Page 56 of Pragma

“He wasn’t the candidate I recommended. But settle with him.” Ishida-san slides Kobayashi’s business card on the table.

“Will do,” Aki states with a too complacent expression on his face.

The older boss stands up and hooks the curved handle of the walking stick to his forearm, which he uses only to hit people—like a James Bond villain—surely not to walk.

“Please stay for the cake. I’ll see you again…soon,” he adds, almost ominously before leaving the room.

Masa walks in after a few seconds. “Everything okay, boss?”

I nod.

“I have another job for you and Soma.” Aki raises the business card from the table. “Go and let Mr. Kobayashi know what happens when he threatens to squeal to the police.”

“Consider it done, Mr. Boss.” Masa grabs the card and exits the room.

“Shanghai Construction, isn’t that one of the Triad’s companies? The same company Ling Wang manages?”

“Yep,” Aki answers my question.

“Do you think Ishida-san is working with the Chinese mafia?” We arranged for a very fragile truce between the organizations to stay out of each other’s business. Working together is impossible. But maybe to destroy a common enemy…

“A certain Fuckchill would know about it, right?” And we are back to Ling Wang.

“Probably. If it’s true, that’s ballsy even for Ishida-san.”

“Like recommending an old, repellent, sexual harasser as a suitable candidate for marriage?” Aki leaves the chair to go look at the view from the large window.

I always thought I’d die by his side before leaving him, but will I be able to remain near him after he gets married? Can I really stay with him when I know someone else has rights over him? He could go on with his life just fine without me. But as for me, I don’t think I could.

I sigh. “You shouldn’t make enemies like this. Not now.”

“He’s a dickless idiot. He called you a dog, when clearly you are a bunny.”

His teasing is not welcome.

“Don’t fucking joke about this!”

This whole situation is fucked up. I wish we could go back to when we were in LA. In a way, knowing Aki intimately without still being able to call him mine is worse than thinking he was straight.

“Are you going to get mad at me now?” He’s still teasing.

“No, but strangling you is a tempting option,” I say without looking at him.

“If you kill me, my asshole will die too, you know?”

Damn it. He’s so maddening. “That’s an incredible argument you’ve got there.” I glare at his sly smirk.

A sudden knock on the window makes me look up. Yuki is outside…on the ledge…waving his hand in the air. I quickly unlock and slide the glass to let him come inside.

“Found you!” he declares.

“Twenty-five minutes.” Aki looks at the clock on the wall.

“I would have been here sooner, but it’s chilly outside. I lost my grip a couple of times.” He wiggles his gloved fingers before pulling down the zipper of his jacket to take out a file. But it’s the animal clinging to his sweater that catches my attention. It has a long pink tail and the biggest balls I’ve ever seen on a rodent.

“Is that a rat?” Aki steals the words out of my mouth.

“Yes. This is Mr. Squishy Nuts.” He pets the rat’s head.