The guy at border control looks from my passport up to me and I gulp. I really hope I don't look as nervous as I'm feeling. The 'cab driver' who picked me up back at home, handed me a package with a passport in the name of Olivia Petersen, along with a few thousand dollars of cash and even more yen. I boarded a plane to Japan without any problems, but now the Japanese official is very thorough in checking the passport and Visa which looks extremely legit. "Is this your first time visiting Japan?" He asks with a slight accent. I plaster a smile on my face. "It is, I'm very excited to be visiting your country." He smiles back slightly and stamps my password and I exhale quietly in relief. I trusted Alessandro to get me documentation that would pan out. I don't intend to be talking to anyone here or make friends, so hopefully I won't be having to use the alias. Apparently, the Russians won't be looking for me in Japan, so I will be safe here for now. Alessandro promised me h
I wonder what Phoebe is doing, if they started filming at the club. I wonder if she's mad at me for disappearing. She probably is. I would be thoroughly pissed off if she did that to me. Life in Kyoto has been beautiful and completely uneventful. During the day I wander down the old streets, admire the beautiful architecture, and eat in quaint restaurants food I've never tried before. Every Monday morning, when I open my front door, there's an envelope with cash in it. I have tried to stay awake all night in case I hear a sound outside to investigate who is leaving the money, but I never hear anything. Almost a month has passed, and I miss Alessandro with everything that I am. There's a void in my heart, a physical ache that doesn't want to go away. I still want to hit myself over the head for allowing another human being to have so much power over me. But he asked me to trust him, and I do. So I run. Every morning at six am, I put on my running shoes that I bought courtesy of the
I have a new friend in Kyoto. He is a student in a private university and I was completely correct about the private schools and the accent. That means Kaito is loaded, or at least his family is. I honestly don't know what it is with me and attracting men with money. At this rate, I should just stop reading all the research papers I've been consuming and accept the fact that I was born to be a kept woman. Not in this life or the next. My new friend has been joining me for my early morning runs at six a.m. I haven't completely lost my mind, so I meet him at a cafe in town, we run for about an hour and part ways at the cafe again. I make sure he doesn't follow me home. According to Kaito, I'm a student who is taking a hiatus. I left my home and country to find myself and ensure I'm on the right path. He's curious to know more about my life, but I manage to always turn the questions around on him. He studies law, and I have a hard time syncing the carefree, playful guy with b
My heart is galloping in my chest in anticipation of some excitement and danger. I'm being stupid and reckless, I know there will be a price to pay for that. My heart rate picks up even more at the thought of what punishment might entail. And again reminding myself that I shouldn't be on my way to a cafe to meet some guy I don't know, who has clearly expressed some interest in me too. Alessandro would be on a murder path. For all I know, Kaito can be part of the Bratva seeking to end my life. I've learned that nothing in this world is impossible, so why am I even doing this? Playing with my own life? I know why I'm doing it, and a small, defiant smile graces my lips as I see Kaito already waiting for me at the cafe. "I didn't think you would come." He does look slightly surprised, his eyes scanning me from head to toe. I'm trying to be inconspicuous, wearing black sweats and a hoodie, but I still look undeniably female, even as I'm trying to soften the effect. "Did you thi
I shouldn't be here. For once, I regret making a hasty decision based on foolishness and curiosity. These are not some college boys looking for some barbaric entertainment. The men in the room scream power and sophistication, and I've learned recently that they are the ones girls like me should stay far away from. I open my mouth to tell Kaito that I've changed my mind and that it would maybe be best if he takes me home instead, when one of the fine gentlemen approaches us, a frown deeply etched between his eyebrows. He doesn't even look in my direction, instead talking only to Kaito in Japanese, to which Kaito calmly replies. The man's frown deepens at whatever Kaito says and promptly turns around without even glancing at me. Not that I mind either, the look in his eyes was pissed and I do not wish the be the recipient of it. Kaito, however, is cool as ice sipping on his beer like he owns the place. Yet, he is the youngest man there. "Should we go?" I ask hesitantly. I cert
The hands on my face are all wrong. They're not holding my cheeks like their life depends on it, and the lips are all cold and hard. It takes my brain a second to process what is happening, and then I shove Kaito away with all my strength. "What the fuck, dude!" I spit out angrily. The asshole has the audacity to look offended like I just tried to kiss him. And now I can see what an entitled prick he really is. Somewhere between last week and today, his attitude has completely changed. He must have sensed that I knew there was something up with those fights. What he doesn't know is that I have experience with the mafia, and that dungeon looked shady as fuck. I was not going to get involved in another underground business. I'm already in deep shit because of the previous one. He looks at me with a bored expression. "You've been such a waste of my time." My mouth hangs open in shock. Who the fuck does this dude thinks he is? Some kind of gift to women? And what is it he was wantin
I slowly exhale the breath I was holding in and close my eyes in relief. "Who the fuck are you!" Kaito grabs my arm possessively. Thomas steps out from the shadow and I've never been so glad to see his face. Not the person I was bargaining on to show up, but I will take anything I can get right now. He holds his hands up and I squint my eyes at him. What the hell is he doing? This is the time he's supposed to bring out his crazy karate moves or something, show Kaito that he's messing with the wrong people here! "I come in peace, Mr.Takahashi." Thomas's voice is calm. "I'm from the Moretti outfit, to which Miss Olivia is a family member. I've been sent to escort her home." I smirk victoriously. Seems like my plan is working after all. The hand on my arm drops immediately and Kaito looks down at me with narrowed eyes. "You're mafia?" After the fight club incident, I knew there was more to Kaito, but he seems to know who the Morettis are, which means he has more knowledge of the u
When you grow up in the slums, you have some pretty vivid ideas of traveling. You imagine yourself walking in the cobbled streets of Italy, maybe running with the bulls in Spain. But nothing prepares you for the utter exhaustion of having to take two planes to get to a country, and an overlay that seems as if it will never end. It's especially unpleasant if your companion barely speaks two words to you. Maybe if I was traveling with Phoebe or even Sammy, the time would have gone by faster. On the last leg of the second flight, I go over to Thomas's cubicle, courtesy of first class and too much alcohol, and glare down at him where he's lying down with his head propped on his arms. "Care to explain why you're in such a prissy mood." I say low enough so one of the flighty attendants can't overhear our conversation. "I'm insulted, I thought you would've missed me." He doesn't bother opening his eyes, and when I get no reaction from him, I huff and turn around to go back to my own