The sharp chop of the helicopter blades faded as the machine powered down, leaving the villa in near silence. Kai stepped out, immaculate as always despite the long night, adjusting his gloves, his eyes sharp and calculating. Dawn bled pale light across the treetops. For a moment, he simply inhaled the crisp morning air, expecting to be greeted by some sound of life from the villa.
But there was nothing.
Inside, the halls were still, eerily so. A book lay discarded on the polished floor of the hall, its spine bent, an empty wine glass tipped slightly on its side. Kai's eyes narrowed. He set down the sleek black box of imported chocolate on the table, his jaw tightening.
"Rin?" His voice carried through the emptiness. Too quiet.
He strode into the kitchen. The stove was untouched. Plates clean. The silence pressed heavier. A sharp knot twisted in his chest. His heart lurched down into his stomach — ugly, unpleasant. For the first time in a long time, something that felt like fear brushed his nerves.
Don't tell me he's gone. Don't tell me that stubborn bastard slipped away.
His stride turned into a near-rush as he ascended the stairs two steps at a time. He stormed into the bedroom. Empty. He checked the bathroom. Empty. The dread coiled tighter in his gut, a pressure he hated — despised.
Then he noticed it: the dressing room door, slightly ajar.
Kai pushed it open, bracing himself for disappointment — only to freeze at the sight before him.
Rin lay on the carpet, completely surrounded by piles of Kai's clothes. His shirts, his coats, even the heavy fur draped across Rin's body like a shield. He looked utterly disarmed, his sharp edges dulled by exhaustion. Vulnerable. The ever-serious Rin, who carried himself like a blade honed for war, was curled in the middle of Kai's scent like a creature desperate for warmth.
Kai's lips curved. Slowly. Wickedly.
A low chuckle slipped out of him. He crouched down, studying Rin's face — the faint crease between his brows, the way his hand still clutched at a sleeve as though it might slip away.
"So much fight when you're awake," Kai murmured softly, brushing a strand of hair from Rin's face. "And then I find you like this… pathetic, adorable thing nesting in my clothes."
He slid his arms under Rin with practiced ease, lifting him. Rin stirred faintly, but didn't wake. Kai carried him to the bedroom, laid him down gently on the bed, and pulled the blanket over him. He moved to the fireplace, striking a match and lighting the logs until the flames roared softly, their warmth spreading across the room.
Then he returned to Rin's side. For a moment, he simply watched him. That serious man, that spy, that defiant thorn who dared to challenge him — undone by something as simple as his scent.
Kai climbed onto the bed and wrapped an arm around Rin's body, pulling him flush against his chest. Rin shifted, unconsciously leaning into the contact, like his body recognized something his mind refused to admit.
Kai smirked into Rin's hair, inhaling the faint trace of him. So serious, so proud… but even you can't escape me, Rin. Not your body. Not your instincts.
"So cute," he whispered against Rin's ear, his voice dripping with amusement. His grip tightened, possessive. "You don't even know how much you've already given me."
Kai let his lips brush Rin's temple, eyes glinting with dark satisfaction as the fire crackled. He wasn't soothing Rin out of kindness — no, this was ownership. A predator wrapping itself around prey, not to devour yet, but to remind the prey exactly who held its leash.
And Kai found it delicious.
Rin's eyelids fluttered open. The first thing that filled his vision wasn't the ceiling, or the dim morning light spilling across the curtains. It was a wall of warmth — the broad plane of a chest, rising and falling steadily beneath him. For one disorienting heartbeat, his brain couldn't process it. His body was pressed against someone's. His face was close enough that the faint musk of fur, smoke, and expensive cologne filled his nose.
Then realization struck like a jolt of electricity.
Rin's eyes widened. His body moved before his mind even caught up — he shoved hard against the warmth, sending the man beside him sprawling onto the floor with a heavy thud.
Kai groaned, one hand rubbing the back of his head as he lay on the carpeted floor. "Oww…" His voice was groggy, as though he had just woken, but that sly undertone was already there, crawling back into his words. He peered up at Rin through strands of messy dark hair, his lips twitching into an amused grin. "Why wassup?"
Rin was still on the bed, chest heaving, fists clenched around the blanket that had been covering him. His pulse hammered in his throat like he'd just escaped death. He was staring at Kai as though trying to burn a hole into him.
"Why… why the hell were you lying so close to me, you asshole?" Rin snapped, his voice low but vibrating with anger. His jaw clenched so tight it ached.
Kai propped himself up on an elbow, still smirking. "Close?" He tilted his head with deliberate slowness, as though tasting the word. "Rin, I was hugging you. Don't act like you didn't notice."
The color drained from Rin's face for a moment. He tightened his grip on the blanket, his mind flashing back — flashes of warmth, the phantom press of an arm around his waist, the steady heartbeat he must've mistaken for his own. So it wasn't a dream. His stomach twisted violently.
He had been so desperate, so weak last night that he'd fallen asleep tangled in Kai's scent like some feral animal — and Kai had seen him. Worse: Kai had taken advantage, slipping in beside him without permission, making it seem natural, as if Rin himself had allowed it.
No. No. I can't let him win like this. I can't give him that satisfaction.
Rin forced his glare sharper, though his insides burned with humiliation. "You think this is funny? Crawling into my bed like some— some parasite? You could've stayed in your damn room."
Kai finally stood, brushing invisible dust from his clothes as though Rin's shove had been nothing but a minor inconvenience. He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms, and let a slow, knowing smile creep across his face.
"Parasite?" he echoed, his tone mock-hurt. "That's an ugly word for someone who carried you to bed after finding you curled up in my dressing room. Surrounded by my clothes. Practically purring in them."
Rin froze. His throat dried instantly.
Kai's smirk widened at the reaction, eyes gleaming like a predator who'd just found fresh blood in the water. "Oh? You don't remember? Don't worry, I do. You were clutching my coat like a child clings to their mother. Nesting in me, Rin. That's what you were doing."
Rin's stomach twisted harder, his fists tightening until his knuckles went pale. He saw. He saw everything. Damn it… how could I let myself be that weak? His pride screamed at him, his serious composure cracking under Kai's words.
"You… bastard…" Rin muttered, voice trembling between fury and shame. "Twisting everything into your little game. You think I want you here? That I need—"
Kai pushed off the wall, closing the distance with slow, deliberate steps. His voice dropped into a near-whisper, smooth as velvet but sharp enough to cut.
"You don't have to say it," Kai murmured, his eyes locking onto Rin's with infuriating intensity. "Your body already told me the truth."
He leaned down slightly, just enough that Rin could feel the heat of his presence, the ghost of his scent curling around him again. "You miss me when I'm gone. You crave me. Even if you hate me, Rin… you'll never escape me. Not here. Not anywhere."
Rin swallowed hard, his serious mask threatening to crack as his thoughts spiraled. He's wrong. He's wrong. I don't need him. I don't… But deep down, the memory of that fleeting comfort gnawed at him — and Kai knew it.
Rin stood rigid in the middle of the bedroom, his chest rising and falling sharply, eyes fixed on the man in front of him. The words had already left his mouth before he had fully thought them through, but once they were out, he wasn't about to back down.
"Unmark me, Kai…" he muttered, voice strained but steady.
Kai froze halfway through unbuttoning his shirt. His eyes flicked toward Rin, just briefly, before his hands resumed their lazy movements, sliding the shirt off his shoulders with deliberate slowness. "What was that?" His voice was low, casual, as though Rin had just spoken nonsense.
"I said unmark me," Rin snapped, louder this time. His voice echoed against the high ceilings, his anger laced with something far more raw — desperation. "It's because of that mark. Because you forced it on me. My body—" he clenched his fists tightly, his throat constricting, "—my body reacts to you like it belongs to you. I can't breathe without your scent choking me. You turned me into this… thing that craves you. Break it. Break the bond between us, Kai."
He took a step forward, putting himself directly in Kai's path. The other man had already stripped bare, wrapping a towel loosely around his waist as if Rin's words were just background noise, an irritation. Kai's silence was worse than laughter, worse than mockery. It was indifference — the kind of calculated dismissal that only made Rin's blood boil hotter.
"Did you hear me?" Rin demanded, his voice almost cracking under the weight of fury. His serious expression sharpened, eyes burning with the same determination that had carried him through storms, traps, and endless failures at escape. "I said unmark me. I don't want you. I don't want this bond. Whatever twisted control you think you've built over me—it ends now."
For a long, tense moment, Kai didn't move. His gaze flicked downward, settling on Rin with an unreadable expression. Then, slowly, almost theatrically, he tilted his head and smiled — the kind of smile that promised danger, the kind of smile that belonged to a man who knew exactly how much power he held.
"You think I'm going to 'unmark' you just because you asked nicely?" Kai's tone dripped with amusement, but there was steel beneath it, cold and final. He stepped closer, the faint scent of his pheromones curling into the air like smoke, seeping into Rin's lungs despite how hard he tried to resist. "That's not how this works. You don't get to undo me, Rin. You don't get to erase me like I'm some mistake."
Rin's jaw tightened. He wanted to shove him, punch him, do something—but Kai's presence felt suffocating, drowning out every rational impulse.
"My mark isn't a chain, Rin," Kai continued, lowering his voice until it was almost a whisper. "It's a truth. You can hate me all you want, you can spit in my face, you can try to run until your legs break—but that doesn't change the fact that your body already belongs to me."
Rin's fists trembled. No. No, I refuse to accept this. I won't let him dictate my life, my body. I'm not his.
But deep inside, beneath his fury, that gnawing truth pulsed — the way his body had betrayed him last night, the way it still ached for Kai's scent even now. And Kai, the manipulator he was, could see every crack in Rin's armor.
Kai leaned down, so close that his breath brushed Rin's ear. "You want freedom?" he murmured, his smirk widening. "Then earn it. Break the bond yourself. If you're strong enough to resist me, to rip me out of your blood and bones… do it. Otherwise—" his eyes darkened, voice dripping with possession, "—don't ever ask me that again."
Rin's breath caught in his throat. His serious gaze wavered for the briefest moment, but he forced himself not to look away, not to give Kai the satisfaction of seeing fear.
Rin sat heavily on the edge of the bed, his hands clasped together so tightly that his knuckles whitened. His mind churned in silence, grinding over the same thought again and again: The mark. I need to get rid of it. There has to be a way. A loophole. Something. His eyes flicked across the room in restless calculation until they landed on the gleam of black glass at the other side of the mattress.
Kai's phone.
For the first time in days, Rin felt a surge of adrenaline that wasn't born of fear. He leaned over quickly, snatching it up. His thumb swiped across the smooth screen—only to be met with the lock screen. A fingerprint, a password. Of course.
But Rin wasn't about to give up. He typed in combinations—numbers tied to the date Kai mentioned Persephone, the number 7 from the birthday story, even his own birthday out of some bitter hunch that Kai might use him as the key. Nothing. Each rejection beep hit like a hammer in his chest.
The bathroom door creaked.
"Are you done?"
The voice was calm. Too calm.
Rin jolted so hard the phone nearly slipped from his fingers. He turned sharply, trembling under the sight of Kai leaning lazily against the doorframe, a towel draped low on his hips, steam curling around him like smoke. His eyes—half amused, half sharp as razors—locked onto Rin, and Rin's throat tightened.
"I want to go back home," Rin blurted out. His voice cracked, raw. "Please."
Kai tilted his head. He didn't move, didn't blink—just stared with that predator's patience.
"Please," Rin repeated, and this time his voice broke fully. He hunched forward, tears brimming at the corners of his eyes. His chest shook with the effort of each breath as words spilled out of him in a rush. "What do you want from me, Kai? Please, just let me go home… I promise, I won't—" his lips trembled, "—I won't come after you, I won't tell anyone. You won't hear from me again. Please…"
The tears streamed now, hot against his cheeks, his hands clutching at the sheets like a child begging their parent.
Kai just stood there. Silent. Staring. His gaze heavy and unreadable.
And then, his lips twitched.
It started as a low chuckle, then grew, bubbling up until it cracked wide into laughter. Not soft laughter, but full-bodied amusement that filled the room and echoed off the walls. Rin froze, his tears dripping freely now, not sure if the mocking sound was worse than silence.
"Oh my…" Kai pressed a hand to his mouth, but his laughter only spilled harder, shaking through his shoulders. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. What—what exactly are you trying to do, Rin?" He wiped a fake tear of laughter from his eye and leaned forward, grin widening. "That… that was your attempt? You, trying to manipulate me with puppy eyes and trembling lips? Adorable. Truly."
Rin's stomach twisted, shame burning under his ribs.
Kai crouched closer, voice dropping, dripping with velvet cruelty. "But next time—try harder. Sell it better. Don't just cry. Break." He smirked, leaning in close enough that Rin could feel the heat of his breath. "Because the only time I want to see you like this… is when I'm making love to you. Then your tears might actually mean something."
His grin sharpened as he straightened, turning toward the dressing room. He shut the door with deliberate finality, leaving the echo of his words hanging in the silence.
The quiet pressed down like lead. Rin sat frozen, his hands gripping his thighs so tightly his nails bit into flesh. His heart thudded against his ribs like a hammer.
Then he exhaled sharply, dragging his palms over his face with a groan. "Even me faking tears didn't work…" he muttered, bitter. His voice was tight with frustration. "That bastard saw right through me. And he enjoyed it."
Rin leaned back against the headboard, clenching his fists. I thought I could turn the tables. I thought if I played weak, he'd finally slip… but no. He saw the strings before I even pulled them.
Kai had let him perform, like a child in a costume play, only to crush him with laughter. And Rin hated more than anything the fact that deep down, part of him knew Kai had found his act entertaining.
Next time, Rin thought bitterly, eyes narrowing. Next time, I'll do it better. I'll make him believe me.
The smell of warm food clung to the air—herbs, garlic, something slow-cooked. Rin padded down the stairs, fresh from his shower, his damp hair clinging to his temples. He'd thrown on one of Kai's shirts—black, loose, too big for him. It fell down his frame like a shadow, swallowing him up in fabric that smelled faintly of cedar and Kai's cologne. That scent alone gnawed at him in ways he didn't want to admit.
When he entered the dining room, the table was already set. Cutlery gleamed under the chandelier. Dishes steamed invitingly—eggs, grilled mushrooms, fresh rye bread, even soup. It looked like something out of a glossy magazine rather than the lair of an arms dealer and assassin.
Kai stood at the head of the table, sleeves rolled up, placing down the last bowl with infuriating calmness.
Rin slid into his chair without waiting, hunger betraying his pride, and immediately began digging in. The food was annoyingly delicious. He hated that about Kai—that he could cook, clean, stitch wounds, pour wine, kill a man without blinking, and smile through it all as though it were just… natural.
"You're rich," Rin muttered around a bite, "but you know how to do house chores and cook…" He tried to make it sound like an insult, but the sincerity slipped through.
Kai, who was leaning lazily against the sideboard with a glass of water in his hand, smirked faintly. "Well, I guess all thanks to my grandmother… and Nanny Esmeralda." His voice softened for a fleeting second, though his eyes didn't lose their sharp gleam.
Rin tilted his head, chewing thoughtfully. "You really loved your grandma, didn't you?"
"Of course," Kai answered almost immediately, his gaze flickering for a moment like he was lost in an old memory. "She was the only one who actually loved me dearly. Apart from my mother, of course." His lips curved in a thin line. "She's dead, though."
Rin went quiet, fork pausing mid-air. There was a subtle weight in Kai's words, but he knew better than to prod too deeply. He simply nodded once. "I see…" He cleared his throat. "So… how did the wedding go?"
Kai shrugged like it was nothing, pulling out a chair and sitting across from Rin. "It went well," he said casually, taking a bite of food as though it wasn't worth elaborating on. And then—just as Rin was about to ask something else—Kai's tone shifted. He leaned forward, his eyes glinting with something calculated.
"Tell me, Rin… do you want Persephone?"
The fork in Rin's hand nearly slipped. His throat tightened, and he almost choked on the food. "What??" He coughed hard, eyes snapping to Kai in disbelief. "Why the hell would you even—" He slammed the fork down against the plate. "Why would you want to give me the weapon?"
Kai only smirked, calm as ever. He swirled the wine in his glass, watching Rin's shock like it was a show put on just for him. "Why not? You're serious. Determined. You don't play games." His lips curved further, mocking. "At least… not games I can't see through."
Rin's jaw tightened. His chest was pounding, though his expression stayed sharp. Inside, however, his thoughts tangled into knots. Is this a trap? He'd never just hand over something like Persephone. Not unless… not unless he wants to see what I'd do with it. He's testing me. Or worse—using me.
"Don't look so confused," Kai drawled, his voice slick, manipulative, deliberate. "It's not charity, Rin. It's an… experiment. You're already in deep. You've seen too much. So maybe I give it to you. Maybe I watch what happens when a serious, righteous man like you holds the kind of power that rots people from the inside out."
Rin's fists curled in his lap beneath the table. He forced himself to breathe evenly, to keep his expression neutral. He's baiting me. Like dangling raw meat in front of a starving dog just to see if I'll bite. If I react too quickly, I lose. If I act too cold, he'll think I'm bluffing.
Kai tilted his head, eyes locked on Rin's, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "So… do you want it?" His tone was silk, but underneath it Rin could hear the knife's edge.
Rin swallowed hard, his mind racing. Every word he says is a trap. If I say yes, he'll use it against me. If I say no, he'll say I'm lying. This isn't about Persephone at all. It's about me—and how far he can push before I break.
Kai, sipping his wine, chuckled low. "You don't need to answer yet. But I'll know, Rin. I'll see it in your eyes long before you open your mouth."
Rin stabbed his chopsticks into the empty bowl with a dramatic sigh, his shoulders slumping. "So would you be going out today?"
Kai, already sipping from his glass of water, didn't even blink. "Nope."
Rin's brows furrowed. "Why?"
Kai raised his head slowly, his gaze narrowing just slightly in amusement. "Is there a problem?"
Rin waved his hands quickly. "No, no—just asking…" He leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling like a sulky child. "…But is there something we can do here? This boredom is killing me."
Kai set his glass down with an audible click. His expression barely shifted. "There is a library. Go take a book and read."
Rin's jaw dropped. He rolled his eyes so hard they nearly spun out of his skull. "Oh my gosh. Really? I don't wanna—can't you see?" He slammed his hands on the table. "Let's do something fun."
Kai, unfazed, stood up and carried his plate to the sink, already turning his back. "Fun like what?"
Rin quickly shoved the last bite into his mouth, half-running after him. "I don't know! Something. Anything—"
Kai slid his hands under the running water, rinsing the dish with a slow, almost taunting calmness. His lips curled into a wicked smirk. "The only fun thing I like to do," he said smoothly, "is fucking you until you pass out. If you want that, we can—"
"UGHHHH!" Rin groaned so loudly it echoed through the kitchen. He slapped a hand to his face. "Is everything about sex with you, Kai?" His voice cracked in frustration.
Kai chuckled low, the sound vibrating from his chest as he leisurely dried the plate. "When it comes to you, Rin…" He turned his head just enough for his predatory eyes to catch Rin in their snare. "…yes."
Rin wanted to scream. His face heated, not from embarrassment but sheer annoyance. He grabbed a towel from the counter, dramatically tossing it onto the floor. "Don't you have, like—games? Cards? What's the name… durak?"
Kai arched a brow. "You know how to play durak?"
"Obviously," Rin said flatly, folding his arms. His mind was already racing. If I can get him to agree, maybe—just maybe—this is my chance. His voice sharpened. "Let's play. If I win, I get to take the helicopter and go back home."
Kai froze mid-motion, the dishcloth in his hand falling silent against the counter. Then, slowly, he turned his head. His lips tugged upward into a slow, dangerous smile. "And if I win?"
Rin didn't hesitate, though his pulse hammered in his throat. "If you win… you can do whatever you want with me."
There was a long, heavy silence. Kai dropped the cloth entirely, his full attention now on Rin. The way his eyes darkened made Rin's breath hitch despite himself. The air suddenly felt heavier, like Rin had just signed a contract with the devil.
Inside, Rin's thoughts churned. This is risky. Too risky. But if I don't take risks, I'll rot here forever. I know how to play durak—I can win. I have to win. This might be my only chance at freedom.
Kai, meanwhile, stepped closer, deliberately slow, his boots clicking against the tiled floor. He leaned against the counter near Rin, close enough that Rin could feel the radiating warmth of his body. His smirk was sharp, cutting. "You're making bets with me now, Rin? Do you really understand what that means?"
Rin held his gaze, deadly serious. "Yes."
Kai chuckled, low and velvety, before bending down slightly, his lips brushing Rin's ear as he whispered, "Then let's play. But remember—when you gamble with the devil, the house always wins."
Rin's stomach dropped, but he didn't flinch. He thinks he's untouchable. That I'll fold under his pressure. But he doesn't know—I'm not playing just for pride. I'm playing for survival.
Kai pulled back, already walking toward the lounge with casual arrogance. "Get the cards, Rin. Let's see just how badly you want your freedom."