Under My Protection

Chapter 17

Back against the tiled wall, trying to take a moment to quiet his overwhelmed brain, Rain heard rusty creaking from behind the bathroom stall, almost as if the window had been roughly yanked open. Upon hearing multiple feet scuffling back and forth across the floor and the sounds of struggling, Rain plastered himself tightly to the wall, trying not to make a sound. After hearing a body slide down the wall and land with a thud on the floor, Rain heard a knock on the stall door, but held his breath, wildly hoping the person on the other side of the door was just checking to see if the bathroom was otherwise empty. He was proven wrong when he heard the man speak, "You can either come out nicely or I can come in and get you. So, Rain, what is it going to be, hmmm?"

Rain gulped, assessing his options, deciding that screaming for help was now the best path forward. As he opened his mouth to call out for Phayu, the door was kicked inward, smashing into his face, slamming his head back onto the tiled wall. As pain erupted across the back of his head and down his face, his vision blurred and he could feel himself being pulled by the wrist out of the stall. As Rain opened his mouth to shout, a gag was placed into his mouth and tied around his aching head. He felt himself being shoved up and out the window to waiting hands on the outside.

When tossed over one of the men's shoulder, blood rushed straight down into his head. Combined with the already piercing pain in his head, it became too much, Rain thinking he may pass out or throw up at any moment. But he knew he needed to try and stay awake, alert. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Phayu would be coming for him. He knew he would. Trusted he would. The fear pulsing through his body lessened as he focused on Phayu. Imagining him finding Channarong and the empty bathroom. Knowing he would alert all the guards and his father, then most likely climb through the same window to come for him.

Rain tried to stay alert of his surroundings but his head was fuzzy and it made him nauseous to turn his head and try and see where they were going. He imagined it was to a car or van which had to be nearby. Rain focused on thoughts of Phayu instead of imagining what would happen if Phayu didn't find him in time. He knew they would not kill him, as they were most likely intending to use him for some advantage against his father. But that didn't mean they wouldn't hurt him and Rain tried to keep those images from taking too firm a root in his brain.

The man's footsteps began to slow and Rain heard the sound of a car door opening followed by quiet voices that Rain strained to hear but couldn't. As Rain was brought down and pushed into the car, he tried not to panic. Tried to convince himself that there was still time. Still time for Phayu to find him. Still time for this to all be undone. For him to head home tonight and not to wherever this car was headed. That this would not be the way his story would end. The way he and Phayu would end.

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Phayu didn't waste more than a passing thought on Channarong and instead spoke into his earpiece quickly, alerting the team that Rain had been taken, knowing they would rapidly surround the building. Phayu heaved himself out the window, landing on the pavement below, scanning his surroundings, assessing the situation, and determining his next move. He knew that choosing the wrong action could have dire consequences for Rain. He pushed those thoughts back, refusing to start down a path of what-ifs. Of what might happen if he failed and didn't find Rain in time.

He ran along the back of the restaurant, away from the main parking lot, towards the delivery area, drawing his gun for the first time since starting his work with Rain. Skirting the edge of the building, Phayu could finally hear voices. It was concerning that he never heard Rain call out for help in all this time, but he continued to try and focus on what he could hear. Peering around the dumpster beside the delivery doors, Phayu saw a dark brown car, a man behind the steering wheel, and three other men standing around the back door. Looking closely, he could just make out one of Rain's legs dangling along the side of the car, the rest of his body already in the car.

Hearing through his earpiece that the other men were slowly surrounding Rain's location, Phayu weighed his options. As Channarong was unavailable, that left Phayu in charge, so he whispered commands to the group. Taking advantage of a moment when all the men faced Rain, leaving their backs exposed, Phayu surged forward, quickly aiming his gun at one of their heads, knowing his men were doing the same to the others.

Quickly disarming the men and leaving them to the rest of the team, Phayu knelt down beside Rain, noting his injuries. Phayu struggled to maintain his calm as he took in the bruising that was beginning to show across Rain's face, blood matted in his hair towards the back of his head, along with scrapes across his arms, presumably from being hauled out of the window. He took a steading breath, trying to maintain the quiet distance that would be expected of any other bodyguard. Very close to losing that struggle, Phayu closed his eyes tightly for a moment to regain his composure. While he wanted to haul Rain into his arms and kiss every injury, whispering loving words to him, he knew he could not. Many eyes were on them. Eyes that would not understand or even tolerate.

Rain's eyes were closed, breathing shallow, his hands tightly fisted into the bottom of his shirt. Phayu reached out and gently untied the gag from his mouth, controlling his urge to run his fingers across the bruising at the edge of Rain's mouth. Instead, he placed his palm onto Rain's leg, but pulled back at Rain's flinch.

"Rain," Phayu whispered softly. Seeing no response, Phayu tried again. "Rain, it's Phayu."

Rain slowly opened his eyes and turned to look at Phayu.

"You are safe now. I'm here now. I'm here."

Rain's eyes slowly filled with tears, spilling down his cheeks, as sobs tore through his body. Phayu wished he could pull Rain into his arms, pained at the inability to do so.

"Shhh..... You're okay, you're safe. I will never let anyone take you from me. Ever," he continued to whisper.

Hoping his back was blocking the view of the others, he gently stroked the scratches on Rain's arm, "I'm so sorry you were hurt. That I wasn't in time to keep you from being hurt." He swallowed his own sobs that were threatening to overcome him, knowing they would not help the situation. There would be time for that later, once he was alone.

"P'Phayu?" Rain replied, voice shaking and small. Phayu nodded, holding his hand out to help Rain out of the car, keeping his hands attached to Rain in case he fell.

"Can you stand on your own?" Phayu asked, knowing he needed to put some distance between them, knowing Rain's father was most likely headed outside now that the danger had passed. Rain nodded and Phayu stepped back. Speaking through his earpiece, he alerted the team that Rain was injured but fine, knowing they would then inform Rain's parents.

Phayu took several more steps backwards, away from Rain, turning his head to speak to the nearest guard, only to find himself falling backwards towards the ground. He landed roughly, hands scraping the pavement, with a lap full of Rain who was now clinging to him. Acting on instinct, he threw his arms around Rain, one on his back and one on the back of his head as Rain burrowed his head into his neck.

Phayu could just make out what Rain was saying, "I was so scared P'Phayu. But I knew you'd come. I knew you'd come. I knew it."

"Always," he whispered back, eyes closed, feeling the relief of having Rain solidly in his arms.

Slowly, Phayu began noticing the chatter amongst the other guards and his relief turned to fear as he turned to see Rain's father standing in the distance, staring at them.

Notes:

For those following my story, I'm sorry for the long wait. I have not been feeling very well lately plus feeling unmotivated and struggling to write at all. So, I offered myself some grace and waited until I was ready.

I know that many of you thought Rain had taken off on his own, which would have been another good choice for my story, but this was my plan from chapters ago. So, I stuck with it. But I did love how many people cheered Rain on for that choice.

Thanks for sticking with me. I'm mulling over another story too, but I'm waiting until my motivation returns before considering that.