Page 80 of Who Said Mobsters Were Scary?
I swallow hard, prickles peppering my arms.Shit, did Daichi actually know I was there?
With a stiff nod, I place my bento on the counter and follow the man to the Head’s office on the top floor. He knocks and announces me with a bow, holding the door open.
Smiling nervously, I clasp my hands behind me and enter. Daichi’s office spans two floors, with windows comprising two entire sides. Wooden stairs lead to the upper area, though I can’t see what’s there. The first floor has his desk and chair in one corner, while the other one sports a couch, a glass coffee table and a small indoor golf course.
“You, uh, wanted to see me?” I say, wincing inwardly when he aims his signature frown my way.
Daichi stands, dropping the file he was flicking through on his desk. It’s not very thick, but the ominous thwack sound it makes reverberates through me. “Come.”
I really don’t like this, but I amble over as told, keeping my expression schooled.
“Open it.” He points at the folder.
I pick it up. My stomach twists and flips upside down the moment my eyes register what’s on the first picture inside it. It’s me and Chai kissing in the lounge where we busted Goro and the Minister. Whichever bastard took the sneaky photo has done an impressively good job capturing my good side just as I’m shoving my tongue in Chai’s mouth. My and his semis are also very prominent.
Well, fuck.
I quickly flick through the rest of the files in the folder, finding a collection of more sneaky shots of us doing very unprofessional things on the way back to Japan. There’s even one of me with my hand disappearing down Chai’s pants.
Oopsie. I might’ve gotten a bit horny on the plane ride and tried something, and he might’ve let me feel him up a bit when we were grabbing some water.
“Leon Caruso,” Daichi says, his voice deceptively even as his angry eyes drain the fake smile I plastered on my face when I walked in. “What’s the meaning of these? Explain the exact nature of your relationship with my son.”
He’s vibrating. I can feel just how much he wants to end my life right now. I’ve heard that the older Japanese generations are extremely conservative even if young people here are opening up more and more to non-hetero-normative stuff, so this on top of the fact that I’m Chai’s bodyguard must be quite the shock.
“Well, uh.”Sorry, Chai. I knew you planned to talk to your dad after we figured out how to break the news to him, but he kind of caught us.“Chai and I are dating.”
Daichi’s nostrils flare. He’s not a fan of my confession. “You are… dating my son?”
“It’s a recent development. And we were totally going to tell you once we figured out how,” I blurt out, offering my cutest, most innocent smile.
It has no effect on him. “My son has suitors lined up.Womenfrom good backgrounds I’ve personally hand-picked. This”—he grabs the folder from me, shoving it on the desk—“nonsensemust stop immediately.”
“Yeah, about that.” I try another smile, my heart racing as adrenaline floods my blood. Like hell I’m stopping. Chai is my person and no furious mafia dads are going to take him away from me. “Chai’s not really into women anymore. If you catch my drift.”
I must really mess up my wording, because Daichi looks about to explode. “What?”
“He likes me?” I point at myself. “And I like him. And together, we really, and I meanreally, like each other.”
“Unacceptable!” Daichi bangs his fists on the desk, making me jump. My heart lurches in my throat, turning my breathing shallow and agitated. Man, why the hell is he being so fucking dramatic? Sure, we messed up getting together considering I’m his bodyguard, but what century does he live in?
“I assure you, it’s very acceptable and very mutual.”
He circles his desk, causing me to take a few steps back so I can put some distance between us. “You no longerwork here. You will not have any further contact with my son and will leave Japan immediately.”
Oi, oi, oi. Hold your horses, old man. This is not how this is going to play out.“Respectfully, no.”
He picks up the folder and throws it at my feet. “You will do as I say.”
I cross my arms. “No. Iko-to-wa-ru. Big time.”
“You will listen and do as to—”
“No.” I grin at him, which only makes his eyebrows pinch together even more. “You will listen to me, or I’m going to expose your obsession with Hello Kitty. Bet that’s not gonna sit well with your underlings and business partners. I mean, Daichi Akiyama, the Kumicho, singing along the cutesy theme song while having his Hello Kitty bento and wearing his Hello Kitty T-shirt?”
I play the video. The raw shock flooding his face is priceless.
“Whoa. Seriously, Daichi? I think you’ve taken your hobby a bit far. Also, you are a bit tone-deaf. But anyway. Since you’ve decided to be an ass and want to get between me and Chai, whom, by the way, I have exactly zero intention of leaving because he’s completely and utterly changed my whole fucking world, I’m not going to hold back.”
