Suddenly the air shifts, a chill creeping down my spine.
I stiffen and the gentle caress of the music stops soothing me as what feels like a dark shadow falls over me.
I don’t need to look to know who it is; I canfeelhis presence, like an inky cloud spreading through the room. But I do anyway.
Damian stands near the doorway, his head tilted to the side and an unreadable, slightly demented look in his eyes as they land on me.
Thatmotherfucker. He’s intruded upon the one place I thought I could escape him.
He moves through the room confidently, unhurried, as if he fucking owns the place. He doesn’t come for me right away, strolling instead to the bar. The bartender brings him a drink without a word, and Damian lifts his glass, gaze fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring me—but I know he’s aware of every move I make.
I grip my own glass, practically hard enough to crack it. This ismyplace,mysanctuary, and he’s turned it into a battlefield without saying a word.
Slowly, he slips away from the bar and strolls right over, watching the band as he takes a seat across the little table from me, his proximity instantly setting me on edge.
The music fills the silence between us, but I can feel the tension simmering just below the surface. I turn back to watch the band,refusing to look at him, but his presence is like a weight pressing down on me, unyielding, inescapable.
When the band finishes their set, the last note hovering in the air, Damian clears his throat, a quiet yet commanding sound that makes the musicians exchange uneasy glances. His voice cuts through the room, low and assertive. “I’d say this is a good time for a break.”
The effect is immediate. The musicians nod, hurriedly packing up their instruments as the other patrons begin to rise, leaving their seats without a word. Even the bar staff moves quickly, avoiding eye contact as they file out as if on cue. Within moments, the once-lively club is empty, leaving only Damian and me in the silence.
I slowly turn to stare at him, stunned, my heart pounding. “How thefuckdid you do that?!” I seethe, my voice tinged with a mix of fear and anger. I’ve always prided myself on being in control, especially here. But now Damian has invaded my space and made it his own with a single command.
He smiles, a dark, twisted curl in his lips that sends a shiver down my spine. “Want a few pro tips? I’m always happy to help the little guy.”
I grip my glass tighter, barely resisting the urge to throw it at him.
Damian leans back, his posture relaxed but watching me with a predatory intensity that leaves me feeling exposed. “Let’s make one thing clear,” he says, his voice low, a warning in his tone. “When we get to Tokyo, you’ll report to me. In business, and…” His grin turns hungry. “Well, everything else.”
My pulse quickens, fear and anger flooding my veins, but I hold his gaze, refusing to back down. “I don’t report to anyone. I run the legitimate business side of the Mori-kai. I’ll workwithyou, but I won’t?—”
He cuts me off with a cold laugh, his smile widening. He reaches into his pocket, pulls out his phone, and holds it up. My stomach drops as I see the email I’d showed him, the one where I’d confessed to laundering money. It’s addressed to my whole family.
“This is the one you already sent, yes?”
My heart thuds.
“Go on,” he says with mock innocence. “Hit send. If you’re telling the truth and they’ve already read it, there’s no harm, right?”
My breath catches, my mind racing.
He knows. He fuckingknowsI was lying. I try to shrug it off, to keep my expression neutral, but I can feel the color draining from my face.
Damian’s smirk widens, his gaze dark and calculating. He leans closer, his voice dropping to a whisper that sends chills down my spine. “Mmm… That’s what I thought.”
The silence stretches between us, thick with tension.
“Hands on the table,” he says quietly.
I shiver. “What?”
“Put your hands on the table,” he growls. “Now.”
I could question what the fuck this is. I could resist. But… He’ll get my hands on the table one way or another.
The other night’s events involving my panties being pulled off are a pretty good indicator of that.
Swallowing, I put my hands palm down on the table in front of me.