PROLOGUE

"You're being creepy," Muttered the young man, a smile on his lips, as he finally opened his eyes to look at his lover, who, for a moment now he was sure must have been watching him sleep.

Amused, the other person bend down to kiss his lips, slightly complaining, "But there is no better sight in the world than your sleeping face, darling" he whispered in between kisses. The soft kisses quickly turned hotter and needier when abruptly, the one who had been sleeping just a while ago, put his hands on the other's lips putting a pause to their make-out, his words coming out of breath,

"Say, can we try something more exciting this week-end?", he whispered.

Ryan woke up suddenly. His mind groggy, having yet to really connect with reality. It's been a while since he last dreamt of that life. And that person.

The doorbell, which sound had previously extirpated him from his sleep rang still. Two minutes later it rang again. A short while later, the sound came once more. And then it rang continuously, annoyingly, without a pause. Ryan groaned, patting his pillow to reach for his phone. Eight pm. Twelve missing calls. All from the same number. Hughes's.

The doorbell was still ringing.

Sighing, he tussled his hair and slowly got up. He hadn't slept the night before, completing reports and reorganising his files so that the handover would be smooth, all to accommodate the same man's whims and because of that, he just went to sleep two hours ago. Now, with that kind of waking up, his head was aching.

Opening the door to see the middle aged man wearing a gray jacket ensemble with a black overcoat, Ryan's temples started to throbbed. The guy was definitely too overdressed for a simple visit.

The forty something years old man halted his finger that was still stabbing energetically at the doorbell seconds ago and flashed him a smile and Ryan unconsciously frowned. His voice hoarse from waking up, he reproached, "If I remember correctly, you're the one who owed me, how come you're still the one pestering me?"

"Now, now, don't be like that, I'm ready to give you whatever you want as compensation," The man said amiably. Then his eyes roamed at the late twenty years old man in front of him, seizing his clothes. "How come you're still in loungewear, didn't you say yes already? Mike is waiting for us already you know."

Ryan's lips twitched. You have to give it to Hughes, he asked for help and still had the audacity to sound bossy about it.

"You never said anything about me meeting your dearie today," he reminded, "are you going senile already?" He sighed without venom as he let room for the older man to enter his house.

He didn't need to be asked and already made himself feel at home.

"Is that so?" He said nonchalantly while crossing the doorsteps. "Then it must have slip my mind, let's get you ready to meet him then!"

Ryan could only groaned as he closed the door.

None the wiser was he to know that, it was only when he was taking his bath that Hughes actually called his nephew to give him the location of their meeting. It was only yesterday, after God know how many pestering he did that Ryan finally relented to his request, better beat while the iron was still hot!

There was no other way he could think of. Who could blame him, Ryan had such a weird temperament sometimes. He could be easy to talk to or he could really be stubborn. Hughes couldn't be sure if he would have successfully gotten the youngsters out of his house today otherwise, so of course he didn't made an early appointment!

Years from knowing Ryan taught him that the younger man was more inclined to spontaneous decision rather than carefully planned ones.

***

When he received his uncle's call, Michaelson had just come out from his car, and had yet to calm down his annoyance from the family talk he spent at his grandfather's some hours ago. But he still managed to politely answer his mother's older brother and promised not to be late at the restaurant.

The moment he entered his apartment, Michaelson forcibly tugged at his tie to loosen it, fighting the ever growing anger that gnawed at his mind since coming out from his grandfather's dinner room. That senile old man! He freed himself from his vest, throwing the dark cloth carelessly on the couch. His steps were soundless as he walked on the thick white carpet with his shoes on, leaving some stains that the housemaid would struggle to clean. Crossing the living room in a few strides, he entered the kitchen, to drink some cold water from the fridge to calm himself down.

The Myers Family dinner were hardly pleasant, but this one easily topped all the others in terms of exasperation. His grandfather's blatant favouritism made it hard for him to stop himself from saying a few words and just like that, he was delegated to care for the branch company directly!

And he could trust the old man for it not to be simple angry words. If he said he'd do it, then he really would! And seeing the ease with which he came to that announcement, it must have been something that had long been in his mind even before tonight. Wasn't that just a trick to let him stay away the company dealings? He was simply paving ways for that favourite grandson of his!

The unfairness of it baffled Michaelson!

As he leaned across the sink, he gulped down the mineral water, trying to divert his mind from his grandfather's words. Thank God, his uncle finally found him someone.

It's been two months now that he had asked his mother's brother for a favour.

Michaelson entered the familial company six months ago, and while his position wasn't of high authority, he had been given the charge of some small projects. Although they were running smoothly for the time being, it wasn't always easy. Mishaps after mishaps happened out of nowhere. The people working under him were deliberately concealing some information from him while others blatantly gave him wrong information. It wasn't always easy to decipher and to triple check every one of their work was tiring for him alone. He needed someone capable that he could trust.

As it stood right now, Myers Corporation was full of his grandfather's, uncles' and aunts' people. None of them who would benefit in letting him succeed. Though truly speaking, he was confident in making their money doubles or triples even, if they would just let him do his job. But of course not, they wanted to control the in and out of the company. And they wanted their own offspring to be in those coveted positions. Whether they had the ability or not didn't matter.

Who told him to be the only one whose promiscuous father had displeased Charles Myers beyond belief and same said father had no business talent to speak of for himself. Simply put, the prejudices he had to face were endless, and weren't even his own doings!

Didn't matter. It would make his victory all the more sweet. Unwilling to give up, Michaelson had requested his Uncle Hughes for some human resources.

Hughes Cooper had a company he developed himself and though it wasn't as big as Myers Corporation, it was respectable enough for him to be known throughout the country. People that such a man could recommend would greatly help in letting him stabilise his shaky position in the company.

With that thought, Michaelson picked up his vest from the couch, eager to meet his uncle and whoever were coming with him.

***

"You said he was waiting," Ryan commented, a hand on his mouth as he nonchalantly yawned. He was more tired than hungry and hoped for the meeting to end soon. Had he known that the other party wasn't here yet, he would have taken his sweet time. He just hated the thought of making people wait and more than that, he hated waiting himself.

"Give him a sec', he would be here soon."

'This man was really getting way too comfy with him, wasn't he?' Ryan thought. But right now, he didn't even have the energy to be angry. It had been days since he last slept properly, his eyelids could hardly stay opened.

"So, what did you think of Baker? How did your date go?"

Ryan let out a long, exasperated sigh that Hughes selectively ignored. "He is from a good family, you know and he is the top of his promotion. So, his brain seemed okay to me, that doesn't mean he doesn't know all the good places. Hearsay has it that he's at the center of all the wildest play. You definitely won't get bored with him. So what's wrong?"

"Since when were you so interested in my love life?"

"Since it has been so deserted. Come on, in three years you had no one, hardly even a fling."

"I had one-night-stands." He pointed out.

"Casual and unhealthy, you don't know what kind of desease you could get from those. -" And he went on and on with a speech that Ryan couldn't connect with Maybe he was just trying to fill the silence maybe he was really concerned. Either way, Ryan was at a lost for words. Of all topics, why were they discussing his sex life when it was business that brought them here was beyond him and looking at the energic man in front of him who looked like he was really waiting for an answer was simply amazing.

A smile formed on Hughes's face as he seemed to recognize someone behind Ryan.

"Oh, here he is!" he exclaimed and Ryan was low key thankful for finally having escape that nonsensical talk.

As Michaelson looked from the distance, his uncle seemed quite happy, and lifted his hand to let him know their position. He quickened his pace, to were sat his uncle and a man that man was giving him his back, and once near enough to be heard, he started apologizing for his lateness.

Ryan admired as Hughes had the gall to say that they just arrived. He tsked which brought the newcommer's attention on him.

Flicker of recognition flashed through his eyes , and from the look of it, so did it to the other side.

"Mike Myers?" said Ryan softly, flabbergasted to see this person again, the last words they exchanged had left quite the impression on him to forget the other side so quickly.

"Oh, you know each other, that'd be easier then.- rejoiced Hughes, failing to detect the weirdness in Ryan's voice.

"You think?" Ryan couldn't help but say, glaring at his old friend.

"He, is the one you recommand? Seriously?" almost shrieked Michaelson, looking incredulously at his uncle.

Hughes frowned, failing to understand both people.

Ryan's brain had gone back to almost four years ago, rummaging through his memory for memories he wanted to bury forever. Like a tireless echo the words that had been spat on his face during their last meeting jostled in his head. Again and again. And to see him again after all these years stirred his heart.

"Go to hell, was it?" he repeated part of it, looking at the still standing newcommer.

He crossed his arms over his chest, all signs of fatigue disappearing from his being, he smiled, indicating the chair in front of him, "a pleasure to see you looking for me in the confines of hell, why, take place. Fancy seeing you again.", Ryan smirked while Michaelson grit his teeth.