Page 74 of Emperor of Havoc

And it scares the shit out of me.

The truth is, he does distract me—not in the way Nina meant, but in one that’s far more dangerous. His presence is a constant reminder of the darkness I’ve always carried, the part of me that craves control and chaos in equal measure but that I've tried to bury for years.

The sound of the conference room door opening snaps me out of my thoughts. My heart sinks as Takeshi strides fluidly and confidently into the room, dressed in a crisp black suit that highlights the lines of his lean, powerful frame. He’s got this way of wearing suits with this air of disdain that somehow makes him even hotter.

Damn him.

His gaze sweeps over the room, landing on me with an intensity that makes my breath catch.

“Am I interrupting?” he asks, his tone smooth if edged with amusement.

Ryu stiffens beside me. “This is a private meeting.”

Takeshi ignores him. “Katarina,” he says, his focus entirely on me and his voice softening slightly. “A word?”

“We’re busy,” Rya grunts.

“Wife,” Takeshi growls, louder this time, grabbing the full attention of the room. “A word.”

Ryu shoves his chair back, rising to his feet. “You’ve got a lot of nerve?—”

“Enough,” I sign, cutting him off. I stand, smoothing my hands down over my skirt as I level a glare at Takeshi. “Make it quick.”

Takeshi’s smirk deepens, but he doesn’t say anything as he steps aside, gesturing for me to follow him. I hesitate for a moment, glancing at Nina and Ryu. Nina gives me a subtle nod; Ryu looks like he’s seconds away from putting his fist through Takeshi’s face,

With a sigh, I follow Takeshi out, my heels clicking on the polished floor. He leads me down a hall and into one of the smaller meeting rooms, closing the door behind us.

The tension between us is palpable as he turns to face me. For a moment, neither of us speaks, the silence stretching on like a taut wire ready to snap.

Finally, I bring my hands up. “What do you want?”

His gaze darkens and his smirk fades as he steps closer. “You’ve been busy,” he says, his voice low. “Meeting with your captains, making plans. I’m impressed.”

“I don’t need your approval,” I sign back sharply. “This is my family. You’re just?—”

“An accessory,” he finishes for me, his tone mocking. “You said that earlier, didn’t you?”

I freeze, my stomach dropping. “You were eavesdropping?”

“I’m…thorough,” he says with a shrug. “Don’t worry, princess. I’m not offended. I know what this is.”

“Do you?” I ask, my hands trembling slightly.

He steps closer, looming over me. “You’re scared of me,” he murmurs, his tone almost tender. “But you’re also drawn to me. You can’t help it…can you?”

I swallow hard, my pulse racing. “You’re delusional.”

His lips curl into a slow, dangerous smile. “Maybe I just see you more clearly than anyone else does.”

For a moment, his words leave me unable to breathe, my chest tight under the weight of his gaze. Then I force myself to meet his challenge head-on.

“You don’t know me,” I motion firmly. “You never will.”

His smile widens, sending a shiver down my spine. “We’ll see about that.”

Before I can respond he leaves, the door clicking shut behind him. I’m left standing there, my hands trembling as I press them against the edge of the table to steady myself.

He’s right: I am scared of him. But it’s not just fear, it’s something darker and more dangerous.

---