Quick warning note from the author:

We would like to politely inform anybody who does not have experience with our writing, that we are not afraid of including sex in our novels. It’s not the focal point by far, but it does appear in these books to aid in character development. This is one of those places. If you’re going to get offended, we suggest you either skip this chapter or go on to a different book; we won’t change it just because some people are unhappy.

Thank you!

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I was pretty sure I had gone crazy, in the days since the ‘incident’- if I called it anything other than that, I started to remember the fear that had choked me. That was a great way to ruin my day. Though I did that pretty efficiently without thinking about; I had gone paranoid.

Worrying had never been my thing. But looking in the mirror to see the nearly healed cut on my neck reminded me that it should be. Just this once. For maybe a few days or so- if nothing happened, then I was in the clear.

And I had to admit, my classmates were amusing. They usually tried to be friendly. But that stopped when I became snappish, worried any one of them might turn out to be someone that could hurt me. I ended up with my nose buried in a book, ignoring everybody.

The only time I was fighting that paranoia was when I was at work. There was something so soothing about being surrounded by books. While I worked, I was my usual self; charming enough to sell books, but I could easily scare people away with my ranting if they got me on the right subjects. It might have been why the same giggling group of girls always hovered at the back of the store after school.

I leaned against the counter, sighing, my mind drifting as I absently swiped my cleaning cloth in slow circles across the wood that was already clean. The quiet chime of the bells over the door when it opened made me look up.

My heart jumped up in my throat as I dove beneath the counter. “Why?” I groaned to myself, desperately looking for a way out. Why did he have to come there, of all places? Damn him, but he needed to stay away from my store! Away from me, too, but the books were my greater concern. If he pulled out his gun and the books got hurt, I’d tip a bookshelf over on his head.

“Ah… Hiroshi, what are you doing?” My coworker glanced down at me, her eyebrows drawn together. I may have been weird for the past couple of days, but that must have been the last straw.

“Koharu, could you distract the customer that just walked through the door? I need… to get something out of the storeroom.” I kept my voice low enough that only she could hear it, pressing myself closer to the floor.

She tapped her fingers against the wood and rolled her eyes. “You just get weirder as you get older. Fine. Go, I’ll keep him busy.”

“Thank you,” I breathed, a smile crossing my face as I resisted the urge to grovel. “I’ll pay you back for this.”

She huffed at me, leaning onto the counter. “You better. He doesn’t look like fun.”

“You can say that again,” I muttered, giving her an innocent expression when her eyes turned down to me.

“Welcome! Can I help you find something?” Koharu sounded cheerful as she greeted Kazuo.

Her voice covered up the tiny thumping sounds as I crawled my way across the floor. The counter was long enough that I could get halfway to the back of the store. The problem was, there was an empty space between the counter and the first of the bookshelves. A few feet, at most, but it was enough that I could get caught. Or shot.

If I could just make it past there… I shot a glance back at Koharu, mouthing a silent prayer that I could be coordinated for once in my life.

Closing my eyes while I scrambled across the floor wasn’t a good idea. Somehow, my crawl angled me right into the bookshelf. I swore as my head thumped into it, louder when books toppled from the shelves at the impact. Looking up slowly, I found every eye in the store was focused on me.

A nervous laugh forced past my lips as I collected the books that had fallen on me. “Ah, there it is. I-I’ve been looking for this all day. I’ll go put it away!” Books in hand, I skirted around the bookshelf and made a break for the storeroom. It had a lock on the inside, and if I could just get there… I hoped he wasn’t faster than me.

I thought I made it for a second there. But there was a foot between the door and the wall keeping it from closing. Making a terrible squeaking sound, I shoved away from the door and picked a shelf to hide behind, crouching down on the floor and closing my eyes again.

Just… leave, I begged silently, ears straining to catch the sound of his footsteps in case I needed to make a break for it. I was pretty sure that wouldn’t end well.

The door opened, then closed with a sharp click followed by the lock being thrown. It was silent for a while longer, nothing moving and the air in my lungs barely even leaving my lips. Then, someone shifted next to the door, a heavy sigh of irritation filling the room.

“Running from me really gives you away, Hiroshi. You’re a horrible actor. I doubt very much you could deny having anything to do with me if one of my enemies snagged you. And here all I had to do was walk in this bookstore to throw you into a panic.”

I opened my mouth to shout something back at him, to ask him how he knew my name or yell at him for insulting me like that. Then I covered my mouth with my hand; speaking would give me away. Instead, I backed up slowly. I was pretty sure there was a door to the alley at the back of the storeroom. I’d have to push a rack out of the way to get it to open, and that would be noisy, but if I could run fast enough I might get away.

Unfortunately, I was apparently better at hurting innocent bookshelves than I was at getting away. I hissed in a breath as I misjudged how far back I had made it, and my foot slammed hard enough into the bookshelf behind me to make me yelp.

If that hadn’t given away my position, he was deaf. So I scrambled to my feet and ran for the rack that was in my way. It was heavy. Again, I cursed myself for not having the strength to shove people away- or move racks. The metal feet scratched against the wood as I hauled it back inch by painful inch, until I had it far enough that I could yank the door open and just barely squeeze through.

I wasn’t fast enough; my breath caught as a hand closed around my wrist. “Let me go!” I was tempted to flail and claw at him like I’d done with his henchman the day I first saw him, but I was too afraid he’d pull out his gun if I did. So I just batted at him, about as threatening as a declawed kitten, and tried to pull away so I could get out into the alley.

His laugh made the situation even worse. Tugging me back into the storeroom, my only escape closed and I found myself pinned against the door with him looming over me, a wry grin on his lips, “You’re very interesting, Hiroshi. Not just anyone can talk back to me a walk away. Not just anyone can strike out at me and expect to not get the same treatment. But I am very intrigued with you. You can be brave, brash even… Perhaps a little stupid, but that’s alright.”

He didn’t stop talking, leaning in on me so that he was far too close for comfort, “I wanted to see what it was exactly that had you snapping at me so vehemently that night. So I came here, to look at that author of yours that you so highly praise,” reaching into his jacket, he pulled out one of the manga’s that belonged to the single most amazing author in the world. His grin never faded either as he pulled it open with his fingers deftly.

He showed me a particular scene in it, one with the character all tied up and about to be devoured by the hottie of a man before him. Kazou shot a look to the book then to me, “I’m curious, Hiroshi. Are you, perhaps, drawn to this?”

“W-what… get your filthy hands off that book! You don’t deserve to touch it!” I wrenched it out of his hands, and cradled it close to my chest. My face was hot, and it wasn’t just anger.

I’d done a good job of hiding it from everybody I knew. They assumed I was in it simply for the story- which I was, partially, because the stories were amazing. But… I scowled as my eyes dropped and I shifted uncomfortably against the door. “It’s just a manga. Don’t put a deeper meaning behind it,” I said, tension in my voice as my fingers wrapped tighter around the precious book.

I was not going to let some idiot mobster out me with the manga I read. He didn’t even know me. Just because he knew what manga I read, and had found out my name, didn’t give him any right to talk to me like that. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to look up at him. “If you want more, I can show you where they are in the store, and Koharu will run them at the register. If you don’t mind, I’m on the clock, and I actually like to work when I’m getting paid.”

Even though it hurt a little to do it, I shoved the book into his chest, hoping to put him off balance enough that I could get away.

Kazou laughed again, the book against his chest hardly moving him at all. He took it, along with my wrist. Putting the manga on the shelving next to us, he lifted my arm up over my head. His other hand worked at the tie he wore, undoing it slowly as he watched me, “I’m beginning to think that you enjoy trying to spite me. No deeper meaning, is it? So if I tie you up to the shelves, it’s not going to turn you on? If I play with you a little, you’re not going to want more of it? Shall we find out?” he asked, curling his hand tighter around my wrist, his knee coming between my legs to knock them open a little.

My mouth opened and closed as I tried to find words. What the hell was he doing to me, and why was it making my heart beat faster? “Let… let me go! You… son a bitch, what are you doing?” I pulled hard at my wrist, struggling to get away. All I was doing was tiring myself out, my breath starting to come in light pants as I glared up at him.

“I don’t know what kind of sick things you’re into, but you can’t just come into my place of work and harass me! I have rights, Kazuo. And being safe from people like you putting their hands all over me is one of them!” My voice rose a little, in pitch in volume, as I struggled harder.

This man, he was dangerous. I knew that. I’d watched him shoot somebody in front of me, and I didn’t want to be next. That, I had to convince myself, was the reason why my heart was thrashing. And I was afraid. Of what he’d do to me, if I let him. “Let me go,” I spat at him, reaching with my other hand for something to use as a weapon. Anything except one of the books.

“Ah. Your work place, is it? You see, Hiroshi, your work place happens to be in Tawano. Tawano just so happens to be my city. So, in a way, you work for me. I keep this city running. I keep it healthy and flowing with wealth. Why do you think you’re able to attend that fancy university of yours? Or hold a rather good job that pays you well? Why do you think you have the ability to walk home every night with your nose in a book and not be robbed, raped, tortured and killed simply because you might have something someone else would want? It’s because I am the sole owner of this city. I keep it safe from the many grubby hands that want to take it from me.”

He paused, arching an eyebrow at him. The light brown of his eyes swept from my face down. His grin had faded into a frown, but his voice never rose any higher, or took on any other threatening tone. After a minute of simply looking me over, he let out a short laugh, his hand undoing the rest of his tie and snatching up my free hand that had been scrambling for something to grasp to hit him with. Pulling that arm up to join the other one, he deftly wrapped the tie around my wrists. Tight enough to keep me from freeing myself, but not enough to hurt. Pulling me off the door, he twisted to put my back against the shelves and used the rest of the tie to restrain me against the shelves.

“What are your thoughts now?” he asked me as he leaned in close and stroked one hand across my face, the other lifting the hem of my shirt to get to bare skin underneath. His hot breath on my neck tickled before he bit at my neck.

“K-kazuo… stop…” My voice held the pleading note that made me sound weaker than ever, and I wanted to hit him for it. “I… don’t care who you are. O-or what you say to do. I don’t… I don’t want…” The words trailed off as I desperately tried to catch my breath and control the heat that was beginning to race through my body.

“N-no…” I didn’t want this. I wanted to scream and kick and rail at him, not tremble and pant under his hands. Whatever reason he had behind what he was doing to me, I wanted him to stop making it feel good. It should be the last thing I was thinking about as a gangster tied me up. “S-stop…”

My head fell back against the shelf, and I was almost certain there were tears in my eyes as I looked up at him. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to listen to a damn word I said, and as my body trembled harder at his touch, I wasn’t sure if it was entirely a bad thing. I was sure, though, that I was losing my mind to him.

The heat in his eyes was unmistakable. He didn’t answer me, nor did he stop as I’d asked. His hand slipped beneath the hem of my jeans, the button popping open as he pushed down beneath the pants and boxers. Kazuo pulled back the collar of my shirt with his other hand and dropped his mouth over the skin of my collarbone. His mouth sucked at the spot, no doubt intent on leaving a dark mark there. All the while his other hand reaching down between my legs to grasp a hold of me gently, his fingers teasingly beginning to stroke at me.

When he finished with making his mark on my body, he ran his tongue along it before leaning into my ear, “Are you sure you want me to stop? Tell it to me again. Firmly, Hiroshi, and I will stop,” he said as he stroked me.

My voice didn’t listen when I told it to stop; it came out on a low moan that trembled past my lips. Why… why was he playing with me? I couldn’t think to come up with a reason other than he really believed everything in the city belonged to him- including me.

I clenched my teeth together, my head bowing. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to tell him to stop convincingly, not when my body was reacting in every way he wanted. But I was at least going to keep myself from giving him the satisfaction of hearing me moan again.

Kazuo laughed again, a soft, throaty sound that revealed his own shortened breathing in my ear, “Rebellious. You have no idea how much I enjoy that. Since you won’t tell me to stop, I will simply finish what I started. I don’t like leaving things half done, anyway. I’m sure I can find a way to make you raise your voice as I make you cum for me.”

When he finished, his hand curled along my erection tighter, turning in semi-circles as he went faster, a little harder. Kazuo’s hand was hitting all the right places. Just when I was about to lose myself, the burn of my climax beginning to scorch through me, he slowed his hand, loosening his fingers to go slowly, softly.

“Shall I stop?” he asked breathlessly, a grin in the tone of his voice.

I really, truly wanted to hit him for that. “Kazuo.” It was the first time I’d gotten my voice to come close to sounding dark, a light growl to it- though that might have been because my throat was tight, my jaw aching from how hard I had to fight to control myself. I ground my teeth together and turned my face away.

“D-don’t… stop.” It hurt to say the words, to throw my pride on the ground and smash it into the dirt. But what the hell else was I supposed to do when he had me aching, desperate for release? I hoped I was never going to see the bastard after it was done. But I didn’t want him to stop there.

Kazuo’s grin wasn’t hidden to me. Moving, the fingers of his free hand buried into the back of my hair. He directed my face to look at him. His mouth was surprisingly soft, hot too, as he kissed me. His tongue might have been the tipping point as he slipped it past my lips as he stroked me again, harder. My body shuddered hard as I hit my climax. The heat of my release soaking my jeans and boxers. Kazuo continued to kiss me deeply, his tongue running hard strokes along mine in a slow manner while his fingers rubbed at the tender spots of my erection to finish out my orgasm.

He didn’t stop until I jumped horribly, jolting as he touched me more. Removing his hand, he finally released my mouth as well. Stepping just enough so he could see my disheveled appearance, he smirked at me, “Congratulations on keeping your voice down, Hiroshi,” he said as he reached up and pulled at the loose ends of the tie, the knot coming undone quickly to undo my arms.

Once I was free, he stepped away from me and opened the door to the alley that had almost been my escape, “Try not to draw any attention to yourself. You’re far too innocent to be dragged around in all the wrong places,” he said and then he was gone, the door shutting softly behind him.

I supported myself against the shelf until he was gone, but as soon as the door shut, my legs gave in. I slipped down to the floor, breathing heavily as I shut my eyes and bit down on my bottom lip to keep from swearing loud enough that it would drift through the door and draw attention.

“Son of a bitch!” I whacked the bookshelf behind me hard enough to make books fall on my head again, but I couldn’t feel bad for them, not that time.

All I could think about was exactly what I shouldn’t. “I…” I tipped my head back, staring up at the dim lights overhead. “I am going to kill him.”

I had no idea how I was going to do anything against the yakuza who had controlled the city. But I was going to make him pay… after I had snuck out the back door and gone home to change. Because if Koharu saw me like that, I was never going to live it down. I didn’t want to see that look in her eyes. It made a shudder run through me just thinking about it.

Oh yes. I was going to kill him.

Next Chapter: 5- Kazuo