328: 7.18 A Night Visit

7.18 A Night Visit

The light in the bar was dim, save for the disco ball that sent twinkles all across the dance floor. Bodies swayed and moved against each other, and the air was filled with the scent of sweat, smoke and alcohol. Yes it was a cheap place but it was precisely because of that reason that people chose to spend their merry time of the weekend here.0

Laughter and drunken smiles could be spotted in each of their faces, except one man who chose a seat in the corner of the lounge where he could still see the entirety of the dance floor but other people wouldn't be able to spot him due to the dark shadows.

"What's wrong with you?" The bartender slid a glass of martini to him and jested with a smile. "Dumped by your boyfriend?"

Regius sighed listlessly. "I think it would be better if I am indeed dumped by my boyfriend."

The bartender's smile froze. He gave Regius another once over and saw that he was really dispirited. He glanced around to make sure that the manager's hawk eyes weren't directed here before leaning on his elbows, asking in worry. "What's wrong, Regius? It's Saturday night. Aren't you supposed to spend it with your hot, young sugar daddy?"

Regius looked even worse now that he was reminded of it. He grabbed his martini and chugged it down in one gulp.

"Hey!" The bartender was shocked and hastily snatched the glass from Regius' hand but it was already too late. "You're not even that much of a drinker! Wait a minute, I will pour you a glass of water."

Seeing the bartender walking away, Regius reached out dizzily only for his body to be blocked by the counter. Hence he could only drape his body there, bottom lip jutting out petulantly. "Cedric ah, Cedric where are you going? How can you leave me alone like this?" 

The strong alcohol was starting to get into his head and Regius blinked a few times to clear the haze of his mind. His emerald eyes turned watery, flush rising high on his cheekbones. If only he were to go down to the dance floor like this, he would definitely be swarmed by pursuers in the matter of seconds. Regius knew his charm, knew how to use it to get what he wanted and that's why everything became more irritating.

That bastard! He dared to—

"Here." Cedric, the other male protagonist, returned with a glass of cold water. He pressed it to Regius' hand and helped his best friend to drink. "Slowly… slowly… yes. Are you here alone today? How about your sugar daddy?"

"Ha! Don't bring him up in front of me again!" Regius grumbled in annoyance and swatted Cedric's hand away, almost spilling the rest of the water on the counter. "Asshole… how can he just sever the contract without even showing his face?!" 

Regius was blessed with a unique beauty, he was aware of it. Not only that, he was also sensible and knew how to read other's expressions. In relationships, it had always been him who decided when to leave the other party. He would play to his heart's content until he had his partner wrapped around his little finger, teased them until they were intoxicated with him before ditching them coldly. 

A professional heartbreaker, that's what he was.

He met Moshe one and half a year ago, and since then Regius had been enamored.

That's right. He had never been so challenged to tame a man before. Moshe was everything he could have asked for. Filthy rich, drop dead gorgeous and sexy as hell. Not only that, his prowess in bed was also exceptional. With him, Regius was able to get whatever he wanted, except one.

Moshe's heart.

Their contract had strictly stated that should feelings develop between the two of them (no, it was actually directed for Regius alone because apparently, Moshe was a cold-hearted bastard) the contract would immediately become null. 

Moshe liked his face, his body, his boldness, his eagerness… and that's it. Their relationship had always been based on money and nightly pleasure. Despite his smiling countenance, Moshe was actually so rigid and hard to please. But Regius had still stayed with him for more than a year, much longer than any of Moshe's contracted partners. Perhaps it was this thinking that rooted a foolish dream into him that one day, he would be able to hold Moshe's heart in his palm before crushing it to pieces. 

Regius woke up from his dream tonight with a concise, professional letter sent to his mailbox and a huge sum of compensation money as promised in the contract. 

All this time, he hadn't even managed to graze the outer layer of Moshe's heart.

Cedric looked uncomfortable with the topic. He had always been a good naive guy, the kind who preferred to work earnestly down to his bones rather than going down the path of easy money using his good looks. It was a wonder how he and Regius still stayed as besties with their contrasting personalities. "You told me that people like him are dangerous. Isn't it good that you are finally free from him?"

Regius scoffed. He roughly took the glass from Cedric's hand and downed it like it was alcohol. The icy water doused the fire left in his throat, blooming inside his chest and sending shivers all over his body. It was so cold that even his bones were rattling."You don't understand," he murmured quietly. 

He was still not done with Moshe yet. How could Regius be reconciled to part ways like this? Alas, he was aware that if not for his looks, people like him wouldn't be able to have a glimpse into Moshe's glamorous life. There was practically the distance of a whole world between them. Even though he was reluctant, what could he do…?

"What?" Cedric leaned his ears toward him, voice raising to rival the booming music. "What did you say?"

"Nothing!" Regius pushed his face away with a huff.

"Oh come on, stop looking so mopey." Cedric offered his comfort. "You're smart, gorgeous and kind. You will be able to find another man who treats you better than him! Shall we go to the dance floor to see if my words are right or right?" Cedric made the movement to undo the button of his uniform but Regius blocked him in the end, laughing.

"Stop it! I don't want to hear you complaining about your grumpy manager anymore. Speaking of another man," Regius showed a thoughtful look. "Actually two days ago, I came across a very strange man."

Cedric gave him the gesture of 'go ahead'.

"I was just finishing my midnight photoshoot when I ran into him. Holy — he's wounded and bleeding all over!"

Cedric grimaced. "Why can't you meet a normal person for once?"

Now that they were talking about it, that night's memory suddenly became crystal clear in Regius' mind. There was an itch on his heart, a nagging feeling that there was something he had overlooked. The man was clearly loaded, judging from the expensive tailor made suit on his clothes but before Regius could take a closer look at him, he was startled by the blood on the man's body.

At first he had wanted to turn a blind eye, go home and forget everything because hey, the man clearly smelled trouble from miles away. Perhaps it was a flash of pity, or perhaps it was his conscience, or perhaps it was destiny… Now that he had seen the man, there was no way Regius could leave him to die just like that.

"And then…?" Cedric asked, clearly intrigued. "What did you do?"

Regius crossed his arms atop of the counter and drunkenly slurred, "I called my acquaintance. He used to be an illegal doctor who treated the injured from the underground fighting ring and gladiator stadium—I know, I know, no need to give me such a look." Regius grumbled under his breath at the stinky eye Cedric gave him. It wasn't his fault that he was sociable enough to have friends from all walks of life, okay? "Anyway, I asked him for a favor—"

"What did you give him in exchange for it?" Cedric asked, clearly knowing his best friend's temperament.

Regius merely shrugged. "I slept with him. Don't worry, he's clean. Moreover, he's a sexy middle aged man. What could I, this feeble man, do when he was looking at me with such a hungry gaze? Of course I have to take him up for it. It's only a one-time deal. Anyway…" He cleared his throat. "I asked the doctor to treat him and I haven't visited him ever since. Who knows whether he's dead or not?"

Cedric startled when Regius suddenly snapped his head up to look at him, a strange light gleaming in his eyes. "No. Stop. Don't even think about it. I won't—"

After the bar closed two hours later, Cedric was dragged by Regius to visit this supposedly 'mysterious, wounded and loaded patient'. 

"Come on!" Regius groaned exasperatedly. "We are only visiting, it's not like I will send you to a wolf's den!"

Cedric merely gave him a pensive look.

And here they were now, in front of a traditional style apartment with dark winding hallways. The night was deep and almost all the lights in the apartment had been turned off. The sound of their footsteps echoed eerily and Cedric almost thought that a ghost would jump out from the dark shadows to pounce on them. He clutched onto Regius' arm tightly, looking around in jittery. His delicate little face was a little pale.

On the contrary, Regius had no such qualms. He was fearless, humming a random tune. There was even spring in his steps! Cedric suspected whether the whole thing about 'visiting a sick person' was only a guise for Regius to have another one night stand with the doctor. The more he thought about it, the more plausible it was.

Alas, before Cedric could make some excuse to leave, Regius had stopped in front of a door and rang the bell.

The one who opened it was a man in his thirties. Tall, with angular jaws and deep eyebrows. Quite handsome, Cedric admitted. But there was just something dark and incomprehensible in the other's eyes that made him nervous. The sly, wicked kind that had seen the hidden, dirty part of the world.

Cedric breathed carefully through his mouth, sweat rolling down his back. Goodness, what was he thinking to agree with Regius to come here?!

"Hi!" Regius instantly turned on his charm and draped himself all over the doctor, giving him a little kiss here and there. "Sorry for the short notice. Is it okay if we come in?"

"Sure." The doctor smiled and opened the door wider. "Hey, Mr. Ice, we have some guests here!"

It was quite a tiny apartment. Even by standing in the hallway, they could clearly see into the interior of the house. The TV was on, currently showing the news of the fluctuation in the stock market and someone was sitting on the sofa with their back to them. Hearing the doctor's words, he slowly turned his head.

Regius exclaimed cheerfully and waved. "Oh, hey you're awake!"

The man looked so cold, was the first thing that crossed Cedric's mind. It's no wonder that Regius' doctor called him 'Mr. Ice'. Second, he looked kinda terrifying with his silhouette illuminated by the glow from television. Third, he had the most striking, magnetic eyes Cedric had ever seen. When those eyes swept across Regius and finally laid on him, Cedric's breath stuttered to a halt, feeling oddly exposed like his clothes had been stripped one by one and leaving him bare down to his soul.

His heart almost thudded out of his mouth, beating so hard like never before that it hurt. Somehow, he couldn't take his eyes off the man, drawn to him like a moth to a flame. 

Oh.

Oh damn. He was so done for.

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