[fiC] Cruel Intentions - Revelation Chapter 10
I disappeared for like two months >.< Sorry T_T But at long last I'm done with chapter 10 (and 5 pages into 11 *yay*). If baby doesn't get sick again it should be ready soon (if anyone's still reading, that is XD)
Title: Revelation Chapter 10
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Smex, OOC, violence, and strong language etc. etc.
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail, a lot of OCs
Disclaimer: All characters belong to YA sensei.
Note: Previous chapters and the prequel to Revelation "Cruel Intentions" can be found on the side bar of my lj kajornwan.
As always, thanks to my beta hsyang. ^_^
Toh Residence, Shanghai
The red-tailed boa constrictor slowly coiled its red and gold body around a branch of a man-made tree in the corner of its master’s study. In front of it was a tall, slender Chinese man in traditional clothing, standing with one arm behind his back, watching the exquisite reptile’s every movement with eyes that remarkably resembled those of his exotic pet.
“Someone tried to steal the casino deed from Baishe yesterday,” a man in a black suit, who had just been given permission to enter, began his report. “Our sources confirmed the mole worked for the Russians.”
Toh lifted an eyebrow slowly in response. The news was a surprise to him. He knew Mikhail Arbatov would never sit still until the matter had been resolved. But for the man to go so far as to try to steal the deed from Fei Long was something Toh had never anticipated from the Russian. Perhaps what Mikhail had said about his relationship with the Baishe leader being already broken was true after all.
“Does Fei Long know?” Toh asked with his eyes still fixed on the reptile before him. It would be interesting to see what would happen between the two former lovers if Fei Long found out.
“He had the spy’s eyeballs sent to the Arbatov estate this morning,” the man replied without a change in expression. It was standard practice at Baishe - traitors got sent back to their true masters, naturally, in pieces.
“That’s all?” Toh asked in surprise. Considering Fei Long’s reputation from the past, if his ties with the Russian had truly been severed, Mikhail Arbatov should already be in much bigger trouble. Fei Long might look feminine, but the dragon’s wrath was known to be the worst of all the crime lords in China. And betrayal was the one thing Fei Long despised the most.
“It appears so, Laoban.”
“Pity,” Toh noted with a little irritation in his tone as he realized what it meant. There was love for the Russian in his little brother’s heart still.
“And what of that Japanese man?”
“Asami Ryuichi keeps only two men by his side who are both extremely loyal. We haven’t been able to obtain any inside information,” the man replied reluctantly. Unlike Fei Long, Asami was just a powerful man, not the head of an organization. Asai Ryuichi worked independently and privately, making his moves in the background through his connections, rather than keeping a structured organization that would be easier to infiltrate.
“But we found out he’d arrived in Hong Kong just days before Liu senior’s death and left shortly after Fei Long went to jail…” The man paused and swallowed before he reluctantly continued. “It also appears he was working with your father at the time.”
A sarcastic smile spread over Toh’s face as he listened and put the pieces together in his mind. He had discovered his father’s wish to bring Fei Long back into the Toh family shortly before the old man was killed. Considering the timing of Asami’s appearance and the events that followed, it was now quite clear to him that the Japanese man must have had a hand in making the Liu family fall apart seven years ago. If Asami Ryuichi had been working with his father back then, everything might have originated from his father’s plan to bring down his competition - namely the Liu family. And if Mikhail Arbatov was right about Asami being the one who had killed his father instead of Fei Long, then Asami must have been with Fei Long the night his father died. Perhaps Mikhail had told him the truth. Which meant that the relationship between Fei Long and Asami could have been something incredibly deep that went all the way back to that event seven years ago.
“I’m guessing Fei Long’s recent visit to Tokyo had to do with Asami Ryuichi?” Toh asked as he glided a hand along the scaly skin of the boa. But in truth, he could already guessed the answer.
“We know briefly that they ran into some conflict in Japan, and Fei Long has brought a young Japanese man back with him. Asami is now in Hong Kong, possibly to retrieve the hostage.”
This time, Phillip Toh could no longer hold back his amusement over the situation and laughed openly. He could hardly believe his luck. Fei Long must have kidnapped Asami’s lover out of jealousy, which was probably why Mikhail had been cast aside. With Fei Long and Mikhail not cooperating while an enemy like Asami was on the move, it was far too easy for him to execute his plans.
“What is it they say? Love really does make one a fool,” Toh said, amused. “Is Asami working with anyone in Hong Kong?”
“There is a man who has been in contact with him regularly ever since he’s arrived,” the man answered with an obvious grin. He knew his master would particularly enjoy this bit of information.
“Anyone I know?”
The subordinate smiled with an expression that closely resembled his master’s.
“Fei Long’s personal and most trusted bodyguard.”
***
The cell phone rang twice. Mikhail put down the glass in his hand and reached into his pocket. After hesitating for a brief moment at seeing the unknown number displayed, he decided to pick up the call.
“Arbatov,” a familiar voice he didn’t like to hear sounded from the other end of the line, prompting him to look up at Alexei who was sitting across the breakfast table, before he put the phone down and turned on the speaker.
“Well, if it isn’t Asami Ryuichi himself,” Mikhail said in his usual playful tone. It sure was a surprise to be getting a call from a man he’d take pleasure in killing. But until the opportunity presented itself, it’d be wise to appear neutral. “How are you enjoying Hong Kong?”
Clearly understanding the meaning behind that last sentence, Asami fell silent for a few seconds. Mikhail Arbatov was certainly not just a kid with power. The Russian must have been having him followed for quite a while. “I have a proposition for you,” Asami finally spoke.
“A proposition?” Mikhail repeated in a mocking tone, adding a little bit of a Russian accent to the word. He could speak perfect English if he wanted to, but sometimes he’d purposely put on a thick Russian accent when he wanted to show he couldn’t care less about a subject, just to irritate people. Although he had to admit, given the situation, he certainly didn’t expect Asami Ryuichi to be willing to do business with him - not unless the man was desperate or somewhat out of his mind.
“I want information on secret bank safes in Macau,” Asami stated directly. He didn’t have time to waste.
Mikhail leisurely tapped his fingertips on the table as he retreated into a brief silence, trying to figure out Asami’s game in his head. There was only one thing that information could lead to.
“Don’t waste my time. You want Fei Long’s deed to the Macau casino,” Mikhail replied bluntly. Under the circumstances, he could immediately tell that Asami was after the deed. But for what? To get back at Fei Long? It wasn’t like Asami Ryuichi to get his hands dirty over something like emotions. Considering how the deed itself held no value other than as leverage, Asami must want something else from Fei Long. But what?
“You know we’re after it. Why would I want to give you that information?” Mikhail stalled.
“Because you need your own firepower to go to war with Toh and your father, which I have. And I need the deed which you can always try to steal later,” Asami replied calmly. Mikhail should know he wasn’t the only one with inside information.
“You have a point,” Mikhail admitted. The answer caused Alexei to raise a brow in surprise. He never would have thought Mikhail would agree to something so risky over money or firepower.
“Do we have a deal?” Asami demanded.
“That depends on your offer. I want cash and firearms. Pay me in euros; the dollar is depreciating,” Mikhail added with a playful grin on his face as he leaned back and took a sip of his morning espresso. “Make me an offer I can’t refuse.”
As soon as his brother had hung up the phone, Alexei asked, “You’re really going to sell him that information?”
“It’s not like he’d be able to get it with just that information. I might as well rip off the old bastard just for the sake of it.” Mikhail shrugged carelessly.
“What makes you so confident?” Alexei asked curiously. It wasn’t like his brother to underestimate his opponent. Mikhail might appear carefree and playful, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t focused and calculating. To risk something like this meant he had some crucial information to back up his confidence.
“One still needs a key to open a safe,” Mikhail replied. “As far as I know, the keeper of that key - who would never betray Fei Long - remains a top secret.”
“A secret that you’ve discovered?”
“Only because Fei Long let me.” The Russian mafia boss smiled to himself as he recalled Fei Long’s rather indecent way of testing him. “It was supposed to be a test - to see if I’d dare try to steal it from him.” Even though they’d been intimate for quite a while, Fei Long still didn’t fully trust him. Every once in a while, the cunning dragon would let something slip on purpose, just to test Mikhail’s reaction. It certainly wasn’t easy to get close to the man - Fei Long had made sure of that. But Mikhail wasn’t the kind of man who would quit before he had gotten what he wanted.
“And you didn’t.”
“Even I wouldn’t steal from a kid.”
“Clever bastard,” Alexei exclaimed as he realized to whom his brother was referring. No one would have thought Fei Long would give something so important to a child like Tao. “Although he must have placed it somewhere else by now, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps. But my instinct tells me it’s still with Tao,” Mikhail replied with a wink. “For now, the key should be safe - unless, of course, if this information ever gets out - then Tao would be in grave danger. Keep an eye on the Japanese anyway. Take them all down if they try to get close to the boy. And have someone find out what Asami wants from Fei Long.”
***
The wind blew softly through the open balcony door, scattering the neatly piled papers on the antique Chinese desk. A tall, slender body stood motionless above it with his arms crossed behind his back, ignoring the mess he usually found irritating and the cup of tea nearby that had already gone cold.
The news of his father's deed being stolen by Asami had left Fei Long feeling much more than just anger - it had struck him with a sense of failure he hadn't experienced since his father died. How could he have been so blind to let a mole, a traitor, get so close to him? He was more than certain Tao would never betray him, and the only man who knew he had given Tao the key to the safe was Mikhail. But if Mikhail truly wanted to steal the deed, why would he steal the false deed first and create such a facade when he’d already known how to get the real one? Besides, it was unlikely that Mikhail would ever sell the deed to Asami, considering the circumstances.
No. It couldn't be Mikhail. But, still, he had to be sure.
The desk phone rang once before the head of Baishe snatched up the receiver. He had been anxiously awaiting a call from Wong, who he had instructed to check on Tao as soon as he had heard the deed had been stolen. If Tao had been hurt in any way in the process, it would have been Fei Long’s fault alone for leaving the key in the boy's protection, and that was something he couldn't live with.
"Wong?"
"Tao is fine, Laoban." Sensing his master's concern for the boy, the man on the phone answered without waiting to be questioned.
There was only silence from his master, followed by a quiet sigh of relief that could hardly be heard. It was enough to tell a high-ranking subordinate like Wong, who had been working for the family for decades, that whatever was happening had affected his master greatly. But it wasn't his place to ask, and the only thing he could do was carry out his duty faultlessly.
"I have the hospital visitors log that you asked for, Laoban."
"Read the names to me, beginning from the last two days."
"They're all our men and the staff close to Tao, Laoban. There’s Amanda Lee, your housekeeper; Peter Chang, your head chef; Yoh; and the head butler, Lou."
Fei Long closed his eyes for a few seconds as a name was singled out in his mind. Among those names there was only one person who could have known the location of the key and acquired it from Tao without the need to harm the boy - a name he would have otherwise quickly crossed off the list of suspected moles and traitors, had the man not visited Tao recently.
"....Laoban?"
Fei Long didn't answer. In the back of his mind, a recent conversation with Akihito repeated itself over and over, as if to confirm the suspicion he was trying to deny.
"...kidnapping me like this isn't going to get you any answers from Asami..."
"Where did you hear this from?"
"From your subordinate. I asked him, so he told me."
There was only one man in charge of Akihito, only one man close enough to Tao to gain the boy's trust. Having met Yoh in jail, there was no way Yoh could have known the details of Fei Long’s relationship with Asami. Unless...
"That's all I need. Thank you, Wong," Fei Long ended the conversation abruptly before slowly placing the phone down. His eyes glowed a haunting shade of violet as he stared into the empty space before him.
"You ignorant fool," the head of Baishe scowled at himself, gritting his teeth tightly until he could feel the pain that closely resembled what was in his heart.
“I swear with my life - I will never leave you.”
How stupid could he be for ever believing those words and what he saw in those eyes, when everything was a lie - a perfect lie he had been believing for seven years, created by his biggest enemy and carried out by the one subordinate he had trusted the most. Now that his eyes had been opened, it was unmistakably Asami's style - strategically positioning a man to meet him in jail and gain his trust when he was in his most vulnerable state to ensure that he would later have Yoh by his side relaying every bit of information within Baishe back to his true master. It was a plan of a genius. And a pathetic fool like him fell for it...for seven years.
"Father," Fei Long said quietly as he lowered his gaze to the floor, remembering how and why his father had to die. Baishe, his father’s legacy, was going to perish under the command of someone like him. "I am unfit to be your son."
A few knocks on the door startled him from his thoughts. Fei Long adjusted himself and granted permission to enter. No matter what happened, he still had an organization to run, and he would at least try to run it the way his father would have if he had been alive.
Yuan, Fei Long's other personal bodyguard, promptly entered his master's study with a quick but formal bow. Fei Long took a glance at the two brown envelopes in the man's hand and realized Yuan had automatically carried out the duty of delivering documents in Yoh's place, meaning that Yoh was absent, just as Fei Long thought he would be.
"Fei Long-sama, this just came for you via express mail. Because there was no sender's name, we had to check it before handing it to you, as you've instructed," Yuan explained as he handed the boss one opened envelope, deliberately keeping the other one behind his back.
Fei Long slowly reached out his hand for the document while his eyes carefully noted the strange expression on his subordinate's face. Whatever it was in that envelope, it had clearly upset his bodyguard enough for him to let it show. The answer presented itself clearly when he pulled out a set of photographs - photographs of what seemed to be a meeting between his most trusted bodyguard and Asami Ryuichi, taken from somewhere in the nearby building,
"You've seen this?" Fei Long asked without a change in expression as he flipped through the photographs and carelessly tossed them on his desk. How pathetic that he had only found out the truth minutes ago, when the secret enemy who had sent him the photographs - if not everyone in Hong Kong - had probably learned of this treacherous plan long ago enough to have Yoh followed, just so they could send over the evidence of Liu Fei Long's stupidity in a way where everyone at Baishe would learn about it. But at a time like this, when there were enemies around him in every direction and not a friend in sight, it would be a mistake if anyone thought he would just pack up and run - a deadly mistake.
”Yes, laoban,” Yuan replied with hesitation.
"Then what are you still doing here?" the dragon of Baishe questioned with a cold, condemning tone that struck like lightening.
"Waiting for your permission to act, Laoban."
Fei Long paused and looked at his loyal subordinate with eyes that had turned as cold as ice, signifying that the given answer was gravely disturbing. It may have been only a few seconds of being condemned by suffocating silence from his master, but to Yuan, those seconds seemed like hours.
"Have I ever tolerated a traitor, Yuan?"
"Never," Yuan straightened himself and answered promptly. He had almost forgotten what Liu Fei Long resented the most. Betrayal had always been the crime most heavily punished at Baishe.
"Take as many men as you need. By tomorrow, I want him dragged back here at my feet, alive," Fei Long commanded, making sure his every word was clearly heard and understood. "And find out who sent these."
The last sentence caused Yuan to shift his weight in discomfort, which didn't escape his master's hawk-like eyes.
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Yuan swallowed.
"There were two sets of photographs," Yuan explained as he reluctantly handed over the other brown envelope. "I think these will answer your last question, Laoban."
Fei Long took the second envelope and pulled out two photographs that looked like still images from a video recording. The images were blurry, but it would be denial to say he couldn't recognize the men in those photographs.
Fei Long’s hands holding the envelope and photographs tightened and trembled so hard that it was visible to his subordinate’s eyes. The news about Yoh’s betrayal had undoubtedly struck hard at his master’s pride. Those two photographs, however, struck Fei Long right at his very heart.
"Get a helicopter ready for me in five minutes," Fei Long commanded, the usually silky smooth voice broken and dry as he spoke. "I'm going to Macau."
***
The helicopter landed behind the Arbatov estate where a number of security guards stood waiting. The visit was unexpected, but the snake symbol on the side of the helicopter made it clear whom they were about to receive. Just as their boss could always stop by at Baishe without prior notice, Liu Fei Long, even though his unexpected visits were rare due to impeccable manners, was also given the privilege to enter and exit these premises as he pleased. And since his welcome had always been made clearer than anything else written in the rule book by Mikhail Arbatov himself, no one dared carry a weapon to greet the head of Baishe, even when the look on his face showed nothing but hostility.
Fei Long stepped out of the helicopter and headed toward the house at a quick pace, ignoring the guards that promptly acknowledged his presence and the maid who received him at the door as he entered.
"Liu Laoban, if you don't mind, I will notify Mr. Arbatov of your visit immediately," the butler replied worriedly with a quick bow, after intercepting the furious triad leader at the staircase leading to the second floor. Seeing the mood the Baishe leader was in, he had decided it wasn’t a good idea to let him surprise the boss in such a manner.
"Get out of my way or I’ll shoot you in the head. Where the fuck is he?" He knew the butler had done nothing wrong, but by then it was impossible for Fei Long to hold back the hostility in his words and tone, or care about his manners.
Despite the intimidating fury of the guest, the head butler, who had been with the family for decades, didn't move an inch. He had served Mikhail Arbatov since the man had been twelve years old. His concerns for the well-being of the Arbatov family came before the consequences of disobeying his master's orders.
"Sergei," a low, husky voice sounded from the second floor. Looking down at the commotion from the master bedroom at the top of the stairs, Mikhail Arbatov appeared in his dark blue terrycloth robe with one arm holding the door open while the other pushed back the damp and unruly golden hair from his face. “Let him through,” the master of the house commanded.
Fei Long looked up and glared at the man above whose appearance showed he had just come out of the shower. He could see no surprise on Mikhail’s face, but the playful smile that had always been his trademark was nowhere to be seen. It was this evidence that made Fei Long realize Mikhail had already known something about the reason behind his visit that day and was somewhat expecting his call.
Without another word spoken, the head butler automatically understood what was being asked of him and moved aside to allow the head of Baishe through. It wasn’t every day that Mikhail would seem so agitated, not to mention that he had been in his usual mood just after he came up from the pool where some news was given to him. To Sergei, it had to be something about Liu Fei Long’s presence that day that had put Mikhail in such a mood.
Fei Long proceeded quickly to the door that was held open for him by the man he had come to see, without saying another word, although his glowing amethyst eyes, which remained locked with those of the Russian, were more than enough to show his anger.
Mikhail closed the door and turned around, still without a trace of a smile on his face. He could immediately guess why Fei Long was there to see him, and it was exactly why he felt such anger in his heart the moment he had learned about Fei Long’s visit.
“Since you came here looking like you want to kill me, why don’t you begin by giving me an explanation?” Mikhail asked in a tone he had never used towards the Baishe leader.
That alone made whatever control Fei Long still had snap. Before he could stop himself, the envelope he held smacked sharply against Mikhail’s right cheek.
“Explain? Why don’t you explain this?” For the first time in his life, Fei Long nearly screamed at someone in rage. Perhaps it was the result of several events in the past few days that had accumulated to make him feel such intense anger in his heart. Or perhaps it was just the picture of Mikhail kissing or touching someone else that had infuriated him enough to make him lose all control. Whatever it was, the pain that felt like a hundred daggers piercing through his chest was too much for him to remain in control.
Mikhail stood as still as a rock without uttering a word. His blue eyes that had turned ice-cold took a glance at the pictures scattered on the floor for a second, before he slowly bent down to pick them up, seemingly unaffected by the whole situation.
“Explain what?” Mikhail asked calmly as he carelessly tossed the photographs back on the floor by Fei Long’s feet after looking at them briefly. He had known something like this would happen. But what he had hoped for from Fei Long was a far different reaction. “You want to know if I fucked him? Why don’t you just come out and say it?”
“Well, did you?” Fei Long asked in almost a whisper through tightly clenched teeth, lifting his chin slightly as he confronted the bigger man for the truth. If Mikhail thought reverse psychology was going to work on him, the man had better think again.
“What if I did?” Mikhail asked with a scornful sneer. “As if it makes a difference to you who I fuck,” he added sarcastically. In his heart, Fei Long had already carved a permanent wound with just one question. To think that after all this time and all he had done, Fei Long had never trusted him. That, coupled with the news he had just been told regarding Fei Long stealing and keeping Asami’s boy-toy, had infuriated him enough to make him say the words he would never have said otherwise, not to someone who mattered to him as much as Fei Long.
“Bastard!” In an uncontrollable rage, Fei Long threw his fist at the Russian who caught his arm just before it landed and drove the smaller man up against the wall, nailing him with his superior strength. It was the first time Mikhail had ever been so violent, the first time he had shown such rage towards the head of Baishe.
“Get your filthy hands off me,” Fei Long hissed as he fought back with every limb to break free, only to be thrown back against the wall by the bigger man each time he tried. The insult must have made Mikhail snap, for just as the words left Fei Long’s lips, a strong, forceful hand snatched a fistful of his long, ebony hair and twisted it violently, pulling him forward close enough to Mikhail’s face that he could feel the strong, uneven breaths on his cheek.
“You fucked my brother, keeping yourself a Japanese man-whore - and you call me filthy,” Mikhail retaliated. He’d had to watch Fei Long with other men for far too long to keep his cool while being accused of disloyalty, most of all by Fei Long himself. “Or perhaps you’re here because your sex toy couldn’t do his job right,” Mikhail said with an obvious sneer on his face. At that moment, all he wanted to do was hurt someone.
“Don’t kid yourself. You’re not half the man he is, you dirty bastard!” Fei Long snarled back at the Russian’s face.
Hearing those words, Mikhail’s eyes lit up like a pair of burning blue flames before his hand violently yanked the smaller man up by the hair into a kiss, one that possessed no trace of affection but was filled with rage and the raw desire of a malicious animal about to torture its prey. There was a limit to what a man could take, and that limit had already been reached seconds ago.
Fei Long closed his eyes as he struggled to pry the bigger man away from him. Every kiss and every embrace from the man whose intention was only to inflict pain and humiliation made him sick to his stomach. It was nauseating enough to know those lips had been on someone else’s, but the way Mikhail treated him had disgusted and infuriated him beyond words.
“Get the fuck off me!” Fei Long yelled as he brought his knee up to the other man’s gut with all his strength. If Mikhail thought he was just going to stand there and become a victim of some sick, sexual abuse, he had another thing coming.
The impact made Mikhail growl in pain and fall backwards, freeing his captive in the process. Before another word was spoken, Fei Long pulled out a gun from under his jacket and pressed it against Mikhail’s forehead, ready to pull the trigger.
“You’re going to shoot me now?” A sarcastic laugh escaped Mikhail’s lips. Why was he surprised? After all this time, he had been, and still was, someone disposable to the leader of Baishe.
“I’ll fucking shoot you, Asami, and every last one of you lying, deceitful bastards!” Fei Long yelled, his whole body shaking from the anger and pain in his heart. There was no one in the world he could trust. No one.
It was then that Mikhail realized how stupid he was. Watching Fei Long as he said those words made him forget his own pain and filled him with more regret than he had ever felt in his life for what he’d just inflicted. The man standing in front of him wasn’t someone drowning in rage from jealousy, it was a man who had been severely wounded and damaged to the point of breaking apart. Those deep amethyst eyes he cherished had lost their strength and passion, and by then they were brimming with tears that Fei Long struggled with whatever strength he had left to hold back. It would have been better if those tears were out of sadness or regret, but knowing Fei Long, the only thing that filled his heart at that particular moment was hatred - hatred towards everyone around him, but most of all, towards himself.
“Fei…” Mikhail called, his voice softening into almost a whisper. How could he be so blind and not see it? Something, someone other than him, had driven Fei Long up against a wall, even before the photos of him and Toh had shown up. To his knowledge, there was only one event that could have upset Fei Long this much.
“Who stole the deed from you?” Mikhail asked as he stepped closer, ignoring the gun that was still pointing at him, and slowly reached out his hand.
“It’s none of your business,” Fei Long replied scornfully, turning away from the baby-blue eyes that could fool him with loyalty and affection over and over again. He’d had enough of believing everyone’s lies. He’d had enough of being deceived by the warmth of those hands that he’d always thought was real. “Get away from me.”
Mikhail realized he already knew the answer to his question. There was only one man left at Baishe whose betrayal could have upset Fei Long to that extent. Fei Long had trusted Yoh with his life, so much that Mikhail hadn’t been allowed to lay a finger on that man, no matter how much Yoh’s presence had irritated him in the past. It was unforgivable, but most of all, to Fei Long, it must have hurt like hell.
“You can shoot me if it makes you feel better,” Mikhail said as he took another step forward, pressing his forehead firmly against the gun in Fei Long’s hand. “I’ve never touched Toh, Fei.”
“I don’t believe you,” Fei Long said, still holding his gun firmly in place. He had made the stupid mistake of trusting someone twice - that had cost him more than he could afford. There wouldn’t be a third time.
Everyone would lie and betray him one day. Everyone.
Mikhail paused and looked directly into Fei Long’s eyes as he reached out and cradled the beautiful face between the palms of his hands.
“Look into my eyes,” Mikhail whispered. “Do you see anyone else?”
Perhaps he was too foolish to ever learn his lesson, or perhaps Mikhail had a way of persuading people, but when Fei Long looked into those eyes, he wanted to believe those words. There was unmistakable sincerity and affection in those eyes as there had always been. And once more, he found himself defeated by the one thing that had drawn him back to this man over and over again in the past. While in Asami’s eyes he often saw pity, and in Yoh’s there was sometimes sympathy, in these blue eyes he saw pride and unfailing appreciation as they looked upon him, no matter what he did or how pitiful he might have appeared. He used to love who he was in those eyes. And at that moment, those eyes were still the same.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Fei Long said as he slowly lowered his gun and closed his eyes. No matter how senseless it was, in his heart, he still wanted to believe in someone, and somehow Mikhail understood.
“There are still plenty of men at Baishe who would die for you…and Tao will never betray you,” Mikhail said as he gently pushed away the silky strands of ebony hair from the beautiful face. “Believe in me,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss away the tiny drops of tears that began to roll down Fei Long’s cheeks. “I will never leave you.”
Fei Long hesitated for a second as Mikhail’s lips pressed against his, before closing his eyes and allowing the warmth of Mikhail’s mouth to enter. To him, it felt like more than a just kiss. It was a promise of love and affection - one that was tender enough to mend whatever damage there was in his heart.
Fei Long soon found himself pressing harder into Mikhail’s embrace to satisfy his hunger for the warmth he was being given, and Mikhail responded with an appetite that matched his own.
“You do know if we keep going like this, I won’t be able to stop,” Mikhail whispered as he tried to control his own desire that, to him, was already an impossible task. But considering the circumstances, he wasn’t sure it was what Fei Long wanted, and the last thing he wanted to do was to put more pressure on him in any way.
“You dare stop and I’ll kill you,” Fei Long commanded before yanking the bigger man back down into a kiss. He wanted it, needed it then more than anything. After all, Mikhail was the only thing left that was still his and his alone.
Mikhail smiled before complying with Fei Long’s request with a deep and passionate kiss that matched his lover’s - at least that was what he wanted to call Fei Long, no matter how twisted their relationship might be and whether or not Fei Long would ever call him the same. If there was the tiniest part of Fei Long’s heart that needed him, then he would proudly accept it. He was going to be a part of Fei Long’s life at any cost, or else life was not worth living.
“I’m so goddamn obsessed with you, I’m going to die from it one day,” Mikhail murmured as he trailed his kisses down the side of Fei Long’s neck and devoured the taste of the smooth, delicate skin that smelled like heaven.
“You’re such a fool,” Fei Long responded with a gentle smile as he raked his fingers through Mikhail’s golden hair, pressing the man’s face closer against his skin.
“It’s everyone else who’s an idiot,” Mikhail countered between hot, heaving breaths. Being that close to Fei Long had always driven him mad with desire, even after just a few seconds. And considering that it had been weeks since the last time they were together, his sensitivity to Fei Long had tripled in strength.
Mikhail took a mouthful of Fei Long’s flesh and sucked hard on the elegant neck as if trying to draw blood. A soft moan of satisfaction escaped Fei Long’s lips, triggering Mikhail to respond with another carnivorous bite on his neck as his strong hands forced the slender body harder against the wall.
Fei Long reached down and tugged hard on the tie of Mikhail’s robe to feel the hot, firm skin underneath. The pain on his neck and Mikhail’s desperate attempt to tear him apart with his insatiable hunger had made Fei Long impatient. The last time he had run his hands down the tight muscles that made up Mikhail’s body felt like years ago, and by then it had become something he craved.
Mikhail held his breath in anticipation as Fei Long’s soft, wet lips viciously attacked his skin and soon found their way to his nipple, causing him to groan and tighten his hand around the long, silky black hair as Fei Long bit down on it greedily. The pain and the sensation that it delivered, coupled with the fact that it was Fei Long who was craving him, nearly took away his control completely. One thing that was severely addictive about the Baishe leader, apart from his physical perfection, was the fact that Fei Long, once completely stripped down of all emotional restraints, was nothing short of a wild and dangerous leopard sexually driven to drive any man insane.
Having already lost his control together with the ability to remain gentle, Mikhail yanked the smaller man up by the hair and threw him against the wall, nailing him with the weight of his body as he tore at the silk shirt that got in the way. Fei Long let out a short, heavy moan as each of his buttons was impatiently ripped opened, exposing the sensitive skin underneath that was waiting to be touched. Rough, forceful hands dragged across the alabaster skin in an attempt to seize and possess every inch of his body, leaving obvious red marks from his chest down to the sides of his torso and across his back, to which Fei Long cried out a mixture of pained and satisfied moans, digging his own fingernails into Mikhail’s back from the sudden rush of pleasure.
Ignoring the pain and sweat that began to drip down their skin from the exertion, they attacked each other with endless, untamable desire to fulfill their hunger. With every passing minute, their actions fed more fuel to each other’s fire; with every second, they were driven closer to madness. At that moment when nothing else seemed to matter, each heaving breath was a waste of time and stopping was unquestionably fatal.
Without warning, Mikhail spun the slender body around in his arms and held him firmly against the wall. With his body pressing against Fei Long’s back and his teeth sinking deep into the long, elegant neck, he plunged himself all the way into his lover. Fei Long cried out loudly in a mixture of pain and intense pleasure, clawing his fingernails at the wall in an attempt to hold on to his sanity. Mikhail thrust harder into him with one hand around Fei Long’s waist and the other wrapped firmly around his lover’s erection, aiming to wring him dry with his every stroke. It was then that Fei Long realized, perhaps through everything that had happened coupled with the fact that it had been a while since the last time they had been with each other, he had somehow released a beast from its cage. For at that moment, he feared the man would soon rip him apart with his seemingly uncontrollable desire.
But Liu Fei Long was far from easy prey. His own craving was burning him alive, so he, too, felt the need to feed on what Mikhail had to offer. With every thrust, Fei Long pushed back against Mikhail’s hips, taking the other man’s erection deeper and harder inside, earning him a series of heavy moans and groans from the Russian that alternated with his own. He could feel Mikhail’s arms tighten around his waist, crushing him breathless as the moisture on their skin made it difficult to hold him steady.
Waves of hot, heaving breaths blew on his skin as Mikhail thrust harder and faster into him. At the same time, the roughness of Mikhail’s hand that slid up and down the overly sensitive skin of his cock was brutally pumping him dry. Desperate to hang on for dear life, Fei Long reached out and grabbed the nearby curtain, tugging it hard with his hand as Mikhail buried himself deeper and deeper until he could no longer breathe. With one last thrust and a heavy bite on his shoulder from behind, Fei Long cried out loud, ripping the curtain off the hook as they came.
They lingered there for as long as they could, just being there, taking in the presence of one another until every second was permanently carved in their memories. It wasn’t the first time they had been together, but somehow and without any sensible explanation, it felt like the last time.
Web Counter
Title: Revelation Chapter 10
Rating: NC-17
Warning: Smex, OOC, violence, and strong language etc. etc.
Characters: Fei Long, Mikhail, a lot of OCs
Disclaimer: All characters belong to YA sensei.
Note: Previous chapters and the prequel to Revelation "Cruel Intentions" can be found on the side bar of my lj kajornwan.
As always, thanks to my beta hsyang. ^_^
Toh Residence, Shanghai
The red-tailed boa constrictor slowly coiled its red and gold body around a branch of a man-made tree in the corner of its master’s study. In front of it was a tall, slender Chinese man in traditional clothing, standing with one arm behind his back, watching the exquisite reptile’s every movement with eyes that remarkably resembled those of his exotic pet.
“Someone tried to steal the casino deed from Baishe yesterday,” a man in a black suit, who had just been given permission to enter, began his report. “Our sources confirmed the mole worked for the Russians.”
Toh lifted an eyebrow slowly in response. The news was a surprise to him. He knew Mikhail Arbatov would never sit still until the matter had been resolved. But for the man to go so far as to try to steal the deed from Fei Long was something Toh had never anticipated from the Russian. Perhaps what Mikhail had said about his relationship with the Baishe leader being already broken was true after all.
“Does Fei Long know?” Toh asked with his eyes still fixed on the reptile before him. It would be interesting to see what would happen between the two former lovers if Fei Long found out.
“He had the spy’s eyeballs sent to the Arbatov estate this morning,” the man replied without a change in expression. It was standard practice at Baishe - traitors got sent back to their true masters, naturally, in pieces.
“That’s all?” Toh asked in surprise. Considering Fei Long’s reputation from the past, if his ties with the Russian had truly been severed, Mikhail Arbatov should already be in much bigger trouble. Fei Long might look feminine, but the dragon’s wrath was known to be the worst of all the crime lords in China. And betrayal was the one thing Fei Long despised the most.
“It appears so, Laoban.”
“Pity,” Toh noted with a little irritation in his tone as he realized what it meant. There was love for the Russian in his little brother’s heart still.
“And what of that Japanese man?”
“Asami Ryuichi keeps only two men by his side who are both extremely loyal. We haven’t been able to obtain any inside information,” the man replied reluctantly. Unlike Fei Long, Asami was just a powerful man, not the head of an organization. Asai Ryuichi worked independently and privately, making his moves in the background through his connections, rather than keeping a structured organization that would be easier to infiltrate.
“But we found out he’d arrived in Hong Kong just days before Liu senior’s death and left shortly after Fei Long went to jail…” The man paused and swallowed before he reluctantly continued. “It also appears he was working with your father at the time.”
A sarcastic smile spread over Toh’s face as he listened and put the pieces together in his mind. He had discovered his father’s wish to bring Fei Long back into the Toh family shortly before the old man was killed. Considering the timing of Asami’s appearance and the events that followed, it was now quite clear to him that the Japanese man must have had a hand in making the Liu family fall apart seven years ago. If Asami Ryuichi had been working with his father back then, everything might have originated from his father’s plan to bring down his competition - namely the Liu family. And if Mikhail Arbatov was right about Asami being the one who had killed his father instead of Fei Long, then Asami must have been with Fei Long the night his father died. Perhaps Mikhail had told him the truth. Which meant that the relationship between Fei Long and Asami could have been something incredibly deep that went all the way back to that event seven years ago.
“I’m guessing Fei Long’s recent visit to Tokyo had to do with Asami Ryuichi?” Toh asked as he glided a hand along the scaly skin of the boa. But in truth, he could already guessed the answer.
“We know briefly that they ran into some conflict in Japan, and Fei Long has brought a young Japanese man back with him. Asami is now in Hong Kong, possibly to retrieve the hostage.”
This time, Phillip Toh could no longer hold back his amusement over the situation and laughed openly. He could hardly believe his luck. Fei Long must have kidnapped Asami’s lover out of jealousy, which was probably why Mikhail had been cast aside. With Fei Long and Mikhail not cooperating while an enemy like Asami was on the move, it was far too easy for him to execute his plans.
“What is it they say? Love really does make one a fool,” Toh said, amused. “Is Asami working with anyone in Hong Kong?”
“There is a man who has been in contact with him regularly ever since he’s arrived,” the man answered with an obvious grin. He knew his master would particularly enjoy this bit of information.
“Anyone I know?”
The subordinate smiled with an expression that closely resembled his master’s.
“Fei Long’s personal and most trusted bodyguard.”
***
The cell phone rang twice. Mikhail put down the glass in his hand and reached into his pocket. After hesitating for a brief moment at seeing the unknown number displayed, he decided to pick up the call.
“Arbatov,” a familiar voice he didn’t like to hear sounded from the other end of the line, prompting him to look up at Alexei who was sitting across the breakfast table, before he put the phone down and turned on the speaker.
“Well, if it isn’t Asami Ryuichi himself,” Mikhail said in his usual playful tone. It sure was a surprise to be getting a call from a man he’d take pleasure in killing. But until the opportunity presented itself, it’d be wise to appear neutral. “How are you enjoying Hong Kong?”
Clearly understanding the meaning behind that last sentence, Asami fell silent for a few seconds. Mikhail Arbatov was certainly not just a kid with power. The Russian must have been having him followed for quite a while. “I have a proposition for you,” Asami finally spoke.
“A proposition?” Mikhail repeated in a mocking tone, adding a little bit of a Russian accent to the word. He could speak perfect English if he wanted to, but sometimes he’d purposely put on a thick Russian accent when he wanted to show he couldn’t care less about a subject, just to irritate people. Although he had to admit, given the situation, he certainly didn’t expect Asami Ryuichi to be willing to do business with him - not unless the man was desperate or somewhat out of his mind.
“I want information on secret bank safes in Macau,” Asami stated directly. He didn’t have time to waste.
Mikhail leisurely tapped his fingertips on the table as he retreated into a brief silence, trying to figure out Asami’s game in his head. There was only one thing that information could lead to.
“Don’t waste my time. You want Fei Long’s deed to the Macau casino,” Mikhail replied bluntly. Under the circumstances, he could immediately tell that Asami was after the deed. But for what? To get back at Fei Long? It wasn’t like Asami Ryuichi to get his hands dirty over something like emotions. Considering how the deed itself held no value other than as leverage, Asami must want something else from Fei Long. But what?
“You know we’re after it. Why would I want to give you that information?” Mikhail stalled.
“Because you need your own firepower to go to war with Toh and your father, which I have. And I need the deed which you can always try to steal later,” Asami replied calmly. Mikhail should know he wasn’t the only one with inside information.
“You have a point,” Mikhail admitted. The answer caused Alexei to raise a brow in surprise. He never would have thought Mikhail would agree to something so risky over money or firepower.
“Do we have a deal?” Asami demanded.
“That depends on your offer. I want cash and firearms. Pay me in euros; the dollar is depreciating,” Mikhail added with a playful grin on his face as he leaned back and took a sip of his morning espresso. “Make me an offer I can’t refuse.”
As soon as his brother had hung up the phone, Alexei asked, “You’re really going to sell him that information?”
“It’s not like he’d be able to get it with just that information. I might as well rip off the old bastard just for the sake of it.” Mikhail shrugged carelessly.
“What makes you so confident?” Alexei asked curiously. It wasn’t like his brother to underestimate his opponent. Mikhail might appear carefree and playful, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t focused and calculating. To risk something like this meant he had some crucial information to back up his confidence.
“One still needs a key to open a safe,” Mikhail replied. “As far as I know, the keeper of that key - who would never betray Fei Long - remains a top secret.”
“A secret that you’ve discovered?”
“Only because Fei Long let me.” The Russian mafia boss smiled to himself as he recalled Fei Long’s rather indecent way of testing him. “It was supposed to be a test - to see if I’d dare try to steal it from him.” Even though they’d been intimate for quite a while, Fei Long still didn’t fully trust him. Every once in a while, the cunning dragon would let something slip on purpose, just to test Mikhail’s reaction. It certainly wasn’t easy to get close to the man - Fei Long had made sure of that. But Mikhail wasn’t the kind of man who would quit before he had gotten what he wanted.
“And you didn’t.”
“Even I wouldn’t steal from a kid.”
“Clever bastard,” Alexei exclaimed as he realized to whom his brother was referring. No one would have thought Fei Long would give something so important to a child like Tao. “Although he must have placed it somewhere else by now, don’t you think?”
“Perhaps. But my instinct tells me it’s still with Tao,” Mikhail replied with a wink. “For now, the key should be safe - unless, of course, if this information ever gets out - then Tao would be in grave danger. Keep an eye on the Japanese anyway. Take them all down if they try to get close to the boy. And have someone find out what Asami wants from Fei Long.”
***
The wind blew softly through the open balcony door, scattering the neatly piled papers on the antique Chinese desk. A tall, slender body stood motionless above it with his arms crossed behind his back, ignoring the mess he usually found irritating and the cup of tea nearby that had already gone cold.
The news of his father's deed being stolen by Asami had left Fei Long feeling much more than just anger - it had struck him with a sense of failure he hadn't experienced since his father died. How could he have been so blind to let a mole, a traitor, get so close to him? He was more than certain Tao would never betray him, and the only man who knew he had given Tao the key to the safe was Mikhail. But if Mikhail truly wanted to steal the deed, why would he steal the false deed first and create such a facade when he’d already known how to get the real one? Besides, it was unlikely that Mikhail would ever sell the deed to Asami, considering the circumstances.
No. It couldn't be Mikhail. But, still, he had to be sure.
The desk phone rang once before the head of Baishe snatched up the receiver. He had been anxiously awaiting a call from Wong, who he had instructed to check on Tao as soon as he had heard the deed had been stolen. If Tao had been hurt in any way in the process, it would have been Fei Long’s fault alone for leaving the key in the boy's protection, and that was something he couldn't live with.
"Wong?"
"Tao is fine, Laoban." Sensing his master's concern for the boy, the man on the phone answered without waiting to be questioned.
There was only silence from his master, followed by a quiet sigh of relief that could hardly be heard. It was enough to tell a high-ranking subordinate like Wong, who had been working for the family for decades, that whatever was happening had affected his master greatly. But it wasn't his place to ask, and the only thing he could do was carry out his duty faultlessly.
"I have the hospital visitors log that you asked for, Laoban."
"Read the names to me, beginning from the last two days."
"They're all our men and the staff close to Tao, Laoban. There’s Amanda Lee, your housekeeper; Peter Chang, your head chef; Yoh; and the head butler, Lou."
Fei Long closed his eyes for a few seconds as a name was singled out in his mind. Among those names there was only one person who could have known the location of the key and acquired it from Tao without the need to harm the boy - a name he would have otherwise quickly crossed off the list of suspected moles and traitors, had the man not visited Tao recently.
"....Laoban?"
Fei Long didn't answer. In the back of his mind, a recent conversation with Akihito repeated itself over and over, as if to confirm the suspicion he was trying to deny.
"...kidnapping me like this isn't going to get you any answers from Asami..."
"Where did you hear this from?"
"From your subordinate. I asked him, so he told me."
There was only one man in charge of Akihito, only one man close enough to Tao to gain the boy's trust. Having met Yoh in jail, there was no way Yoh could have known the details of Fei Long’s relationship with Asami. Unless...
"That's all I need. Thank you, Wong," Fei Long ended the conversation abruptly before slowly placing the phone down. His eyes glowed a haunting shade of violet as he stared into the empty space before him.
"You ignorant fool," the head of Baishe scowled at himself, gritting his teeth tightly until he could feel the pain that closely resembled what was in his heart.
“I swear with my life - I will never leave you.”
How stupid could he be for ever believing those words and what he saw in those eyes, when everything was a lie - a perfect lie he had been believing for seven years, created by his biggest enemy and carried out by the one subordinate he had trusted the most. Now that his eyes had been opened, it was unmistakably Asami's style - strategically positioning a man to meet him in jail and gain his trust when he was in his most vulnerable state to ensure that he would later have Yoh by his side relaying every bit of information within Baishe back to his true master. It was a plan of a genius. And a pathetic fool like him fell for it...for seven years.
"Father," Fei Long said quietly as he lowered his gaze to the floor, remembering how and why his father had to die. Baishe, his father’s legacy, was going to perish under the command of someone like him. "I am unfit to be your son."
A few knocks on the door startled him from his thoughts. Fei Long adjusted himself and granted permission to enter. No matter what happened, he still had an organization to run, and he would at least try to run it the way his father would have if he had been alive.
Yuan, Fei Long's other personal bodyguard, promptly entered his master's study with a quick but formal bow. Fei Long took a glance at the two brown envelopes in the man's hand and realized Yuan had automatically carried out the duty of delivering documents in Yoh's place, meaning that Yoh was absent, just as Fei Long thought he would be.
"Fei Long-sama, this just came for you via express mail. Because there was no sender's name, we had to check it before handing it to you, as you've instructed," Yuan explained as he handed the boss one opened envelope, deliberately keeping the other one behind his back.
Fei Long slowly reached out his hand for the document while his eyes carefully noted the strange expression on his subordinate's face. Whatever it was in that envelope, it had clearly upset his bodyguard enough for him to let it show. The answer presented itself clearly when he pulled out a set of photographs - photographs of what seemed to be a meeting between his most trusted bodyguard and Asami Ryuichi, taken from somewhere in the nearby building,
"You've seen this?" Fei Long asked without a change in expression as he flipped through the photographs and carelessly tossed them on his desk. How pathetic that he had only found out the truth minutes ago, when the secret enemy who had sent him the photographs - if not everyone in Hong Kong - had probably learned of this treacherous plan long ago enough to have Yoh followed, just so they could send over the evidence of Liu Fei Long's stupidity in a way where everyone at Baishe would learn about it. But at a time like this, when there were enemies around him in every direction and not a friend in sight, it would be a mistake if anyone thought he would just pack up and run - a deadly mistake.
”Yes, laoban,” Yuan replied with hesitation.
"Then what are you still doing here?" the dragon of Baishe questioned with a cold, condemning tone that struck like lightening.
"Waiting for your permission to act, Laoban."
Fei Long paused and looked at his loyal subordinate with eyes that had turned as cold as ice, signifying that the given answer was gravely disturbing. It may have been only a few seconds of being condemned by suffocating silence from his master, but to Yuan, those seconds seemed like hours.
"Have I ever tolerated a traitor, Yuan?"
"Never," Yuan straightened himself and answered promptly. He had almost forgotten what Liu Fei Long resented the most. Betrayal had always been the crime most heavily punished at Baishe.
"Take as many men as you need. By tomorrow, I want him dragged back here at my feet, alive," Fei Long commanded, making sure his every word was clearly heard and understood. "And find out who sent these."
The last sentence caused Yuan to shift his weight in discomfort, which didn't escape his master's hawk-like eyes.
"Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Yuan swallowed.
"There were two sets of photographs," Yuan explained as he reluctantly handed over the other brown envelope. "I think these will answer your last question, Laoban."
Fei Long took the second envelope and pulled out two photographs that looked like still images from a video recording. The images were blurry, but it would be denial to say he couldn't recognize the men in those photographs.
Fei Long’s hands holding the envelope and photographs tightened and trembled so hard that it was visible to his subordinate’s eyes. The news about Yoh’s betrayal had undoubtedly struck hard at his master’s pride. Those two photographs, however, struck Fei Long right at his very heart.
"Get a helicopter ready for me in five minutes," Fei Long commanded, the usually silky smooth voice broken and dry as he spoke. "I'm going to Macau."
***
The helicopter landed behind the Arbatov estate where a number of security guards stood waiting. The visit was unexpected, but the snake symbol on the side of the helicopter made it clear whom they were about to receive. Just as their boss could always stop by at Baishe without prior notice, Liu Fei Long, even though his unexpected visits were rare due to impeccable manners, was also given the privilege to enter and exit these premises as he pleased. And since his welcome had always been made clearer than anything else written in the rule book by Mikhail Arbatov himself, no one dared carry a weapon to greet the head of Baishe, even when the look on his face showed nothing but hostility.
Fei Long stepped out of the helicopter and headed toward the house at a quick pace, ignoring the guards that promptly acknowledged his presence and the maid who received him at the door as he entered.
"Liu Laoban, if you don't mind, I will notify Mr. Arbatov of your visit immediately," the butler replied worriedly with a quick bow, after intercepting the furious triad leader at the staircase leading to the second floor. Seeing the mood the Baishe leader was in, he had decided it wasn’t a good idea to let him surprise the boss in such a manner.
"Get out of my way or I’ll shoot you in the head. Where the fuck is he?" He knew the butler had done nothing wrong, but by then it was impossible for Fei Long to hold back the hostility in his words and tone, or care about his manners.
Despite the intimidating fury of the guest, the head butler, who had been with the family for decades, didn't move an inch. He had served Mikhail Arbatov since the man had been twelve years old. His concerns for the well-being of the Arbatov family came before the consequences of disobeying his master's orders.
"Sergei," a low, husky voice sounded from the second floor. Looking down at the commotion from the master bedroom at the top of the stairs, Mikhail Arbatov appeared in his dark blue terrycloth robe with one arm holding the door open while the other pushed back the damp and unruly golden hair from his face. “Let him through,” the master of the house commanded.
Fei Long looked up and glared at the man above whose appearance showed he had just come out of the shower. He could see no surprise on Mikhail’s face, but the playful smile that had always been his trademark was nowhere to be seen. It was this evidence that made Fei Long realize Mikhail had already known something about the reason behind his visit that day and was somewhat expecting his call.
Without another word spoken, the head butler automatically understood what was being asked of him and moved aside to allow the head of Baishe through. It wasn’t every day that Mikhail would seem so agitated, not to mention that he had been in his usual mood just after he came up from the pool where some news was given to him. To Sergei, it had to be something about Liu Fei Long’s presence that day that had put Mikhail in such a mood.
Fei Long proceeded quickly to the door that was held open for him by the man he had come to see, without saying another word, although his glowing amethyst eyes, which remained locked with those of the Russian, were more than enough to show his anger.
Mikhail closed the door and turned around, still without a trace of a smile on his face. He could immediately guess why Fei Long was there to see him, and it was exactly why he felt such anger in his heart the moment he had learned about Fei Long’s visit.
“Since you came here looking like you want to kill me, why don’t you begin by giving me an explanation?” Mikhail asked in a tone he had never used towards the Baishe leader.
That alone made whatever control Fei Long still had snap. Before he could stop himself, the envelope he held smacked sharply against Mikhail’s right cheek.
“Explain? Why don’t you explain this?” For the first time in his life, Fei Long nearly screamed at someone in rage. Perhaps it was the result of several events in the past few days that had accumulated to make him feel such intense anger in his heart. Or perhaps it was just the picture of Mikhail kissing or touching someone else that had infuriated him enough to make him lose all control. Whatever it was, the pain that felt like a hundred daggers piercing through his chest was too much for him to remain in control.
Mikhail stood as still as a rock without uttering a word. His blue eyes that had turned ice-cold took a glance at the pictures scattered on the floor for a second, before he slowly bent down to pick them up, seemingly unaffected by the whole situation.
“Explain what?” Mikhail asked calmly as he carelessly tossed the photographs back on the floor by Fei Long’s feet after looking at them briefly. He had known something like this would happen. But what he had hoped for from Fei Long was a far different reaction. “You want to know if I fucked him? Why don’t you just come out and say it?”
“Well, did you?” Fei Long asked in almost a whisper through tightly clenched teeth, lifting his chin slightly as he confronted the bigger man for the truth. If Mikhail thought reverse psychology was going to work on him, the man had better think again.
“What if I did?” Mikhail asked with a scornful sneer. “As if it makes a difference to you who I fuck,” he added sarcastically. In his heart, Fei Long had already carved a permanent wound with just one question. To think that after all this time and all he had done, Fei Long had never trusted him. That, coupled with the news he had just been told regarding Fei Long stealing and keeping Asami’s boy-toy, had infuriated him enough to make him say the words he would never have said otherwise, not to someone who mattered to him as much as Fei Long.
“Bastard!” In an uncontrollable rage, Fei Long threw his fist at the Russian who caught his arm just before it landed and drove the smaller man up against the wall, nailing him with his superior strength. It was the first time Mikhail had ever been so violent, the first time he had shown such rage towards the head of Baishe.
“Get your filthy hands off me,” Fei Long hissed as he fought back with every limb to break free, only to be thrown back against the wall by the bigger man each time he tried. The insult must have made Mikhail snap, for just as the words left Fei Long’s lips, a strong, forceful hand snatched a fistful of his long, ebony hair and twisted it violently, pulling him forward close enough to Mikhail’s face that he could feel the strong, uneven breaths on his cheek.
“You fucked my brother, keeping yourself a Japanese man-whore - and you call me filthy,” Mikhail retaliated. He’d had to watch Fei Long with other men for far too long to keep his cool while being accused of disloyalty, most of all by Fei Long himself. “Or perhaps you’re here because your sex toy couldn’t do his job right,” Mikhail said with an obvious sneer on his face. At that moment, all he wanted to do was hurt someone.
“Don’t kid yourself. You’re not half the man he is, you dirty bastard!” Fei Long snarled back at the Russian’s face.
Hearing those words, Mikhail’s eyes lit up like a pair of burning blue flames before his hand violently yanked the smaller man up by the hair into a kiss, one that possessed no trace of affection but was filled with rage and the raw desire of a malicious animal about to torture its prey. There was a limit to what a man could take, and that limit had already been reached seconds ago.
Fei Long closed his eyes as he struggled to pry the bigger man away from him. Every kiss and every embrace from the man whose intention was only to inflict pain and humiliation made him sick to his stomach. It was nauseating enough to know those lips had been on someone else’s, but the way Mikhail treated him had disgusted and infuriated him beyond words.
“Get the fuck off me!” Fei Long yelled as he brought his knee up to the other man’s gut with all his strength. If Mikhail thought he was just going to stand there and become a victim of some sick, sexual abuse, he had another thing coming.
The impact made Mikhail growl in pain and fall backwards, freeing his captive in the process. Before another word was spoken, Fei Long pulled out a gun from under his jacket and pressed it against Mikhail’s forehead, ready to pull the trigger.
“You’re going to shoot me now?” A sarcastic laugh escaped Mikhail’s lips. Why was he surprised? After all this time, he had been, and still was, someone disposable to the leader of Baishe.
“I’ll fucking shoot you, Asami, and every last one of you lying, deceitful bastards!” Fei Long yelled, his whole body shaking from the anger and pain in his heart. There was no one in the world he could trust. No one.
It was then that Mikhail realized how stupid he was. Watching Fei Long as he said those words made him forget his own pain and filled him with more regret than he had ever felt in his life for what he’d just inflicted. The man standing in front of him wasn’t someone drowning in rage from jealousy, it was a man who had been severely wounded and damaged to the point of breaking apart. Those deep amethyst eyes he cherished had lost their strength and passion, and by then they were brimming with tears that Fei Long struggled with whatever strength he had left to hold back. It would have been better if those tears were out of sadness or regret, but knowing Fei Long, the only thing that filled his heart at that particular moment was hatred - hatred towards everyone around him, but most of all, towards himself.
“Fei…” Mikhail called, his voice softening into almost a whisper. How could he be so blind and not see it? Something, someone other than him, had driven Fei Long up against a wall, even before the photos of him and Toh had shown up. To his knowledge, there was only one event that could have upset Fei Long this much.
“Who stole the deed from you?” Mikhail asked as he stepped closer, ignoring the gun that was still pointing at him, and slowly reached out his hand.
“It’s none of your business,” Fei Long replied scornfully, turning away from the baby-blue eyes that could fool him with loyalty and affection over and over again. He’d had enough of believing everyone’s lies. He’d had enough of being deceived by the warmth of those hands that he’d always thought was real. “Get away from me.”
Mikhail realized he already knew the answer to his question. There was only one man left at Baishe whose betrayal could have upset Fei Long to that extent. Fei Long had trusted Yoh with his life, so much that Mikhail hadn’t been allowed to lay a finger on that man, no matter how much Yoh’s presence had irritated him in the past. It was unforgivable, but most of all, to Fei Long, it must have hurt like hell.
“You can shoot me if it makes you feel better,” Mikhail said as he took another step forward, pressing his forehead firmly against the gun in Fei Long’s hand. “I’ve never touched Toh, Fei.”
“I don’t believe you,” Fei Long said, still holding his gun firmly in place. He had made the stupid mistake of trusting someone twice - that had cost him more than he could afford. There wouldn’t be a third time.
Everyone would lie and betray him one day. Everyone.
Mikhail paused and looked directly into Fei Long’s eyes as he reached out and cradled the beautiful face between the palms of his hands.
“Look into my eyes,” Mikhail whispered. “Do you see anyone else?”
Perhaps he was too foolish to ever learn his lesson, or perhaps Mikhail had a way of persuading people, but when Fei Long looked into those eyes, he wanted to believe those words. There was unmistakable sincerity and affection in those eyes as there had always been. And once more, he found himself defeated by the one thing that had drawn him back to this man over and over again in the past. While in Asami’s eyes he often saw pity, and in Yoh’s there was sometimes sympathy, in these blue eyes he saw pride and unfailing appreciation as they looked upon him, no matter what he did or how pitiful he might have appeared. He used to love who he was in those eyes. And at that moment, those eyes were still the same.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” Fei Long said as he slowly lowered his gun and closed his eyes. No matter how senseless it was, in his heart, he still wanted to believe in someone, and somehow Mikhail understood.
“There are still plenty of men at Baishe who would die for you…and Tao will never betray you,” Mikhail said as he gently pushed away the silky strands of ebony hair from the beautiful face. “Believe in me,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss away the tiny drops of tears that began to roll down Fei Long’s cheeks. “I will never leave you.”
Fei Long hesitated for a second as Mikhail’s lips pressed against his, before closing his eyes and allowing the warmth of Mikhail’s mouth to enter. To him, it felt like more than a just kiss. It was a promise of love and affection - one that was tender enough to mend whatever damage there was in his heart.
Fei Long soon found himself pressing harder into Mikhail’s embrace to satisfy his hunger for the warmth he was being given, and Mikhail responded with an appetite that matched his own.
“You do know if we keep going like this, I won’t be able to stop,” Mikhail whispered as he tried to control his own desire that, to him, was already an impossible task. But considering the circumstances, he wasn’t sure it was what Fei Long wanted, and the last thing he wanted to do was to put more pressure on him in any way.
“You dare stop and I’ll kill you,” Fei Long commanded before yanking the bigger man back down into a kiss. He wanted it, needed it then more than anything. After all, Mikhail was the only thing left that was still his and his alone.
Mikhail smiled before complying with Fei Long’s request with a deep and passionate kiss that matched his lover’s - at least that was what he wanted to call Fei Long, no matter how twisted their relationship might be and whether or not Fei Long would ever call him the same. If there was the tiniest part of Fei Long’s heart that needed him, then he would proudly accept it. He was going to be a part of Fei Long’s life at any cost, or else life was not worth living.
“I’m so goddamn obsessed with you, I’m going to die from it one day,” Mikhail murmured as he trailed his kisses down the side of Fei Long’s neck and devoured the taste of the smooth, delicate skin that smelled like heaven.
“You’re such a fool,” Fei Long responded with a gentle smile as he raked his fingers through Mikhail’s golden hair, pressing the man’s face closer against his skin.
“It’s everyone else who’s an idiot,” Mikhail countered between hot, heaving breaths. Being that close to Fei Long had always driven him mad with desire, even after just a few seconds. And considering that it had been weeks since the last time they were together, his sensitivity to Fei Long had tripled in strength.
Mikhail took a mouthful of Fei Long’s flesh and sucked hard on the elegant neck as if trying to draw blood. A soft moan of satisfaction escaped Fei Long’s lips, triggering Mikhail to respond with another carnivorous bite on his neck as his strong hands forced the slender body harder against the wall.
Fei Long reached down and tugged hard on the tie of Mikhail’s robe to feel the hot, firm skin underneath. The pain on his neck and Mikhail’s desperate attempt to tear him apart with his insatiable hunger had made Fei Long impatient. The last time he had run his hands down the tight muscles that made up Mikhail’s body felt like years ago, and by then it had become something he craved.
Mikhail held his breath in anticipation as Fei Long’s soft, wet lips viciously attacked his skin and soon found their way to his nipple, causing him to groan and tighten his hand around the long, silky black hair as Fei Long bit down on it greedily. The pain and the sensation that it delivered, coupled with the fact that it was Fei Long who was craving him, nearly took away his control completely. One thing that was severely addictive about the Baishe leader, apart from his physical perfection, was the fact that Fei Long, once completely stripped down of all emotional restraints, was nothing short of a wild and dangerous leopard sexually driven to drive any man insane.
Having already lost his control together with the ability to remain gentle, Mikhail yanked the smaller man up by the hair and threw him against the wall, nailing him with the weight of his body as he tore at the silk shirt that got in the way. Fei Long let out a short, heavy moan as each of his buttons was impatiently ripped opened, exposing the sensitive skin underneath that was waiting to be touched. Rough, forceful hands dragged across the alabaster skin in an attempt to seize and possess every inch of his body, leaving obvious red marks from his chest down to the sides of his torso and across his back, to which Fei Long cried out a mixture of pained and satisfied moans, digging his own fingernails into Mikhail’s back from the sudden rush of pleasure.
Ignoring the pain and sweat that began to drip down their skin from the exertion, they attacked each other with endless, untamable desire to fulfill their hunger. With every passing minute, their actions fed more fuel to each other’s fire; with every second, they were driven closer to madness. At that moment when nothing else seemed to matter, each heaving breath was a waste of time and stopping was unquestionably fatal.
Without warning, Mikhail spun the slender body around in his arms and held him firmly against the wall. With his body pressing against Fei Long’s back and his teeth sinking deep into the long, elegant neck, he plunged himself all the way into his lover. Fei Long cried out loudly in a mixture of pain and intense pleasure, clawing his fingernails at the wall in an attempt to hold on to his sanity. Mikhail thrust harder into him with one hand around Fei Long’s waist and the other wrapped firmly around his lover’s erection, aiming to wring him dry with his every stroke. It was then that Fei Long realized, perhaps through everything that had happened coupled with the fact that it had been a while since the last time they had been with each other, he had somehow released a beast from its cage. For at that moment, he feared the man would soon rip him apart with his seemingly uncontrollable desire.
But Liu Fei Long was far from easy prey. His own craving was burning him alive, so he, too, felt the need to feed on what Mikhail had to offer. With every thrust, Fei Long pushed back against Mikhail’s hips, taking the other man’s erection deeper and harder inside, earning him a series of heavy moans and groans from the Russian that alternated with his own. He could feel Mikhail’s arms tighten around his waist, crushing him breathless as the moisture on their skin made it difficult to hold him steady.
Waves of hot, heaving breaths blew on his skin as Mikhail thrust harder and faster into him. At the same time, the roughness of Mikhail’s hand that slid up and down the overly sensitive skin of his cock was brutally pumping him dry. Desperate to hang on for dear life, Fei Long reached out and grabbed the nearby curtain, tugging it hard with his hand as Mikhail buried himself deeper and deeper until he could no longer breathe. With one last thrust and a heavy bite on his shoulder from behind, Fei Long cried out loud, ripping the curtain off the hook as they came.
They lingered there for as long as they could, just being there, taking in the presence of one another until every second was permanently carved in their memories. It wasn’t the first time they had been together, but somehow and without any sensible explanation, it felt like the last time.
Web Counter