chapter 9

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 eyes, confusion hit him immediately. The room was unfamiliar. The ceiling above him was high and painted in dark tones, a large chandelier hanging silently above the bed was something he hadn't seen before. And the curtains… They were so dark that they blocked most of the morning light, leaving the room dim and mysterious.

A frown etched on Lewis’ face. This was definitely not his apartment, he thought.

Where was this? He asked himself as he slowly turned his head.

Suddenly, he froze as he saw a man beside him.

A large man with broad shoulders tangled in dark sheets, tattoos spread across muscular arms and chest. He was snoring softly as his head rested against the pillow.

Lewis stared at him for exactly two seconds before his brain caught up with his current situation.

“AAAAAH!” Lewis screamed, shooting upright in the bed so fast the sheets twisted around his legs and he landed right back on the bed.

The scream echoed through the room and Derek, who was sleeping beside him, stirred.

Lewis clutched the blanket to his chest, staring at Derek like he had just seen a ghost.

“WHAT THE HELL?!” he shouted again.

Then the memories started flooding back.

The mansion, the stripper club he found, the mysterious man that called him, and the drink he gave him.

His memories didn't stop there. He remembered how he was the one flirting with the man. Despite his confused state, embarrassment washed over him.

“Oh my God!” Lewis screamed again, covering his face with both hands. “No, no, no, no, no.”

Beside him, Derek groaned as he slowly woke up, clearly irritated by the noise. His eyes opened halfway, and the first thing he saw was Lewis panicking on the bed.

Derek blinked once and his expression hardened instantly.

“What the fuck?” His voice was deep and rough with sleep.

Lewis looked at him in horror. “You! What have you done to me?”

Derek sat up slowly, rubbing his temple with obvious annoyance.

“Why are you fucking screaming so early in the morning?” he asked.

Lewis pointed at him with a trembling finger. “Why am I screaming? Are you asking me that?

Derek frowned deeper. “Who else am I supposed to ask?”

Lewis looked around the bed wildly before realizing something else. As he looked down, he was only wearing his boxers.

His eyes widened again. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME?!” he screamed.

Now Derek was fuming in anger. Why was he screaming? Derek thought.

He also looked down at himself and realised he was wearing only boxers too. So, what's the big deal?

“Why are you screaming?” Derek asked, his voice already clearer than earlier.

Lewis grabbed the bedsheets tighter like it was a shield to cover him.

“What did you do to me?” he asked instead.

Derek glared at him. “What did I do to you?”

Lewis nodded rapidly. “Yes! I need you to answer, ASAP!”

Derek stared at him like he had just heard the stupidest sentence of his life. Since he had been sleeping with men, Paulo knew not to bring anyone else into his room. Why did they bring this idiot with him?

Then he pointed toward the door.

“Get out,” he ordered.

Lewis blinked in shock. “What?”

“Get out.” Derek repeated.

Lewis didn’t move. Instead, his face twisted in disbelief. “You think I’d leave without a proper explanation? Are you kidding me right now?”

Derek’s eyes narrowed. “Explanation for what exactly?” Derek spat.

Lewis threw his hands in the air. “For waking up beside you with only my boxers on and faint pain in my arsehole.”

Derek took a sharp breath as he tried to control his irritation and anger.

“Why should I be the one to explain what you started?” He asked.

Lewis blinked for what seemed like the tenth time that morning. “What I started? It started when you got me drunk!”

Now, it was Derek's turn to stare at him in disbelief.

Then he let out a short, disbelieving laugh.

“Excuse me? Did you just accuse me of getting your adult ass drunk? What are you? Eighteen?”

“Foremost, I'm not eighteen. I'm twenty three. Secondly, you gave me that drink, I didn't ask for it!”

Derek’s voice dropped lower. “Listen to me, young man. You took the drink from me.”

Lewis pointed accusingly. “That’s because you offered it!”

Derek leaned forward slightly, his irritation growing.

“I don’t lure men and I clearly didn't lure you.”

Lewis scoffed loudly. “Oh really? So, tell me. How did I end up in your bed?”

“Because you wanted to fuck me so bad.”

Blood drained from Lewis’ face as he heard Derek.

“You are a liar!” he spat.

Derek’s patience snapped slightly. “Liar?”

Lewis nodded. “Yes, you are. How could you accuse me of such a thing? Are you that desperate to escape punishment for your crime?

Derek was stunned.

Lewis continued. “In my right state of mind, I can never be attracted to you. I don't even know who you are or your name.”

Derek folded his arms as disbelief etched on his face. “Wow!” That was the only word he could say.

He still can't wrap his head around the fact that he was seduced by a lunatic.

Lewis pointed at himself. “Take a look at me, do I look gay to you?

Derek raised an eyebrow as another wave of surprise washed over him.

“You are not gay?”

Lewis shook his head aggressively. “No, I'm not gay.”

“This is a disaster,” Derek muttered.

Lewis ran both hands through his curly hair. “I have a girlfriend!”

Derek glared at him. “Congratulations.”

Lewis glared at him. “You ruined my life!”

Derek leaned back slightly, clearly losing interest in the conversation. “Trust me,” he said flatly, “you’re not that memorable.”

Lewis gasped. Before he could respond, the door suddenly opened.

Paulo walked in.

He was clearly in a hurry, ready to report something important.

“Boss, the paramedic was nowhere to be…” His sentence stopped halfway as he saw who was on the bed.

Paulo was astonished as he saw Lewis in bed with Derek. Slowly he looked from Derek… to Lewis… and back to Derek again.

He was disappointed that his boss was involved with the paramedic, of all the people in the world. He didn't say anything else, but his silence was the kind of judging disappointment only a loyal assistant could deliver.

Derek immediately frowned. “Did you just say a paramedic?”

Meanwhile, Lewis was staring between the two men in confusion.

“Boss…”

Derek already knew what was coming.

“…that’s the paramedic.”

For a minute, silence fell upon the room.

Derek slowly turned his head toward Lewis. Lewis slowly turned toward Derek. Both men stared at each other.

Then Lewis whispered in horror. “You kidnapped me… and then slept with me?”

Paulo rubbed his forehead. “This was going to be a long day.”