A Dangerous Liaison

-32-

Charlie 

Wednesday 

Charlie sat at the bar, staring down at the stack of papers in front of him. The glow of the club's neon lights flickered in the distance, casting shadows across the pages - documents he should have been focusing on, but his mind was elsewhere. A glass of whiskey sat untouched beside him, the ice melting slowly into the golden liquid. He absentmindedly picked up a page, his eyes scanning the text, but none of it registered. His thoughts were consumed by one thing: Tiger.

They hadn't spoken in weeks, not since that ugly fight at the restaurant. The memory of it still stung, how their argument had spiraled into something darker. Charlie had stormed out, and Tiger hadn't chased after him, even though every instinct in his body had secretly hoped he would. His pride wouldn't let him return. Pride and fear kept him from the person he wanted most.

Charlie loved Tiger. He loved him fiercely, he always had, in ways that terrified him. But he couldn't show it, not openly. Not when every move he made was watched, judged, scrutinised by the public eye - his own family. As one of the Jitkunattapol brothers, the weight of reputation hovered over every decision. If anyone knew the truth, he'd be humiliated, his image shattered. His world was built on a lie, and the lie kept him safe. But for how long?

He hadn't spoken to Tiger since that night. Every passing day felt like a step closer to losing him forever, and the ache haunted Charlie, relentless. He downed the whiskey in one swift motion, the burn doing nothing to dull the pain. He had to do something - anything - before it was too late. But how? Would he swallow his pride and admit - 

The doors to the club burst open, interrupting his thoughts. Charlie looked up, surprised to see Tiger walk in, his eyes scanning the room until they found his. He looked different - distressed, guilty even. Something was wrong.

Before Charlie could react, Tiger stormed over to him. There was a wildness in his eyes, a desperation. He grabbed Charlie's face and kissed him, hard and fast, as if he were trying to pour every emotion he'd ever felt into that one act. Charlie didn't resist. For a moment, everything melted away - the club, his reputation, the fear - and all that mattered was Tiger's lips on his. But then, just as quickly, Tiger pulled back. His once-loving gaze turned icy, bitter.

"Forgive me," Tiger said, his voice low and broken.

Charlie frowned, confused. "What do you—?"

Before he could finish, the doors burst open again, this time with a force that thundered through the empty room. Charlie jumped in his seat. Police stormed in, weapons drawn, shouting commands that echoed through the club. Chaos erupted around him. One officer pointed a gun directly at Charlie, yelling for him to get down, hands behind his head. He barely registered the words. Someone grabbed his wrists, yanking them behind his back and slapping cold metal cuffs around them.

"You're under arrest on suspicion of drug trafficking," one of the officers barked into his ear.

Charlie's heart pounded, but not from the arrest. Not from the threat to his club, his family, or the empire he'd spent years protecting. He didn't care about any of it, not in this moment. His focus was on one thing, and one thing only: Tiger. All Charlie could see was the man standing before him - the man who had kissed him moments ago, the man he loved, the man who had just betrayed him. Everything else was blurry, muted, but Tiger's face was sharp, painfully clear. His expression was a mix of regret and cold resolve, and it tore Charlie apart.

Tiger had set this up. He had brought the police here, he had planned Charlie's downfall. And yet, beneath the anger, the hurt, the betrayal, all Charlie could feel was the aching love he had for him. The officers dragged him out of the club, but his eyes remained fixed on Tiger's. They pushed him into the back of a police car, and just as the door slammed shut, Tiger climbed in on the other side.