by Lauren Wood
“Lead the way, Red. I would go along with whatever you say to do.”
It made me nervous to even say that out loud, not knowing what that would mean. But at the end of the day, this was the way that I was going to get home. This was the way that I was going to prove to him that I could be trusted, and that he didn't have to have me under his thumb, to believe that I wouldn't tell someone about what I knew. In no way was I trying to be the hero. I just wanted to get back home to my life that made sense.
When the car pulled up at an old sushi place in Chinatown, I knew that this was going to push my limits. I had never been to such a place, didn’t speak the language, eat the food and I was somehow supposed to be comfortable here. It just felt like a place that was going to be full of men like Red and that scared me the most. His warning certainly didn’t help matters. It just got me thinking that I was in for it and I was nervous about what came next.
Just go with it. That’s what he said, but what did that mean?
Red opened the door for me, holding it as I walked in and I was relieved that the place wasn’t as bad as the outside suggested. Considering that the man was worth a lot of money, it didn’t seem to be the place that he would go to. The interior was classy and vibrant, while the exterior was drab. Knowing what business was conducted there, it made sense that it was a cover. No one would ever know by walking past it on the street, what sort of place it was.
“Red, there you are! I was starting to think that you weren’t going to make it.”
Red smiled at a small Chinese man that was older than both of us put together. He looked ancient, but he sat up quickly and stood before we got to him, extending his hand out to my boss. Red took it and the two men exchanged pleasantries in Cantonese. Of course, he could speak another language. This guy…
“You have a guest with you.”
“Yes, this time.”
“Never before Red. Who is she?”
I was uncomfortable that they were talking about me like I wasn’t even there. I was standing right behind him, and if he wouldn't have warned me about this guy before, I most likely would have said something smart about it. I certainly wasn't happy about the way that things were happening around me. They were making it like I had no say in anything, and that probably scared me the most.
“Come, sit down. I have lost my manners, asking you such questions before you even gotten a seat.”
The old man was looking at me with a pleasant expression on his face, but it didn’t reach his eyes. He didn't trust me, that much was clear, and I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. My life was no longer mine and I never seemed to know what was going on around me anymore.
We got a seat and two other men, sat down next to the one that introduced himself as Jin. Instead of being a one on one conversation, it was not three on two and Jin wanted to know who I was. He asked again, directing his speech to Red, the whole time staring me down. If I didn't know any better, I think that the guy thought I was a cop or something. That really couldn’t have been, further from the truth.
“She is a lady that has caught my attention, so don't be crass, Jin. I know that your culture is a little rough on your women, but here we let them speak.”
Jin didn't look happy to be corrected in that way. I couldn't believe that Red had said such a thing out loud, but he didn't seem to understand the way his words came across. Or maybe he did, and he just didn't care, I really wasn't sure which one it was at this point.
The old man chuckled after a moment and nodded his head.
“Yes, our cultures are very different. You know this, and you brought her anyways.”
“Truth is that I don't want her out of my sight Jin.”
“The infamous Red has fallen in love, is that what you're telling me?”
I was curious about this infamous thing and I wanted to ask questions, but I knew that it wasn't the time. Even without the warning that he had given me before, it was rather clear to me that I wasn't supposed to butt in at the moment. I was supposed to just follow his lead, and that was what I was trying to do.
“So, kiss her than Red. She is to be your lover and your mate, I want to see the two of you kiss. Make me believe you or this meeting is over.”
I wasn't sure what to say, and it was hard to stay silent after something like that with said. I just wanted to get out of here, like right now. I don't know what was going on, what deal was about to be made, but I knew that I didn't want to be there for it. I knew that no matter what was going on, I wanted to be as far away from this sushi place as possible. My problems seemed to multiply rather quickly since I've been in America, and I was ready to go home where things were slower and a lot easier to understand.
Red grabbed me up and pulled me into his embrace quickly. I hadn’t seen it coming and I felt his lips pressing against mine, his hand going to my ass, cupping it and pulling me onto his lap. I could feel the hard length against me and I heard the moan that came out. It was from my own lips as he deepened the kiss and pushed his tongue in between my lips.
I was lost in the moment and I had the feeling that everything was going to erupt. I never wanted this to happen, not with him, but I couldn’t help the feeling that came over me. He was perfect, more than perfect and the way that he held me, kissed me, made me realize that I was going to be lost in his arms. I didn’t care, and I encircled his neck. I pressed my breasts against his solid chest and it was his turn to make a groaning sound.
As quickly as it was over, it was done, and I was looking to him in confusion. My eyes were heavy, and my lips were still red from his attack on them. I didn’t know what the hell was going on, but I wanted him to kiss me again, needed it really. Red had sat me back in the chair and I was left feeling cold and utterly alone, a void that spanned every inch of me demanded to be filled again.
That seem to entertain the old man because he gave us a laugh and smiled my way. I didn't like the way he looked at me at all, but apparently our little show was enough to convince him.
“I think that if a woman ever looked at me that way Red, I’d want to keep her in my site as well. Wouldn’t want to let her get away.”
The tension was out of the room and the two men that has saddled up beside Jin left. I was still trying to get myself together from the kiss, and I kept my eyes off of Red. I particularly didn't like the comment that Jin had made, and I certainly didn't like the fact that he was right. Red had just done something to me, something that I didn't know if I could deny and it scared me. My lips were tingling from his touch, and it was taking everything inside of me not to touch them against my fingers, just to keep the feeling, just a little while longer.
Red
We were leaving the sushi house and I asked Kristin if she was okay. She had been quiet for quite some time now, most likely because she had learned her place rather quickly in Jin’s company.
While Jin understood that our cultures were different, he had no need to change himself at all. After he had decided that what I was saying was true about Kristin, he had had much to do with her beyond looking at her from time to time. He made a comment once that she was beautiful, but that was it. And even that was done in Chinese, so that she couldn't understand it.
“Is this the sort of meetings that you always go to?”
“Are you talking about the fact that it wouldn’t be legal?”
She shook her head and said that it wasn't that at all.
“No, I'm talking about the fact that I just had to sit there and look pretty. Is that the point of being your secretary?”
“Most of the people I work with are not like Jin in that way. You have to understand that he is from an old time, but he is also a good businessman that can locate anything that I need to find. He is very valuable to me, so I play his games, but no, no one else will be like him. I don't want you to just sit there and be pretty, but at the same time, you did a very good job of it.”
She scowled at me and I couldn't help but smile back at her. I could s
ee a little bit of the fire back in her, and I liked it much better than the quiet Kristin she’d been all day.
“Good, I really didn't like him.”
“I don't think anybody really does, but he gets things done. And that means a lot in my business.”
“And what business is that?”
I didn't say anything for a moment and she smiled at me.
“Sorry, I should not ask. Honestly, I don't even really want to know.”
I found out that was good enough. I didn’t want to tell her what I did, I don't want anybody to know. I had a master plan, but most people wouldn’t understand it. For a moment, I wanted to tell her.
Kristin had just come into my life randomly, not even two days ago and she didn't deserve that sort of loyalty. She had not proven herself, like so many people in my life had. I don't know why I wanted to spill it to her.
“No, it’s okay. I won’t answer you, but your curiosity is warranted. I know that you have questions, but I can’t answer them. That isn’t the sort of relationship that we have.”
“I know, sorry.”
I told her it was fine, and she turned to me as we drove off.
“But just so you know, that kiss was not okay. We talked about that.”
I wanted to tell her that I knew she liked it, so I wasn’t going to pay much attention to her. I knew that it wouldn’t do me any good, so I kept my mouth shut. She could deny it all she wanted to, but I felt the way she had submitted to me. I knew now that with the right form of coercion, I could have Kristin, in all ways that I wanted her. I was just going to have to wait a little while longer, no matter how hard that was going to be.
“It won’t happen again if you don’t want it to Kristin. It was because of extenuating circumstances, I promise you. Next time we kiss, it will be your doing, not mine.”
“You are pretty damn full of yourself, aren’t you?”
I agreed. There was no point in lying. “I am sure of my abilities and that the future will turn out the way I want it to. We have a choice in our lives, Kristin. Don’t forget that.”
“That may be true most of the time Red, but you seem to forget that you won't let me leave. It doesn't really seem like I have much of a choice, does it?”
“Me keeping you with me is more to keep you safe than anything else. You don't know my name, so it is going to be hard for you to be able to ever tell on me. I'm not too worried about that Kristin, that is what you need to know. I am far more interested in keeping you safe.”
“Keeping me safe from what?”
For the man that took you to begin with. Once I get my money back, he is going to come after you. I don't want anything to happen to you.
Kristin was silent for a time and I knew that she was thinking about what had happened was Goff. I wish that it hadn't happened to her, that I had been able to stop at, but I hadn't. I hated the fact that another person was hurt because of me, because I hurt too many people before. It is one of the main reasons that I didn't get close to anybody anymore. Every time I did, something happened.
“All I know Red, is that I owe you my life. But at the same time, they were there because if you. They were there because they thought I was your sister. Would you do the same thing if they had taken Anna?”
I had thought about that very thing alone and I knew that I would do the exact same thing, say for the kiss and the spooning. I don't know why I felt so protective over Kristin, but it was rather clear that I did. All of this was brought down on her because of me, and I wanted to make sure that something good came out of it.
“I will keep you safe just like I kept Anna safe before. This isn't the first time that someone has tried to use someone I care about to get to me. It is the only way that they can. I am sorry that you were pulled into this, but I promise you that I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are safe. I know that you want to get back home and back to your life. I am trying to make that happen.
“Thank you Red. I know that maybe I shouldn't believe you, but I do. You haven't lied to me yet and I hope that you realize that I do want to get home. You have been nice to me, showed me a part of New York that I never would have seen before, but I miss my home.”
“And you miss your boyfriend as well?”
I didn't answer that part because I hadn't even thought about him in a while and that was a little embarrassing.
“I haven't had time to miss him yet.”
I smiled at her answer. That was all that I wanted to hear. I didn't want to hear that she was missing him desperately and wanted to get back into his arms. She had said nothing of the sort and that gave me a little hope that she was already forgetting him.
“So, where are we going now?”
It was getting late and I told her that we were going to go home. Have a quiet evening there and make some dinner.
“I think that is the best plan that I've heard yet. You have been running me around the city all day, but I want nothing more than a little quiet and some food.”
Most women would love being drug around the city with me. But not Kristin. She was different in so many ways.
Kristin
We got back to his apartment and when we got in, I asked him about the elevator in the apartment.
“Did you try to go up?”
“Yeah, but I guess you know that I couldn't because I need a key or something.”
He agreed with the nod to his head, but he didn't add anything else. It was rather clear that whatever was up there, was not to be seen by me. It made me wonder what I would find. I was still sure that it would tell me all that I needed to know about Red. The man was wrapped in mystery and even though I told myself that I was just trying to blend into the background and get home as soon as possible, there was a whole another side of me that wanted to figure out who Red was, and what made a man like Red tick.
“I would rather you not go up there.”
He didn't say anything else, but by the tone of his voice, I could tell that he didn't want to talk about it anymore. I didn't want to make him upset, or question my loyalty to him, so I just let it go. My curiosity could not get in the way of me leaving. I had to keep it to myself if nothing else.
“Let us talk about something more pleasant.”
“Okay, shoot.”
“Tell me about London, your family, your job.”
I told him a little bit about my family, though I hated to say it was most likely not as interesting to him. I left a little bit of my childhood out, the parts that I didn’t like to think about and before long I was talking about my job. I had moved to London to make a name for myself, and I was on my way when Goff had picked me up. I figured that I was there to do the interior design of his daughter’s house when I was taken by Goff.
I asked him about his family and he told me that he didn’t have anyone besides his sister. It seemed like a hard subject for him to talk about, so I didn’t press that much. I had a feeling that there was a reason that he didn’t have any family and considering what happened to me instead of his sister, I could only imagine what it was. There were a lot of men like Goff in the world that would use them against Red. I was starting to see him in a different light. I could see now that he was the way he was, because he had to be.
“You got quiet.”
“Just thinking.” I certainly wasn’t going to come out with my thoughts. I didn’t think he would appreciate them at all and I didn’t want to make the situation any worse.
“About?”
I shook my head and told him that it was nothing. He pressed a little more and I felt like I had to say something. I wanted him to know that I understood him, if only a little bit.
“I just can see how it would be hard to be you. I would be afraid to get close to anyone.”
His lips flattened out and I had a feeling that I had hit a little too close to home. Everyone told me that it was like I could read minds. That wasn’t the case at all, but I could put myself in someone else’s shoes and
I could feel how they would feel. I was doing that now with Red and I can’t say that I wanted to be in his shoes for long. The man had a lot on his shoulders and I wouldn’t want the weight of the world on me.
It made me wonder why he would do the sort of things that he did, deal with the men like Goff and Jin. Why would he put Anna in danger and keep himself away from everything because of it? It just didn’t make any sense to me, but again, I thought it best to keep it to myself. It was going to do neither one of us any good.
“I have chosen to keep myself surrounded with people that don’t really know me. It has worked out for me in the past, but sometimes it gets old. It gets lonely.”
He was no longer looking at me, but out the window to the buildings passing us by. We weren’t going that fast, with traffic as jammed up as it was. I wanted him to look at me. I wanted to see the look in his eyes, but he was staring out the window as I had before to avoid him. I was unsure how to proceed with Red. I didn’t know him well, but I slipped my hand over his.
“I’m sorry. No one should have to be alone all of the time.”
“I think you for your sentiment Kristin, but I assure you that I am fine. I am used to this life now, and I don't think I would be comfortable any other way.”
“That’s a shame.”
Red didn't say that he wanted to drop the subject, but he didn't have to. It was written all over his face and I didn't want to push it any longer. I should've never opened my mouth, but it was one of my traits that I was still working on.
When we got back to the apartment, he went into his room for a moment and shut the door. I went into the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. I had a feeling that it was going to be a long night, and I was going to need a little caffeine to stay awake. I don't know where Red got all of his energy from, but ever since I woke up this morning, it had been a whirlwind.