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     "P-President King..." I say as I stared at his face with disbelief.

     I had to blink again to make sure I was seeing the right person.

     "Surprised?" he asked with a small smile.

     All this time, this man who I thought was just a mere customer, was actually the owner of the club that practically saved my life.

     "T-this can't be...I thought you were the bad guy. N-No, WE thought you were the bad guy. Romeo...he practically lost it when he found out you were a traitor," I honestly told him.

     President King sighs and says, "I still have a lot to explain to Romeo, and I know that through all the events that happened, all the suspicion ended up being pointed at me. But I hope you know that I did not kill any of Romeo's people, and I would never team up with your brother because there is no reason for me to do so."

     "Don't worry, I know. Because if you did, you wouldn't have hid me for more than 9 years," I answered him, and President King looked relieved.

     "Well I know that I also have a lot to explain to you, but for now we need to leave," President King says as he turns around to walk back to his car.

     Two men in masks approached me and assisted me to the car since I basically couldn't walk properly.

     When I got inside, we immediately left the scene before anyone else finds us.

     "I'll bring you back to the club so we could treat your wounds. For now that's the safest place you could be in," the president says. I didn't say anything and just nodded my head as an answer.

     "Does my brother know about you being the boss of Club Luxuria?" I asked as I looked at him.

     President King shakes his head and answered, "No, but he might know me as a man that had a business agreement with your father in the past. I tried to hide my identity, which was why I was not able to do anything when your brother and his men came to the club."

     "Because if you stopped them then my brother would definitely get suspicious, and he'd end up finding out that you were actually helping me," I said, understanding the whole situation even though everything about it was messed up.

     It was an incident that I will never forget. Thankfully President King didn't apologize about anything, because that incident might be something that I will never forgive him for.

     I took a deep breath and looked at the masked men inside the car, "I hated that club you know," I suddenly say.

     Everyone immediately looked back at me, but no one said a word, so I continued, "I hated the smell of lust in the air. I hated how we were displayed like toys for men to play with. And I hated how I couldn't even leave because I knew that there were no where else I could go to."

     I looked at President King's eyes, and I swore he looked apologetic when he looked back at me.

     "But that club was where I met people who suffered like me. And for what was worth, it kept me alive up to this day. So thank you...thank you for taking me away," I seriously tell President King.

     President King takes a deep breath and immediately looks away.

     He stares out the window and says, "I won't label myself as a bad guy, but I won't label myself as a good guy either. I have my reasons on why I protected and hid you, so you do not need to thank a selfish man like me."

     I was going to argue with him, but I knew there was no point in doing so.

     I stared at him for a couple of seconds, then I opened my mouth and said, "You need me don't you."

     President King immediately looks back at me, obviously a little surprised by what I just said.

     "You need my name, and the power that will come with it," I continued.

     I looked straight at his eyes and finished, "You need the Dark Saints."

     President King seriously looks at me, but he doesn't say anything.

     "You hid me and protected me because when the right time comes, you'll be needing the head of the Dark Saints. Which basically means you'll be needing me," I tell him.

     "Your father said his debt will be paid once he dies. I automatically knew he meant that you'll be the next head of the Dark Saints once he does, and that's when I'll get my payment," he finally answers me, but it didn't even shock me because I knew that my father always made deals like that.

     "That...was the bargain I made with your father," he finished.

     "He was really confident that I'd do it for you then," I answered him back.

     President King chuckles and nods his head, "Well he was pretty confident that you wouldn't let him down."

     I smirked and answered him, "Then he really did know me well."

     The smile on President King's face suddenly vanished when he heard what I just said.

     "W-wait...are you saying what I think your saying?" he asks me.

     I looked at him seriously and nodded my head, "Hiding me was a risk that could have gotten yourself killed, but you did it anyways because you had hope that by the end of it all I'd be willing to help you. A man like that...is worthy enough to be serviced by the Black Angel himself."

     President King looks at me with shock. He obviously didn't know what to say after hearing what I just said.

     Even when I was bleeding everywhere, I said with power in my voice, "So what was the bargain President Matthew King? You waited for almost nine years for this moment, so what was I supposed to do?"

*****

     "Are you feeling better?" Trevor (Toy #14) asked while we were inside my old room back at the club.

    Like what President King said, he brought me back here and got my wounds treated. We were supposed to talk about the bargain that he made with my father, but he said I should rest first before he starts with the explanation.

     "I am, it was just two shots," I say like it was nothing, but in reality, it really was very painful.

     "Seriously, what the hell is happening Julien? First these men barges in the club and rapes you, then Chairman Val ended up taking you away. You've been gone for so long, now you're back here, wounded, and have even met the big boss. What kind of shit have you been tied up with?" Trevor asked, obviously confused about the whole situation,

     "If I tell you everything we might end up talking for a whole week. It's.... just complicated," I say, and I'm glad Trevor didn't ask me about it further.

     "Well I'm glad your safe. But, what happened to chairman Val? I thought he was protecting you?" Trevor asked, making me remember Romeo.

     How on earth did I end up forgetting about him?

     "He is protecting me, but I got kidnapped yesterday, which is why I'm here" I answered, shocking Trevor even more.

     "That's why I think I should immediately call Romeo. I don't know what happened to him after he found out I was gone," I say as I tried to stand up from the bed.

     Trevor helps me up and says, "You can do that, but Mr. Jackson said THE boss wants you in his office."

     "Looks like resting is over. Let's go."

     Trevor nods his head and assisted me towards President King's office.

     It's still very strange that the man in mask that has been running this place for all those years was none other than President King. Who would have known?

     "I'll stay here and wait for you," Trevor says as he lets go of me.

     I thank him and went inside the room to see President King sitting in front of his desk while wearing a mask.

     When he sees me close the door, he immediately removed his mask.

     "Did you eat your lunch?" he asks me.

     I don't say anything but nodded my head instead.

     "Alright. Sit down," he tells me.

     I nod my head as sat down on the chair in front of me.

     When I was already comfortably sitting down, he starts, "I know you have a lot of questions. So where do you want to start?"

     "How did you find me?" I quickly asked first.

     President King shifted from his seat and answered, "We've been keeping an eye on you. Your father asked me to protect you, so even though I knew you were safe with Romeo, I still made sure my men could keep an eye on you. Thankfully it wasn't a waste, because my men saw you being carried to a van, and that's when we knew that it was time for you to know my real identity."

     So they've been watching me all this time.

     I don't know if I should be freaked out or if I should be thankful.

     "I know this doesn't sound connected to the situation at all but...where were you? You were gone without a trace that Romeo and I immediately concluded that you were helping my brother."

     "I was planning here actually. I knew your brother was starting with his plans as well so I had to do something. I needed you because I needed the Dark Saints, and I can't have what I need while he's in the picture," President King explains, finally making me understand the situation.

     "So you're obviously not the man who has been helping my brother. But do you somehow have an idea on who it is? We interrogated someone before, and he said American Man. The only person we could think of at that time was you," I say, but President King shakes his head and says, "I don't really know, but what I do know it's someone who's inside the Valentino Household. He wouldn't be able to give such specific details to your brother if he wasn't part of that mafia."

     "Could it be Elizabeth Roselli?" I suddenly asked, making President King looked shocked.

    "Obviously you've heard of her," I say when I saw President King's reaction.

     "Of course, she's the wife of Claudio Valentino," the President answers.

     "That's right. Do you know that she killed Claudio Valentino too," I say, and President King looked even more shocked.

     "W-Who told you that?" he immediately asked me.

     I took a deep breath and answered, "Romeo."

    "Romeo? Romeo knew who killed his father?" President King asked, and that's when I knew something was off.

     "That's it actually, Romeo hates his mother because she killed his father. But why doesn't anyone know about it yet? Why does everyone in the Valentino household still respect her?" I asked.

     "I...I wouldn't know," President King honestly answered, but then his eyes suddenly widened, like he just thought of something.

     "Unless..." he suddenly says.

     "Unless what?" I asked.

     "Romeo is the only one who knows about it right? Then that only means Romeo didn't tell anyone about it," President King explains, making me widen my eyes too from the sudden realization.

     "That's right. He didn't tell anyone. He despised his own mother, but he knew she'd be killed if the Valentino's find out she killed Claudio, so he didn't tell anyone and just ran away," I say, shocked on what we just realized.

     But why? What would Romeo gain by not telling anyone about it?

     "Claudio was a respectful man so everyone believed no one would try and kill him inside the household. But the truth was, his own wife actually killed him, that's why no one could find out who did it," President King explains, still shocked on the sudden revelation.

     "I don't think he was a respectful man at all President King. The man who kidnapped me, he said Claudio killed his wife and child right in front of him," I tell him, shocking the president again by what I just said.

    "No, that's not true. I know Claudio; I've been one of his partners for years. He's a man of honor, he will not kill anyone without any reason," the president explains.

     "Then why are people rebelling against him now?" I asked, and the president answered, "Someone might be changing the stories so people would end up hating him. One of the reasons why I wouldn't even suspect Elizabeth as the person who killed Claudio is because Elizabeth herself told me Claudio was a kind man."

     Elizabeth said that?

     Alright, what the hell is the truth here? Everything isn't connecting at all.

     "You sound like you know Elizabeth very well," I say.

     President King took a deep breath and said, "I do, that's because I'm the reason why she visited the Valentino Household other day."

     "What?"

     "She and I has one goal, that's why I asked her to start with our plan," the president explained, but I was too confused to even ask about it more.

     "I also called her this morning and told her that you're here. If I call Romeo and tell him where you are I'm pretty sure he won't believe me, so I told her to tell him instead, maybe Romeo would somehow listen to her at least" President King tells me.

     I was about to ask another question when we suddenly heard a loud gunshot from outside.

     President King smirks and says, "Looks like your Romeo is here Julien...and as always, he's right on time."

     "No way, he's already here?!" I asked with disbelief.

     I immediately stood from the chair and practically ran to the door. But before I could leave, President King says, "Could you do me a favor Julien?"

    I quickly looked back at him and nodded my head, "Sure. What is it?"

     President King wears his mask back and continues, "Would you mind not telling Romeo about me yet? I'm waiting for a perfect time to explain everything. So for now, let him continue on hating me."

     I looked at him confusingly, but I nodded my head anyway.

     "Alright," I answered, and then President King suddenly writes something down on a piece of paper. He stands up and hands it over to me, "And here."

     "What's this?" I asked as I looked at the folded paper.

    "It's an address of where your men are. A man named Eric Kwon hoped you'd be able to find them quickly. I'm sorry if it took too long for me to give it to you," President King suddenly says, obviously shocking me.

     I wanted to ask how he got acquainted with them, but I knew this wasn't the time to talk about that now.

     So I nodded my head and left the room instead to go meet my lover.

    Hopefully I'd meet him immediately before he ends up killing anyone.

*****

     "I will shoot everyone here if you don't answer my question. So let me ask you again, where the hell is Julien Choi?!" I quickly heard Romeo's voice from the lobby. My heart beating faster just by hearing his voice.

     I immediately pushed Trevor aside so I could run downstairs.

     "Julien! Wait a second!" Trevor shouted, but I completely ignored him.

     My wound was aching like crazy as I ran, but I didn't even care anymore.

     I had to see Romeo.

     "I said where is he!?" Romeo shouted again.

     "Sir please, ask your men to put their guns down first before we answer you anything," I heard Mr. Jackson beg.

    When I got down at the lobby, I saw Mat and five other men pointing their guns at the men in masks while Romeo pointed his own gun at Mr. Jackson.

     "Romeo!" I immediately shouted when I saw him.

     Everyone quickly put their guns down.

     Romeo turns his head, and when he saw my face, he quickly dropped his gun on the floor.

     He doesn't say anything but runs towards me. He grabbed me by the waist and hugged me tightly.

     "Sorry for making you worried," I say with a smile, trying to lighten the mood even though I was inches away from crying by just seeing him alright.

    "I thought I'd die," Romeo whispered against my ear.

     I tried my best not to cry as I whispered back, "I-It's okay Rome. I'm here and I'm safe."

     "I was willing to trade my own life just to find you," he continued to tell me.

     He was hugging me so tightly that the wound on my arm was starting to ache. But I didn't mind at all. I let him hug me as everyone at the lobby stared at us.

     "Thank god you're okay," I whispered at him.

     Then his hands were slowly trembling on my back, and at that moment I knew, my strong Romeo was once again going to break.

     "Come on, let's talk in private."

- END -