Heyho! Hope you all are doing well!
Just want to thank those who took the time to give your review: Capricorn989, finderlov, Davien Rosa, Minak0003, and Elizabeth Melende. Thank you so much. Whenever I felt stuck, I re-read your reviews and kind words again. :)
For everyone, hope you enjoy this chapter!
Warning: Long chapter. Lemons. Grammatical issues, as usual.
Disclaimer: VF belongs to YA.
Chapter 19. The Whore Nobody Cared About
Japan underworld was buzzing as if it was on fire. And it was not even about how Asami Ryuichi had unexpectedly announced Liu Tao as his successor during this year's Sion Group anniversary celebration.
No. They were all more interested about Asami Akihito. The man whom they had thought was nothing but Asami's whore but, if the rumours were true, was actually the person who could influence the most powerful criminal organisation in East Asia and one of the largest in the world. Not only because he was apparently fucking both the current leader AND the next-in-line, but also because the stories of how he had kicked the balls of the Moretti's Ghost had leaked and earned Akihito respect overnight. The most terrifying part of this story was the fact that the Moretti couple had laughed and praised Akihito to high heaven when other leaders had asked —although rather politely and subtly— whether it was true.
They didn't confirm anything but it was obvious as the day that they were extremely fond of —quoting their words— 'Asami's feisty husband'. That was their exact words, apparently. 'Husband'. Not 'whore'. Not 'lover'. Not even 'domestic partner'.
That was when everyone went into a little frenzy, desperately trying to dig any information they could find about this mysterious man who had always been on the periphery of their attention for decades but had never been exactly under their radar. Who would have paid attention to Asami's fuck-toy after all? At most, they had thought that he was nothing but a glorified babysitter with benefit: caring for Asami's bastard children during the day and warming his bed during the night.
So, who was this Asami Akihito actually? Did he really have that much influence over Sion Group? Was it true that the new heir of Sion Group was completely besotted to him? What kind of a manipulative person could steal the fealty of a man who was known to be unquestioningly loyal to Asami Ryuichi? Should they try to get close to this unknown man instead, if he really had such a strong hold over the current and future leader of Sion Group?
And somehow, these questions ignited the rumours even more.
Some said that Asami Akihito had many paramours, mostly powerful men, but Asami Ryuichi and Liu Tao had killed them all to win his heart. Another claimed to have witnessed Asami Akihito assaulting some of Liu Tao's past sex partners in an act of jealousy. Others believed that Asami Akihito was actually the mastermind behind many of Sion Group's achievements, using his two lovers as his hands and eyes to execute his ruthless, yet brilliant business strategy.
Seriously, the rumours got more and more ridiculous from there, Mitarai couldn't even stop from rolling his own eyes when he heard it. Having known Akihito for so many years, he didn't believe almost all of them. Still, thanks to these rumours, he was now in a deep shit. So fucking deep he might as well make it his grave and be done with this life.
"You said he knew nothing," the man at the end of the line said, his icy tone froze Mitarai's blood faster than any cold shower would. "You said he was just the whore."
Mitarai swallowed silently, trying not to show any sign of nervousness.
"These rumours are clearly exaggerated," he tried to keep his voice steady. "People will say whatever they can think of just to make some extra coins."
Silent. He could feel a drop of cold sweat rolling down his temple. His stomach churning, trying to eject his dinner last night. Fuck, he didn't even have time to grab lunch yet.
It was a simple human instinct to want to fill the silence, but Mitarai fought to keep himself from uttering another word. If there was one thing that he had learnt from his experience as an investigative journalist, it was the fact that the more one tried to explain, the more one looked guilty.
Thankfully, when he thought he couldn't take it anymore, the man said, "I don't like being made a fool."
And just like that, he hung up on Mitarai.
Fuckfuckfuckfuck. What did that even mean?! His logic tried to calm him down. That it could be just a warning. That he still had another chance. That all would be well at the end.
But his gut feelings —the one that had led him to write career-defining stories in the past— told him to run.
Run.
And never, ever, look back.
Yui's first week working as a front desk receptionist at Sion Group had been a fucking hell so far.
Well, to be fair, it wasn't entirely because of her bitchy co-workers who took the opportunity of getting a newbie in their team to dump all their works on her. There was also some personal drama involving her boyfriend's latest fiasco that she had to deal with. And her four younger siblings at home who always needed her to be strong now that their mother's cancer was on the final stage and no longer curable.
Honestly, she was close —dangerously close— to say 'Fuck this' and be done with it when her supposedly partner for today's evening shift, Sara —an ex-model who liked to brag about her clearly non existing celebrity status— had suddenly gone MIA. No texts. No calls. No explanations.
With how sucks her personal life had been, Yui really, really didn't have any more emotional capacity to cope with anymore shit at work. But, fuck, she needed the money. God knew that fucking hospital bills didn't pay themselves. Plus, her siblings were all still in school and they always needed money for all sort of things. Who knew education was so expensive nowadays?
When her desk phone rang, the beeping red light indicating that the call was from the highest floor, she blinked her eyes a few times to stop herself from crying. Taking a deep breath, she forced a hollow smile, before answering, "Good evening, Kirishima-san. This is Abe from the front desk. How can I help you?"
Kirishima-san's instruction was as concise as usual, "Asami-san is coming over soon. Please escort him to the private lift as soon as he arrives."
And the man hang up.
Right.
Judging from the name, this Asami-san was most likely the infamous lover of their CEO whom everyone had been whispering about. Her coworkers had admitted —begrudgingly— that the man was good looking. But they also called him with nasty names. The man-whore. The gold-digger. The babysitter-with-benefit. The bed-warmer. The loose-holes. The list went on and on.
Just yesterday, Jin, her other teammate who had an unashamed obsession to get himself a sugar daddy, had told everyone another piece of hot gossip he had overheard somewhere else, "The whore also sleeps with Liu-sama! Can you believe that?! What a slut! Is one rich man not enough for him? How much money does he need to maintain his lifestyle, do you think? Ugh, so disgusting!"
If only she wasn't the new kid on the block, Yui would love to tell Jin to shove his hypocrisy up his own slutty ass. Since Yui's first day, Jin had openly bragged that he'd quit his job the moment his supposedly-rich-but-devastatingly-married boyfriend offered to fully support his high-maintenance life. He hardly had the rights to bad-mouth others for doing exactly what he was doing.
Now that she had been given the task to escort Asami-san, Yui realised she had a problem. In the short 1 week she had been working here, Asami-san had never visited and so, she had never seen the man. She wasn't sure what to look for. She should have asked Sara. As her senior, Sara was supposed to teach her about this kind of things anyway. But, Sara had been uncontactable after leaving a vague instruction that there would be a courier delivering an important documents to Kirishima-san. That had been hours ago. There was no courier approaching her so far.
Okay, calm down, she scolded herself.
She might have never seen Asami-san. But having heard all the rumours, she was expecting a replica of Jin: breathtakingly beautiful with slender body that seemed androgynous, a dirty mouth that could rival the public toilet, and bad manner that was worse than animals. Although, that statement would be an insult to animals, so she decided to take it back.
So, she just needed to wait for two persons: the courier and Asami-san. Surely she could recognise them, since there wouldn't be too many people visiting Sion Tower at this hour of the night. She would greet them, lead them to the private lift, use her pass to allow them the access to the top floor, and send them off with a smile and a bow. After that, she just needed to wait until her shift ended. She could do this.
"Hello," the warm voice interrupted her inner pep talk.
She looked up to find a man, perhaps in his thirties or a little older, with the most beautiful hazel eyes she had ever seen. He was wearing a rich brown turtleneck that accentuated the colour of his blond hair and fair skin, a jeans that was clearly well-used, and a pair of simple sneakers. He was definitely good looking, but not in the exaggerated way an actor or a model would look like. More like, next-door-handsome. Charming. Cute.
Wait. What was she thinking?! She was at work, damnit! And, she had a boyfriend. A cheater boyfriend, but still.
She strengthen her back to gather her professional self. Considering his appearance and noticing his old leather messenger bag, she decided that he must be the courier.
Okay, Yui, stop gawking at the man and start escorting him up. You can do this, she told herself.
"Good evening, Sir. I am so sorry, I didn't notice you just now. You must be here to deliver some documents for Kirishima-san. Just give me a second," she greeted him kindly. Just because she had a bad day didn't mean she could be disrespectful to others who were just doing their job.
The man frowned a little. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then he seemed to think better and simply nodded. She quickly gathered her employee pass and walked around the desk to escort him to the lift.
Only to trip over her own fucking shoe!
Her stumble would be epic if the man didn't catch her in time. Shocked, she looked up at her unexpected saviour, her eyes meeting the gentle brown orbs that had captivated her earlier. The arms around her felt sturdy. Oh my, this man had a swimmer's body. If this was a TV drama, she would be expecting a romantic music playing in the background.
But of course, there was no background music. Instead, the man asked kindly, "Are you okay?"
Are. You. Okay. Three simple words.
Three fucking simple words that nobody had bothered to ask her for the past few weeks —maybe even months! Her poor mother didn't ask how she had been. Neither her scared siblings who needed her to support them. And of course, neither her own fucking boyfriend who was too busy sleeping with her friend! Was she really that insignificant?
Those three words were like the missing key to the deepest part of her emotions. She had managed to keep her composure all these months since the doctor had diagnosed her mother. She hadn't even shed a single tear, godamnit. Everybody needed her to be strong. But now, every feeling that she had fought so hard to suppress came forward.
And just like that, her tears fell like a river. She couldn't even call it 'crying'. It was more like she was bawling. Complete with snots and sweats and all disgusting bodily fluid that would come out whenever one cried their heart out.
"I- I am s-s-sorry," she said finally, expecting the stranger to stare back at her with annoyance in those hazel eyes.
But the man just led her gently back to her seat. He took a cream coloured handkerchief from his back pocket and passed it to her.
"Don't worry, it's clean," he said with a small grin. "It's a lucky coincidence that I grabbed this before I went out."
She took it gratefully. Briefly, she noticed that the handkerchief was of good quality. It was the solid, masculine type, made of silk that felt soft on her skin. Obviously expensive. There was even an initial embroidered on one corner. AR.
That must be his initial, she thought.
She used the smooth fabric to wipe her tears and blew her nose. "T-thank you," she sobbed. "I will w-wash it and r-r-return it to you."
He beamed at her, "Don't worry about it. You can keep it. It's not actually mine and the owner wouldn't care if one is missing."
At another time, she might have felt uncomfortable listening about how this stranger stole someone else's handkerchief. But at that moment, she just couldn't think too much about it. When she didn't say anything else, he knelt beside her so that they could look at each other without either of them having to look up. The small gesture was so considerate that she was touched.
"So, Yui-san. Uh, by the way, your name is on your name tag. Hope you don't mind that I call you by your given name. I promise I am not a creep. I just don't like to be so formal all the time," he grinned briefly before asking softly, "Tough day?"
More like tough week, she thought grimly.
She felt ashamed to admit that she wasn't strong enough to handle the shit that was her life. She wasn't sure how to answer that. What she wanted was for her tears to stop rolling down her cheeks. And she tried. She really, really tried to stop crying. Yet, drop by drop, they were still falling uncontrollably. There was no point denying it by now. So, she nodded weakly.
The man smiled again, "Happens to all of us. Nothing to be ashamed of. You are doing better than me after my tough days, trust me."
She didn't mean to, but a chuckle still escaped her lips as she argued, "I don't believe you will cry until you have snots all over a stranger like this!"
The man just winked, "Oh trust me, been there, done that."
She laughed. It wasn't the free, happy, unbridled laugh that she used to have. But it was close enough.
When her emotions had calmed down a little, she said, "I am really, really very sorry for being so unprofessional. It's just…a lot of things happening at once."
The man replied, "May I suggest you to take a break? Perhaps you can have a tea or call your loved ones. Shouldn't you have someone that can cover you for ten minutes or so?"
She made a face at the reminder that her senior who was supposed to teach her had deserted her for the second time this week. But she couldn't exactly tell this unknown person. Badmouthing her co-worker would be bad for the company image after all.
So, she just shook her head and said, "My colleague has a last minute emergency."
The man frowned, "And there's no one else to replace her? Doesn't Sion Group make enough to hire an army?"
Worried that the man might start a bad rumour about the company where she worked, she quickly said, "Oh no, no, that's no the case. It's just a last minute thing. Anyway, I am feeling much better now. Thank you so much. I don't want to bother you any longer."
The man stared at her for a little while, observing whether she had indeed telling the truth. For a few seconds, she was concerned that he would push further.
Blushing, she added, "I am being completely unprofessional for crying here. I don't want anyone to see it. You see, this is my first week. I really need this job."
She was lucky that at this time of the day, the lobby was mostly empty. But no one would know when someone might come in. Or worse, what if Asami-san saw her and reported it to her boss? She could lose her job.
The man still looked worried but thankfully, he simply nodded and stood up. She gave him a more genuine smile this time. Grabbing her pass, she stood and started to lead the man to the private lift. He went in and she tapped her pass on the panel before pressing the button to the top floor. The last thing she saw of him before the lift door closed was his gentle smile and his bright hazel eyes.
Oh well, it wouldn't hurt anyone if she had a little crush over some courier, right?
They were in the middle of a conference meeting when Tao noticed Akihito peeking from a slightly opened door. He tried to remain nonchalance but even he knew when he was fighting a losing battle. These days, whenever he was in the same room with Akihito, it was impossible to look away. Apparently, having a taste of Akihito had just set his desire on fire, rather than extinguished it. Even his body conspired against him, because just the sight of Akihito right now was enough to make his heart beat faster. His breath quickened. And his penis, trapped inside the cock ring he had dutifully worn every day, quickly took an interest.
Damnit.
He was hoping for Asami-sama to ask Akihito to wait outside the meeting room so that Tao could concentrate on the discussion. This meeting involved billions of dollar after all. But Asami-sama merely gestured for Akihito to join them.
"Don't worry. They can't hear or see us at the moment," he told Akihito.
Sometimes, he wished he could just punch Asami-sama in the face. The people at the other end of the call might not be able to hear or see them since they turned off any audio and video input at the moment. But Kirishima and Tao who were sitting in the same room obviously could. Not that Asami-sama cared anyway.
Looking apologetic, Akihito walked in on his tiptoes, as if that would somehow make himself invisible to the other people in the room. It was clear that Akihito didn't want to disturb them. He was only squeezing Asami-sama shoulder before moving to other side of the room, most likely to play with his phone while waiting for them to finish. But without a warning, Asami-sama caught his arm and forcefully pull him in for a kiss.
Jealousy started to stir inside Tao's heart. These days, jealousy was such a familiar visitor that he didn't even feel guilty for it anymore. Yes, he was lusting after his boss' husband. He was daydreaming about screwing the man at least a few times a day, like a fucking teenager during puberty. There was nothing he desired more than to claim Akihito for himself and kill anyone else who dared to touch the man even if that person was the father-figure in his life. So what?
There was no sign of embarrassment from Asami-sama as he deepened the kiss in front of his two subordinates, in the middle of such an important meeting, in such a professional settings. The man knew he was way above such petty, commoner etiquette. If the law couldn't even touch him, what could an unwritten social rule do to him? If Asami-sama wanted to fuck his lover in front of everyone, he could do it without shame and no one would even dare to blink an eye. That was just how the world worked.
"Ryu!" Akihito hissed at Asami-sama, trying to put a more respectful distance between the two of them. "You're in a meeting!"
Akihito stood up. Well, at least, he tried to, but Asami-sama suddenly held onto his waist and tugged him into his arms. Surprised, Akihito let Asami-sama pulling him to sit on his lap, straddling Asami-sama's thighs as if they were alone with no two spectators that were trying to look anywhere else but at the intimate scene in front of them.
The person presenting on the other side of the world was still talking rapidly in English, trying to sell his idea of building this iconic resort. Tao tried to ignore the public display of affection in front of him and concentrate on the presentation slide instead. Honestly, it was one of the hardest thing he had ever to do in his life.
To make matters worse, not five minutes later, Kirishima's phone was ringing. The secretary took a quick look at the mobile screen before turning to his boss, silently asking permission to answer it.
Asami-sama barely glanced at Kirishima when he ordered, "Go. Tao and I can take it from here."
Kirishima stood up and bowed respectfully at Asami-sama. As the secretary walked towards the door, Tao glared at the man's back, suddenly hoping that his eyes had the superpower to kill someone with gaze alone. That fucking traitor, Kirishima. How dare him leaving Tao alone to handle this meeting when Asami-sama couldn't even be bothered with it? Now, it was surely up to Tao to fucking 'take it from here'.
As predicted, the moment Kirishima closed the door, Asami-sama began to push Akihito to sit on the top of the table. His hands found its way to the back of Akihito's head, forcing his lover to lean down and meet his kiss. It was almost violent. Rough and completely unyielding. As if Akihito's lips were unchartered land to conquer and Asami-sama was a vanquisher hungry for blood.
If it was Tao, he'd do it differently. He'd stare at Akihito as he moved closer, admiring the breathtaking details of that beautiful face. Their lips would be merely an inch apart. In his imagination, Akihito would hold his breath, nervous. Those hazel pupils would be dilated with lust and passion. Their heart would be pounding a million beats a second as their lips gently, slowly, almost reverently, touched. He'd run the tip of his tongue on those lips, coaxing them into submission. And when Akihito finally let his tongue in, it'd be the sweetest thing ever.
But.
It was not him whose arms were around Akihito right now. It was not his lips that were tracing Akihito's jaw up to the sensitive part behind his ear, eager to taste the skin there. It was not his fingers that incited the most seductive moans Tao had ever heard in his life. He swallowed those bitter thoughts in silence.
"Is there any question so far?" the question coming from the surrounding speaker instantly erased the vivid image of Akihito in Tao's mind.
He cleared his throat before glancing at his boss. Asami-sama didn't even stop nuzzling Akihito's neck. So, Tao had assumed that his boss hadn't paid attention to the presentation anymore. But to his surprise, Asami-sama had apparently heard the question too. Because, with the carelessness of a man who knew that he could get away with anything, Asami-sama simply covered Akihito's mouth with one hand before continuing with his carnal endeavour.
Akihito was already lying on the table by then. His head was right next to the panel that controlled the audio. Tao reached out, and for a brief moment, he was tempted to move his hand —barely an inch to the right— to run his fingers through the light brown locks of hair instead. He didn't, of course. But as his forefinger pressed the button to unmute the mic, the back of Tao's hand tingled as if he had actually caressed Akihito's soft hair.
"No question so far from our side, Nicholas," he lied smoothly in English. He wasn't even sure what Nicholas had been talking about for the last fifteen minutes. The man might have chanted a mantra to open a demonic portal and Tao wouldn't even notice.
The unexpected sound of his voice made Akihito open his eyes. Those hazel eyes that he often dreamed about were suddenly focusing on him, as if Akihito just remembered where they actually were. The man blushed, his cheeks were painted in the prettiest shade of pink, spreading quickly to his jaw and most likely, all the way down to his chest, matching the colour of the two little nubs there.
That sight alone was enough to take Tao's breath away. His body burned, yearning to touch the man he had always loved. The craving was like an insatiable thirst that he could never squash. His cock was so hard, so painful, he felt like he could drill the wall with it. At that very moment, he'd do anything —even condemning his very soul to hell, if that was what it would take— to be able to run his fingers through that hair.
Asami-sama had a different intensity tonight. A fierceness that Tao hadn't witnessed the last few times they had allowed him to join their intimate moments together. As if the older man needed to reclaim what was his in the first place and to stake his dominance over his younger husband once again. His passion seemed unforgiving. Ruthless, even. His boss alternated between extremes of the spectrum of pain and pleasure so rapidly that Tao was lost on which stimulation had made Akihito moaned so wantonly.
Soon, Akihito was unable to stay quiet any longer, He started to push Asami-sama with more urgency. Those hazel eyes were silently pleading for mercy. Trying to avoid any more touch, he struggled to scoot off, seeking a reprieve from the continuous stimulation. But Asami-sama pulled him back without mercy and caught his hands in a tight grip.
"Great," Nicholas answered excitedly. "Now, I know it's almost 8PM there in Tokyo—"
With both Asami-sama's hands busy covering Akihito's mouth and holding onto Akihito's wrists, Akihito easily kicked Asami-sama's stomach —although it seemed more from instinct than from any intention to actually hurt the older man— and Asami-sama winced from the impact. Annoyed, his boss gestured for Tao to take off his own silk tie. Tao didn't need to be a genius to guess what the tie was for.
"—but I hope you gentlemen are as excited as I am to dive deep into the detailed plan—" Nicholas still continued.
Meanwhile, Asami-sama had managed to pull off Akihito's turtleneck, revealing the lean chest decorated by two pretty peaks that begged to be sucked. With his hand above his head and his upper body bare for the other two alpha men to enjoy, Akihito looked like a sacrificial virgin ready to be devoured by the devil himself. Helpless. Debauched. Beautiful.
Oh, we are very excited indeed over here, Nicholas, Tao said to himself as he slowly removed the expensive tie from around his neck. It was such an irony that Akihito had accompanied him buying this tie once upon a time, jokingly said that the colour would definitely make a striking contrast should Tao like to use it to tie his then fair-skinned ex-lover.
As he secured Akihito's hands with it, Tao mused, oh, a striking contrast indeed.
With his boss holding Akihito down, Tao easily tied the silk around Akihito's wrist in a handcuff knot. All the way, he could sense Akihito looking daggers at him. If only Asami-sama didn't cover his mouth, Akihito would surely have yelled all kind of obscenity at Tao. Instead, the blond man kept puling against the restraint until the very end, testing its strength only to find that there wouldn't be any way for him to get out of it without help.
"—so bear with me," Nicholas still went on and on, completely unaware that his audience was busy doing a light bondage instead of listening to the prospect of this project, "I promise I will keep this as brief as possible."
And Tao thought, nothing will be brief enough for this.
But out loud Tao said lightly, "Super excited to hear the plan, Nicholas."
Without another word, Tao muted the mic, signalled by a tiny beep sound. Asami-sama removed his hand from Akihito's mouth and immediately Akihito's voice echoed through the spacious meeting room.
"Are you assholes fucking mad?!" he shouted. "What will they think if they heard us?!"
It was a little relief to know that Akihito was more concerned about being heard by strangers than having Tao here, disturbing his private time with his husband.
"Then you better stay quiet, Akihito," Asami-sama calmly said with an evil smirk.
Being the naive person that he was, Akihito still tried to argue his case rationally, "Come on, Ryu! Why don't we continue this later? Finish your meeting first. A little delay will make the ending sweeter, won't it?"
Even Tao knew what a mistake that argument would be. The moment he'd heard it, he could think of a few ways to use it back against Akihito and he was sure Asami-sama wouldn't miss the chance to do exactly that. Unfortunately for Akihito, Tao was right.
"Well, if you're into being denied, Akihito, we can definitely delay your ending until much, much later. What can I say, it's my duty as your husband to satisfy your sexual desire, is it not?" Asami-sama sounded like he was about to sacrifice himself for the survival of humankind, but those golden eyes were plainly glinting with wicked amusement. So wicked, they almost looked like melted gold.
Tao took a sharp breath at the idea. Now, that'd be something he'd really like to see. Akihito, desperate to come. Oh yes. Akihito would be begging, sobbing, so willing to do anything to be allowed an orgasm, only to be denied over and over again. The idea aroused Tao so much, his erection strained painfully against the cock-ring.
Asami-sama clearly had heard his gasp too, because the older man glance and raised an eyebrow. Tao quickly schooled his expression, but from the way Asami-sama grinned at him, he knew he was a second too late.
Akihito's jaw dropped at the suggestion. "Are you serious? That's your takeaway from what I said, you pervert?! Oh, you won't fucking dare, Asami Ryuichi!"
"Try me, Akihito." Asami-sama's voice was dripping with salacious threats. "Now, if you still want to come tonight, I suggest you stop calling me names and start pleasing me, because I am not in the mood of dealing with childish tantrum."
Expectedly, the threats just flamed Akihito's temper into spiralling rage, "YOU PSYCHO, NARCISSIST, ASSFACE! I HOPE YOU CAN"T GET YOUR COCK UP EVER, EVER AGAIN!"
The profanity went on and on. But Asami-sama simply ignored the litany of curses. Instead, his boss focused on unzipping Akihito's pants.
In the background, still completely oblivious of the ongoing drama happening on the other side of the world, Nicholas had started displaying blueprints of the new resort. It'd cover a gross area of more than 700,000 sqm, containing 2,750 hotel rooms across two 60-storey towers, as well as a retail mall with over 350 boutiques, fine dining restaurants, three theatres that could seat 4,000 people each, and a casino. If they won this bid, it would be Sion Group's largest establishment globally.
It surprised Tao when Asami-sama commented lightly, "The plan seems pretty solid. Nicholas did a good job preparing this proposal."
Tao didn't even think that Asami-sama was still following the presentation, moreover to have enough brain cell left to make a comment. If Tao was in his position, he definitely wouldn't be able to think about anything else other than the beautiful creature in his arms who was about to be completely naked, judging by how determined his boss was to strip Akihito off any clothing Akihito had left. But, Asami-sama clearly managed to keep up with the presentation while seducing his husband. Tao was actually a little impressed.
"RYU, YOU MOTHERFUCKER! Do you even fucking listen to me?!"
When he realised that his fury was only met with silence, Akihito turned toward Tao. "Tao, please, help me. Untie me. Won't you do that for me?"
Summoning the last of his willpower, Tao focused his gave at the presentation slide projected into the wall at the front of the room. "I do admit that I had doubts before, Sir. I am worried we might bite more than we can chew. But Nicholas seems to have everything covered."
"OH FUCK YOU BOTH!" Akihito screamed in frustration.
Asami-sama bursted laughing at that particular insult. "Perhaps in your dream, Akihito. In real life, let the experts do the fucking."
"ARGHHH! Why do I even try to talk to cavemen?!"
When Akihito's cock was finally freed from its confinement, Tao couldn't stop himself from peeking. There's no amount of money in the world that could keep him from enjoying the sight of Akihito's erection betraying all Akihito's protests and insults just by standing proud and tall.
Asami-sama made a dirty leer. "Now, boy, this is an important lesson to remember," he told Tao as if he was a professor in the middle of a lecture. "His body is always more honest than his mouth. Always. So, don't take his harsh words into heart. Or even better, keep his mouth busy with something else."
As if to make his point, Asami-sama took a cream-coloured handkerchief from his suit pocket and shoved it forcefully into Akihito's open mouth, cutting any other insults Akihito was about to launch. This time, Asami-sama took of his own tie and used it to secure Akihito's makeshift gag, tying it tightly at the back of Akihito's head so that the man couldn't use his bound hands to take the fabric out without help. Akihito let out a muffled bellow that didn't sound human.
Unbothered, Asami-sama simple kissed his husband on the forehead. Then, slowly, almost lazily, he began to stroke Akihito's already leaking cock. Precum was dripping down the length and soon, Akihito started to move his hips in sync. Tao watched as Akihito's body writhed and arched with every caress. How Akihito's breathing grew faster with every brush of Asami-sama's fingers against his skin.
Despite Akihito's claim about not wanting to be heard by strangers, it was clear that he was equally aroused by that very idea. Akihito might not be an exhibitionist, but he enjoyed, well, not exactly being exposed, but being forced to endure whatever it was Asami-sama did to him in order to avoid being exposed. Knowing what an adrenaline junkie Akihito was, it actually made sense. If the man wasn't turned on by the thrill of being close to danger, he wouldn't even think about fucking men like Asami-sama or Tao. Men who could literally kill him with a single word but simply chose not to.
The challenge was clear in Asami-sama's voice when he told his husband, "If you really want me to stop, Akihito, snap your fingers and I will. Tao and I will just finish this meeting and we can all go home without anything happens."
Tao recognised the offer for what it actually was. It was a hint of a safe-gesture that Akihito could use anytime he wanted. Should Akihito decided to snap his fingers, this would all stop. But if he didn't, then no matter how much Akihito claimed that he hated this, he was actually as willing as the other two men in the room.
Akihito understood it too, judging by how he was glaring murder at Asami-sama and Tao. He clenched his jaw around the fabric inside his mouth. His chest was expanding and collapsing rapidly in anger. With how much Akihito had protested, Tao was half expecting Akihito to snap his fingers right then and there. But then, thoroughly embarrassed but finally resigned, Akihito closed his eyes and shook his head.
No. He want them to continue. He was way past the point of no return, too turned on to stop and deny what his body actually enjoyed.
Tao stopped breathing for a while.
If he needed a proof of how much Asami-sama understood Akihito's deepest and darkest desire or how much Akihito trusted Asami-sama to not pushing more than he could take, that head shake was it. This kind of trust didn't grow overnight. No, this was a bond forged over decades, through thick and thin, come hell or high water.
And what did that make Tao? A third wheel, that's what. An idiot who would get his heart broken into thousand pieces all over again as long as he didn't do anything to take what could have been his.
The presentation moved on, displaying the financial calculation to complete the project. It was projected to cost them around $7 billion. Nicholas began to run them through the detail.
Meanwhile, Asami-sama spread Akihito's legs wide, exposing Akihito's shy hole for inspection. Those longer fingers began to probe Akihito's ass, massaging his sphincter, and Akihito arched his back in response. A thin layer of sweat was covering his skin, making it glistening under the bright lighting inside the meeting room. Tao watched as Asami-sama pushed his fingers all the way in before pulling it almost all the way out just to thrust them in again. And there was nothing, completely and absolutely nothing, that Tao could do, but watch.
So, watch he did. Until his breathings grew laboured. Until it felt like his cock was going to burst out of his tailored pants. Until his body felt hot like he was full of fire.
It was such a bittersweet torture.
Then, right when Akihito was close, Nicholas' voice interrupted them once again, "So, any feedback so far, gentlemen?"
Shove your feedback up your fucking ass, Nicholas, Tao wanted to shout but he merely fisted his hands and took deep long breaths. Akihito, on the other hand, did let out a long, loud, frustrated, animalistic sound as soon as he realised that Asami-sama had stopped before he could reach his climax.
The older man laughed, caressing Akihito's inner thigh so tenderly, it made such a sharp contrast with the evil promises in those golden eyes. Then, Asami-sama turned toward Tao and gestured for him to answer Nicholas.
Once again, he cleared his throat to ensure his voice wouldn't squeak like a girl after her first kiss, before pressing the unmute button and said, "Just that you made a very convincing proposal, Nicholas."
"Oh? Thank you! Well, I have a great team here and you gentlemen have been very supportive. You made it so easy for me to do my work," Nicholas replied humbly. "Now, I am almost reaching the end of our presentation—"
Thankfully, Asami-sama decided to cut him in then, "I think I have seen enough, Nicholas. As Tao said, it's a good proposal and I am thoroughly impressed with the details. As you proposed, we will bid for this project and if we win, you shall lead the team. Contact Tao for any support you may need from the headquarter: raising funds, liaising with the government, anything. I authorised him to do everything he deems necessary on my behalf. Any question?"
"No, Asami-sama," Nicholas quickly answered. The man was trying to remain composed but the clear excitement in his voice was betraying the facade. "Thank you, Sir. I—"
"Nothing to thank me for. It's all your good work. Well done. Now, I have to go. Good day, Nicholas."
Then, Asami-sama ended the call.
The relief in Akihito's eyes was too obvious. Tao wasn't sure whether he had managed to hide his own relief as well. By then, he no longer gave a fuck about maintaining his pride or his dignity. He'd gladly kneel and crawl on the floor if that would persuade Asami-sama to let him touch Akihito.
Asami-sama knew it too, because the man left Akihito on the table, took a seat, looked at Tao straight in the eyes, and said, "If you want something from me, ask for it, boy."
Later, when Tao was finally back in his own penthouse, he would look back and realise what a powerful force his lust was. Because at that very moment, although he was in turmoil inside —jealousy after witnessing the bond between the two men, anger from knowing that he couldn't just touch the man he loved without facing repercussion, humiliation as he realised that he needed to get a fucking permission from Asami-sama just to do something that every grown men could do freely— none of that mattered. His pride was forgotten. His ego seemed insignificant. What mattered then was his lust. His wild, unruly lust to—
What?
To fuck Akihito? To watch Akihito being fucked by another man? Or even, just to come right there and then without anyone even touching him because his cock was going to explode otherwise?
The scary part was that he couldn't care what it was. He just needed something —anything— to satisfy his lust. Like a dog in heat. That was how desperate he was. How far he had succumbed to his own desire. How blinded he was that he forgot anything else that mattered. Because if only he was thinking logically then, he would never beg Asami-sama for it. Never. Begging was not his thing after all, outside or inside his bed.
He would feel ashamed of it later. But at that moment, he did exactly what Asami-sama wanted him to say, because he knew the reward he would get for his obedience. The love of his life. Akihito.
"Please, Master," he begged. "Please. Let me pleasure what's yours."
He didn't miss the haughty smirk on Asami-sama's face. He hated it and yet, at the same time, he couldn't care. Asami-sama leaned back in his chair and took out a cigarette from an 'emergency' pack he had always kept with him. It was a surreal feeling to light his boss' cigarette, as if this was just any other day. Like Akihito wasn't lying nearby, ready to be devoured. He waited, feeling like he was a child asking for his parent's permission to play with his favourite toy. Nervous, but excited all the same.
Finally, after taking a deep breath of nicotine, Asami-sama nodded and said, "Go ahead. No penetration for you tonight, but you can do everything else. I want to hear him moan without stopping. So, you better do a good job pleasuring him."
When Tao approached the table where Akihito lay on, the other man was quivering from anticipation. Those hazel eyes were following his movement frantically in a way a prey would watch a predator, knowing that sooner or later, he would be eaten alive. Tao took some time to even his breathings. To calm his excitement. Now that Tao could do almost anything, the possibility seemed endless. Where should he even start?
He reached out, his fingers were trembling as the tips touched a tender nipple. Barely. Just testing the water. But before he could go further, Asami-sama called his name, like his boss just remembered something.
"Oh, Tao?"
Tao froze and closed his eyes in desperation, terrified that the privilege which was now his would be taken away in a whim. He felt powerless and he hated it.
But Asami-sama only said, "Make sure you stop right before either of you comes. Give it a minute or two before you start again."
Akihito clearly didn't like that. The man forced himself to sit up so that he could give a piece of his mind to his dominant husband. Trying to shove Tao out of the way, he rebelled against that order. If Tao didn't stop him, Akihito would have jumped out of table to kick Asami-sama again.
Asami-sama laughed at the attempt.
"Do you really think I bluffed when I told you to watch your words, Akihito? Come on, you know me better than that."
Akihito's angry scream was muffled by the handkerchief in his mouth, but Tao noticed that he still didn't snap his fingers. Akihito's cock was still solid hard and leaking.
"Or do you want to just give up and admit defeat, Akihito?" Asami-sama mocked.
It was clearly a manipulative attempt but Akihito still fell for it. The man narrowed his eyes at Asami-sama as if he just accepted a challenge. Tao wanted to shake his head. Oh, Akihito. Always so stubborn.
Other men might have felt guilty to see their lover so frustrated like this, moreover to know how much that person would suffer in the next hour or so. But Tao grinned like a cheshire cat. He got the hint by now. If anyone would come tonight, it might only be Asami-sama. For Akihito and Tao, there would not be such certainty. And yes, they both would suffer. But they'd do it together. And for some wicked reasons, such experience with his lover felt so precious. Did Asami-sama even understand what a gift this was for Tao? Was that what it was meant to be? A generous reward for his faked obedience?
He almost didn't recognise his own voice when he said, "Understood, Master."
Then, he pushed Akihito to lie back on the wooden meeting room table. The arousal in Akihito's eyes were unmistakeable and Tao revelled in it. For once, both of them would share the same feeling. The same agony. The same longing. Oh, wouldn't that be perfect?
"Save your energy, Akihito," he said with a sinister smile. "The night is still young."
At the beginning, Akihito whimpered. Soon, he moaned. And later, much later, he cried and weeped. Then, the entire cycle started again. And again. And again. Until they both had tears rolling down their cheeks and their body shook from the impending orgasms that never came. Until nothing else mattered but being able to endure the next cycle of hell. Until finally, at last, they both broke down, begging and pleading and promising anything if only Asami-sama would end their misery.
And for Tao, it was fucking perfect.
Yui quickly realised that she had made a mistake when just half an hour before her shift was about to end, a man came, claiming that he had documents to deliver to Kirishima-san and apologising for the delay. He told her that his company car had experienced battery faults after his last stop and it took forever to get the car to start again.
Shit. Then who was the man she had sent upstairs? Clearly, judging by that kind man's humble appearance, it wasn't Asami-san. And apparently, it wasn't the courier either. If anyone found out that she had allowed a stranger to enter the top levels, she would be royally screwed. By now, that man could be inside the CEO office doing God knew what. Why didn't she even think to check his ID?
How could today get even worse?
With horror, she finally decided to go upstairs with the courier so that she could apologise to Kirishima-san directly. All the way to the top floors, she cursed herself for being charmed by those hazel eyes. What an idiot. A man treated her with a little kindness and she let him trick her just like that.
The moment she stepped out of the lift, she saw Kirishima-san standing by the receptionist desk. Asami-sama's secretary was leaning with his elbows on the high table, talking to Ando-san who sat behind the desk. They both paused and looked up when they noticed her and the courier.
She bowed. "Good evening, Kirishima-san. This is the courier who brings the documents you are waiting for."
Kirishima-san frowned, most likely because Yui actually didn't need to go all the way upstairs just to accompany the courier and the fact that she had done so was a waste of company time. But thankfully, the man didn't say anything. He simply accepted the envelope from the courier and signed the receipt. With a swift movement that she hoped would be perceived as elegant efficiency, she led the courier back to the lift and sent him off back to the first floor.
Understandably, Kirishima-san and Ando-san made a face when they realised that she was staying back.
"Is there anything else—" Ando-san started. Then, after glancing at her name tag, she continued, "—Abe-san?"
Yui cowered in front of those watchful eyes, knowing that these people could make her life hell so easily, simply because they had the ears of the top management. But instead of allowing herself to freak out, she bowed deeper and forced herself to say, "Kirishima-san, Ando-san, I made a mistake. There was a man—"
"Oh, Yui-san! What are you doing here? Did Kirishima give you any trouble?" A familiar voice suddenly stopped her confession.
She stilled and looked up, realising that she was staring at the man whom she had met earlier. Although, now, he looked a little worn out and his eyes were a little red and puffy as if he had cried for hours. The rich brown turtleneck was gone, replaced by a tailored navy suit jacket that was clearly too big to be his. She wasn't stupid enough to think that the man was wearing anything else under that business suit, only jeans and sneakers.
Then she recognised the two men standing behind the 'not-courier' man.
Sion Group's CEO, Asami Ryuichi, looked as flawless as usual, although she noticed that the man was missing a tie. Many of her coworkers fawned over him every time they saw him passing by the front desk. And while Yui admitted that the man was ridiculously handsome, not to mention incredibly rich, she found him intimidating as hell. This was a man who clearly knew that there was nothing that was beyond his reach. He literally had endless supply of wealth, power, and willing bodies. Some might find it attractive. They wanted to win his heart, thinking that he was a puzzle to be solved. But she believed that for most people, it would just make him, well, unapproachable. Someone to be admired from afar but not to be close with. A man like him was not one to be tamed, after all, and anyone who tried to do so would be a fool.
The other man was Liu Tao, the Managing Director of Sion Group and Asami-sama's successor. And in the week she had been working there, she had never seen the man looking so dishevelled. Don't get her wrong. The scruffy image actually enhanced the man's sexual appeal, making him sexier. His usually styled hair looked as if he had run his fingers through the raven locks a few dozens time in the past hour, giving him an alluring messy look. His light-grey coloured shirt was buttoned properly, but wrinkled. The long sleeves were carelessly rolled up, showing off his muscled forearms. Just like Asami-sama, the man also seemed to have lost his tie. And judging from the missing suit jacket and the matching navy blue pants, she was guessing that Liu-sama had lent his jacket to the 'not-courier' man.
That was when she realised who the 'not-courier' man actually was. He was Asami Akihito. And no, apparently Asami Akihito didn't look like a slut who was ready to suck the dick of anyone who would give him some extra cash. He also didn't look like a gorgeous celebrity that had gone through too many plastic surgeries. He looked perfectly normal. Down-to-earth. Like a kind, good-looking guy.
Oh God. That clearly expensive handkerchief. Why didn't she notice it before?
"It's actually not mine and the owner wouldn't care if one is missing." the man had said.
The initial. AR. Asami Ryuichi. She had blown her nose in the CEO's handkerchief!
"Yui-san?"
It was hard to ignore the clues of what these three people had done to warrant their current appearance. This was obviously a walk of shame. So. She had just caught the CEO and the Managing Director having a ménage à trois with the CEO's whore. Nothing in her training would prepare her for this exact moment. How was she supposed to react?
The shift in her expression had clearly given Asami-san a clue of what she had in mind because the man suddenly looked down at his own clothing, then looked up at everyone there, and blushed so prettily. He looked so embarrassed that Yui actually felt guilty for coming up here. Asami-san was obviously familiar enough with everyone else here that he didn't think much about walking only in his lover's suit jacket. But Yui was a stranger to him.
"I-I am s-so very sorry—" she started to apologise.
But Liu-sama's cold voice had cut her stammering. "Get her out of here," he told Kirishima-san and Ando-san. There was something in that short command which let her know that he wasn't just talking about getting her out of the building. He was firing her.
"No. No. Please, Liu-sama, Asami-sama," she started to beg. "I won't tell anyone. Please, Sirs. I need this job. I don't gossip. Liu-sama, Asami-sama, please give me another chance."
Everything happened so quickly. Kirishima-san and Ando-san moved forward and grabbed her arm to bring her back to the lift. From their expression, they wouldn't hesitate to drag her by hair if needed. Asami-san still looked too ashamed and shocked to register what was happening, fully leaning his weight on Asami-sama's sturdy chest as the powerful man supported his lover body from falling onto the floor with a gentle embrace. Liu-sama was caressing Asami-san's cheek to comfort the man. The tenderness reflected in those two alpha men's behaviour was what caught Yui's attention.
And that was when realisation dawned.
She had been begging the wrong men. These two powerful alphas simply reacted to Asami-san's situation. Since Yui had made Asami-san embarrassed, they saw her as a threat. That was the only reason why they wanted to kick her out, so that their lover wouldn't be distressed.
Without thinking much, she threw herself on the floor, hugging Asami-san's legs as she cried, "Please, Asami-san. I have four siblings at home and a dying mother. I need this job. Please. I won't tell anyone about what I see here. You can trust me."
That pulled Asami-san from his stupor. The man blinked. Once. Twice. Then, he frowned and reached out for her to stand up.
"Yui-san," he quickly said. "What are you doing? Stand up now. No one is going to fire you."
She was sure that Asami-san was the only one here that naively thought that way. The others still looked like they were considering whether they needed to call security or not.
It took a few seconds of silence before Asami-san noticed that too. He raised an eyebrow at Liu-sama and asked slowly in a sterner, uncompromising voice, "No one is going to fire her. Am I right?"
Just like that, Yui could see the moment aggression melted away from these two powerful men. And as soon as they saw that their bosses were no longer hostile towards her, both Kirishima-san and Ando-san took the hints and stepped away into respectable distance.
"Of course, Akihito," Liu-sama answered gently with a kiss on Asami-san's forehead, "If that's what you want, then that what will happen."
Honestly, it was a fascinating sight to behold. Like watching a lion-tamer commanding his animals to perform tricks in circus. The predators might have roared at the audiences but the moment their handler told them to jump, those big cats would obey without question.
"This is not about what I want. This is about doing what is right, but I am wasting my breath trying to explain it to you both," Asami-san said while rolling his eyes. Yui's jaw dropped at how Asami-san's easily scolded the two most powerful men in Japan as if they were kids. In fact, the two men seemed used to it. Even Asami-sama simply gave his whore a lazy, indulging smile.
No.
Not his whore. No way a simple whore would have the balls to behave like this. Someone who was merely being paid to warm Asami-sama's bed and take care of his kids would be too scared to speak up his mind. This man was obviously not just a mere whore.
If Yui dared to share her own observation so far, Asami-san might actually be the person who held the most power here. Those powerful men might be the heads of this organisation, but Asami-san clearly had both of them in the palm of his hand. From what she observed, they truly cared for him. She even dared to bet that they loved him madly. What Asami-san asked, they would most likely oblige. And their closest staffs clearly knew this well, judging by how they behaved just now.
Then why did everyone else think otherwise? Who started the rumours about Asami-san being Asami-sama's whore or fuck-toy or whatever it was people calling him behind his back? How dare they do that if Asami-san had the hearts of their CEO and Managing Director?
Oblivious to her train of thoughts, Asami-san nodded and said, "Now, please excuse me. I need to go to the restroom and try to make myself a little more presentable before I go downstairs."
Just like Yui had expected, without prompting, Liu-sama quickly stepped in, readily offering his assistance to accompany Asami-san like a dutiful lover. Holy fuck. This man was not just madly in love, but completely besotted with his boss' lover. Yui knew a lot of husbands who were less devoted to their lawful wife.
Asami-san took Liu-sama's hand without hesitation then smiled once again at her. "Glad to meet you again, Yui-san, and I hope I can see you next time I came over."
She bowed respectfully as the two of them left, leaving her uncertain of what's next until Kirishima-san cleared his throat, indicating that she had overstayed her welcome.
Yui quickly bowed as low as she could at Asami-sama. "Once again, my apologies, Asami-sama. And thank you for your understanding. Please know that I meant my words. You can trust me. I know how to be discrete. I won't tell anyone about what I saw here tonight."
The man watched her closely and the scrutiny made her uneasy. But after a few seconds of silence, he said, "On the contrary —Abe-san, is it— I'd appreciate it much if you can tell the other employees about what you observed tonight."
The request confused her. "Sir?"
"When people began to call Akihito my whore or my fuck-toy or my babysitter-with-benefit —yes, I know what everyone said behind my back," he said with a chuckle when he saw her eyes widened in shock. "—well, back then, I let it be because being viewed as my "whore" has its own…let's just say, benefits. It allows my husband to live the life that he wants, without caring the expectation from anyone else. Truthfully, I actually encouraged people to view him as such."
What the fuck did he call Asami-san. Husband? Not even lover. Or boyfriend. They were actually married?! How could none of her coworkers know this?
Asami-sama shrugged, "But now, the consequences of this image started to outweigh the benefits. Therefore, I'd like to change the narrative. From now on, I expect everyone working for me to give my husband the respect he deserves. And I believe, you can help me with this. Rest assured, I can be very generous to those who provide me with the service I seek."
She couldn't believe what she heard. Did Asami-sama want her to spread rumours —no, more like the truth— that Asami-san was actually not his paid whore, but his official partner? Someone who was clearly loved, not only by his own husband but also by his husband's successor? And he would pay her to do that? What, was she to become his spy on the ground or something? Her mind was reeling at how bizarre this entire situation was.
"You don't have to answer now," Asami-sama said calmly. "Give it a think. If you agree, call Kirishima and name your price. He will settle it."
Her throat felt dry. She didn't even need to think twice.
"I will be happy to be of service, Sir."
The trip back to the lobby felt way shorter than when she went up to the top floor. It was like she had been dreaming. Perhaps she had fallen asleep and soon, she would wake up just to find that this was all just an illusion. Surely, this kind of thing didn't happen in the real world.
Barely 15 minutes later ,Asami-san finally went downstairs with his lovers. The man did look more refreshed, although his attire was still mismatched. He gave Yui a shy smile, "I am sorry that you have to see me in such an embarrassing state, Yui-san."
Having enough time to calm herself, she smiled back and said honestly, "Don't worry, Sir. Been there, done that."
That was exactly his own words to her when he had tried to comfort her earlier that night. Asami-san laughed and waved at her, "Have a good evening, Yui-san."
Yui watched them leave. For once, her life didn't seem to be all gloom and doom anymore.