“You have to go. Remember, you are mine. Call me tonight when everyone is asleep. I’ll wait for your call.”
Then he hangs up the phone.
I glance at Kenji, my hand on my chest.
He still wants me. Kai wants me, and he went through all of this to give me a way to contact him.
“Um, can you turn around?”
Kenji obliges, giving me the opportunity to slide the phone into the waistband of my panties. I didn’t think to bring a purse into the restroom. I didn’t care about bringing makeup to touch up since I didn’t even want to be here.
“Okay. I’m going to slip out.”
Kenji turns back to me. “I’ll be keeping an eye on you.”
I don’t know if he means that to make me feel safe or as a threat, but I take it as the latter.
Quietly, I slip out of the restroom.
“Everything okay?” Callum asks.
“Everything’s fine, I promise. Let's get this over with.” I smile as I walk past him.
When I get back to the table, all I can think about is the contraband phone in my underwear and the man who gave it to me.
Even when Georgio attempts to engage me in conversation, I can’t focus. I manage to answer direct questions and offer a smile or a laugh when appropriate, but by the end of the meeting, I can’t even tell you what we really talked about.
He was nice enough. I think life with him would a bore, but he seems like he would at least treat me well.
Still, he doesn’t light my body on fire.
When he leans in to kiss my cheek, I move back into Callum. His eyes tighten, but he nods an understanding before making his way outside.
“You didn’t like him, huh?” Callum asks as soon as we are in the car.
“He was nice.”
Callum shoots me a knowing look in the rearview mirror. “You let Haruaki kiss your lips, but you wouldn’t even let Georgio kiss your hand or your cheek.”
I feel my cheeks redden at his insinuation. “Kai stole a kiss. Georgio gave me the opportunity to back away.”
“Are you saying you didn’t want to kiss Haruaki? I’ll go put a bullet in him right now for stealing one from you.” His tone is hard.
I swallow hard. “No. Don’t do that,” I say, making him chuckle.
“I didn’t think so. It’s okay to trust me, Cleo. Killian is doing everything in his power to make a choice that will still bring you happiness, even if it’s the Yakuza man.”
“Georgio was kind, but life with him would be lonely and boring. If the Gala was anything to go by, Killian already has dealings with the Italians, so I’m not so sure we would benefit from it much. I haven’t met the Russian yet but partnering with them would be a better opportunity. The Yakuza…” I trail off, realizing I’m not supposed to have opinions on this.
“What? Finish your statement.”
I glance up surprised. “I thought I wasn’t allowed to have an opinion on this.”
“Your father may feel that way, but Killian does not. He wants you to be his eyes and ears. So tell me, the Yakuza what?”
“The Yakuza would be the best pairing from a strategic standpoint. It would be a show of goodwill by handing me over while maybe putting to bed some past issues from generations before us.”
“It doesn’t hurt that you like their prince,” he teases.
