Epilogue
Four months later.
KIERAN
The meeting wraps up right at noon as scheduled. I’m still amazed at the way the Japanese do things. There are no delays. Like ever. Everything finishes on time.
Aran and Hex remain seated around the round table as all the rest of us trickle out of the conference room once Daichi Akiyama has left. He’s Chai’s father and the still-acting boss of the mafia group, even though he’s already transferred a lot of his responsibilities to his son. I’m pretty sure he plans to step down in the next year or so.
“What’s up with those two?” I ask, jerking my head at the older man and the hacker.
Chai takes his pack of cigarettes out and lights one. He offers me a smoke too, but I politely turn him down. “They are chasing up on something about a private cruise. Hex thinks it might be a BW trail.”
BW is what we’ve called the drug from the SD card. The experts Chai brought on to examine it are still arguing about what it exactly is, but the majority seem to think it’s some kind of substance that, given enough exposure to, can make people very susceptible to external influences. To the point where it can be considered chemically induced brainwashing.
It sounds scary. A drug like this must never end up in the wrong hands or I’m pretty sure we’ll have another world war. And we all know how badly the previous ones went.
What the drug does wasn’t the only thing we discovered either. Further investigation into Chai and Leo’s run in with the Crew last year led us to believe that the CIA and the US government are making a move soon. We don’t know in what capacity yet, but with Hex’s help, we hope it won’t be a mystery for much longer. The genius hacker is like a god with all electronics, routinely hacking into all kinds of places he has no business poking his nose into.
“Keep me in the loop,” I tell Chai and shoot Matt a message.
I’ve taken on a job as a security consultant under one of Aran’s direct reports, and I also began advanced physical training under Leo. He runs three sessions a week which only the best performers among the Akiyama can join. It was hard work, but I earned my place on that list. As for Adrian, he’s in logistics, helping organize events and sometimes shipments. I don’t see a whole lot of him due to our busy schedules, but he seems to be happy and doing fine.
Chai nods, extinguishing his cigarette and tossing the butt in the nearby bin. “You’ve got the rest of the day off, right?”
“Yep.”
“Say hi to Matt from me and send Leo my way, will you?”
“I didn’t realize they were together again.”
Chai flashes me a rueful smile. “I think your man has charmed mine. Leo won’t stop talking about their ‘bonding time’ and how much he enjoys it. It seems like they are planning a trip during the summer. I heard him when he was on the phone the other day, and he called it the ‘Leo and Matt guide to Hex-ing the shit out of the broody CSO’.”
I snort. This sounds just like Leo. He’s as bad as Matt is. The two of them got close really quickly, like two long-lost brothers finding each other again. It’s cute. I’m happy Matt has found another friend beside Adrian. He also seems to like Hex, though the hacker doesn’t live here in the dorms, so we don’t see him so often.
“But, well, I’m glad. Leo’s been smiling a ton more since he met Matt and Adrian. He had just Naomi before. You can imagine how hard it is to make friends when everyone fears you.”
He’s got a point, so all I can do is nod and press the elevator button. “Catch you later, Chai. We still on for dinner?”
“Yes. Seven-thirty at the Flores. The dress code is ‘royalty’ as they are doing a historical quiz night.” He hands me a business card with the words ‘Pretty Angels’ on it. “Call Mrs. Kanzaki if you don’t have anything appropriate to wear. She’ll be more than happy to sort you out.”
Oh boy. That’s what we get for leaving Leo in charge of double date night. But it could also be fun. I’d love to see Matt dressed as some lord while I cosplay as his knight.
I slip inside the elevator. “Thanks. I think I will.”
Outside, my car is already waiting for me. I thank the young man who’s driven it over from the underground parking lot, roll the windows down because it’s a lovely day, and head home to Matt.
I find him and Leo on a video call with Hex. After what Chai told me, I’m convinced the three of them are up to no good that will have the hairs on Aran’s neck stand up.
“Hey, sweetheart,” I say, kissing Matt on the cheek. “Hi, Leo.”
“Hi!” Matt swivels in his chair and hugs me. “How was the meeting?”
“Hi, Ki,” Leo beams up at me. He picked up the nickname from Matt. “You two are so cute.”
I let my lips curl up in satisfaction. “The meeting went well. I’ll be needed in Tokyo for a few days next week. You up for a trip, Matt?” I hang my vest on the hook and grab a glass of water from the kitchen. After drinking enough, I hand it to Matt. He finishes it in one go.
“Sure. I’ll tell Naomi I’ll be working from home.”
While he does that, I nudge Leo on the shoulder. “Chai was asking for you.”
He checks the time and gives me a sheepish smile. “Oops. It seems I lost track of the time.” Then to Hex, whose face is still on the screen, he adds, “Try what we talked about and call later to report. We believe in you!”
Five minutes later, Leo rushes out the door. I sit on the chair next to Matt and capture his lips. I’ve missed him, even if it was just this morning that I saw his sleepy, smiling face.
Purring, he melts into the kiss. His tongue chases after mine, hot and demanding. His hands slip under my shirt and roam my chest and abs, kneading and caressing any part they can get to.
“Are you ready for today’s lesson, snugglefox?” I whisper, pulling on his bottom lip with my teeth.
He hums, wrapping his arms around my neck. “Sure am, sensei .”
The way he says it makes it sound so lewd. My cock is onboard immediately as a number of fantasies flash in my mind. We didn’t have much time at first, but once things settled down, we started exploring different things. Matt is more adventurous than me, but we’ve found a middle ground that works for us both.
I swat his hip and plant a kiss on his nose. “Wait for me downstairs, then. I’ll go get changed.”
“I’m confident that today is the day !” he hollers as I amble into the bedroom.
“We’ll see about that.”
“Last time was your fault! You were too sexy and irresistible!”
His laugh rings across the apartment, loud and happy. I love it. Hearing it makes my chest feel tight and warm. It chases away any tension I might be holding onto unconsciously. It calms me and anchors me and reminds me that I am not alone. That the person I care about most in the world is here by my side and loving every second of it.
MATTHEW
I flick the light switch on and approach the beauty hiding under the tarp. Breathing in deeply, I take a moment before I remove the cover and reveal the sleek black and white frame of the latest model Yamaha sports bike.
Chai gave it to Kieran as a welcoming gift. It’s beautiful and sexy and powerful, packing a 1000cc engine that roars like a freaking dinosaur.
I drag my fingers along its smooth form. I could never ride this. It’s too big and too scary. But giddiness still floods my chest as my eyes stray to the left where I have my own 125cc Honda Cbr, just like I dreamed I would.
Both Chai and Leo ride too, so once I am ready to tackle the roads, we’ll go somewhere together. I can’t wait. It will be so much fun.
Circling the impressive beast that Kieran’s bike is, I approach my smaller one. It’s like a kitten standing next to a lion, but I was never about how big or fast a bike is. You look equally cool on it no matter the engine. Plus, most people who aren’t into motorcycles can’t even tell the difference.
“I live for the day where you will look at me the way you look at it,” Kieran says, pulling me out of my thoughts. “I never thought I’d be jealous of a motorbike.”
I pat the seat. “Need I remind you that you were the one who offered to teach me?”
“The biggest mistake of my life, clearly,” he tries to deadpan, but his eyes are smiling.
I jog over to him for a quick peck on the lips. “Try saying that like you mean it. Besides, you are the one reaping the benefits of my infatuation with bike riding.”
He gropes my ass, sending a zap of delicious electricity across me. “You got me.”
He lets me go and we put on the suits, gloves and boots. Our helmets go last, after the earbuds we use to talk while riding.
“We’ll go on the track today, so you can test the speed. I think you are ready.”
“Okay.” I nod and get on my Honda.
He opens the garage door and climbs onto the Yamaha. It comes to life with a sexy roar, then slowly leads the way to the front of the building. So far, I’ve only practiced low speed and maneuverability in the parking lot when it’s empty during the day, so I am excited to twist the throttle, press on the clutch and go higher than second.
We drive slowly the two blocks it takes to get to the track. It’s mostly used in the evenings and on the weekends, so there is no one but us. We line up next to each other at the start line. My heart is already racing. My throat is patchy and my stomach twists into knots. Oh my god, can I really do this?
I don’t drop the bike anymore. I can keep it upright. I know how to use the brakes, how to turn, how to balance it and maintain the center of gravity. It’s heavy, yes, and I’ll never reach the ground as comfortably as others do, but that doesn’t stop me anymore. In fact, it adds to the experience. I’m small but I can ride.
“Don’t be nervous. I wouldn’t bring you here if you weren’t ready. You got this, Matt. I believe in you,” Kieran says in my earbuds as if he knows exactly what I need to hear.
Fuck, I love this man.
He was so patient with me, explaining everything until I got it. Showing me again and again until I could do it right. He never once said I should give up. He didn’t berate me for the mistakes I made. He stood by my side and still does.
I clap the sides of the helmet since I can’t get to my cheeks. “Okay. I am ready.”
He relaxes back in his seat. “Do a lap for me. Don’t think about anything. Don’t worry about your form or the turns. Just follow your instincts and ride. The bike will tell you the rest.”
I close my eyes, exhale and take my foot off the ground.
The first dozen feet feel no different from what I have done so far. But as I change into a higher gear, the world narrows down to the racetrack. To me. To the bike. I feel like I’m flying. It’s scary but it’s also exciting. Like nothing I’ve felt before. I am free. I am in control. The bike is an extension of me, a part of me.
This is a hundred times better than riding on the back. It’s wild. Titillating. My adrenaline is through the roof as I speed and then slow down to turn. The engine revs its song, pumping me up.
Shit, I love this.
I lose track of time, of everything but the bike. I’m vaguely aware as I reach the finish line, but I go right past it, needing more of this. It feels so amazing I’m already addicted.
Kieran says something, but all my brain can register is his fond chuckle. If he’s laughing, then everything is fine.
By the time I wrap up the second lap, I’m buzzing. I am at the top of the world, I can do anything. Kieran parks his Yamaha next to me a minute later, grinning like he’s right there with me, about to jump off a skyscraper.
“This was amazing!” I prop the bike on its stand, hop off it and throw myself at my man. “Holy shit.”
“Get on. We aren’t done yet. Let me give you a taste of what speed really feels like.”
I park myself behind him and clutch onto his waist. We accelerate to madness in less than ten seconds. I can’t even describe it. It’s crazy. It’s loud. It’s terrifying. But it’s also mind-blowing. I get hard as we eat up the track like it’s a joke, reaching the finish line in half the time it took me. Maybe even a third of it.
We stop smoothly. Like we didn’t just attempt to break the sound barrier. The world is still blurry, my breathing is harsh. I feel wobbly and shaky even though I am sitting.
“Still alive back there?” Kieran snickers, placing his hands on the seat. Lifting himself off it, he swivels around so he’s facing me.
“Barely. You are next level psycho.”
He loses the helmet and undoes a few of his suits’ buttons. “Maybe.”
I pull up my visor and zero in on the damp patch of skin he’s showcasing. I wanna lick it. He unbuttons more of the suit. When enough of his chest is on display, he moves onto the zipper of the pants. I swallow hard, my cock twitching.
“What are you doing?”
He takes his dick out. It’s leaking and hard. “What does it look like? I know you get all hot for me when we do dangerous stuff.”
My heart skips a beat. Oh fuck, he remembered that? He’s so damn romantic.
“Besides, I promised you a fun time on the bike, didn’t I?” He tips his chin at me. “Take the helmet off and give me your cock.”
“Sir, yes, sir!”
In record time, my flushed cock is out too. He gathers it in his hand alongside his, using our pre-cum to slick the tight tunnel his fingers form. It’s heaven feeling his hardness pressed into mine, the velvet skin hot and wet.
“You are so hard for me, baby. I should take you out on the track more often.”
“You totally should,” I agree, reaching for him.
We kiss as he jerks us off, sloppy and wet. I’m extra aroused not only because of the ride, but also because I got to go higher than fifteen miles an hour on my own, too. It’s a double win, triple if we are counting the frothing session I got as a reward.
“I’m close,” I warn Kieran, gritting my teeth so I don’t moan like a porn star.
“Me, too. Ready to make a mess?” he slurs, his expression already half-blissed-out.
“Hell yeah. But you’re cleaning up the bike.”
“Only if you eat me out again tonight,” he negotiates, brows scrunched together.
“You liked it that much, babe?” I tease, pressing my finger into his slit.
He hisses, then groans. “Yes. I love anything you do to me, but I especially enjoy when your tongue is in my ass.”
We tried me fucking him once, but neither of us was much into it. I like his massive cock too much to give it up and he’s too addicted to my ass. But rimming? It’s his kryptonite.
“I love when you talk dirty. And you’ve got a deal. This time I’ll make you come just with my mouth.”
He squeezes us and hastens his strokes. My orgasm hits me almost immediately, his own one following right after. I take over and pump us through the aftershocks while he desperately kisses my neck. I love how greedy he is, how possessive. He often leaves marks and I’m here for it.
“This was S-tier,” he says ten minutes later when we’ve quickly showered inside the track building and are getting ready to head back. His bike is squeaky clean, carrying no trace of our dirty fun. “The only thing that could beat it is if we actually fucked on top of the bike.”
“I remember that being part of the promise you made me,” I point out helpfully.
“Next time. We’ll go for a ride and stay the night somewhere nice. Maybe a ryokan . We’ll have dinner, enjoy a long bath, and take the bike somewhere secluded so I can screw your brains out.”
Why is it that he can read my mind? I was about to suggest it myself. But it’s the best. Just like I can often tell what he wants or what he’s excited about, so can he. It’s been four months since we started dating and things have only gotten better. More natural. I can’t imagine my life without him. Hell, I don’t remember how it was before I met him.
My perfect Kieran. He completes me and I complete him and together we are unstoppable.
“Mm, this sounds amazing. I’m getting hard again just imagining it.”
He shakes his head. “You aren’t the only one.”
We both laugh as we put our helmets on. Then we rev on the engines, blow air kisses to each other and ride off into the late afternoon sun since it’s a little too early for sunset.