L*ck Me If You Can

Chapter 202

“Ghh...”

Koi nearly screamed, but he instinctively clamped both hands over his mouth. His mind went completely blank at the unexpected sight. Why? Why was Angel here? And in that condition?

Angel was a complete mess. His face was covered in blood, as if he’d been beaten senseless, and he coughed up blood-streaked saliva. His swaying body looked like there wasn’t a single part of him left unscathed. Seeing the massive man looming over him, Koi’s face drained of all color.

He hit him.

Koi swallowed dryly. Anyone would be crushed getting hit by a man that size. Especially someone as slender as Angel—just a single slap could probably send him flying.

Koi wanted to rush to him, to ask if he was okay—but he held himself back. Angel had just shot him a sharp glare.

If we meet again, we’re strangers. Understand?

Angel’s warning resurfaced in his mind. Along with his final request:

Promise me. Promise you’ll never acknowledge me.

Koi had made that promise. He had no choice but to stick to it. As he stood frozen in place, suppressing the urge to run to him, Angel gave a faint smile.

Good boy.

He mouthed the words. For a moment, Koi wondered—had Angel anticipated this exact situation?

I’ll be gone soon.

That line resurfaced just as Ashley stepped in front of him, blocking his view. With his back to Koi, Ashley spoke coldly.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re scaring Koi.”

There was no mistaking the irritation in Ashley’s voice. Then a voice Koi didn’t recognize responded—a low, contemptuous tone.

“Not my problem. Now, start talking. What did that little whore behind you say to this slut?”

A cold chill ran down Koi’s spine. He felt a strange unease, but Ashley’s voice snapped him out of it. He sounded angrier than Koi had ever heard.

“One warning. Say anything like that about my Koi again, and I’ll make sure you regret it.”

My Koi.

Koi should’ve felt uncomfortable hearing that in this situation. But instead, his heart warmed. Ashley was genuinely furious—for his sake. And he’d even called him my Koi.

Koi felt an odd pride swell in his chest—but it was quickly shattered by the man’s mocking laugh.

“Oh? Then do you know your precious Koi kissed this slut?”

Ashley didn’t answer right away. He slowly turned to look at Koi—and that alone made Koi flinch. That reaction was all the confirmation Ashley needed. His brows creased.

“He was probably forced.”

“Ha.”

The man scoffed in disbelief. Koi had no idea what would happen next. Then, without warning, the man raised his foot and kicked Angel hard in the stomach.

“Guh!”

Angel collapsed with a choked gasp. Koi turned pale and clamped a hand over his mouth again. He nearly rushed forward—but Ashley quickly pulled him back, his hand firm on Koi’s shoulder.

“Enough. You know torture and beatings don’t help people talk. If you want to throw a tantrum, do it at your own place. This is my house.”

A heavy silence fell over the room. The man stopped moving, and all that remained was the harsh sound of Angel’s breathing. Koi, ghostly pale, met the man’s gaze for a moment. His purple eyes had darkened, and his cold stare shot straight through Koi like a blade.

That was when Koi realized why this man was being so brutal. Angel would never speak. The man knew it. The one being threatened here wasn’t Angel—it was Koi. If you don’t talk, he’ll suffer more. That’s what the man was saying, loud and clear.

“Koi.”

Ashley’s voice came low at Koi’s ear.

“All you have to do is tell him what you talked about. Then they’ll leave.”

Koi knew Ashley was telling the truth. But that didn’t make it easier. He’d promised Angel. And even if these men left now, Koi couldn’t begin to imagine what would happen to Angel afterward.

Swallowing hard, Koi slowly opened his mouth. He tried to find something—anything—that would keep the promise while satisfying them.

“...He asked me to go out for some air... I felt cooped up too, so I just went along.”

“You’d never met him before.”

Ashley asked the question. His voice wasn’t mocking—but it wasn’t trusting either. Koi chose his words carefully.

“That’s true, but... I just... felt like it. You know how sometimes you just get this impulse? To act on a whim, I guess...”

Ashley didn’t say anything. He simply looked down at him. The man scoffed again in disbelief, and Koi turned pale again, afraid he might hurt Angel once more. But then Ashley redirected his attention.

“And what did he say?”

The man grimaced, clearly annoyed.

“Said he kissed him because he was hot.”

“What?”

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Ashley frowned, and Koi’s face went red in embarrassment. The man went on, sneering.

“Probably true. That bastard likes anything pretty or handsome.”

“Who told you that?”

Ashley asked, still frowning. The man answered without hesitation.

“Pitman. He’s the one who got played.”

He looked down # Nоvеlight # at Angel again and kept talking.

“That whore wanted a white eagle, so Pitman gave him one. A matched pair—with a golden eagle. Why? Just because he said they were beautiful. And you know what that slut did?”

The man gave a nasty laugh. Then he dropped a bomb.

“He fucked the caretaker. In Pitman’s bed.”

Koi was stunned speechless, staring at Angel. He was still lying on the ground, unmoving. The man kept sneering.

“Better get a grip, Miller. At this rate, this bastard’ll be rolling around in your bed too. Maybe with your Koi.”

Ashley turned to look at Koi again—and his face went white.

“T-That’s not true! I swear, Ash. Please believe me.”

Koi panicked, immediately denying it. The idea of sleeping with anyone other than Ashley—it was unthinkable. He wanted to say he’d never loved anyone but him, that he’d swear it over and over—but Ashley didn’t give him the chance. He looked back at the man and asked:

“So why’d you bring him here? If you just wanted confirmation, isn’t that enough?”

The man didn’t answer right away. He seemed to be choosing his words. But before he could speak, a low laugh rose from the floor.

“Heh... hehehehe...”

All eyes turned to him. Angel’s shoulders were trembling slightly as he laughed. The man frowned.

“What’s so funny?”

Still giggling, Angel answered.

“You. All of you. You’re hilarious.”

Ashley’s face hardened. The man’s eyes grew sharper. Angel, staggering to his feet, wiped the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.

“Wanna know why he dragged me here? It’s simple. Shepard can’t take me on alone.”

“What?”

Ashley looked at the man in disbelief, but the man didn’t respond. He kept staring down at Angel, who took a few steps back and spoke again.

“You thought the two of you could handle me?”

That same eerie giggle escaped his lips again. Koi felt a chill. Was he going insane? Ashley looked just as confused as he did. The only one who understood what was happening was the man—Shepard—who stared at Angel with grim silence. Angel gave him a pitiful shake of the head.

“Shepard. But there’s only two of you.”

He whispered, voice like syrup.

“And right now, your precious Gamma bodyguards aren’t even here.”

“Wait—”

The man tried to speak—but before he could finish, his massive body suddenly wavered. It wasn’t just Shepard. Koi’s eyes widened as he saw Ashley’s face go pale, hand flying up to cover his nose and mouth.

Only Koi and Angel were unaffected.

Koi watched, stunned, as the two towering men collapsed—like they’d been cut down by an invisible force.

And he realized the truth.

Angel had released his pheromones.