L*ck Me If You Can-Chapter 125

I can’t hide it anymore.

Ashley had wanted to go public about their relationship for a long time. He’d only kept it secret for Koi’s sake. Neither of them had imagined it would end up like this. Koi couldn’t bear to let Ashley keep taking the blame for something that wasn’t true.

It’ll be okay now.

Koi swallowed against the dry tightness in his throat and finally spoke.

“You’re right. Ash didn’t kidnap me. I... we...”

He took a deep breath and finally said it.

“We’re in love.”

Bill’s eyes widened as he stared down at Koi. That stunned, frozen reaction made it clear—he hadn’t seen this coming at all. What had he even thought had happened?

Guess he dragged me out here to find out.

Koi convinced himself and continued, this time more clearly.

“I asked Ash to keep it a secret because of my situation. He only did it because I asked. I’m sorry we didn’t tell you.”

He added the apology sincerely, but Bill still didn’t react. Was it really that shocking? Koi felt a pang of bitterness, but then realized this kind of reaction was probably normal. Who would’ve ever guessed Ashley Miller and Connor Niles were dating—let alone in love? A one-sided crush from Koi would’ve been more believable.

Bill’s face made that painfully clear. Had Ashley expected this reaction too? Koi felt both embarrassed and guilty—guilty that Ashley had been willing to bear all of this for him. He doubled down.

“We’re together. And after graduation, we’re... we’re going to get married. And I...”

Koi stopped mid-sentence—because something hit him. His own true feelings. If you asked me again right now, I wouldn’t hesitate to say yes. Feeling his eyes grow hot, he declared, firmly:

“I’m going to the East Coast with Ash.”

Bill didn’t even blink. He just stood there, staring blankly down at Koi. Too much information, dropped all at once—his brain had short-circuited.

*

As the sun began to set and the sky darkened, Koi returned home. The shabby, cramped motorhome was empty. His father had been hospitalized that day and still hadn’t come back.

Like always, he leaned the bike Ariel had given him against the side of the motorhome. When he opened the door, silence greeted him. He deliberately sighed aloud and dropped onto the bed.

Everything inside was the same. When {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} the police had brought him home, the interior had been a mess—and he still remembered it clearly. Especially the line of paper cups by the window that had been knocked over, dandelions spilled with the dirt onto the floor. That memory made his eyes sting again.

He’d cleaned up the place, more or less, but the emptiness remained. Just thinking about how Ashley had vanished from in front of him again was enough to drive him insane.

According to Bill—whose dad was a cop and had told him some details—Ashley had apparently been released.

"His dad’s some famous lawyer, right?"

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Bill had said, letting out a sigh. When he told Koi that Ashley’s father had offered to cover his dad’s hospital bills and compensation as a condition for his release, Koi had felt a bitter taste in his mouth. He’d assumed his father would accept it, but what Bill said next caught him off guard.

"Your dad flipped out and refused. Said he didn’t care about the money—he just wanted his son back."

Koi had been stunned. He had spent his whole life painfully aware of just how much his father hated him. The way he had screamed and beat him that day—it was burned into his memory.

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So why now?

It didn’t seem like it was coming from a good place. Koi hadn’t gone to the hospital even once. He had no intention of seeing his father. His mind was full of only one thing—Ashley.

"I heard Ashley’s dad came here. He’s gonna take him back East soon."

Koi remembered Bill’s final words and buried his face in his hands. No way, Ash...

You’re not just leaving like this... right?

Calls went unanswered. The house on the mountain was surrounded by a wall of intimidating bodyguards now. Koi couldn’t even get close to the mansion, let alone see Ashley. He hadn’t been allowed a single visit.

Only once had a woman claiming to be Ashley’s father’s secretary come out and offered a curt warning.

"Mr. Dominique Miller is coming. He won’t be pleased if he sees you."

After hearing that, Koi had backed off—afraid his presence might hurt Ashley. And he had stayed away since then.

I miss you, Ash.

He held back the tears again and took a deep, slow breath.

*

Ashley flinched at the sound of the doorknob turning. Huddled in the dark, he blinked at the sudden shaft of light piercing the darkness. His eyes burned at the brightness, and he instinctively covered them with his hand. Footsteps approached, and someone gently took his hand.

“Use this until your eyes adjust to the light.”

The cold, professional voice belonged to the secretary. When he put on the blindfold she handed him, she gave him a bottle.

“Drink this. It’s water.”

He drained the opened bottle in one go, and she silently took it back. Then she spoke again.

“Stand up. Can you walk?”

Ashley brushed off her attempt to help and stood on his own.

Even the light seeping through the blindfold stung his eyes. He kept his eyelids shut and shuffled along, feeling the wall for support. As he staggered down the hallway, his senses gradually returned. Every sound, every flicker of light, came rushing back.

“How long has it been?”

His voice was hoarse.

“Three days.”

Ashley almost choked on a breath. Three days. He’d been locked in that pitch-black basement for three whole days. Koi’s face came to mind, and he exhaled hard.

He hadn’t returned to the mansion until a week after the arrest. The secretary had met him at the station and driven him back, where he found the usually quiet mansion filled with people.

There was no party, obviously. The entire house was bright and active, crawling with security and staff. And Ashley had known instantly.

His father was here.

He’d guessed right. But he hadn’t even seen his father’s face—he’d been thrown straight into the basement. Just like back East. Alone in the darkness. He had expected this punishment.

But three days—that was how long he’d been locked away when he’d once tried to kill “Ashley.” It meant Dominique considered the severity of his latest offense to be just as great.

Ashley composed himself and followed the secretary’s lead. He knew who was waiting at the end. The pheromones in the air were growing thicker.

“Stop.”

Ashley halted at her instruction. He heard a knock. No answer—but after a few seconds, the door creaked open.

“Two steps right. Then ten steps straight.”

Just like before, the secretary gave precise directions. Ashley walked slowly forward, his footsteps echoing ominously in the space.

...Nine, ten.

He stopped counting. A door shut behind him.

And then, he smelled it—a thick wave of pheromones mixed with the sharp scent of cigar smoke. That familiar scent.

He froze without meaning to. Then, a deep, commanding voice filled the room.

“You look like hell, Junior.”

It was Dominique Miller.