LOGINLewis sat at the break table with a styrofoam cup of coffee growing colder in his hands. He had not taken a proper sip in almost ten minutes.His mind kept replaying everything he had been hearing about the gas leak inside. At first, he entertained the thought because that was the only way he could push Derek away from his mind. But now, he was really invested in the case because of everything he had been hearing about it. Across from him, Annie sat scrolling through news updates on her phone while Martin leaned against the vending machine eating chips loudly enough to irritate everyone around him.“Can you chew quieter?” Annie complained without looking up.“This is my natural sound.”“It sounds like drywall breaking,” Annie retorted without hesitation.Lewis barely listened. His attention drifted toward the television mounted high in the corner of the room.The gas leak was on the news again. A female reporter stood outside the daycare center while caution tape surrounded the bui
The seaport smelled like salt, diesel, and dangerous money.Massive shipping containers towered across the dockyard like metal buildings while cranes moved slowly overhead. Workers shouted instructions over the noise of engines and machinery while officers inspected paperwork with practiced boredom.Derek walked through the controlled chaos like he owned the entire coastline.Black shirt. Black coat. Black gloves folded neatly in one hand.Everything about him carried the same cold precision that made people move aside instinctively whenever he appeared.Paulo followed closely behind him, scanning the environment carefully while two more men trailed at a distance.“Container seven already cleared,” Paulo informed quietly while walking beside him. “But customs delayed the leather shipment again.”Derek’s jaw tightened faintly.“Reason?”“Random inspection.”Derek scoffed softly. “There’s nothing random about inspections anymore.”Paulo agreed Ever since Alonso started making strategic
Lewis sat in the break room staring blankly at a vending machine. It didn't necessarily want anything from it. He only fixed his gaze on it because he lacked the energy to look elsewhere. His body ached from ruining here and there, his head hurt from overthinking. And somewhere at the back of his mind sat the uncomfortable awareness that Derek or one of Derek's men might have been watching him from across the street while he was working. That thought alone was enough to make his blood pressure unstable because he didn't even know what Derek might do next. The last time Derek wanted attention, he made a huge donation to the hospital. This time, he might end up buying the whole paramedic station. “Lewis.”He looked up to see who called. Cheryl stood at the doorway holding a clipboard against her chest.Unlike most people at the station, Cheryl never needed to raise her voice to command attention. She carried authority naturally. Even now, dressed in navy scrubs with tired eyes and
As each day passed, the paramedic station had become a place of unexpected dramas. Not dramas like that of Barbie and Lewis, or Derek and Lewis. These were medical related dramas. Emergency and chaos kind of drama. It had been three days since Lewis left Derek's house and those three days were occupied with nonstop work. One moment, Lewis was sitting at the back of the ambulance with Annie, lazily discussing whether cold pizza counted as breakfast. The next moment, calls erupted with overlapping voices about a gas leak at a daycare center two streets away.Now the station looked like a battlefield. Children cried from every direction. Some coughed violently.Others clung to terrified teachers while paramedics rushed back and forth with oxygen masks, stretchers, and medical kits.The scent of gas filled the air around the victims, but was faintly mixed with antiseptic, medicines and panic.Lewis moved quickly through the crowd despite the exhaustion weighing on him from his sleepless
Raine knocked twice before entering Derek’s study. She already knew he would not answer.Derek rarely answered knocks when he was irritated. He simply expected people to either leave or take the risk of entering anyway. And Raine had learned very quickly that he preferred the second option.“I'm busy,” he said without looking at her. “You know that won't stop me,” Raine said as she shut the door behind her calmly.Without lifting his gaze, he said, “If you’re here to talk about Lewis, Paulo already said enough.”Raine walked further inside as she replied. “Did he tell you everything you did wrong?” That finally earned her a glance from Derek. “He told me enough. You don't have to add to it.”“Just so you know, both of you are at fault,” Raine said, surprising Derek. That made him give her his full attention. “But you could have handled it better,” she said, causing him to scoff. “He involved the police.”“He reported his ex-girlfriend for destroying his apartment.”“He involved
Lewis had no one to call. He had nowhere to go.He regretted saying he had a couple of normal people willing to help him if he asked. Because he clearly didn't have anyone to help him at that moment. His life had been simple. Like really simple before Derek came in to make it colorful with violence. He went to work regularly, he came back to his apartment when he was done at work. His mother and sister visited when it was important but he never visited them due to personal reasons. He had Barbie at some point in his life and he thought he was settled in life. But now that his apartment was gone, Barbie was gone, his mother's house was unsuitable for visiting, he was left with one option and that was his work place. He didn't even know he would end up there when he told Raine. He just said it and just like a prophecy, he eventually ended up there. Lewis arrived at work exhausted. He was emotionally drained as his brain replayed the argument with Derek over and over again like an
“Get him,” Derek ordered. Paulo left without saying a word. There was no time to waste in situations like that. They've never gotten themselves into something like this before. While Paulo was gone, Derek thought of all possible ways to get rid of Lewis without drawing attention from the public.
Derek’s eyes stay on Lewis for only a moment before his expression changes. He doesn't have to say much before Lewis can understand that he was in trouble. “Paulo.” Derek calls. Paulo entered immediately. “What did I say about this young man? He asked. Derek got no response from Paulo but his e
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
Lewis woke to pain.A sharp, pounding headache throbbed behind his eyes, each beat echoing through his skull like someone was hammering from the inside. He groaned and pressed a hand against his forehead, squeezing his eyes shut.“What the actual hell…” His voice came out hoarse.As he opened his e







