Page 23 of Shifting Gears

I glanced toward Kaito, and he was deeply engrossed in his call, so I shifted in my seat to prevent him from being able to see my screen and sent off a message.

Raven

Today has been … well, stressful would be saying it nicely.

I was surprised that he responded pretty quickly. Usually, AJ didn’t reply with anything that wasn’t straight-up sexual, so I wasn’t sure what I was expecting to get as a response. But I didn’t think he would say what he did.

AJ

What’s wrong, baby girl?

I hesitated, waiting for him to follow it up with some offer to get back into his bed, like he typically did. But that message never came.

Do I text him about what happened?

To be honest, I should have ended our conversations weeks ago. Shouldn’t be sitting here, considering if I should let him further into my life. If these messages were ever found out … I didn’t want to think what type of punishment Kaito would give out for a transgression like flirting with another man.

But I didn’t have anyone else to talk to.

Raven

My life is just a mess right now. I wish I were back at that bar the night I met you and that I wasn’t thinking about this looming issue ahead of me this week.

I couldn’t believe I’d just sent that. What the hell had I been thinking? Kaito was literally sitting next to me. He could reach over and grab my phone at any moment.

AJ

That’d be fine by me, baby. What’s the issue?

I didn’t realize we had pulled into Kaito’s estate and up to my house there until we lurched to a stop and I almost dropped my phone. I looked at Kaito, waiting to be dismissed, and he waved his hand. I got out of the car and hurried up the stairs of my house as the car drove away.

I closed the door and leaned against it. Sending him one final text.

Raven

It’s fine. Nothing you need to worry about. I have to go. I’ll talk to you later.

And with that, I slipped my phone into my pocket and resolved to focus on the task at hand.

Making sure Kaito never put his hands on my sister like that ever again.

CHAPTER 9

AJ

A coupleof days had passed since I’d last heard from Raven. I had been curious about what was going on in her life that had her texting me like that, but getting mixed up in someone else’s relationship bullshit was not a part of my game plan here.

So, I had been going about my days like normal. Working, then going to the gym and working out, and coming back home to scroll on my phone until I fell asleep. But tonight, I didn’t feel like staying in.

I was driving along the streets in my Silvia, trying to decide which pachinko place to go to this time. Now that I had a set of wheels, it opened up a lot more of the city for me. Turned out, it was easier to scam some extra rounds in the parlors in the city. And I’d made a few G’s because of it.

I thought about going back to one of those, but something made me park in a parking garage near the bar and parlor where I’d met her. It’d been weeks since I had last been here, so it was time for a visit.

I walked in and paid for a set of balls, picking a machine closer to the bar. It was darker over here, and most people sat toward the front, so besides the machines firing off sounds, it was pretty damn quiet.

Before I hit my first win, I went through half my basket. And with that, it was enough to keep me playing for a couple of hours.

I didn’t even hear her walk in, but I heard the same drink get ordered at the bar, and I looked over.

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