pulled it over his head in a rush.

“I’m calling the police,” he continued, pacing back and forth. “The moment I get my phone, I’m calling them. Kidnapping, assault, whatever happened last night… I'll report everything!”

Paulo leaned casually against the wall, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement. At some point, he thought the mistake was partly his fault. Because he was busy last night, he didn't ask his men to check up on Derek.

Usually, incidents like this are avoided because Paulo was responsible to separate Derek from all the men he fucked in the club before morning.

Derek slowly stood up.

Lewis noticed how calm he looked.

“You have to hand over my phone and let me go.” Lewis demanded, his voice shaking slightly now.

“Ain’t you asking for too much?” Derek asked.

Lewis blinked. “What?”

“You are asking for your phone, at the same time liberty. Why are you greedy?”

Lewis looked at Derek with a horrific expression. “Greedy?” He scoffed. “It seems like you haven't fully comprehended your crimes.”

“Actually,” Derek replied calmly, “You are the one who hasn't comprehended the situation."

Lewis opened his mouth to shout again, but Paulo suddenly spoke.

“Why don’t you shut up for two seconds and listen?”

Lewis turned to him angrily.

“I’m not listening to anything! I…”

“Listen,” Derek interrupted, his tone colder now.

Something about the way he said it made Lewis pause just for a moment.

Derek watched him carefully. “Good,” he said quietly.

He began walking slowly around the room, like a predator circling its prey.

“You want to go to the police?” Derek continued.

Lewis swallowed but lifted his chin. “Yes.”

Derek nodded. “Interesting choice.”

Lewis frowned.

Derek stopped in front of him. “You know what happens to people who cause problems for me?” he asked.

Lewis didn’t answer.

Derek’s voice lowered.

“I make them disappear.”

The room suddenly felt colder as goosebumps sprouted on Lewis' skin. Instead of showing fear, he laughed nervously.

“You must be joking,” he said.

Derek didn’t smile. “I’ve broken men’s teeth for talking too much,” he continued calmly. “I pulled them out one by one.”

Lewis’s smile faded, instantly.

Paulo crossed his arms, trying very hard not to laugh.

Derek continued walking slowly around Lewis.

“Once,” he said thoughtfully, “a man tried to expose one of my businesses.”

Lewis’s throat tightened.

Derek leaned slightly closer. “I cut out his tongue.”

Lewis’s eyes widened.

“People can’t talk if they don’t have tongues,” Derek added.

The look on Lewis' face was so funny that Paulo pressed his lips together, trying to control himself from laughing out loud. Quickly, he looked away before he could let it out.

Lewis was already trembling. His hands shook slightly at his sides.

“You’re lying,” he whispered.

Derek’s expression didn’t change. “This is the second time you've called me a liar. That's a sin against me.”

“I…” Lewis started but Derek interrupted.

“I'm not done introducing myself.”

“Go ahead,” Lewis said with a shaky voice.

Derek nodded once and continued.

“I’ve buried people where no one will ever find them,” he said calmly. “No bodies means no evidence.”

Lewis took a small step backward. “Why are you telling me this?” he asked.

Derek’s eyes locked onto his.

“To make you understand something.”

Lewis swallowed.

Derek leaned closer.

“If you eventually leave this house alive…”

Lewis’s breath caught in his throat.

“…and you tell anyone about what you saw here… my club, my house, anything…”

Lewis’s legs felt weak now.

Derek’s voice became deadly low. “I will find you.”

Lewis nodded rapidly.

“And when I do,” Derek continued, “I will chop your body into pieces.”

Lewis’s face had turned pale.

“And feed you to my hyenas.”

The room went completely silent.

Lewis was shaking now. Not just nervous shaking, it was full trembling.

Paulo had to look away again because his shoulders were already shaking with silent laughter.

Lewis nodded quickly, his curls bouncing with the movement.

“Okay,” he whispered.

Derek tilted his head slightly.

“Okay what?”

“Okay, sir.” Lewis could barely get the words out.

Derek studied him for a moment. The fear in Lewis’s eyes was very real now and it was satisfying for him to watch.

So he straightened, a subtle smirk played at the corner of his lips.

Lewis stood there frozen for a few seconds before finally gathering enough courage to speak again.

“C-can I go now?” His voice came out small.

Derek looked at him like he had forgotten everything he just told him.

Then he spoke slowly. “Do you remember everything I said?”

Lewis blinked nervously. “Yes.”

“Tell me! What did I say?”

“You said if I told anyone about you, you will find me.”

Derek nodded. “And?” he said, prompting Lewis to continue.

“That's all,” Lewis answered.

“If you can't remember what I said a minute ago, how would you remember when you leave?”

Lewis’s stomach dropped. “Just let me go,” he pleaded.

“I said if you eventually leave, I didn't say you were leaving,” Derek said with a dangerously low voice.

Paulo let out a quiet cough to hide his laughter.

Lewis stared at Derek in horror. “Eventually?”

Derek nodded once.

From within, Lewis summoned courage to counter Derek's claim. “Who do you think you are to keep me against my will?”

Derek didn't reply. In fact, he was stunned by the sudden outbursts.

Derek's silence encouraged Lewis to continue. “I think you are feeling like Stygian. Kidnapping and threatening people like it was legal.”

Paulo couldn't hold back his laugh anymore. He let out a short mocking life before controlling himself again.

Derek was amused by Lewis' ignorance.

“Just so you know, young man. I'm Derek Stygian.”

Lewis wanted to laugh but his brain quickly calculated everything that had happened. He had never met Stygian before but everything he heard and saw here were similar to the things he had heard about him.

Now, his initial trembling had returned.

Derek turned toward Paulo casually.

“Take him away.”

Lewis immediately stiffened. “Wait…please…”

“And make sure,” Derek added calmly, “that he never appears in front of me again.”

Paulo pushed himself off the wall. “Sure thing, boss.”

Lewis turned desperately between the two men. “Where are you taking me?”

Paulo gestured toward the door. “Relax.”

Relaxing was the last thing Lewis could do in his current situation.

“Come on,” Paulo said, already walking toward the exit.

Lewis hesitated for a moment before following him.

Just before leaving the room, he glanced back at Derek. Derek had already turned away, completely uninterested now.

Lewis quickly looked forward again and hurried out of the room. And the door closed behind them.

For a moment, Derek stood there alone in the quiet room. Then he sighed and rubbed his temple.

“Annoying kid.”

But for some strange reason… he found him amusing.