CHAPTER 160: TWO MONSTERS (5)

Soundtrack available on YT, IG, & FB

SONG TITLE: Claim Me - Shiroi Nami (Claim Me Captain! I’m Addicted to You!)

After rinsing off the trace of what just happened between the three of them, Raymond stepped out of the building to wait for Reagan. He leaned casually against his car, a cigarette already lit between his fingers.

He pulled out his phone and scrolled, thumb pausing on Nancy’s name.

[Are you done with your shoot?] he typed, exhaling smoke through the corner of his lips.

The reply came almost instantly.

[Yeah. Still coming?]

A sharp grin tugged at Raymond’s mouth. ’Of course.’

[Yes. Reagan is with me. Can I bring him, too?]

[Okay. Bring food. My road manager is starving me.] Nancy replied.

He smirked, the cigarette glowing bright as he inhaled again. [Okay, see you soon,] he sent back.

When he closed the app, the brightness of the screen reflected against his features, and that’s when his chest tightened. He hadn’t changed his wallpaper. It was still her.

Georgia.

Her smile, frozen in time, lit up the photo—soft, unguarded, beautiful in a way that gnawed at him. His throat went dry as he stared, remembering the weight of her leaning against him the moment they had taken it, the scent of her hair, the warmth of her laughter.

He clenched his jaw, forcing his eyes shut, but it didn’t matter. The image was seared into him, just like the ache in his chest. Even after all the women, all the nights like this one, nothing stripped her being from his skin.

Reagan spotted Raymond the moment he pushed through the glass doors. His friend was leaning against the car, phone still in hand, the faint glow illuminating his face with something that looked too much like pain.

"You okay?" Reagan asked, voice low, measured.

Raymond let out a bitter scoff and slid the phone back into his pocket like it was something venomous. "Depends on what your definition of okay is."

"So... not okay."

"Not even close." Raymond’s jaw tightened, his eyes unfocused as if replaying too many moments at once.

"I’m pissed at Nancy, but more at myself. Same with Sarah. I should be grateful she reached out when they pulled Georgia out of the water, but every time I think about it, it gnaws at me—how she still couldn’t keep Nick in her grip. I did my part of the deal, and yet..." He trailed off, frustration burning in his chest.

Reagan chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Don’t get offended, but how the hell can you say you did your part when you were about to marry Georgia? You think Nancy or Sarah would’ve just sat back and smiled at that? Please...

That was a domino chain waiting to collapse. Nancy probably had your wedding marked for sabotage the moment you bought the ring. And if you made it down the aisle, Nancy would’ve gone crawling back to Nick, and Sarah would’ve ended up right back here—ready to cut your throat for not keeping Nancy away from my brother. Either way, you were fucked."

"You know that both women were evil. I don’t know why you put your perfect life into their hands. Now you’re the one who’s suffering," Reagan added.

Raymond smirked faintly, though it was more disdain than humor. "I don’t know too. Maybe because of Georgia. She made me believe that there’s goodness in every person. That someone’s kindness could change the rot inside of me.

David thought the same. For a while, I actually wanted to be better. And yet..." He exhaled, the bitter taste of smoke still clinging to his tongue. "After everything they gave me, I still managed to go astray."

"Regret won’t rewrite the story," Reagan said simply. "Best you can do now is move forward—and for once, plan smarter."

Raymond glanced at him, something flickering in his eyes—resentment, longing, or just exhaustion. He straightened and flicked the last of his cigarette to the pavement. "Yeah. Nancy’s done with work, wants food. You riding with me?"

Reagan shook his head. "Nah. I already sent the driver home. I’ll take my car. We’ll meet there."

Without waiting for a response, he walked off into the darkened parking lot, leaving Raymond standing with his own thoughts, Georgia’s ghost still bleeding through the edges of his mind.

Raymond slid into the driver’s seat, and the first thing he did wasn’t start the engine—but pull his phone free again. The glow of the screen cut through the dimness of the car, illuminating Georgia’s smile. His thumb hovered over the photo like a man torn between worship and desecration.

"I’m not giving up on you," he muttered, voice low, trembling with hunger and threat. "Just wait. I’ll take you back... once I’m done crushing that sailor who thinks he owns you."

The words burned like a vow as he tossed the phone aside and turned the ignition, the growl of the engine echoing in the empty lot.

A few rows away, Reagan waited until Raymond’s taillights disappeared into the dark. Only then did he take his own phone out, dial a number, and lean against his car with a predator’s ease.

"I’m free now," he said flatly. "What do you have for me?"

The voice on the other end came through, rough and eager: [Boss, we tracked down the men you wanted. They’re interested—as long as the price is right. Their boss is even more willing if you can pay double what her brother owes him before he died and staged it better and smarter than before...]

A slow smile carved across Reagan’s face. "The previous one was already good, but if they can do better, then it’s perfect. I’ll send my assistant tomorrow. Set the meeting. Tell them money won’t be an issue—so long as they follow every order I give, no questions asked."

He ended the call, the click of the line cutting sharp through the silence. For a moment, he stayed there, eyes drifting upward to the penthouse windows glowing faintly against the night sky—the place where Sarah lived.

"Hang in there," he whispered to himself, a strange flicker of softness beneath his hardened edges. "You deserve happiness. Even if it’s not with me... I hope you find it one day."

He slipped behind the wheel, the engine roaring to life. Then he drove off, leaving behind the building, the penthouse, and the ghost of a woman who had no idea the men circling her life were already painting her future in blood and desire.

********

Author’s Note: 8/30/2025

I am currently making an OST for this book. Still in the works, but the draft is on my FB & IG if you want to hear the song. Lyrics written by me. Music was done with the help of an app. Sung by Nick in my imagination haha! If ever you listen to it, let me know what you think.

If you have any suggestions, let me know