by Amara Kent
“I promise I won’t go anywhere near her again!” he blurts out.
I grit my teeth and press the button on my app, sending six-thousand volts through him this time. Respect. Why is that so hard to find these days? “I’m still talking, Garrett. Don’t be rude. As I was saying, I can hack into any system and say,” I drag the last word out whilst fixing up my tie, “put you on the no-fly list and the database of every law enforcement in the world. It would take some time, but I could do it. Which means, you so much as piss in a fountain, and you’ll come up as an alert with a myriad of other offenses. I could also drain you of all your money—the little you have and wipe your identity. It’s surprising how many people rely on the digital organizational system.” I shake my head. “There is no appreciation for the original art form.”
“I can make your life very difficult with very little effort, Garrett. I can literally wipe you off the face of the earth so that even walking into a bar will be impossible. I don’t want to blindly put my trust in you, but I will give you a chance to give me some faith. On my laptop back at home, I have a rather splendid video of you doing something rather illegal. I can release that and you will be forced to serve time here. And let me tell you, jail here is nothing like a jail in America. One wrong move and I will find out. I’m that good, and you’ll be going down with only a set of numbers to identify yourself as. Garrett Troy Bowers will cease to exist. He’ll only be a memory and a figment of your darkest imagination.”
“You’re bluffing,” he stammers.
I pull the video up on my cell phone and show him the footage I have of him committing a heinous crime. His skin grows pale and sweat beads form on his forehead. The best thing is that I didn’t even need to manipulate it so it looked as if it was real. I found this clip just yesterday, and I have every intention of releasing it to the police. What he doesn’t know is that it will be sent to the authorities in one minute. I only need to give them enough time to make their way over here. The good thing about being in my line of work is that it paves the way for making some very powerful friends. Over the years, I’ve created a system that the police use daily, which has afforded me some pretty good friends within both the local and federal authorities.
“I think you know by now that I don’t bluff.” I push myself off the chair and walk over to him, kneeling. “If I so much as hear a whisper of you being indecent, I will destroy you. If I’m feeling pissed off and need to take my anger out on somebody, I’ll destroy you. A pest like you is the perfect person to play games with. Strap yourself in, Garrett, and welcome to my world. You’ve entered the gaming arena. All you can do is be a good boy and pray that I never get so enraged that I seek you out as a human punching bag.”
I leave him in stunned silence, as I take it upon myself to exit the apartment and make my way downstairs. When I’m on the ground floor, I stop by the security desk, handing the security guard my business card.
“You will get a visit from the local police. They know where they’re going, just sit back and let them do their job, okay?”
“Ahh. Yes, sir.”
“Good.”
I leave the building, take my phone out, and send a quick text to Hotaru.
Me:
It’s done. Make sure to be home all day tomorrow. I’ll be sending builders around to fix your door, and my security team to set you up.
Hotaru:
Thank you so much, Ren.
When I reach my car, I find Niko standing there, while swarms of police make their way inside the building. I watch as six men jog inside and past the securities desk. “Six men. Really?”
“You said he was an abuser, and with the video you sent me, I wasn’t taking any chances,” Niko says with a shrug.
I crack a smile and shake my head. “Don’t go overstepping your power, Nik. That’s how bad cops are formed and good one’s reputations tarnished.”
“Relax, Ren. There’s nothing I would ever do, illegally.” He winks at me before patting me on the back and leaving me. The implication being that unlike myself, he’s always lived one hundred percent by the law.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Kerri
I stand up and make my way to the women’s restroom. Taylor falls into step beside me, like my own personal bodyguard. I sigh, knowing that whatever I say won’t get her to leave me alone. It’s been this way ever since that day in the alley. She’s been racked with so much guilt that every move I make, she’s right there beside me. If I so much as sneeze, she’s jumping up to get me a tissue. She’s bugged the apartment we’re living in and refuses to allow me to sleep in my bed. Yeah, can you imagine how annoying that can be? Look, don’t get me wrong, I love how much she’s looking out for me, but I know this isn’t fully coming from a place of protection and love. Most of it has to do with her trying to make up for something she couldn’t have prevented. There is no scenario you could pose that would have stopped it from happening because Garrett’s obsessive, and he always gets what he wants no matter what. If it didn’t happen in the little street alley, it would have happened elsewhere. I hate what happened, and whenever I go to sleep or there’s too much stillness around me, the memories of the way his hands and lips felt spring to life and an overwhelming pressure builds in my chest, but I’m glad that it happened when it did, because who’s to say there would have been someone to help me if it happened elsewhere. The fact that Ren was there… I have no words to truly describe just how happy I am that he was.
This in no way means I’ve forgiven him for lying to me and cheating on his girlfriend because nothing could ever make me forgive him for using me that way, but as it stands, he places in second of the vile men in my life. Garrett being the obvious first.
I push open the bathroom door and enter the closest available stall. When it seems as if she’s about to follow me in, I spin around and put my hands on her shoulders.
“I love you and all, but we really need to set some boundaries, Tay.”
“I told you that day in the hospital, I wouldn’t leave your side,” she argues, scrunching her face up.
“Yes, and you’ve done a magical job of it till now, but please, I feel like you’re my kid. It’s been five months, Tay.”
“You can’t be sure he won’t try again,” she retorts defensively.
“Yes, but I don’t think we’ll find him in the women’s bathroom of this particular restaurant, or any other restaurant; or our own apartment. I know there’s no way to reason with you on this, but at least give me some more of the leash so I at least know what freedom feels like again,” I plead, jokingly.
“You take longer than three minutes and I’m busting in that door,” she capitulates eventually.
“Do you want to give me a concussion as well, because that’s the only result from you going Rambo on the door,” I tease.
“Kerri.” She frowns.
“I know, Tay. But if I don’t try to make light of the situation, it will consume me, and I refuse to give him that hold over me again.”
I close the door and do my business, flushing the toilet, and washing my hands. We make our way silently back to our table. This year has gone so fast. We’re already nearly halfway through our trip and the show. It’s been an absolute blast meeting all the people and being able to explore more of Japan. We have even been able to catch up with Sara a few times. Despite what happened here, I’m going to miss it. Garrett somehow hasn’t been able to taint my love of the city and my experience. I don’t know whether it’s because he’s not Japanese and therefore, I’m able to disassociate him from everyone else or what, but I do feel a sense of calmness, which is absurd, right? How can someone who has been through what I have come out the other side and shrug it off as if it were nothing? He scares me to death. I know what he was capable of and still capable of, but letting him invade more of my thoughts than he already does is giving him everything he’s ever wanted. I’m not sure how long it will take to move past the fears he’s burned into me, but I’m go
ing to try. Giving up and running is no longer an option. I have to fight. Fight to find me again. Fight to let myself be vulnerable again. Fight to be me again. I won’t ever allow another man to have such power over me.
My phone lights up, and I look at a text from Ren.
Ren:
Everything’s fixed. There’s no need to be scared about Garrett.
Huh?
Me:
Why? What did you do?
Ren:
I fixed the situation. He won’t be bothering you any longer.
Me:
Oh my God, please tell me you didn’t kill him!
Ren:
Lol. What is with you and Garrett thinking I’m part of some gang?
I simply made him see the error of his ways, that’s all.
Me:
You realize, comments like that don’t make you sound like you’re not mob-connected.
Ren:
I’m not, and I didn’t hurt him, much. Hope you are doing well.
I’m about to respond, when I hear, “Excuse me, you’re Kerri, right?” and look up to see Aiya Funai. What the fuck is she doing here?
My guard instantly springs up and I’m about to go into this monologue of how I had no idea Ren was in a relationship and how she should get a cleaver and hack up his dick so he no longer has the ability to fling that dick of his around in every direction. I run the entire thing in my head and hope that she will understand and believe me. I know what women can be like. So quick to go after the person their partner cheated on them with, instead of the partner. As someone who seems to have found themselves in this situation more than once, I can attest that most girls have no clue.
“I’m Aiya Funai,” she says sweetly. My stomach churns at how nice she is and how much I unwillingly helped in pulling her world apart. How could Ren have done this to her?
“Hi. I’m so sorry, I swear to God, I had no idea Ren was in a relationship,” I blurt out like a madwoman.
She giggles. Wait, what? This isn’t funny. “There is absolutely nothing to be sorry about.”
“What? He didn’t tell you?” I say with a raised voice, drawing the attention of some patrons around me. I earn a frown from the owner and I nod my head and apologize for my outburst.
“I know what you think he did. I just wanted to come here and clear things up.” She looks at the seat next to me and I nod, pulling it out for her. “First off, I just want to say I’m so sorry for what happened to you, it’s awful.” There is sadness and a whole lot of pity in her eyes. I have the sudden urge to wipe it off her face because I get enough of it from everybody else. They’re going to all end up killing me with it.
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
A warm smile spreads on her perfectly painted lips. “I’m just going to get right to the point. Ren didn’t cheat on me. We’re not together.”
My mouth falls.
“Come again?” Taylor asks.
“I’ve been Ren’s best friend ever since we were little. Our parents have wanted us to be together for a very long time. If it was a custom, I’m sure we would have been betrothed by now. The thing is, we were never—nor are we ever—going to be together.”
“Why not?” I ask.
She releases a heavy sigh. “Because I’m gay.”
My mouth falls again. She needs to quit with these astounding admissions before my jaw unhinges and falls off.
“So who told the press that you two were together?” Taylor asks.
She hangs her head. “I did. Believe me, I’m not proud of my actions, but it was all I could think of doing to stop them from posting pictures of me and one of my models. My parents didn’t know at the time, and if they found out I was gay.” Her voice cracks heavily at the last part. It hits me straight in the heart and I find myself providing a comforting hand. Her eyes grow wet from tears, and she cracks a smile. “The reason I’m telling you this is because they know now. There’s nothing left to hide. Sorry it took so long, but after hearing what had happened to you, I didn’t want to intrude. It just so happens that I was walking past and saw you in the window, so I decided to take the opportunity to come clean about the poor choices I’ve made and clear Ren’s name.”
“I don’t like what you did, but I get it. You were scared and needed a lifeline to help.”
“Thank you. I just pray it’s not too late for you and Ren.”
My eyes squint. “What do you mean? Too late for me and Ren? There is no me and Ren.”
“I think he’s fallen for you,” she states.
“How do you figure?” I ask.
“In all the years I’ve ever known him, I haven’t seen him get so caught up in a woman before. Usually, he just sleeps with a woman and sends them on their way.”
“Sounds familiar,” Taylor mumbles next to me. I kick her ankle.
“I guess your past experiences have led you down a different path than you expected?” Aiya asks.
“Yeah.”
“Same as Ren.”
“What has he been through?”
“That’s for him to tell you, not me. He’s a good man. The best. He agreed to a fake relationship with me just so my mother would stop trying to get me together with her friend’s sons. He was the first person I came out to. He’s been my number one supporter, and ever since you found out about the fake relationship, he hasn’t slept with another woman. That’s big for him.”
Taylor and I look at each other in shock. I can’t believe it. Ren Hattori, the professed bachelor, and lover of sex and women, hasn’t had sex since I confronted him? A little tingle of delight spreads through me. Oh, calm down. It means nothing. It doesn’t change a single thing. We still live in separate countries. There is still no chance of getting into a relationship with him, even if I wanted to. And most importantly… I’m just not ready, and I don’t know when I will be.
“Well, I should get going. I just wanted to come in and tell you that. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”
She gets up and bows quickly before gliding out of the café.
After a few moments, I stand up and gather my things. Taylor stands up as well. “What are you going to do?” she asks.
“I’m going to go see Ren,” I announce.
She smiles. Pleased with my decision.
He’s absolutely amazing to watch in action. The way he seems to grab the attention of everyone in the room. It’s not commanding like it is with most bosses. He has this way about him that simply pulls it to him like he was born to be in his position. I begged Taylor to wait down in the lobby for me, and she agreed, only after I agreed she would escort me up here. I told her I would be close to Ren, and there is no way he would allow anybody to hurt me, and that he would also have the highest of security. After fifteen minutes of arguing with her, she finally acquiesced.
He spots me and the corner of his lip kinks up into a crooked smile. He never lets on that he’s spotted me and continues to talk to his staff. The woman at the front desk advised that she had no idea how long the meeting would run for, but said that I could sit on the seat just outside the conference room if I was willing to wait.
Half an hour later, and the meeting wraps up. I watch as all the men and women file out of the room, busying themselves with work talk, most of which is a bunch of tech jargon even I don’t understand. There is no forgetting how attractive Ren is. Once you’ve seen him, the memory of him is ingrained in your brain, but every time I see him it’s like the first time and still elicits that unbelievable feeling. It’s similar to being on Space Mountain or parachuting out of an airplane. Your stomach drops and you think you’re going to come to a crashing stop on the ground, but you don’t.
He’s the last to exit the room. I stand up when he comes over to me with a welcome, but curious smile.
“Hi, Ren,” I say.
“Kerri. It’s good to see you again. What did I do to deserve such a visit?” he asks.
I lift the plastic bag in my hand. “I came with lunch a
nd to talk,” I explain.
He crooks his head to follow him. The floor containing his offices is huge. It appears to be a warehouse re-fitted to be an office space. There are various pods that are grouped into certain aspects of the company. Each pod matched with an office that is designed for the team leader, or manager of that particular team. Various people say hi as we walk by, and he greets them all by name. We eventually reach his office, which sits in the middle of the space, fully glassed. Sitting just outside his office is a man at a desk.
“Jack, hold my calls, will you? I’m just at lunch,” he advises.
Jack looks to me and then back at Ren with a smirk. “Sure thing, boss.”
Ren holds the door open for me, and I enter. “Jack seems like trouble,” I declare.
“Don’t mind him. He thinks he knows everything that happens with me. He doesn’t.”
I walk over to the table situated at the far end of the room and set down my handbag and our plastic bag of food I got from my new favorite sushi place in the entire world.
“I don’t know how you work in a space like this. I’d always feel like I’m being intruded on.” Ren picks up a remote and presses a button. Instantly, the glass walls turn navy, as I watch in amazement. “Holy shit.” I breathe out.
“This technology has been around for some time.” He chuckles.
“It doesn’t matter, it’s still amazing to see.”
“So what did you bring me?” he asks, walking over to the table and sitting down opposite me. I proceed to remove the contents, and his eyes light up in approval.