Chapter 21
chapter twenty-one
Denali
Kai is late. He's never late. I'm starting to lose my damn mind over this. Of all days to start a new habit, and a bad one at that, and he chooses the day of the gala—
"Kaito Kobayashi, you're going to miss the gala if you keep dragging your feet—"
"Jeez, full named me and everything. I'm not sure if I should be scared or aroused—"
Kai strides out of the dressing room with a smile plastered on his lips, his hands in his pockets as he saunters for the maximum effect. And to be fair, it's a hell of a look he cuts in that custom piece.
I was originally on the fence about the white tux, because everyone else would be going in black, typically—that's just how these things worked. But Kai marched to the beat of his own drum, and he went opposite what everyone else would, choosing to stand out.
It's a solid marketing tactic. But there's still the problem of whether or not he'll show up with someone on his arm, and whether she'll compliment him, or make him look like a fool.
"What do you think?"
His heels click on the floor as he spins in a circle, and damn, if I thought I'd have the strength to lie and say I still didn't like the white, I don't delude myself into continuing that incorrect assumption. I certainly don't have the spit in my mouth to do it, regardless.
"Wow," I manage to croak out, nodding appreciatively. "Very nice."
He cocks his head and stares at me with a frown, one that's very close to a pout.
"That's all you can say? Nice?" His hands run down the sides of his jacket, and fuck, that draws my attention to his tiny waist, the same one I felt up yesterday when I woke up and found myself drooling on his chest. "This is imported satin, hand-stitched, measured and tailored specifically to hug my body perfectly.
" His hands move to his pants, and now so does my gaze, and fuck, I've never been happier that women don't have dicks, because if he could see how aroused I am just staring at his legs, he'd fire me on the spot.
"These pants are perfect, they make my legs look long and supple, and damn, if I don't have women dropping at my feet tonight, it'll be a miracle. "
He shoots me a wink, and I roll my eyes. "Women drop at your feet every night, whether you're wearing a tux imported from France or a pair of ratty sweats you've had for years."
"Not all women," he mutters, thinking I can't hear him. "So, about my plus one—"
I glance at my phone, tapping my foot impatiently. "Yeah, about her. Where is she? I told you to make sure she was here at the same time we'd be here."
And yet there's no one here in this boutique but us.
"Well, see, here's the thing—my plus one was supposed to be Reese."
I already sense the direction this is going. And I'm not sure I like it. "I take it she won't be joining us today."
"No, she won't," Kai says, stepping up behind me as I turn my back on him. Two strong, firm hands settle on my shoulders, pinning me in place. "Because I told her to fuck off. I'd rather go with someone whose company I enjoy."
"Well, the gala is expecting you to bring a guest," I point out, losing my mind over his lack of preparedness. "I'll have to call them, let them know to take her place in the table out, so that you don't look like a fool next to an empty chair—"
"But her chair won't be empty," he says suddenly, steering me in the direction of the women's side of the boutique.
I don't know if I like where this is going.
"It won't?"
"No. Because you'll be in it."
In all the things he could have said, I did not see this coming. "You—I—what? Me?" No. No way in hell. I'm not made to attend galas and certainly not on the arm of a famous man. "I'm your assistant, Kai—"
"At best, they assume I couldn't get a date, and brought you," he says with a grin as he steers me toward a rack of dresses. "At worst, they think we're having an affair—it's more common than you think."
Oh, I'm more than aware of how often it happens. "Kai, I don't know how any of that is a best/worst scenario to you." I need him to understand why this is a very bad idea. And why we can't do it. "Have you asked anyone about this? Did you fly it past Arista first? Or your manager? Or your agent?"
"No, no, and no again," he says with a grin that I can hear. "I'm a big boy, and I make my own decisions. Now, find yourself a dress you like, and remember—" he shoves me at the nearest sales assistant with a nod, "you need to compliment me."
I don't even have time to turn around and yell at him before he's trotting off to the dressing room, likely to put on the rest of his ensemble, and the assistant on the floor takes my hand and leads me off in search of something suitable for the not a date date I'm about to be forced into attending.
"No. Absolutely not. No way in hell."
There's no way I'm putting this thing on and going out in public. Not a chance in hell.
Kai is standing beside me, eyeing the dress he brought me with a critical eye. "Why not?"
"It's just—it's just not right, Kai."
He taps the edge of his jaw with one finger, eyeing me up like a piece of meat. "What's not right about it, kara?"
I grab fistfuls of the tulle that line the damn skirt and lift them up so I can step down off the platform. "Kai. What's not wrong about it? Never mind the price tag—"
"No, don't do this, Denali," he grumbles for the fifteenth time in as many minutes. "I told you to consider this a business expense. I'm forcing you to attend on my arm, it's no worry to me what it costs. There's not a dress in here that could bankrupt me, okay?"
"Yeah, but it could come close," I mutter, turning away from him to march back into the dressing room.
There's no way in hell I'm wearing this fluffy ass thing.
As an afterthought to what he asked, I throw a comment over the door while the helpful girl bringing me dresses starts to unzip the back. "No more tulle!"
"Fine," is the only thing he says before he marches off again, hopefully in search of something less frilly and extravagant.
The sales associate and I exchange a terse, knowing look, and nod in unison.
"Men," we say together, and then share a little, quite giggle to ourselves as we wait for the next monstrosity.
"It's beautiful."
I twist sideways on the skyscraper heels they've shoved me in to make the dress not drag the ground. "It's too long."
Kai takes my hand, making me twirl. I damn near fall over.
"It's just the right length. Dresses like these are supposed to be long.
It's part of the look, kara. You just pick it up when you walk—or I will.
That's usually the assistant's job back home, to pick up the dresses for the girls, but since you don't have an assistant—"
I yank my hand back from his grip, scowling at him, which ruins the beautiful look.
"I can handle my own skirts, thank you, Kai.
" If it sounds a little sharp, it's only because I've basically had a red carpet appearance thrust on me on short notice, with no way to prepare other than having my boss pick out a dress and tell me that he's got hair and makeup 'covered,' whatever that means.
I'm almost afraid to find out what it means. He's not the type of guy to do anything by half.
"This is the one. It'll look stunning at the gala.
" He hands a card to the associate so fast it makes my head spin, and then leans his head down and puts it at my waist—a move that makes me damn near turn redder than a tomato.
I realize belatedly what he's doing when his teeth snip the little string attached to the side of the dress, removing the price tag without damaging the product. "Don't look. You'll only yell at me."
I don't bother trying to fight it from his grip. I couldn't win in this thing if I tried.
"I can't believe you're making me do this," even though this is like a dream come true at this point "without paying me extra for my acting services. That's outside of my contractual obligations."
"Okay, fine," he says with a grin, waving the second assistant over as he leans in and wraps an arm around my waist, "I'll double your weekly pay as compensation."
"Triple," I say, knowing he's joking. Going to the gala, buying me the dress, it's more than enough. "And then you've got a deal."
"You drive a hard bargain, but I'm in." His card comes back to him as the second girl reaches us, waiting for her orders.
But he doesn't let me go. Instead, he turns to the girl and gives her his most stern Kai stare. "Tell me, honestly, do we make a nice pair together?"
Her head bobs repeatedly as she blushes under the pressure. "Oh, yes, sir, you and your lady will cut a fine image together tonight. A real power couple—"
"Ah," I start, raising a finger, "we're not a couple—"
"She's just modest," Kai says hurriedly, nudging me with his hip. "Aren't you, kara?"
I could indulge him. I could deny him and let him skewer himself. I play along, only because it's easier, and maybe a teensy part of me knows this is the best it'll ever get. "Ah, yes, sorry, I don't like to—I'm—"
"—terribly shy," Kai finishes for me, putting my hand in hers with a nod. "Now, go on, Denali, and hop out of the dress. We have to go get your hair and makeup done, and we'll be back to pour you back into that satin number before we head off for the night."
I almost hate that I have to take it off, but it's only for a moment. I'm going to have to store this damn thing at a dry cleaner's store because there's no way it'll fit in my closet.
Kai is not kidding when he says we'll be right back.
He's got me in a makeup chair with a stylist that he's pulled out of his ass, literally right down the street.
In an hour flat, they've got me made up like some super high-class socialite and ready for whatever life throws at me tonight.
I've never looked this damn good in my life.
And now I'm being poured into this fancy number, ushered into my heels, and shoved out the door and into the staging area like a model.
Except we're done with the modeling portion of this event. We've moved on to the actual event itself, and it's time to go.
"Your date said he'd be waiting outside," one of the associates says with a little wave in her direction, and I follow her, careful to pick up every spare inch of my skirt and the little bit of excess scarf that's artfully draped over my shoulder like a battle flag.
"Allow me," she says, gesturing at my hand, but I shake my head.
If I'm going to remember to pick them up whenever I move, I've gotta start the habit now, before it becomes a necessity. "I've got it, thank you," I mumble, nodding to her as I lift my purse and head for the door.
And stop dead in my tracks at the sidewalk.
Kai's standing against what has to be one of the fanciest sports cars I've seen in a long time.
It's shiny, overstated, but not too ritzy.
The sleek white paint job is enviable, and there's not a speck of dirt on her.
Twin tailpipes, a familiar logo on the hood, and windows rolled half down.
Behind him is parked our usual car, where Anton and Roger wait with little waves.
My boss—I have to keep reminding myself of what he really is, so I don't get too comfortable in my new shoes as his companion—offers his hand, and I take it with a soft smile, hoping I manage to get through this night without falling on my face or embarrassing him.
It'll be a Herculean effort, but if anyone can do it, I can.
I hope.
"You look beautiful," he says as he helps me into the car, bending to pick up the train on this thing before I can even move to do so. "Careful, now, Denali, you'd better get all the dress in there. Don't want you showing up with half a train."
My eyes are going to get stuck in the back of my head at this rate. "I know, Kai, sheesh. I'm not a child."
"No, just a little kara," he mumbles to himself, shutting my door for me before he jogs back around the car. I see him mouth something more to himself, but I don't catch it, because he's too far away, and too quiet. Perhaps he doesn't speak it at all. And I'm no lip reader.
When he's in the car, he starts it right up, but he doesn't move yet, his hand just resting on the dash, the other on the gearstick.
We don't speak for a minute, but he breaks the silence as he clears his throat and shoots me a sideways glance, almost like he's afraid to look directly at me.
"There's a bag in the backseat. It's for you."
Oh, no. "Kai, I told you—"
"Part of the outfit," he says with a shrug. "Just humor me, please."
I reach into the backseat and grab the bag, just to get this over with.
"Fine. But I'm not happy about this." A lie; I'm ecstatic.
I pull out a little black box and frown as I open it, revealing a bracelet and a pair of earrings that are certainly worth more than my car. "Oh, Kai, no, I can't accept these—"
"You can. You will. I won't have you being outshined by other women while you're on my arm."
The way he says it sounds like he's worried about how I'll make him look, but it feels like something different.
In the interest of keeping it light, I chuckle and pretend to agree.
"Right, right, Kai Kobayashi is never seen with anything less than the best. Gotta make me up and dress me like a doll to make sure I stand a chance at your side of bringing honor to you and your name. "
"There's a little clutch in there, too. Go ahead and put your important shit from your purse in there.
" He's watching while I do it, so he doesn't miss the little bottle of pepper spray I slip in there along with my ID and some cash, and a few cards.
Next in goes my phone, after I turn it to vibrate.
Here's a tip, boys and girls. Never silence your phone entirely, unless you're in a dangerous situation. You may need that vibration to find it some day.
"Interesting collection of important things," Kai mutters, and I nod, giving it no more attention. I'm not justifying my protection to him, or any man. I shouldn't have to carry it, no, but in the world we live in, it pays to be careful.
"Only the essentials," I say with a pat of the new bag. "Could you help me with the jewelery?"
The devil wears a grin that can charm the hearts of the most innocent girls, promising them things beyond their wildest dreams and bringing nothing but danger and distraction. "I thought you'd never ask."