A Dangerous Liaison

-33-

Talay

Wednesday

The police car droned quietly, the road stretching endlessly before Talay as they neared Akira's estate. The reality that he couldn't escape pressed down on him, suffocating, relentless. His mind spun in circles, a furore of guilt and anguish so deep it felt like it might tear him apart from the inside. How had he allowed himself to fall so deeply, knowing all along that this day would come? That one day, he would have to face Akira not as Neo, the man who loved him, but as Talay, the officer charged with bringing him and his family down.

The sirens flickered to life as they approached the grand estate, the flashing lights casting a red and blue hue over the trees and lawns. The car lurched to a halt, and for a moment, Talay couldn't move. His body felt frozen, his heart pounding so hard he thought it might burst. He gripped the edge of the seat, trying to steady himself, but the nausea rose in his throat, making it impossible to breathe.

This was Akira. His Akira. The man who had held him in the dark, who had kissed him like no one else ever had. The man whose smile, whose touch, had been the only source of comfort. And now, he was about to betray him.

Talay watched as the other officers, oblivious to the devastation inside him, crouched by the gate, yelling orders for Akira to come outside. Their voices were sharp, harsh, echoing through the estate. His stomach twisted, his hands trembling as he fumbled with the door handle and stepped out of the car. Every step felt like walking through quicksand.

He stood in the middle of the driveway, surrounded protectively by his team, yet feeling utterly alone. His heart was pounding in his ears as the gates slowly creaked open. The officers moved forward, their guns raised, aimed at the front door. Talay wanted to scream at them to stop, to call it all off, but his voice was trapped behind the lump in his throat.

The front door opened.

Akira stepped out, confusion written across his face, his brow furrowed as he took in the sight before him. His hands instinctively went up, his body tense as his eyes darted from one officer to the next. And then - he saw Talay.

Talay's breath caught in his throat as Akira's eyes locked on him, confusion giving way to horror. The look on Akira's face - it was as if the world had shattered around him. The man now looked broken, his eyes wide with shock, searching, pleading.

"Neo?" Akira's voice was hoarse, desperate. "What-"

Talay couldn't speak. He wanted to move, to go to him, to tell him this was all a mistake, but his legs refused to cooperate. Every step he took felt like another bullet in his heart, driving deeper into the pit of despair inside him. Akira's gaze burned into him, his horror turning to hurt, to devastation, as he kept asking, "Why? What's happening? Neo, talk to me!"

Talay swallowed hard. He reached into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the cold metal of his badge. His hand shook as he pulled it out, the weight of it unbearable. He forced himself to meet Akira's eyes, but the moment he did, he wished he hadn't. Akira's expression was tearing him apart.

"My name," Talay began, his voice cracking, "my real name is Talay..." His voice faltered, the words thick on his tongue, as though saying them would make this nightmare real. "Talay Thapanachai. I'm... I'm with the police. And Akira..." He swallowed again, the nausea rising in his throat, "you're under arrest. On suspicion of money laundering."

The words felt foreign in his mouth, like they belonged to someone else, but the damage was done. Akira's face crumpled, the shock giving way to an agony so deep, Talay could almost feel it in his own chest. Akira looked at him like he'd been struck, as if the ground had fallen out from under him, as though everything he had known and trusted was gone. And maybe it was.

One of the officers handed Talay a pair of handcuffs, the metal sharp against his palm. His vision blurred as he took a step forward, every part of him screaming to stop, to throw the cuffs down and pull Akira into his arms. But instead, he moved toward him, his heart shattering with every inch that closed between them.

Akira didn't move. He just stood there, his arms slack at his sides now, staring at Talay, his breath ragged. "No, no...no. Why?" he asked again, his voice barely a whisper.

Talay slowly reached for Akira's wrists, his fingers trembling as he turned Akira around. The man who had held him close now stood with his back to him, vulnerable, broken. Each click of metal felt like a hammer to his soul. His chest heaved with the effort of holding back the tears, and without thinking, he pressed his face gently against AKira's upper spine, breathing his scent one last time. 

He closed his eyes, willing himself not to break as he whispered, "Forgive me."

Akira didn't move, didn't respond. Talay wanted him to fight, to push him away, to scream at him - anything but this silence. But Akira remained still. Talay finally pulled away, his heart aching as he gave Akira a gentle push toward the police car. The man he loved more than anything in this world was being led away in handcuffs, and it was his fault. 

Talay's chest tightened, the tears he had been holding back now threatening to spill over. But he couldn't cry. Not now. Not here.

I love you, Akira.

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