Sky wongravee
The plan was already in motion.
Hansel would fall tonight. They'd crossed me for the last time, and I would make sure they understood the consequences of trying to challenge my authority. Hansel and Emery were small-minded players in this world, fixated on drugs, human trafficking, and the kind of filth I refused to touch.
Those were my lines. My principles. My business dealt in weapons, legally and otherwise, and my company had the licenses to back it up. Guns, explosives, military-grade equipment-it was all meticulously organized under the front of a legitimate enterprise.
And now they would learn. I wasn't someone they could push or intimidate. They thought they could expand their empire of filth and encroach on mine
They were wrong.
Hansel was nothing more than a distraction, a piece of the larger puzzle. This son of bitch, Hong was the real threat-the one orchestrating these small movements from the shadows. Hansel and Emery were pawns on his board, meant to keep me busy while he plotted his endgame.
This wasn't about power, territory, or even money. Hong's goal was personal, and he'd made sure I knew it.
Seven years ago, his partner had died during an operation I authorized-a mission that should have gone smoothly. But it hadn't. Lego's death had been a cruel twist of fate, the kind of mistake you couldn't predict but could never undo. And Hong had spent every moment since then blaming me.
He didn't want to kill me. That would have been too easy. He wanted to dismantle me piece by piece, to rip away the things I cared about, to make me feel the same helplessness he'd felt.
And now he was coming for Nani.
I clenched my jaw, the glass of whiskey in my hand cracking slightly under the pressure of my grip.
Nani didn't belong in this world. He wasn't like the others I'd kept close over the years-people who knew the risks, who understood the stakes. He was different. He was light where my world was shadow, and against all reason, I couldn't let him go.
A knock at the door broke my spiraling thoughts.
"Come in," I said, setting the glass down on the desk, careful not to show the tension clawing at my chest.
Win stepped inside, his expression composed, though I could see the faint lines of exhaustion around his eyes.
"Everything is in place," he said. "Hansel's main operation hub will be dismantled by midnight. The secondary location will be handled by dawn. There won't be anything left for Emery to align with."
I nodded, leaning back in my chair. "Good. Make sure it's clean. No loose ends."
Win hesitated, just slightly, before continuing. "We've also tracked Hong's movements for the last forty-eight hours. He's keeping low, but he's been spotted meeting with key players in both Hansel and Emery's groups. He's baiting them, pulling them closer to his side. It's clear he's building something, but we haven't uncovered the full scope of his plan yet."
"He's waiting for me to make the first move," I said, my voice calm but sharp. "He wants me distracted by Hansel so he can slip under the radar."
Win nodded. "Exactly. But he's underestimating how far ahead we are."
"Keep pressing," I said, standing and moving toward the window. The view of the estate was calm, serene-a sharp contrast to the storm brewing beneath the surface. "I want to know every move he makes. If he so much as breathes in Nani's direction, I want to know about it."
"Understood," Win said, his tone clipped.
"And Win..." I turned to face him, my gaze hard. "If Hong crosses that line, there won't be a second chance. Do you understand me?"
Win met my eyes, his jaw tightening slightly. "Yes, boss."
"Good. Dismissed."
He left without another word, the door closing softly behind him.
For a moment, I stayed where I was, staring out at the sprawling gardens. The weight of the night pressed heavily on my shoulders, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Nani.
---
It was already past 1 a.m. by the time I made my way to his room.
The mansion was quiet, the halls dimly lit as I walked through them. When I reached his door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on the doorknob.
I didn't knock.
I pushed the door open quietly and stepped inside.
He was asleep, his face half-buried in the pillow, his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. The soft glow of the bedside lamp highlighted the faint lines of his face, and I let myself take him in.
For all the chaos that surrounded him now, he looked peaceful. Calm. Untouched by the darkness I couldn't seem to shake.
I moved to the bed, pulling back the blanket just enough to slide in beside him.
He stirred, his body shifting instinctively toward mine, his warmth seeping into me like a balm for my frayed nerves.
"Sky?" he mumbled sleepily, his voice barely audible.
I wrapped an arm around him, pulling him closer. "It's me," I said softly.
His eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, he blinked at me, disoriented. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice rough from sleep.
"Nothing," I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "I just... needed to be here."
He stared at me for a moment longer, his brow furrowing slightly. Then, without a word, he shifted closer, his head resting against my chest.
"You're okay?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost tentative.
"I'm fine," I said, pressing a soft kiss to his temple. "Go back to sleep."
He sighed, his body relaxing against mine as his breathing evened out again.
But I didn't close my eyes.
Instead, I stared at the ceiling, my mind racing with thoughts of the enemies closing in and of the plans already in motion.
And yet, through it all, Nani's presence kept the darkness at bay.
For now, that was enough.
-----
Nani hirunkit
I woke up to warmth-a steady, solid presence wrapped around me.
For a moment, I wasn't sure where I was, the haze of sleep still clinging to my mind. Then it all clicked: the faint scent of Sky's cologne, the weight of his arm draped over my waist, and the deep, even rhythm of his breathing.
Sky.
He was here, holding me like I was something precious, like I was his anchor in a storm. My chest tightened at the thought, a mix of emotions swirling inside me-confusion, warmth, and something I didn't quite know how to name.
I didn't move.
For a long moment, I just lay there, staring at him. His face was softer in the early morning light, the sharp edges of his jawline and cheekbones less intimidating when he wasn't glaring or giving orders. His dark lashes cast faint shadows against his skin, and his lips-usually set in a firm, commanding line-were slightly parted, relaxed.
I'd never seen him like this before. Peaceful. Vulnerable.
It was strange, seeing someone so powerful, so dangerous, looked so... human.
But there was something else. Something that made my throat tighten and my chest ached. I could see it now-the weight he carried, the burden of whatever he kept locked inside. Even in sleep, there was a faint crease in his brow, a tension that hadn't fully let go.
What haunted him so much that he needed to slip into my bed just to find peace?
My fingers twitched at my side, an instinctive urge to reach out and brush that tension away. But I stopped myself. What was I even doing here? Why was I letting myself get so tangled up in him?
He stirred slightly, his arm tightening around my waist as if he could sense my thoughts. His brow furrowed for a brief moment before his eyes fluttered open.
The sharp of his gaze was the first thing I noticed, piercing even in the soft light of the morning. For a second, he blinked at me, his expression unreadable. Then, as if realizing where he was, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"You're awake," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.
I swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how close we were. "And so are you," I said softly, my voice steadier than I felt.
He didn't move, didn't pull away. Instead, his gaze lingered on me, warm and searching, like he was trying to memorize every detail of my face.
"You should sleep more," he said finally, his voice quieter now, softer.
I raised an eyebrow, trying to ignore the way my heart stuttered at his words. "I could say the same to you," I countered, my tone lighter than I felt.
A quiet chuckle rumbled in his chest, and his hand brushed lightly against my hip, the touch almost absentminded. "Touché."
The silence that followed wasn't awkward. It was... something else. Warm, steady, like the rise and fall of his chest beneath my hand.
I should've felt trapped, lying here with him holding me so tightly. But instead, I felt safe. And that scared me more than anything.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to speak, to break the spell before it pulled me under completely. "Why are you here?" I asked, my voice quiet but steady.
His gaze darkened slightly, his faint smile slipping away as his thumb traced a slow, deliberate line along my hip. "I needed to see you," he said simply.
Something in his tone made my breath catch. It wasn't an answer-not really-but it felt like the truth.
"You're okay?" I pressed, my brow furrowing. "Nothing happened, right?"
His lips twitched, a flicker of amusement breaking through the tension in his expression. "Nothing happened," he said, leaning back slightly to look at me fully. "Everything is fine."
I wasn't sure I believed him. But before I could push further, his hand slid up, his fingers brushing lightly against my jaw.
"You're thinking too much again," he murmured, his voice low and teasing.
"Someone has to," I shot back, though my voice wavered slightly under his touch.
He chuckled softly, the sound warm and rich. "And here I thought you'd just enjoy waking up to me."
I rolled my eyes, trying to ignore the heat rising in my cheeks. "You're insufferable, you know that?"
His smirk widened slightly, and for a moment, he looked like himself again-the confident, infuriatingly charming man who always seemed to have the upper hand. But then his expression softened, his thumb brushing against my skin in a way that made my breath catch.
"I missed you," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.
The words hit harder than I expected, and for a moment, I didn't know what to say. My chest tightened, and I felt my resolve waver as I looked into his eyes.
"You saw me last night," I said finally, my voice softer now.
"That's not the same," he replied, his tone firm but gentle. "Being near you-it... it makes everything quieter."
Quieter.
The vulnerability in his voice, the raw honesty in his expression-it wasn't something I'd expected from him. It wasn't something I was ready for.
But it made something inside me crack, just a little.
I shifted slightly, my hand resting lightly against his chest. His heartbeat was steady beneath my palm, strong and grounding, but I could feel the tension there too, the weight he carried that he refused to let go of.
"You don't have to carry it alone," I said softly. "Not with me."
His eyes searched mine, something unspoken flickering in their depths.
"Nani," he murmured, his voice low and rough, like he was teetering on the edge of something he couldn't take back.
I felt his hand slide to the back of my neck, his fingers threading through my hair as he leaned closer. My breath hitched, my pulse quickening as his lips brushed against mine.
The kiss was slow, deliberate, like he was asking for permission. And I gave it.
I leaned into him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as the kiss deepened. His hand tightened on the back of my neck, pulling me closer, and I let myself get lost in the warmth of him, the quiet intensity of the moment.
When we finally pulled apart, his forehead rested against mine, his breath warm against my lips. His eyes were soft, but there was something raw and unguarded in them that made my chest ache.
"I don't deserve this," he said quietly, his voice trembling just enough for me to notice.
I shook my head, my hand sliding up to cup his cheek. "That's not for you to decide," I said softly.
"Stay with me," he murmured, his voice barely audible.
"I'm not going anywhere," I whispered, and for the first time, I realized it was true.
------
Later that morning, after Sky had finally left, I remained in his room for a while, lingering in the faint warmth of his presence. The kiss we shared earlier still lingered on my lips, as if it had left a mark. My heart was a jumbled mess-equal parts confusion, warmth, and a nagging thread of doubt I couldn't shake.
He hadn't told me where he was going. He never did. And even though a part of me wanted to ask, to demand answers, I held back. Maybe I didn't want to know.
Sky was a man of secrets. He held his cards close to his chest, and I was only beginning to understand how tightly he guarded them. Last night, I'd seen a glimpse of his vulnerability, his humanity, and it made him feel... closer, real. But in the cold light of day, I couldn't forget the other side of him-the one that could make grown men tremble with a single look.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I grabbed my phone off the nightstand. My stomach flipped when I saw the unopened message from Pond. He'd been texting me on and off for weeks, worried, demanding answers, asking why I was so unreachable.
You okay? I'm starting to freak out here, Nani. Talk to me.
I'd left him on read the night before, unsure of what to say. How could I explain all of this to him? How could I tell him that I'd willingly walked into a world that I didn't even fully understand? And more importantly, how could I keep him safe without pushing him away completely?
Sighing, I typed out a quick reply.
I'm fine. Just busy. Promise I'll explain everything soon.
I hit send before I could second-guess myself. It wasn't enough-I knew that. But it was all I could give him right now.
I glanced toward the door, half-expecting Sky to walk back in. The room felt emptier without him, like the air had shifted somehow. He always left an imprint, even when he wasn't there. But as much as I hated to admit it, his absence made me restless.
I slipped out of the room and wandered through the house, hoping to find some sense of normalcy. The mansion was quiet, almost too quiet, with only the faint sound of footsteps from the guards stationed nearby. As I passed by one of the large windows overlooking the garden, I paused, staring out at the open expanse.
The sunlight filtered through the trees, the green of the garden bright and inviting. For a moment, I felt the pull of it-a chance to escape the walls of this house, to breathe, to think.
I'd only just made it outside when my phone buzzed again. I frowned, pulling it from my pocket.
Unknown Number.
I stared at the screen, my stomach twisting. For a moment, I considered ignoring it-just letting it go like the others. But something about it felt... different. The nagging doubt, the restlessness, the unease-it all bubbled to the surface as I swiped to unlock the phone.
And that's when I saw it.
He cannot protect you.