Taken by the Mafia ✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 33

Boss and Fort drove through the darkened streets, with Santa still unconscious in the backseat, tied and slumped over. The air was thick with tension and anticipation. Fort, sitting in the passenger seat, glanced back at Santa with a satisfied grin. "It was almost too easy."

Boss smirked. "Yeah, easier than I thought. Est is gonna love this."

They arrived at Est’s hideout, a secluded, rundown building hidden away from the city. It was the perfect place for them to carry out their plans without interference. The car pulled up, and Est was already waiting outside, arms crossed, his expression one of smug satisfaction.

As Boss and Fort stepped out of the car, Est clapped slowly. "Great job, you two."

Fort grinned, puffing up with pride. "Of course, it’s us. We always get the job done, unlike those dumb workers."

Est smirked, clearly pleased. "I can see that."

They opened the car door and pulled Santa’s limp body out, carrying him into the building. Once inside, Boss placed Santa on a chair in the middle of the dimly lit room. The air was musty, and the faint sound of dripping water echoed from somewhere in the background. Boss and Fort began tying Santa to the chair. After some thought, they decided to use metal chains instead of rope—strong, secure, impossible for him to break free from easily. Boss made sure the chains were tight, painfully so, digging into Santa's wrists and ankles.

As Boss was securing the last chain, his hand brushed against Santa’s pocket. Something was there. Curious, he reached in and pulled out Santa’s phone. A sly smile spread across his face. "Well, well, what do we have here?" He held up the phone for Fort and Est to see.

Fort chuckled. "That could come in handy."

Boss nodded. "I’ll keep it. Who knows, maybe his boyfriend will call, and we can have some fun with that." He slipped the phone into his own pocket and stood up, dusting off his hands.

Fort looked at Est. "What now?"

Est glanced at Santa, still unconscious, his head hanging to one side. "Now, we wait for this little boy to wake up. Then, the real fun begins."

Fort nodded in agreement, leaning back against the wall, arms crossed, while Boss sat down in a nearby chair, twirling Santa’s phone between his fingers.

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Meanwhile, back at the mansion, morning had come. The sun peeked through the curtains, but Perth and Jeff both woke up feeling miserable. The weight of last night’s revelations still hung heavily in the air. Perth dragged himself out of bed, rubbing his tired eyes. He barely slept, the guilt eating away at him. He sighed and headed for the shower, hoping the water would wash away some of the regret clinging to him.

In another part of the house, Jeff had just finished his own shower. He stood in front of the mirror, his reflection staring back at him, haunted by the decision to keep the truth from Barcode and Santa. With a deep breath, he pulled on a shirt and walked down the hallway, stopping at Barcode’s door. After hesitating for a moment, Jeff slowly opened it and saw Barcode, freshly showered, standing by his bed, gathering his clothes.

Barcode noticed Jeff but didn’t say anything. He moved stiffly, his movements sharp and tense. When Barcode reached for his shirt, Jeff couldn’t hold back anymore. He walked over and, without saying a word, wrapped his arms around Barcode from behind, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I’m sorry, Code. I’m so sorry," Jeff whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Barcode stood still for a moment, not pushing Jeff away but not reciprocating the hug either. After a tense pause, he whispered, "Why did you hide it, phi?"