Page 45 of King of Violence

“I need your advice,” I say, trying to sound casual, though I can hear the hesitation in my voice.

Ben immediately closes his laptop and leans back in his chair, giving me his full attention. “This sounds serious.”

“It’s...something,” I admit, stirring my coffee to avoid meeting his eyes. “It’s about someone I’ve been seeing.”

Ben’s eyebrows shoot up, his smirk sharp and immediate. “Julian?”

“Just someone,” I hiss.

He rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure. This ‘someone’ you’re seeing with all that leftover time you’re not spending with Julian.”

“This was a mistake.”

“No, no! I promise I’ll be good. Tell me.”

I hesitate, and his expression shifts to something more cautious.

“Oh no. Is this one of those ‘good news, bad news’ situations?”

“Sort of,” I say with a sigh. “Thissomeoneand I slept together.”

Ben blinks, then tilts his head as if trying to piece together a puzzle. “And it was terrible?”

“No! It was...” My brain drifts off, thinking of Julian’s husky voice praising me. My face flushes.

“That good, huh?”

“Yeah,” I say, bracing myself for whatever he’s about to say next.

“And the bad news?”

“It’s...complicated,” I say, choosing my words carefully. “His family’s...very involved in his life. Like,tooinvolved. And it’s starting to affect things between us.”

Ben’s eyes narrow. “Define ‘involved.’ Are we talking overbearing parents, or do they actually control his life?”

“More the latter,” I say as I fidget with my coffee cup. “It’s like...they have all these expectations for him. And he’s trying to figure out his own path, but it’s hard when they’re constantly pulling the strings.”

Ben nods slowly, absorbing this. “So let me get this straight. You like this guy, but his family’s grip on him is messing with your relationship?”

“Basically.”

Ben leans forward, his voice dropping to a serious tone. “Are they toxic? Like, manipulative? Or is it just...cultural stuff?”

I pause, considering how to explain it without revealing too much. “A bit of both. They have this...old-school way of thinking—loyalty, duty, putting the family first no matter what. It’s a lot to deal with.”

Ben exhales sharply. “That sounds exhausting.”

“It is,” I admit. “But Julian’s...different. He doesn’t want to be like them. He’s trying to break free from them, but it’s not easy.”

Ben studies me for a long moment before speaking. “Okay, so what do you need advice on? Whether or not to stick it out with him?”

I nod, my stomach twisting at the thought. “Yeah. I don’t want to get in over my head, Ben. But I also don’t want to abandon him when he’s clearly struggling.”

Ben’s expression softens. “Sounds like you care about him a lot.”

“I do,” I say quietly. “But I don’t know if that’s enough.”

Ben leans back and crosses his arms. “Here’s the thing, Felix. If his family’s going to be a constant battle, you need to decide if you’re willing to fight it. And more importantly, if he’s willing to fightwithyou.”

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