Chapter 1
It was a pleasant evening, and the Sanctum Café was lightly filled with customers. Stephen, the cheerful barista, was at the counter.
"Anything else, sir?" he asked, smiling at the customer.
"No, that's all. Seeing you is enough," the man replied with a flirty smile.
"That's so nice of you, sir. Have a good day," Stephen said, still smiling.
Customers hitting on him was a usual occurrence for Stephen. Some would pass a flirty comment, which he didn’t mind, but others would cross boundaries and get touchy, which he hated. But he had no other option. This was his only source of income, aside from his scholarship. Being a student at Columbia and living in New York was expensive.
"Stephen, aren't your exams going on? You can leave early. We'll handle it," Wong, the café owner, said.
"It's okay, Wong. I need the pay for the extra hours," Stephen replied.
"Your pay isn't going to be cut. Go and study," Wong insisted, pushing him gently.
"Thanks, Wong. I'll leave after taking this order," Stephen chuckled.
"Alright, alright," Wong said, rolling his eyes as he went inside.
Stephen’s best friend Christine had introduced him to Wong. When Wong heard Stephen’s story, he offered him a job at the café. Stephen’s story is one for another time, but Wong, though he seemed tough, cared for Stephen like a younger brother.
"Please, tell me your order, sir," Stephen asked the new customer.
Suddenly, a gunshot was heard. Panic erupted as customers ran outside the café. Then, two muscular men entered, followed by Stark—the mob boss feared not only in New York but across the world.One of the men grabbed the new customer, while Stark walked over with a sinister smirk.
"Tony, please don't kill me. It was a mistake," the man begged, panicking.
"You really thought you could escape from me? People who mess with Stark don’t stay alive for long," Stark replied.
"Please, I won’t do it again. I won’t even come near you," the man pleaded.
"I’m making sure you won’t come near me ever again," Stark said, smirking as he pulled out a gun. He aimed it at the man’s forehead and pulled the trigger.
Blood splattered, some of it landing on Stephen’s face. He stood petrified, stunned.
"Don't worry, my men will clean this up. Just pretend you didn’t see anything," Stark said to the people in the café.
He was about to walk out but noticed the young man, his face covered in blood, looking terrified. Stark smirked and pulled out a towel from his pocket. He walked towards Stephen and reached out to wipe his face. Stephen flinched but didn’t dare resist.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Stark said softly.
"Your pretty face looks even prettier with this blood, but maybe not from this traitor's blood." He wiped the blood from Stephen's face.
Stephen didn’t move or blink, staring at the man dressed in an expensive suit, wearing sunglasses.
Stark tapped his cheek and smiled before walking out.
Stephen remained frozen in place.
"Stephen, are you okay?" Wong asked, coming over.
"I... I want to go home," Stephen stuttered.
"Sure, I’ll take you home," Wong said, wrapping an arm around him.
Wong took him to his shared apartment with Christine.
Stephen was still in shock.Christine opened the door, seeing Stephen in a state of panic.
"Stephen, what happened?" she asked, concerned.
"Let him rest. I’ll tell you," Wong said.
They helped Stephen lie down in his room, and Wong explained everything to Christine.
"Tony Stark committed a crime in your café?" Christine asked, shocked.
"Yes," Wong replied.
"Why didn’t you report it?" she asked.
"Christine, he’s Tony Stark, the mob boss. He has the government and all the power in his hands," Wong said
"Poor Stephen, he must be terrified," Christine said sympathetically.
"He is. Let him rest for a few days. When do his exams start?" Wong asked.
"Next week," Christine answered.
"Okay, let him prepare for them. Take care of him," Wong instructed.
"Sure, I’ll be here with him," Christine said.
After Wong left, Christine walked into Stephen’s room.
"Hey, how are you feeling?" Christine asked gently.
"I’m scared, Christy. He killed a man in front of me. He’s a monster," Stephen said, panicking.
"Hey, you’re okay. You’re safe. Stark won’t come back," Christine consoled him.
"Can you stay with me?" Stephen asked.
"Yes, I’ll be right here. Now sleep," Christine said, lying beside him. Stephen cuddled up to her and finally fell asleep.
Meanwhile, Tony Stark was in his tower. Killing and torturing were part of his daily routine, and he had seen countless scared faces. Fear was nothing new to him.But something about the boy’s terrified expression—the way his blue eyes had widened—intrigued him. He wanted him.
Stark had always gotten whoever he wanted, though he usually lost interest after a night. This would probably be the same, Tony thought.
"Rogers," he called.
"Yes, boss?" Steve Rogers, his personal bodyguard, replied.
"Find the boy from the café. I want him," Tony ordered.
"Sure, boss. I’ll get him and bring him to you," Steve assured.
"Yes, but don’t harm him. Understand?" Tony emphasized.
"Understood, boss," Steve said.
The next day, Steve Rogers and James Rhodes went to the Sanctum Café to get Stephen. Wong greeted them.
"What can I do for you, gentlemen?" Wong asked.
"Where’s the boy who was here yesterday?" Steve asked.
"I don’t know, sir. He left yesterday. I don’t know where he is," Wong answered.
"What’s his name?" Steve pressed.
"Stephen."
"Stephen what?"
"Stephen... Strange," Wong said hesitantly.
"Where does he live? What does he do besides work here?" Rhodey demanded.
"I don’t know anything," Wong insisted.
"Don’t lie to us. You hired him without knowing anything about him?" Steve asked threateningly.
"He’s only been here a week," Wong replied.
"We’re leaving now, but if we find out you’re lying, remember what happened to the man here yesterday," Steve warned before leaving.
Wong nodded nervously and immediately called Christine after they left.
"Christine, Stark’s men are looking for Stephen," Wong informed her.
"Why do they want him?" Christine asked.
"I don’t know. But don’t let him go out. Once his exams are done, let him leave the city," Wong said.
"But he can’t go home," Christine replied.
"Christine, he’s not safe in New York. Do as I say. It’s for his own good," Wong insisted.
"Okay," Christine agreed.
"But don’t tell him about this," Wong warned.
"Alright," Christine said and hung up.
Tony Stark waited impatiently for his men to return, but when Steve and Rhodey came back without Stephen, his eyes narrowed.
"Where is he?" Tony asked coldly.
"We couldn’t find him," Steve said quietly.
"What? I told you to bring him here," Tony growled.
"Yes, but he wasn’t at the café. The owner claims not to know where he is," Steve explained, a little nervous.
"But we got his name," Rhodey quickly added.Tony waited for the answer.
"It’s Stephen Strange," Rhodey said.
"Stephen Strange. Nice name," Tony mused with a smile.
"I’m coming with you to the café tomorrow. The owner is clearly lying. I know how to get answers out of him," Tony said, heading to his room.
Lying on his king-sized bed, Tony thought about those blue eyes and plump lips. He imagined how they would look wrapped around him, how that pretty face would be painted not with blood, but with his cum. Tony felt a tightness in his pants. He wanted the boy, and there was no argument about that.