Chapter 31
Present
Soft ambient music and lavender wrapped around me as I stretched into a downward dog. The yoga studio was peaceful, a small oasis in the middle of the chaotic city. It had been weeks since I’d made time for this, and every breath I took helped to slowly unwind the knot of tension in my body.
This was my escape; my space to breathe without the weight of the world, the job, or anything else on my shoulders.
As I switched into a cobra pose, a flash of black in the mirror caught my eye. Standing at the back of the room, his gaze locked on me.
I tensed, my heart skipping for a split second before the irritation quickly flooded in. Of course, he’d show up here . He always had a way of appearing at the most inconvenient times, no matter how much I tried to avoid him.
It had been a month since I’d last seen Trevor. I knew the next time would come, but in my yoga class?
I shook my head slightly, trying to refocus, but his presence as imposing as ever, made it impossible to ignore him. I continued to stretch – from cow, to one leg pigeon, to lotus – trying to push him out of my mind, but his eyes stayed on me, unwavering.
The instructor moved to the front, signaling the end of the class, and I slowly rolled up my mat, collecting my things slowly – careful to avoid Trevor’s eyes.
Walking over to where he was by the frame, I pushed through the door. He was right there, stepping out just as easily, his presence settling beside me like a weight I couldn’t shake off.
“You couldn’t wait another fifteen minutes?” I asked, trying to sound casual, but irritation leaked into my voice.
He smirked, matching my pace as we walked through the luxury SoHo gym.
“You couldn’t text?”
“I like seeing you in person. Less room for misunderstandings.”
“More room for you to piss me off, you mean.”
“ Always a pleasure, Natalia. ”
I didn’t respond, just kept walking, my footsteps quick and sharp. But Trevor didn’t let me get too far ahead. His stride matched mine as if we were still in sync, still tethered to each other in ways neither of us fully understood.
“You could’ve waited in the car like a normal person,” I said, half under my breath, as we stepped outside the gym, onto the sidewalk.
Trevor’s footsteps were too close behind me as I walked across the street, to the place that served the green smoothie I always got after yoga. Pushing open the café door, the familiar sweet, earthy smell of matcha and fruit pastries comforted me.
“Your usual?” The barista, a girl I recognized from my regular trips, asked before I could even say anything.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Trevor leaned against the counter, arms crossed, watching me with that look I’d come to hate. That smug, knowing gaze that said he thought everything was some kind of game.
Four years ago I would’ve avoided his eyes.
Now, I raised my chin and stared right back at him.
“So, yoga, huh?” He mused, breaking the silence. “Who knew you were the zen type?”
“It’s just a workout,” I replied, not bothering to look away as I picked up my cup and moved to walk past him.
“Looked different from where I was standing,” Murmuring, he leaned over and paid for my order before I had the chance. “And you went for the smoothie because it’s good for your health?”
“It’s calming. Unlike you,” I shot back, my pace quickening slightly as I pushed toward the door. The icy, spring air hit me again as I made it outside.
“Ah, so I’m the problem,” His voice followed me, smooth and taunting.
“Finally, you understand.”
He chuckled softly, though I practically felt it more than heard it since he was so close behind me. “You still wearing that Givenchy perfume?”
I glanced at him over my shoulder, frowning. “What’s it to you?”
“Nothing,” He said, a flicker of something dangerous in his eyes. “Just… Takes me back .”
Asshole.
I turned back around, focusing on the street ahead. “Maybe you should leave the past where it belongs.” My grip tightened on my smoothie, doing my best to ignore the way his words made a knot tighten in my stomach.
I had to keep moving. Get things done. No distractions.
“You really don’t smile anymore, huh?”
“I have a lot to smile about, Trevor.”
“What’s the excuse now?”
I glanced at him, meeting his ebony eyes for a moment before responding, my voice cool. “ You .”
Looking away, I picked up the pace just slightly.
The tension between us hung heavy in the air still.
“What’s the rush?” Of course, Trevor never let things go that easily.
I didn’t slow down. “I like to get things done quickly.”
“I’ve learned to appreciate the slow pace,” He drawled, his voice full of dirty insinuation; his steps much more relaxed than mine. “You should try it sometime.”
“Do you have to walk behind me?” I shot him a glance, not slowing down.
His eyes dragged up to mine, after a long streak from my ass and up my back. “Maybe I’m just trying to enjoy the view.”
“The view’s nothing special.”
“ I beg to differ .”
I didn’t respond.
The way he spoke… The way he looked at me… It was making me uneasy.
The relief that flooded my chest when I spotted the Su Dynasty building – white and luxurious with gold and black detailing – was almost concerning.
The air in the private meeting room was heavy with unspoken accusations. The kind that had been simmering beneath the surface since the start of this so-called partnership .
I was sitting on the edge of my seat, scrolling through the reports on my laptop.
The numbers didn’t lie.
The patterns didn’t lie.
I glanced at Trevor sitting across the table, the soft glow of his laptop illuminating his annoyingly composed and sculptured face. That look – calm and calculated, like he had it all figured out – made my blood boil.
“This is your family’s work.” I snapped my laptop shut. “The accounts. The timing. It all lines up too perfectly. You expect me to believe it’s a coincidence?”
Trevor’s gaze found mine, his brows knitted together. “ Excuse me? ”
“The Dynasty has everything to gain from taking my father down.”
He let out a sharp, humorless laugh and leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing on me. “That’s rich coming from you. Because last I checked, the trail of breadcrumbs leads straight to Moretti holdings. If anyone’s benefitting here, it’s your father and his mob connections.”
My pulse spiked. “You think I’d be stupid enough to leave such obvious evidence? Please . If this was me , you’d never see it coming.”
Trevor’s voice was cold; controlled. But there was a dark fire in his eyes. “And I’m supposed to believe your family isn’t capable of playing dirty? The Morettis don’t exactly have a reputation for playing fair, Natalia.”
“That’s funny, coming from the man whose father has entire industries in his back pocket from handling mass arms dealings with the underworld’s largest criminal groups.” I breathed hard. “You really want to compare legacies, Trevor? Because we can. And yours is just as tarnished as mine.”
He didn’t flinch, meeting my glare head-on. “At least we don’t hide. Your family operates in the shadows. The Dynasty is a Fortune-500 empire.”
My fists clenched at my sides. “You arrogant–” I stopped myself, taking a deep breath before continuing. “I trusted you enough to work with you, and this is how you repay me? By trying to frame us?”
His jaw tightened, his eyes flickering with something I couldn’t quite place. “Don’t flatter yourself. We didn’t frame anyone. But maybe you should take a closer look at your family’s little business ventures. You might find you don’t know them as well as you think.”
That hit a nerve.
“I know my family, Trevor. And I know they wouldn’t risk everything to pull some stupid shit like this.”
“Then you’re either fucking blind or in denial,” He shot back. “Though I’m leaning more towards naive .”
“Go. Fuck. Yourself.”
“ Likewise .” His voice was ice.
I shoved the laptop in my pink Birkin.
“Let me make one thing clear, Natalia. I’m not the one you should be worried about.”
“Oh, trust me . I’m not worried about you. I’m disgusted by you.”
Storming out of the glass office, I saw the trigger I pulled work its way through his features. Black tar rage.
I’d just taken us somewhere, I should’ve never.
Kazuo’s penthouse sat high above Chinatown, a glass-and-marble throne overlooking a city that didn’t respect him. The air smelled of expensive whiskey, designer cologne, and something synthetic – like new money trying too hard to smell like real power.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit space. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched across the room, reflecting the neon glow of the streets below. A koi fish tank, too big to be tasteful, ran along one wall, the water humming softly. A katana sat on display above the fireplace, a weapon he’d had never used.
Kazuo himself lounged on a leather couch, dressed like a man who wanted you to know how much money he had. Loose silk shirt, gold chain, sleeves rolled up to show tattoos he didn’t earn. His bodyguards flanked the room, silent and waiting.
I stepped inside, slow, taking in the scene.
“You came,” Kazuo said, grinning, swirling his whiskey. “That means you’re either desperate or stupid.”
I smiled back. “That makes two of us.”
His grin twitched, but he kept it.
I walked toward the couch, hands in my pockets. “Let’s cut the shit. My family’s networks have been getting hit. Precise, deep. Not some street hacker looking for ransom. This is personal.” I tilted my head. “That means it’s either you or someone under you.”
Kazuo scoffed, setting his drink down with a soft clink. “You think I have time for your family drama?” He leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “The Su’s were ghosts in this city until you started making noise. Maybe someone finally decided to put you back in the ground.”
“That a confession?”
“It’s a reality check. You’re not special, Trevor. You’re a relic from a family that doesn’t matter anymore. You walk in here like you’re still royalty, but this .” He gestured around the penthouse. “ This city belongs to me now .”
I exhaled through my nose, nodding. Then I hit him.
A clean, sharp punch that snapped his head back and sent his glass tumbling off the table and shattering across the floor. The bodyguards moved, but I had a blade out before they took a step.
Kazuo coughed, touching his split lip, staring at the blood on his fingers like it was the first time he’d seen his own. “ Kuso yarō! ”
I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him back against the couch, pressing the tip of my knife against his throat. His breath hitched.
“Still feel like a king?” I asked, voice low.
His hands twitched like he wanted to fight back, but fear kept him still. The bodyguards hesitated, waiting for his order.
“Tell them to stand down. Or you’re bleeding out on this overpriced leather.”
A long, tense silence.
Then, in a shaky voice, Kazuo said, “Back off.”
The guards didn’t like it, but they listened.
I studied him, feeling the slight tremor in his pulse under my blade. Kazuo was reckless, loud, arrogant. But he wasn’t smart enough for this kind of cyberwarfare. He was a brawler, not a tactician.
“You’re not behind it,” I said, almost disappointed.
Kazuo swallowed hard. “No shit.”
I eased up, just slightly. “Then who is?”
His throat bobbed under the knife. “There’s a guy. Runs Chinatown’s black market. Not Yakuza, not Triad – somewhere in between. Name’s Jin.”
“Why would Jin come after my family?”
“Not him. But if someone’s moving digital weight in Chinatown, it goes through him.”
I let the silence stretch a beat longer, just to watch him sweat. Then, with a flick of my wrist, I pulled the blade away and stepped back. Kazuo stayed frozen, chest rising and falling fast, as I wiped the knife clean on his shirt before pocketing it.
“ Kuso ,” He muttered.
“Pleasure doing business.”
Then I walked back to the elevator, leaving him to drown in his own fear. The moment the doors slid shut, the unmistakable echo of gunshots came through. After the embarrassment those guards had witnessed, Kazuo could never let them live to talk about it.
Time to meet Jin.