Me and Thee & Calm down Mr Rome Special.

Wake Up Call Special #2

Theerakit Kian Arseny was the older brother of the head of the powerful Russian mafia family, the Arsenys. He also served as the CEO of several businesses under the Arseny empire. Over the years, handling everything life threw at him had never been too much of a challenge. Stress was a rare visitor for him. But that wasn't the case when it came to his partner, Peachayarat.

 

Thee sat on the small sofa in their room, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the table, his anxiety growing by the second. His ears were tuned to the sound of water running in the bathroom, where Peach was taking a shower. Normally, he'd feel giddy, maybe even sneak in to tease his partner a bit. But right now, worry has taken the upper hand. The mafia boss grabbed his phone and called his secretary. After just a moment, the groggy voice on the other end picked up.

 

"How do you break a seven-year itch?"

 

[Huh?] Raf's tone was laced with confusion and a hint of irritation, as he'd just woken up. 

 

[Boss, what soap opera have you been binge-watching now? Didn't Mr Peach say you're supposed to clear it with him first before diving into drama land?]

 

"I haven't been watching soap operas. I've been reading novels," Thee replied with pride before continuing, "They all say the same thing. After seven blissful years of love, things start to fizzle out. And eventually... It's over."

 

[Mr Peach isn't like that. He loves you. A lot.] Raf replied flatly, sounding like he was reciting lines from a script "

 

Thee nodded in agreement, feeling momentarily reassured, but his worry didn't fully subside.

 

"Peach has never gone on an overseas trip without giving me a heads-up first. This time, something's definitely up," Thee said firmly before rattling off orders. "Find out what this job is, who's involved, and how long it's going to last."

 

Raf fell silent for a moment, clearly debating whether to suggest just talking it out with Peach instead. But in the end, he merely sighed and agreed before hanging up. Thee let out a long breath, his fingers still drumming against the armrest of the sofa. He didn't have long to stew in his thoughts, though, because soon enough, the bathroom door opened, and his photographer partner walked out.

 

Peach was wrapped in nothing but a large white towel slung low around his waist. His pale skin glistened with droplets of water, and his toned abs hinted at someone who worked out just enough to stay fit. His tall, lean frame, straight posture, and gentle features made him hard to look away from.

 

At this stage of life, Peach was in his early thirties, right in that prime middle-aged sweet spot where he was effortlessly attractive. Thee couldn't help but wonder how many others out there had fallen for that irresistible charm. Just thinking about it made Thee irrationally jealous of the sky, the wind, anything, really. He felt restless for no good reason, even though there wasn't the slightest hint of trouble on the horizon.

 

As his thoughts wandered, Peach, now fully dressed, quietly moved closer. His cool fingers, still chilled from his shower, lightly brushed against Thee's larger hand.

 

"Kian, are you upset?"

 

Thee turned to look at him, flipping his hand over to clasp Peach's smaller one. His thumb began to rub soothing circles over Peach's skin. Feeling how cold his hand was, Thee pulled him onto his lap and wrapped him tightly in a hug. Peach leaned into the embrace, his own hands running gently over Thee's broad back. He tucked his head into the crook of Thee's neck. "Kian, are you mad at me?"

 

The mafia boss let out a long sigh. Just hearing that soft question felt like he'd lost whatever battle he was trying to fight. All he could do was tighten his arms around Peach and press a few light kisses to his cheek, a playful sort of punishment.

 

"I'm not mad," Thee murmured, finally loosening his hold. His gaze, filled with warmth and affection, rested on Peach. "I was just caught off guard. Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped you look into it."

 

Peach shifted off his lap and settled on the bed instead, tugging Thee to sit beside him. His slender hand held onto Thee's larger one, his fingers slightly rough from years of handling a camera. The texture was oddly calming as he stroked Thee's skin absentmindedly.

 

"It's a photography job for a financial and investment magazine in the UK. They're putting together a feature on four rising business leaders. It's going to include interviews, a photoshoot, and an article," Peach explained, his voice quiet.  “This year, the publisher wants to emphasise racial diversity, so they invited photographers and interviewers from different countries. I was lucky enough to be chosen."

 

"That's great news." Thee's lips pressed into a thin line, his thumb still brushing over Peach's hand. "I was just surprised, that's all. Normally, you'd tell me about something like this, so it caught me off guard."

"They gave me very little time to decide, so I accepted before I had the chance to tell you," Peach explained, his voice soft, his expression dimming slightly though still tinged with understanding. "But if you think it's a bad idea, I'll call them and cancel."

 

Thee frowned deeply, his chest tightening at the sight of Peach looking so dejected. Just the thought of his words being the cause of that sadness made him feel like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place. From the very first day they met, all the way until now, he had always been helplessly at Peach's mercy.

 

The mafia boss leaned in to pull him into a warm embrace, pressing a tender kiss to his temple. "No, it's fine. I trust your judgment. Take care of yourself, okay? And travel safely; I'll be worrying about you."

 

Peach's face broke into a wide smile as he rested his head against Thee's broad chest, clearly comforted. In return, he adjusted his arms around Thee, ensuring the man was as comfortable as he was. His hand began to roam, lazily rubbing along Thee's shoulder before trailing down the curve of his torso. By the time his fingers reached Thee's firm, rounded hips, he couldn't resist giving them a playful squeeze.

 

Peach quickly pulled away and flashed him a mock scowl, baring his teeth in an exaggerated manner as though warning him off. Thee chuckled low in his throat, his eyes gleaming with amusement, before leaning in once again. He pressed a series of kisses to Peach's lips-light and teasing at first, but they soon deepened into something much more intense and lingering.

 

Peach didn't pull away. Instead, he tilted his head slightly to make it easier for them to press even closer. The warm slide of their tongues intertwined, every pull and push of their lips accompanied by wet, sinful sounds that echoed in their ears and sent heat pooling low in their stomachs.

 

It didn't take long for the heat between them to rise. As Thee gently pushed Peach onto the plush mattress, his eyes glimmered with intent. Thee smirked to himself. The most precious moments were supposed to be reserved for wedding nights, but when you're a mafia boss, you can turn any night into a honeymoon. Everything else could wait until later.

 

Thee glanced down at his lover, who was curled up on top of him, arms draped lazily over his torso. The steady rhythm of Peach's breathing made it clear he was fast asleep, completely worn out from last night's activities. Thee leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Peach's smooth forehead before carefully reaching for his phone. He was about to call his secretary when he hesitated. Nope, not happening. Peach is asleep. If I call, it'll wake him up. Switching tactics, he opened his chat app instead and started typing out a message.

 

T.Arseny: Look into that financial magazine for me. 

 

He idly tapped his fingers against the plush mattress while he waited. Barely five minutes passed before a reply popped up, complete with an attached file.

 

R: "World of Bank" is the world's number one financial magazine based in the UK. The concept for their latest issue, which just launched, highlights global diversity. They've invited four highly successful and renowned entrepreneurs for interviews and a joint photo shoot.  It's confirmed that Peach has received an invitation to be featured in their special edition.

 

Thee narrowed his eyes at the text, still feeling irked for some reason. He sighed and tapped out a reply.

 

T.Arseny: What, and I'm not a "highly successful and renowned entrepreneur" too?

R: You are, sir. But you turned down their interview request last week.

 

Thee froze, blinking at the message in confusion. He racked his brain for a moment, trying to recall what had happened the previous week. Slowly, it dawned on him-he had declined an interview request from a magazine.

 

To be fair, Theerakit rarely agreed to media interviews. He wasn't one for the limelight, and even at social events, he only attended when absolutely necessary. And because Peach wasn't a fan of big social gatherings either, Thee had no problem following his lead and keeping a low profile. Between prepping for fancy events and staying home to cuddle Peach in bed? The choice was a no-brainer. 

 

Of course, that didn't apply when his darling husband was the one behind the camera. That was an entirely different story. If he had to choose between the hassle of preparing for a fancy event or staying home and cuddling his lover in bed, Thee would pick the latter every single time. Unless, of course, the photos were taken by his beloved wife. That changed everything.

 

Thee clenched his jaw, a sudden suspicion crossing his mind. Could it be that the magazine had invited Peach to join this project as a photographer just to lure him into participating? But then again, that didn't make much sense. While Thee never hid the fact that he was married, he wore his wedding ring openly; he hadn't exactly paraded Peach around at public events either. Peach hated being the centre of attention, and Thee respected that. Plus, there was the issue of safety. The Arseny family wasn't without its share of enemies. The more he could keep Peach out of the spotlight, the better.

 

Shaking off the doubts, Thee decided that whether or not the magazine had used Peach as bait didn't matter. If that was their plan, they'd won fair and square.

 

T.Arseny: I'm joining that interview. Do whatever it takes to get me on board.

T.Arseny: Clear my schedule for the next month. I'm flying to England.

R: It's only a three-day shoot, Boss.

 

Thee frowned. Interviews and photo shoots crammed into just three days? That sounded absurd. How could the photographers even manage under such pressure? That didn't sit right with him.

 

T.Arseny: I want this to turn out great. A month is more reasonable.

R: But next month you've got the Valentine's Collection project meeting.

T.Arseny: It can be done online. We're a modern company-stop clinging to old habits.

 

Satisfied, Thee smiled at his response, then leaned down to press a firm kiss to Peach's soft hair. His lips hovered near Peach's ear as he whispered in a low voice.

 

"I told you, didn't I? You're not escaping me. Even if you ran to the ends of the earth, I'd still follow you." He gently nipped at Peach's ear, and the man squirmed, burrowing his head into Thee's chest in a sleepy attempt to escape the teasing. Thee let out a deep chuckle.

 

"Not even death could keep us apart."