Page 39 of Fatal Temptation

He put his bowl on the coffee table and took the phone.

He clenched his jaw, unsure how he felt about the whole thing. Yes, he knew helping Lucas catch the bastards was the right thing to do, but it also meant putting Lucas’ life in danger. He could definitely be without that part. The fact that his nightmares were back had nothing to do with it. He’d gladly take the nightmares if it meant he did any part, no matter how small, to save those lives he’d endangered by keeping quiet.

He sighed and looked down at the phone in his hand.

He scrolled through the slightly grainy pictures of men in different kinds of clothing. Some were in full suits while others were in jeans and denim jackets. A few of them seemed familiar but it was hard to place them. He could’ve met them on the street or they could be men who’d been involved with his father. He couldn’t tell.

He kept scrolling, though. For Lucas. For those people the ring still held against their will. Perhaps even for himself.

He stopped on a picture, a shaky breath escaping his lips. It showed a man in a navy pinstripe suit with a brown briefcase in hand. He had a scar through his left eyebrow, his black hair cut short. He was looking almost exactly into the camera. His eyes were brown but so fucking cold that Akio nearly shuddered.

“That’s Daichi Kuroki. He worked for my father.”

“Let me see?”

He handed Lucas back the phone.

“Do you think he could be one of the bigger players?”

Akio nodded. “He was running part of the business already. His father was mine’s right-hand man for years. It would have been easy for him to take over the rest of the business.”

Lucas pressed his lips together, a contemplative look on his face.

“I’ll send this off to my team. See if they can confirm his identity and, hopefully, his involvement.”

He nodded, watching as Lucas walked away, phone pressed against his ear, a painful lump in his throat.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Lucas

AKIO HAD been quiet since identifying Kuroki. He wasn’t surprised. He hated that this was taking him back to that time, that trauma. He felt like shit for asking him about the pictures, especially after that nightmare. He knew Akio wanted to help, though, and lives were at stake. Lives Akio would blame himself for losing if he didn’t help.

He’d gone to buy more chocolate. He’d basically thrown anything with chocolate into the basket and brought it home for Akio. He put the bag of goodies on the kitchen counter and went in search of Akio.

He found his boyfriend standing in front of the living room windows, arms crossed as he gazed out at the buildings across the street. He walked up behind Akio and wrapped his arms around him, tugging him close against his chest as he dropped a kiss to his shoulder.

“You doing alright?”

He hated how much bad shit all of this was dredging up for Akio. He’d been through more than enough already. He certainly didn’t need this reminder of it all.

“I guess.”

He held on tighter, his heart breaking at the dejected tone in Akio’s voice.

He wasn’t sure what to do except be there for him and listen if he needed to talk. He couldn’t slay Akio’s demon because it was already dead and gone. If he could have, he would. Without hesitation.

Akio turned in his arms, head down as he mumbled, “It’s my birthday tomorrow.”

He pressed his lips together to keep from smiling.

“Did you think I’d forget?”

Akio snapped his head up, eyes alight with excitement.

There was no way he could ever forget Akio’s birthday. The last one had sent him spiraling.

“What did you get me?”

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