Chapter 2: Betrayal

 Kai's breath caught in his throat as his eyes shifted to the person standing beside Luis. His heart sank. 

"Ricky?" he whispered, disbelief and betrayal laced in his voice. 

"I had to play the part, man. I couldn't let you see the truth." Ricky's words cut Kai's heart like a blade.

Kai's world spun. Ricky___his coworker, his best friend___had been playing him the whole time. He wasn't just a concerned friend. He was working for Luis. Had been for months?

Luis glanced at the look of realization on Kai's face and chuckled, savoring it. "I knew you were too weak to make a real escape, Kai. But you....you were always meant to be mine. Your dreams were always my leverage."

Kai's stomach dropped. The loan wasn't a mistake, but a trap from the beginning. The moment he had signed, he had sealed his fate. And his so-called best friend Ricky had been feeding information to Luis all along, using their bond to tighten the noose.

"You never really had a choice," Ricky added with a cold grin. "But don't worry. We'll make it quick."

Kai's heart raced in his chest, each beat sharp and heavy. He felt the sting of it in his throat. The betrayal cut deeper than any physical pain ever could. Ricky had been playing him the whole time. The man who had shared so many late nights, laughed with him at inside jokes, had cheated on him. 

His head spun, and for a moment, the kitchen and the lights seemed to blur together, like a dream....a maze he couldn't escape. His hands clenched into fits, trembling with the hatred and heartbreak that surged through him. He quickly dropped the knife, which left the small cut on his finger. He stared at the bloodied carrot on the cutting board. He took a deep breath, held his hand to stop the bleeding, and tried to steady his breathing, willing it not to shake. This shouldn't be this hard. 

"Kai....you good?"

"Why?" The words escaped from his mouth, hoarse and desperate. He took a few steps forwards, looking straight into Ricky's eyes. "Why, Ricky? Why the hell would you do this to me? I thought we were friends, and.....and I trusted you."

Ricky didn't move an inch. He just stood there, too still, his gaze distant, the mask of concern long gone. His expression was unreadable now, colder than Kai had ever seen it.

"Answer me, Ricky!!" Kai shouted, his anger spilling out in a wave of heat. His breath shortened, his chest tight with the sting of betrayal. "You're just going to stand there and say nothing?"

Ricky blinked, and for a brief moment, Kai thought he saw something___maybe guilt? Maybe remorse? But it was gone in an instant, and replaced by the familiar indifference that made Kai's stomach drop.

"I didn't have a choice," Ricky finally broke his silence. His voice was flat, devoid of any real emotion. "You never had a choice, either. From the start, we were all owned, Kai." 

That was all he said. His words cut through Kai like a knife. Ricky had never been his friend. He had been a tool, a means to an end for Luis. Kai's hands shook harder now, and without a second thought, he lunged forward, grabbing Ricky's collar tightly.

"Don't you dare," Kai hissed, his voice barely audible now. "Don't you dare tell me that 'you didn't have a choice.' What about everything we talked about? What about all the plans we had? What was that? All a lie?"

Ricky's eyes held a flicker of something....it could be anything but apology? A cold acceptance of the reality he had long since given up on.

"You think it was easy for me?" Ricky shot back. "You think I had any other choice than to do this? You had been blind this whole time, Kai. You have been stuck in your little dream world, and now you're paying for it. We're both paying for it."

Before Kai could react, the door to the kitchen banged open with a sharp crash. The sharp scent of cigarette smoke drifted in with two large, burly figures in dark jackets. Kai's stomach churned as they moved with practiced ease, stepping forward and pulling him roughly away from Ricky.

The man in front, his half face covered by the brim of his hat, shoved Kai to the wall. "Enough with these theatrics," he snarled, grabbing Kai's arm and hauling him to his feet with brutal force. "Marcus wants to see you. Now!!"

Kai's heart skipped a beat, his blood running cold. This wasn't just a confrontation or Ricky's betrayal. This was real___this was happening. His breath caught in his throat as one of the men yanked his arms behind his back, dragging him toward the back door of the restaurant.

"Let me go," Kai spat, trying to free his arms. He swung his elbows, trying to dislodge the hands that held him like iron, but it was useless. They were too strong, too fast to fight against. 

"Stay put," the second man growled, slamming his elbow into Kai's side, knocking the air from his lungs.

Kai gasped, stumbling, but the men kept dragging him outside, into the dark alleyway that ran behind the restaurant. The cold air cut through his skin, but it didn't do anything to numb the pain in his chest. 

"Stop it," Kai tried to protest once again, hoping to free himself. "Ricky, help...help me please____." 

But Ricky just stood there, watching his desperation with a smile. He was not going to help him. He had already made his choice. He had chosen Marcus, chosen the life of fear and control over friendship___which Kai still thought they still had, somewhere deep down.

The strong blow landed before Kai could say another word____a punch to his stomach. He gasped, doubling over as pain radiated through his ribs.

Another blow, this time to his face. His head snapped back, his vision flashing white for a moment. The world around him spun, dizzying and disorienting. He tried to stand, to fight back, but his legs wobbled. His mind was too fogged with pain.

"Enough of you running away, Kai," Marcus growled. "You thought you were done with us?"

He kicked his side, sending him tumbling to the ground. His cheek scraped against the rough pavement, and for a moment, all he could do was lie there, breathing heavily, gasping for air.

Marcus towered over him, his heavy boots threatening to crush him into the ground. He wanted to fight back, to scream, but his body wouldn't listen. His ribs made it nearly impossible to do anything but gasp for air.

And then, just as Kai thought the blows were never going to stop, a shrill siren echoed in the distance, growing louder and louder with each passing seconds. 

Marcus froze. 

Kai barely had the strength to look up. Luis muttered a curse under his breath, eyes darting nervously. 

"This isn't over," Marcus spat, turning away. "We'll deal with you later, Kai."

Luis grabbed Kai by the collar and yanked him to his feet. "Move," he growled. "but don't get any ideas. Marcus wants you alive. For now."

Before Kai could react, they shoved him back toward the door, disappearing in the shadows just as the sirens rounded the corner.