I can feel the confusion written across my face. While it's a feeling I've been acquainted with, especially recently, it's not one I will ever appreciate. My eyes follow the cursor on the screen and then dart to the one controlling it.

Kenny rubs his chin. The glare from the screen reflects off his glasses. "Hmm."

That's the fifth 'hmm' he said in as many minutes. I'm still no closer to understanding.

"Well," I prompt from my spot next to him on his living room floor, "do you know what any of it means?"

He holds up a finger, telling me to wait.

The urge to stick out my tongue in his direction is immediate, and I don't bother to fight it. After hours of looking, I'm desperate to find something, half scared that Kai was right. He said there wouldn't be anything; Ralf's private, but he's not some heinous criminal with a seedy double life. He also said that it would be a waste of time.

But...he didn't say I couldn't look. And I know there has to be one secret Ralf doesn't want to share with the world.

I started yesterday as soon as Kai dropped me off at the condo, shrugging when I declared I'd prove him wrong. Sparing not even a sarcastic 'Good Luck,' before Spencer took off.

The first thing I did was put on the kettle for tea to help keep me focused, followed by getting into my comfortable clothes. Make-up off, hair pushed out of the way by my fluffy headband. Then, I gathered my notebooks and color highlighters, pens, and all my tools for serious research, lining them up methodically for easy grabbing. With everything in place and my tea in my favorite mug, I opened the file that contained all the research I had done on the Hiwatari family before. That was mostly about Kai, but I learned some things about Ralf too.

A quick background search revealed that Ralf's childhood was far more documented than Kai's, but as he gets older, the news surrounding him becomes less dense. It's like Kai and Ralf switched places in the spotlight. I found a small article on his graduation, joining the company and his position, and then opening the Griffon.

The only remarkable thing I found was that he was an eight-year Chess Champion while in school, and he's got an interest in medieval history. At one point, he helped the city museum curate their Medieval Weapons exhibit.

And the thought of him with weapons is enough to give me the shivers.

Kenny inhales as if he's going to say something, but before any words leave his mouth, his brow dips, a sharp V forming over the bridge of his glasses, and his fingers fly over the keys again.

My shoulders drop in exacerbation.

I was almost forced to admit defeat last night when I hit a dead-end, dissatisfied at the thought that my plan to get Ralf to back off was as infeasible as Kai said. Sulkily, I kept at it, clicking away into the late hours.

And then... I found something.

The Griffon is owned by Ralf under his business corporation, separate from Hiwatari Enterprise. At first, everything looked right, like how I would expect. All of the I's dotted and T's crossed. It was only when I looked deeper, I started to see another company's involvement from the beginning.

Majestics, Inc.

However, when I looked for Majestics, nothing came up. Nothing about who owns it or what it does.

Another dead-end.

As if I were the type of person to leave work undone or let things go so easily.

Despite the late hour, I called Kenny -

Okay, I actually hadn't realized how late it was until he said something.

Unlike me, Kenny wasn't ever a nosy person. In school, he had a strict 'If I don't know, I'm not involved' policy. I had an insatiable need to know things. We were a perfect pair. Back then, it was easy to drag him along on my snooping adventures. I wasn't sure when I called if he'd still be as easy to convince, but after telling him what I found and what I was looking for, it took him all of five seconds to give in.

I may have also threatened to call again in an hour, and every hour, until he agreed to help.

We agreed to meet at 8:00 a.m. the next morning, with me promising to bring breakfast if he provided the coffee. He has to provide the coffee, I laughed to myself. Even back then, Kenny was known as a coffee snob, his caffeine addiction getting the better of him at times.

The smell of fresh ground coffee beans hit me the second I walked into his small apartment. As I promised, I carried breakfast sandwiches and pastries from the gourmet bakery down the street.

We ate while we worked. Sitting on the couch with my laptop, I walked Kenny through what I'd already found as he gulped an entire mug of the rich liquid. After showing him what I thought was weird, he agreed and took the computer from my lap, setting it on the table in front of him.

Together, Kenny and I dove deep. Kenny's skills as a computer genius and mine for investigation go hand-in-hand. I know what to look for, and he knows exactly where to look. About an hour ago, three hours into it, we stumbled across financials.

And Kenny practically salivated at the sight of numbers. Since then, he's been mostly quiet, except for the occasional curious hum.

"Hmm."

Unable to take it any longer, I grab his shoulder, shaking him violently. "Kenny, you have to tell me something!"

"It's a shell company."

"What?"

Kenny leans against the cushions, resting his head on the seat. "He's holding assets. Looks like there's been a lot of recent activity, though."

My shoulders slump with disappointment. "So, basically, we got nothing. Shell companies aren't illegal."

"I don't know." Kenny scratches his chin. "I get the feeling this goes a lot deeper than what we've already found."

"You mean, I was right?" I ask, grabbing the laptop and dragging it to me. I don't know what I'm looking at. It's all gibberish to me. "I was right! Take that, Hiwatari."

"Hilary, you're forgetting something important."

"What's that?"

"We still don't know what he's hiding."

That does nothing to tamper my cheer. I'm so close, I can feel victory in my hands. I'll need more than this to pull off my plan, but I know I can get there. I found his secret company, and soon I'll find out what his plan is.

"Hey, Hil," Kenny asks, sitting back from the computer and putting his fingers together in front of him. "Not that I don't love espionage, and especially secret research on someone who I'm pretty sure has a dungeon somewhere in the city, but why exactly are we doing this?"

I ignore his sarcasm. "Ralf's focused on getting me to admit to the fake engagement. It's getting to be a real thorn in my side, so I thought I should be a bigger thorn in his. After a civil conversation, that is."

"Uh-huh."

"You should always ask nicely first."

He nods.

"And then if that doesn't work..."

"You're going to blackmail him?"

"Yeah," I nod. At his disbelieving expression, I blow out an offended huff. "Look, I'm not happy about it. We're running short on time."

He tips his head back, blowing out a sigh. "You know this isn't enough, right?"

"I know," I agree. "But this isn't the only piece of information I have." I just don't want to use the other bit of it. Ralf's lineage shouldn't be used against him.

Kenny sighs, relenting. "I could probably help, but it'll take some more time."

The offer is tempting. Kenny could find about ten times as much information in half the time it would take me. But I shake my head, declining the offer. "That's okay. You've done enough already."

"You sure?"

We've already been at it for four hours. The clock on the wall clock on the wall reads noon. "Plausible deniability. You know, in case you're right about that dungeon." And I think I know exactly where he might have hidden it. "I've taken enough of your weekend." As soon as I say the words, my stomach grumbles. I laugh, lightly patting the area. "I think I need to eat something soon, too."

"Stick around. We'll order something and just hang out."

It would be a dream to spend the day relaxing with Kenny. We'd slouch on his big, squishy couch, the tan leather worn in all the right places. It sits in the middle of his living room facing a giant mounted TV, which we'd camp in front of and talk and eat and watch. The moment I walked in, I spotted the bookcase spanning the entire back wall of the living room, each shelf stuffed full of books of every shape, size, and color. They're haphazardly shoved in, and when there was no space left on the shelves, he started stacks next to it until they'd taken over the room. There are books on the coffee table, next to the deep-seated armchair - stacked so high they make a second set of arms.

A throne of books.

The living room connects to the kitchen, which is next to the entry hall where the front door is. The kitchen is sterile-looking, almost like a laboratory, with shiny stainless steel appliances and hardware. Next to the door is a three-tier shoe rack. The brown and black loafers look to be Kenny's size, along with the classic black and white Converse high-tops. I shake my head.

"I need to get going," I say as I pack up the laptop in its sleeve, and put that into the cross-body bag that's carrying the rest of my essentials. "I want to share what we learned with Kai and see if he has any insights."

"Well, come back if you want to keep looking."

I lift a brow. "Interested, are you? Have my snooping ways finally corrupted you?"

"Never. I'm too good a person." He sniffs. "But I never leave a job unfinished."

I laugh, singing, "Whatever."

He walks me to the door, hugging me before I depart. Once, I'm outside the building, I exhale long and slow, reaching for my phone in my back pocket to call the driver. I'm almost excited to show him how right I am. Victory has never tasted so sweet, they say, but I wonder if any of them have ever tasted victory against the Great Kai Hiwatari. I bet it's even sweeter.

Just as swipe open my phone, it vibrates in my hand. The screen flashes with Emily's caller ID and I groan. She's moved from texting to calling, an omen for sure.

My shoulders hunch up as I slide the answer button and bring the phone to my ear. "Em."

"So you haven't changed your number. Good to know."

Kenny lives downtown in a modest, four-story building. The idea of his neighbors watching me be berated by my cousin has me moving up the street. Or maybe physical movement is just an involuntary stress response. I can never tell with her.

"No, I haven't changed my number. I've been busy. You know. Planning a wedding."

"You mean you don't have a team of people at your beck and call?"

My teeth grit behind flatten lips at the mocking tone in her voice. "I have Mariah and Romero, that's it. Besides, a wedding isn't something you shove off on a team." I'm tempted to remind her of how she acted weeks before her wedding when she married Michael. Her control freak tendencies were at an all-time high then. But does that mean she'd cut me any slack now? No, certainly not.

"I need to know if you're coming to the baby shower."

"I'll think about it."

"What's there to think about? I moved it to accommodate your schedule. You're the reason I had to send out new invitations."

"I didn't ask you to do that!" I shout, wincing at the dirty look thrown my way by an elderly woman passing by. I bow and give an apologetic smile, trying to redeem myself. I can already hear Romero's lecture on damaging my public image.

"You wouldn't have come otherwise."

"And I still might not," I answer, quieter this time. "I really am busy."

Silence rings back at me and for a moment, I think she's hung up. I check my phone and see that the call is still active. "Emily?"

"You know, Hil," she says. My heart drops to the bottom of my stomach like a stone at her flat tone. "Through all our fighting, I never thought you'd abandon me at a time like this."

My mouth opens and closes. I struggle to piece together what just happened, but she's gone before I can even start to form a reply. The phone lowers from my ear and I stare at it in my hand. Abandon? Me? Her?

My fingers twitch around the device, tension climbing up my arm. Without thought, my shoulder reels back and releases my grip. The phone flies towards the ground at what I consider to be remarkable speed, shattering in glass and plastic.

Huh.

That's not good.

I glance around, hoping I don't find anyone watching my obvious departure from sanity, and if they are, that they're not recording it. Fortunately, the streets aren't busy at the moment, and anyone who noticed seems to have moved on.

Regret piles on top of embarrassment. What am I going to do without a phone? Bending to pick up the bigger pieces, I think through my options. I'm still close enough to Kenny that I can walk back. He'll have Kai's number, and Kai can send a car.

I can try to grab a taxi. It's not the secure driver Kai prefers, but desperate times call for desperate measures and all that. Kai will understand. Besides, anything is better than me standing on this street corner with the remnants of my phone in my hands.

Biting my lips, I search for any other option.

"Hilary?"

I lift my gaze at the sound of my name. Though I'm used to unfamiliar voices calling out to me, something inside tells me this is different. As I turn to my left, my entire mental state shifts and flips on its axis. "Tyson?"

A hearty chuckle escapes his chest. "I thought that was you!" He says as he approaches quickly now that it's confirmed I'm not a stranger. He slips his hand beneath the strap on his shoulder, releasing the large blue and white duffle to the ground. Seconds later, his arms are around my shoulders bringing me into a tight hug, not even an ounce of restraint shown.

I'd hug him back, except my hands are filled with sharp pieces of plastic that I nearly drop in wonderment at seeing him so suddenly. "What are you doing here?"

He backs up and opens his arms wide. "I'm back in town for a little while. You coming from The Chief's place?"

I laugh at the old nickname for Kenny. "How'd you know?"

"I usually visit within my first few nights back. My gramps has a class right now, and he always tries to rope me into training with him if he can, but I'm so tired right now I'm useless. I'm trying to hide out until I can go home."

I nod, even though I don't understand what he's talking about. Tyson was one of our classmates in school, more Kenny's friend than mine. Back then, it irked me that he got to attend our private school on a sports scholarship and that he was fairly popular despite his lack of academic skills. Teachers and students alike loved him, and he never needed to work for anything. His friendly nature was hard to resist most of the time, even for me by the end of our schooling.

Like everyone else, I lost track of him during college. I know he was recruited internationally, but I refused to find out where, too focused on my path to follow up with anyone else. I take a step back to take all of him in. He's got the same too-long bluish hair as back in school, and he's perfected the California Surfer Bum aesthetic with a bright yellow T-shirt and blue board shorts.

Sandals. He's wearing beach sandals.

I bite back a smile – and the urge to lecture him; it's winter, after all.

Tyson nods towards my full hands. "Whatcha got there?"

"Oh! Um. Nothing."

"Looks like the pieces of a phone."

"It is."

He waits, his smile dropping as I stand silently. "Was it your phone?"

"Yeah." I stare ahead, unblinking. "It slipped. When I threw it at the ground."

"You threw it?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Hil," he says as he leans over, bracing himself on my shoulders. "That was dumb." Then he laughs. Big, belly guffaws that have him nearly doubling over. "You threw your phone at the ground? I never thought you'd -"

"Okay, okay. That's enough."

He ignores me as his uproar continues.

"Tyson!"

He mimes throwing something - presumably a phone - and then laughs some more.

Forget this, if that's all he's going to do. "I'm leaving," I announce, stepping around him.

He grabs my elbow, pulling me to a stop. "No, wait. I'll shut up." He's still smiling, though. "So what's the plan? Do you need me to call someone?"

"Would you?"

"Yeah, of course! It's you, Hil. I'd do anything to help."

I frown, suddenly aware that this means calling Kai from an unknown number. From another man's number. But I shouldn't be concerned about that. Kai wouldn't waste two seconds thinking about it. "Sure, thanks."

Tyson pulls out his phone and holds it out to me. At the last second, he pulls it back with a narrowed glance. "You promise not to throw it?"

"Tyson, give me the phone."

His smile returns instantly, big and wide across his face. He holds it out again and lets me grab it this time. I drop the pieces of my broken phone into my cross-body bag, zipping the pocket, so they don't move about, and dial Kai's number. Pick up, pick up, I repeat, biting the edge of my thumb.

Kai answers on the third ring, his smooth voice cold and reserved. It reminds me of our first encounter when he didn't know my name. I nearly shiver at the tone.

"It's me," I say immediately. "My phone broke."

"Hilary? Whose number is this?"

I quickly explain about meeting a friend by chance. "I need you to send a car."

"Where are you?"

"Just a block away from Kenny's."

"Go back there. It'll be a few minutes."

"I'm fine here."

I can tell from the silence he doesn't like my arguing, but he yields to me anyway, disconnecting the line without another word. Unlike with Emily, I don't feel offended. That's just Kai. "Thanks," I say, handing the phone back to Tyson.

He pockets it. "So, who was that?"

"My fiancé," I answer readily, the response so engrained.

Tyson's eyebrows shoot up. "You're getting married? To someone who can 'send you a car,' eh?" He wiggles them as if it's a secret joke we just made up.

I flush, not used to having to explain…well, Kai. Most people who are paying attention to us know me as Kai's fiancée, not the other way around. Speaking of which, it's weird that he doesn't know already. Not to be smug, but we're kind of a big deal.

"So, what do you do now? Still an athlete?"

"Nah, gave that up in college when I dropped out," Tyson says with a laugh, waving his hand. "I'm a travel vlogger now."

At first, I was just thankful he was letting me change the subject. His response takes me by surprise and I can't help but exclaim, "What, really?"

Tyson dives in excitedly, going into great detail about his life. He tells me about his traveling to meet his father and older brother on their trips, and how he'd film vlogs at first for his friends at school, but then it took off. And he'd always loved traveling. "It was just easy to keep going. I never intended for it to be my career, but honestly, I couldn't do anything else. Especially not some stupid cooperate job. Can you imagine me, slaving away in an office?"

I shake my head, despite that being my life up until six months ago. Another reminder that everyone else found their thing. "That's amazing, Tyson."

"Yeah, so now I do three or four trips a year, a few weeks at a time, and then a few weeks off. I have a small condo in the area, but mostly I stay with Gramps when I can."

"So, you're just stopping by then?"

"I'll be here a little longer this time. Gramps' says he misses me, but I just think he misses having my butt to kick, you know. Makes him feel young again."

I cover my mouth to laugh.

At that moment, a town car with blacked-out windows pulls up to the curb. The driver gets out and rounds to the back door, holding it open for me.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about sending you a car."

"No." I didn't realize Tyson and I had been talking for that long. I move towards the open door. "It's been fun catching up. Thanks for the help."

"Hey," he calls, stepping forward as I duck to sit.

"Yeah?"

"We didn't even really get the chance to catch up. If you want to, we can all meet at Kenny's. Bring your man, I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

I nearly burst out at the idea of the three of us plus Kai. "Maybe," I lie. "Thanks, again." The driver closes the door, cutting me off from his view, though I can still see him. He watches as the car takes off, and he's still watching when we turn a corner, disappearing from his sight.

By the time I step into Kai's, I'm wishing I had taken Kenny up on lunch. My stomach grumbles ferociously and my eyes sag with lack of sleep.

I expect Kai to be his in office since he knew I was coming. I holler as I round the entry to the kitchen, "I hope you left some of Rei's soup for me." I spent the entire ride up to the top floor dreaming of it. I spot the pot as soon as I open the fridge, smiling wickedly. There's plenty left for two. I spoon out a bowlful and pop it in the microwave to heat. Assuming Kai is in his office, I call out, "Thanks for the car, by the way."

I'm met with the usual silence. Once my food is heating, I walk out of the kitchen where my voice will carry farther.

"Boy, do I have dirt to share with you," I sing the last part, trying to entice him out to the open. He doesn't like it when I bring food into the office, but I don't want to wait until I'm done eating to talk with him.

Still, there's no sign of life. I frown and walk across the living room to the open door, only to find his large chair empty and tucked under the desk.

Is he out? I try to remember if he mentioned an event he was going to attend, but nothing comes to mind. If I had my phone, I could text him. "But, of course, you had to throw it," I mutter to myself. "Good going, Hil. Real smart move."

Then, a low thud comes from Kai's side of the penthouse. As I move closer, turning down the hall, I follow the sound of muted rustling and grunts until I'm outside the gym doors. I open one, peeking inside. Kai and Rick stand towards the back of the large room, facing towards the wall of mirrors. Both are dressed in dark sweats and cutoff shirts, with areas of the shirts darker where sweat has soaked through. Rick stands a few paces away as Kai deadlifts a barbell, fluidly moving through the range, holding it a moment, and then slowly back down.

I step inside but stay back. Kai does the movement a few more times before dropping it completely. It thuds against the mats that have been placed down to protect the hard floors underneath. Rick hands him a bottle of water. He drinks from it greedily, taking long pulls. Fresh sweat glistens on his neck and arms, and though it's not like this is getting me so hot I'm panting, the way his eyes find me when he's done makes my mind short-circuit for a second.

I've seen Kai shirtless, in bed, in a bathing suit, in an actual suit, and with a real smile. This shouldn't be enough to make me blush, but I feel it coming on anyway. He wouldn't let just anyone see him doing something so human as working out. It ruins the façade that he's effortless. Rick passes Kai a towel after putting one around his neck. They're both dripping with sweat, and I have to admit it's not a bad view.

I pull my wits together, stepping away from the door. "There you are! I was worried you ditched me when you knew I was coming over."

Rick's bored gaze rakes over me. "I'm going to shower and go. You need anything else?" he says to Kai. He shakes his head, still dabbing sweat from his face.

Released from his duties, Rick walks towards the door. "Later," Rick calls to Kai over his shoulder.

My vision darkens, and a new weight lands on my head – something slightly damp.

"Rick," I growl, whipping his used, sweaty, gross towel off my head. He's already back across the room, heading for the gym's shower room, laughing the entire way. My fists clench around the terry cloth. "Just you wait -" I shout to the closing door.

While I fume, Kai does a poor job hiding a half-smile that I can still see from a mile away. I snap at him because this isn't funny in the least. He only nods towards the towel I'm still wringing.

"Gah!" I shout and drop it at my feet. I inspect my hands as if the flesh were being eaten by acid. "Gross."

"It's just sweat."

"But it's Rick's sweat." I frown at him. The humor is gone now, and he stares at me, waiting.

Wiping my hands on my pants, I continue, "I have things to share with you regarding Ralf. There's some interesting bits of information I'd like your thoughts on."

"Mind if I shower first," he says, already walking towards the door without waiting for my answer.

He's short on words, but his tone is light enough that it doesn't set off any warning bells. "T-Minus ten minutes?" I tease as he heads towards his bedroom, and I go opposite to the kitchen.

While Kai gets cleaned up, I prepare a bowl for him alongside mine, setting it on the island with a napkin and spoon. I wave to Rick as he passes, damp hair loose and falling around his ears. It curls slightly at the neck in a somewhat cute way, and I wonder if he's ever been told that. He probably wouldn't want to hear it from me, though.

"Later," I call as I hear the elevator doors open and close.

Kai returns less than ten minutes later. He's changed into casual lounge clothes that fit him in a godly way. The navy tee-shirt stretches across his chest and shoulders, emphasizing the physic I just got a good showing of. His black pants sit just right on his waist.

I clear my throat. "Dig in!" I say when he sees the bowls on the counter.

He eyes the setup and then me. I could starve waiting for his reaction, so I don't wait. Sitting on the stool, I take a spoonful and the warm broth is as delicious as I dreamed of. Two more, and I think I can focus again. "So, Ralf -"

"How'd you break your phone?"

I hesitate. I briefly debated in the car whether to tell him the truth or not. I've dealt with as much embarrassment as I can handle from Tyson. I don't need Kai mocking me too.

Ultimately, through a mixture of lessons learned and guilt, I decided the truth was better than trying to keep it from him. "I may have thrown it at the ground."

He seems to relax by unfolding his arms and taking the seat next to me. He blows on his spoonful, pausing to speak. "You could have just asked for a new one. You didn't need to break it."

"Please, it's not that funny." I sigh at his attempt at a joke. "I got into an argument with Emily."

At that, he laughs around another spoonful. It's a small chuckle he probably meant to keep to himself but I caught it. "What?" I demand.

He fights to keep the smile back, but he breaks across his face. "Emily. Whenever she makes you mad, all rational thought goes out the window. You make dumb decisions."

I refuse to see the humor here. "Are you calling yourself a dumb decision?"

"I don't know if I should thank her for pushing you towards me, or invoice her for the complications that have come up since."

I pound a fist on the stone counter. "Any complications are entirely your own fault," I tell him. Taking another spoonful of broth, I slurp extra loud, hoping the sound bothers him.

He shakes his head. "What was the argument about?"

Rolling my eyes, I run through a retelling of what set me off. It's not lost on me that this is the same baby shower that I lied to get out of in the first place, and yet here we are again. "I'll probably go since she's moved it. Now I don't have a reason not to, other than I'm busy, which she doesn't accept as an answer."

"You can use me as an excuse. I don't mind."

"I know." But I won't. As much as I hate being the butt of her jokes, I can't not show up. Rational thinking has returned, putting my emotions back in their place. Besides, what would I tell the little one when it gets older?

"I have to go. If not for Em, then for my little niece or nephew. The only other option for best aunt is Queen." I shudder. I absolutely have to go. Can't leave that innocent child to Queen and King.

"You don't know what she's having?"

"I've been too caught up with this." I wave my hand between us and around, encompassing everything.

Kai doesn't answer but pushes away his nearly empty bowl. Folding his arms on the counter, he leans into them. "You're the worst aunt, then. Certainly won't win any medals in my book."

"Like you would know."

"Of course, I would know. I have the best examples."

I groan. Kay and Keiko; he's got me there. They are opposite ends of the spectrum, and I'm afraid to admit I'm falling closer to Kay's side than Keiko's. "I can't believe I'm going to be the evil, absent aunt," I say, rubbing my face with my hands. "Worst. News. Ever."

"It's not too late, though. Stealing the spot from Queen should be easy."

I separate my fingers to peer at him. "You think?"

"Queen and Kay seem almost identical from what I've seen. You may be the absent aunt, but I don't think you could ever be mean enough to be evil."

That's a nice thing to say. In a strange, roundabout way. My hands fall from my face, but I don't start eating again.

"And as far as being absent goes, let me deal with that."

"You're being vague again," I narrow suspicious eyes on his profile. "What are you planning?"

"I've ordered you a new phone. Should be delivered in a little bit."

"That's not an answer, Kai."

"Romero has all your passwords and has been making sure your phone is backed up regularly."

"How did he get my passwords?"

"What did you want to tell me about Ralf?"

"Just gonna change the subject? Do you think I have the memory of goldfish?"

"That's a myth."

"Kai," I implore. I grab onto his sleeve, bowing my head towards him. "Please." It sounds like a plea, but I really mean it as a threat.

"If you don't want to talk about Ralf, I have paperwork to get to," he says, uncrossing his arms and bracing his hands on the edge, preparing to get up.

"No! No, wait. I'll talk." I let go of his shirt and spin around to get out of my chair.

"I have to get my laptop, wait there!"

I rush around the counter to pick up my back from where I left it by the entrance. Kai's at the sink when I return, depositing the bowls and coming back to meet me at the island.

"I found some stuff last night, but Kenny and I really dug deep this morning."

"You brought Kenny in on this?"

I glance to my side, curious about his nagging. I've only said one thing, and already he's disapproving frown is making an appearance. "I needed help parsing through the information. What, do you suddenly not trust him?"

Beside me, Kai shifts, his dark gaze burrowing into mine. "I trust Kenny."

There's more he wants to say, I can tell. "But?"

"I said you can dig for information on Ralf. Next time, tell me when you're including other people."

Next time.

"Next time, I will. I was just excited."

Kai nods once. I continue, sharing with him what I found - we found - regarding Ralf's financials and the secret shell company that we think he owns.

"He would name it Majestics," Kai mutters. It's difficult to tell if he's interested or not and that bugs me. It's a secret company, for crying out loud. What does it take to surprise this guy? At my questioning look, he clarifies. "He, Johnny, Olivier, and Giancarlo had a club when they were in school. They called themselves the Majestics."

"Really? What kind of club?"

"They prided themselves on researching and implementing the traditions of old." Kai wrinkles his nose at his thoughts. "Basically, they used it as an excuse to have tea time during school hours, have wine and food imported for tastings, leave campus for 'educational excursions', and treat everyone else like they were peasants."

I snort at the explanation. "The Majestics. Subtle." I can't imagine Johnny kicking back with a little cup of tea. And the other members were Olivier and Giancarlo? Now, those two I can imagine taking advantage of such a system, but it doesn't explain why Kai tolerates them now, considering how much he dislikes Ralf and Johnny.

Kai listens as I finish telling him what I found, which isn't much after that. The shell company was the biggest piece. "Do you know what he could be doing with it?" I ask, finally coming to the end. "Do you think it's enough to get him to back off? I mean, he wouldn't want anyone finding out about that, right? That's why it's a secret?"

Blackmailing isn't my favorite plan ever, but we're at the end of our rope here. There aren't any options left that I can see. And it's only for a little while.

The excuses are piling up, but at the end of the day it's still blackmailing, something I'd never expect from myself.

Kai looks away from the screen. "I don't know what he's doing. As long as he stays out of my way, I keep out of his. That's how we work. He's never let his duties to the company drop, so I don't bother him." I see his eyes dart back and smirk. He's interested, but he knows he's not supposed to care.

"He's hiding something," I trail off, waiting for Kai to fill in the information. I'm irritated that the answer isn't more obvious.

Kai gives me what I want. "The only reason to keep anything a secret is so Soichiro doesn't see it. Kay and Gideon, too, probably. They didn't like that he opened The Griffon; felt that it would take his focus away from the family business. He did it anyway. The only time I ever really respected him. It's no surprise that he'd hide assets from them as well."

I take all that in and scroll back to the top of my collected data, starting again. The answer has to be here.

"Hilary," Kai finally says, calling me out of my intense focus. "I don't want you going to Ralf with this."

"But - what? Why?" I ask, my voice a pitch higher than normal.

"It's one thing for me to cause him trouble. I can handle whatever he feels like doling out any day of the week. But I don't want you around if he's feeling threatened. If Majestics is that important to him, any acknowledgment of it will be seen as a threat."

"It's a bit late for that, don't you think." I point out. "He's already feeling the heat - that's why he's trying to blackmail us, remember?"

"I know Ralf. He has one way of operating. Either, he sees you as a serious contender and attacks. Or he feels threatened. And attacks."

"What if we ask nicely? And he agrees to work with us instead of against us?"

"I don't trust Ralf enough to work with him."

"But - "

Kai only shakes his head, giving me a hard glare. My mouth flaps open like a fish as he rises from the chair and turns to leave the kitchen. As he leaves, my temper flares. He knew this would be his decision when I asked him yesterday, but he still gave me false hope that I could help. Rising from my chair, I call out his name to stop him before he gets too far. He stops but keeps his back to me.

"Just the other day you looked me in the eye and said I can handle myself," I remind him. "And that was after facing your grandfather. Between the two of them, who should I be more worried about?"

He doesn't reply. I think we both know the answer.

"If I can handle Soichiro, I think I can speak to Ralf without it blowing up in our faces. Trust me on this. Let me talk to him."

He half turns back to look at me. Silent tension builds between us as I try to figure out what that emotion in his eyes is. Before he can speak, his focus shifts and the moment breaks. He pulls out his phone and taps the screen a few times. "Your new phone is on the way up," he says.

"We're still talking about this."

Kai's walls are back up as he gives me a warning look. He steps into the entry hall toward the elevator while I wait in the kitchen. My heart is racing, and anger and frustration are racing through my veins. But it's tempered with something else.

He returns with a shiny red gift bag in his hand, and I know what that something else is. Excitement? Thrill? And it's not caused by the new phone. It's him. More specifically, it's fighting with him.

I tap that down because now is not the time. Rolling my eyes at the over-the-top display, I take the bag from him and open it. A box lays at the bottom, the phone and its accessories inside. The phone is already on and set up with my information. All I have to do is pop in my service card and I'll be good to go, like nothing ever happened.

It's heftier than my previous device, with the addition of a pretty case - deep green with pink flowers on a vine. I asked Kai who picked it out, but he doesn't answer. I swipe it on, pausing when I see the new lock screen.

I'd gotten used to my old image – the picture taken in Kai's office; numb to the way it made me feel. The new one is a picture I recognize only because Mariah sent it to me with a series of heart eyes and a comment about it being her new favorite.

The picture was taken from a distance, clearly from one of our "dates". I remember we were standing outside a café, and I'd dressed for warmer weather only to be freezing as we were caught by an unpredicted wind. At my chattering teeth and pathetic looks, Kai oh-so-generously handed me his black hoodie, leaving him in a pair of well-fitted jeans and a black tee shirt. Somehow, in the picture, he looks even wealthier in casual clothes.

But that's what happened before this was taken. This picture captured a moment where I stood in front of Kai, drowning in his large sweater, in the middle of swinging the extra-long sleeves in a helicopter motion. My hands were completely concealed within, and I smiled gleefully at my new toys.

What I obviously missed was Kai looking down at me while I did so.

Warmth. That's all I can describe it as. He's not smiling or frowning or simply staring. There's a softness that I've only seen on rare occasions and then quickly concealed again.

"Thank you," I say, clicking it off and slipping it into my back pocket. "Now, about Ralf -"

"If you think talking to him will help, I'm not going to stop you."

"But you don't think it's a good idea," I sigh, stating his unspoken thoughts.

"It's not what I would do. Keep your phone on you. Try not to throw it at anything."

It seems like there's more he wants to say but doesn't. He leaves, closing his office door with a soft click. I stand still until I'm sure he's gone and then twirl around, excited by my new mission. Grabbing my laptop, I stow it away once again. Pulling out my phone, I call for a service car and head to the elevator.

Ralf is getting a visit.

Downstairs, I direct the driver to Ralf's club, The Griffon. It's one place I'm really not supposed to be, but it's the one place I know he'll show up eventually. I know I'm totally betting on the fact that Ralf seems more reasonable when he's not dealing directly with Kai. It's all I've got at the moment. It feels like we're hanging by a thread at this point, being pushed back from all directions. If I can cut off one of those pressures, we'll get a little room to breathe.

It's crazy to pop back up at the club. I feel crazy for thinking it's a good idea. But I see the goal in front of us, the finish line gets closer and closer each day. I can't let anything stop us; not Ralf, not Soichiro, not Em, or the media, or any of the other nonsense that's come up to try to keep Kai from achieving his goal.

Maybe I'm the one hanging by a thread about to snap.

I laugh humorlessly, helpless against the fact that there's nothing I can do about it. The only thing that will help is distance, which I'll get when this is all over. To get there, I have to see this through.

Feeling slightly erratic and embracing it, I thank the driver when he pulls up to the club's entrance. "I don't know how long I'm going to be, but if I'm not out in fifteen minutes, you should leave. I'll call another car," I tell him.

Yanking the heavy front door open, I focus on the attendant at the desk. He's younger than the one I met before, his round cheeks and thick tuft of wheat blond hair parted on the side. His eyes shine with inexperience. Perfect.

His brows lower in confusion and then widen in acknowledgment. I assume my picture has been passed around, maybe? Maybe with the lines "Do Not Let This Horrid Creature Breach These Sacred and Hallow Walls Ever Again Or There Will Be Hell to Pay."

Oh, boy. One can hope.

The soles of my shoes tap against the polished tile floors, each step echoing in the silent hall until I reach the desk. "Hello," I start warmly with a kind smile. "I need to speak with Ralf. Is he in?"

"You are not welcome here. Not today. Not ever!" He hisses through clenched teeth.

I lean back, blinking in faux shock. "That's no way to speak to a lady."

"Please leave."

"If Ralf is not in, I'll wait. Right over there," I say, pointing to the wall next to the desk. Every man who walks through those doors will need to pass me. Or they'll need to make a scene having me escorted out. Either one will drive Ralf mad, I expect.

His cheeks turn rosy red as I take up my spot like a sentry. My hands clasp in front of me as I smile, rocking back on my heels. I'm happy that I'm wearing sneakers; heels would be hell right now.

Moments later, a man walks through the doors. He casts me wide a mystified glance from the corner of his eye, handing over his membership card. As he passes, he tries to give me as much room as possible.

"Have a nice time," I call after him. To the attendant, I ask, "How was that?"

"Can you not call the owner? Aren't you family?"

I pout. "Broke my phone a few hours ago." He doesn't need to know the story. Or that I have a new one. Or that I don't have Ralf's number.

Another guest enters. This one hesitates a moment before reaching the desk. Are they that afraid of women? Does the sight of one send them into a tizzy or just annoy them so much, that they'd rather be anywhere but in the presence of one? Their poor wives…

The blond-haired man is even more agitated now. He picks up the phone, speaking quickly and quietly into the receiver, and I think he's calling for security to force me to leave, but to my surprise a few minutes later it isn't a tall buff man that greets me.

Johnny's reddish hair appears at the corner leading to the back. He leans a shoulder against the wall, back in his casual wrinkled tee, jeans, and boots. "Forfeiting, are ya? Can't say I didn't see it coming, but I'm a little disappointed."

"Well, don't be." I sidle up to him. "I'm not here to forfeit."

Johnny leads me to the back office where Ralf is sitting behind a large black desk. The office is decorated in a moody and studious style, almost entirely in dark colors. Rich, dark green couches face each other in front of the desk, a black oval table between them. There's a window, but the curtains are drawn, leaving the main light source in the room to be wall scones and a green glass desk lamp. The walls are wallpapered with a textured damask imprint that can only be seen from certain angles. A full suit of armor stands in the corner, its silver plating reflecting the golden light.

"I let you off easy once before. I'm not likely to do it again. Why are you harassing my staff?"

"I wasn't harassing anyone. I politely asked to speak with you and he declined."

"Do you think you're just entitled to speak with the owner of every business you walk into?"

"I do when we're going to be family in a few weeks." I don't point out that he probably thinks he's entitled to speak to whoever he wants; why wouldn't it be the same for me? Oh yeah, privilege.

The privilege is also evident in his overly posh, poised tone of voice. The coldness sounds natural coming from him, but I think, unlike Kai, it's been shoved down his throat since birth; the only tone he's ever allowed to use. It does a good job of hiding any emotion he might be feeling. Like irritation, for one.

He puts down the pen he is holding and rises from the chair, adjusting his tailored suit jacket as he glides. Johnny's large hand lands on my shoulder, pushing me to one of the couches. I'd shove him off, but I don't think it'd have the effect that I want. I think he likes it when people push back against him.

I sit, pulling my bag to my side and hugging it there as Ralf sits across from me on one corner of the couch. His long legs cross at the knee and his hands rest on top. Johnny sits at the other end, bringing his ankle up to rest on his knee, taking up as much space as possible. Then he goes a step further, crossing his arms behind his head and leaning back, making himself comfortable.

They look like total opposites. Why are they friends?

I shake my head. I need to focus. "I bet you're wondering why I'm here."

"No, actually. Logic says you're here to barter for my cousin and his freedom."

Well. "I don't want to fight you, Ralf."

"Good, because you'd lose that battle."

"I wouldn't bet on it," I answer. "I'm not someone who gives up easily."

Ralf's lips pull into a mocking smile. "You know what you remind me of? A small, yapping dog. One of those horrible ankle biters that I just want to kick."

"I see we're showing our true colors today," I sigh.

"And why not? You came here on your own, without Kai's protection. Isn't this what you wanted?"

I'm determined not to let Ralf drive the conversation. "Yes, I want to talk openly with you. But that doesn't mean you can disrespect me. I'm here to be honest about our situation."

"Our situation?"

"I'm marrying Kai."

His lip lifts in a sneer before flattening out almost immediately. It's so quick, that I almost didn't catch it. It's the only evidence he's heard me at all.

"I'm marrying your cousin. Not for money, or power, or his name, but because I love him. I've said as much to your grandfather's face, and now I'm saying it to yours."

Johnny's eyes linger on me for a moment before blinking and moving on to Ralf. Ralf's stare is impassive, hardly moved by my heartfelt speech.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd stop sending your henchmen to my side-"

"Henchman?"

"-It's causing problems in my relationship, as you can probably imagine."

"Did she just call me a henchman?"

"Or maybe not. I don't know your history."

"You're calling me a henchman? Do you know who my family is?"

"McGregor." Ralf chides softly, without any force behind it.

"Henchman," Johnny grumbles to himself.

Their relationship is a weird one, I have to say. And I can hardly see him associating closely with either Olivier or Giancarlo; they all seem so far outside Ralf's natural orbit.

Ha! It's almost like Kai and his weird ensemble.

That's it.

My thoughts freeze, zeroing in on this single line of similarity that I've drawn between Kai and Ralf. They've gravitated towards things and people that diverge from the path in front of them. The path Soichiro set them on.

Because they both hate Soichiro.

That has to be why Ralf built this little clubhouse - his way of getting out of the family, declaring his independence, and involving himself with the people Soichiro would hate. Johnny and the others may be from the "right" families, but there's no way Soichiro would think they're good enough to be in a Hiwatari's company. Not unless they're working for him.

Ralf is pulled to things Soichiro would detest. Same with Kai. Same with Salima, I'm willing to bet.

That foolish old man drove everyone away from him. How sad for him, but to my advantage.

I meet Ralf's eyes with renewed fervor, a new direction. Ralf's brow lifts at the corner, questioning the change.

"I just realized how much you and Kai have a lot in common."

"Hardly."

"You both hate to lose."

"A trait we share with most individuals. I wouldn't say that puts us in the same league."

"You're both smart - you have to admit that."

"I'll admit to a competent education. Kai doesn't make bad decisions in business. The same can't be said for his personal life and those he chooses as close companions. The latest of which is you," he drops off, his tone remorseful, as if I'm the most disappointing side dish to an otherwise unsatisfying meal.

I choose not to take the bait. "Which means you'll see the sense in what I say next: Soichiro has pissed Kai off."

I stress the word, using a more improper term than he would to emphasize just how far it's gone. I can tell I've caught his attention by the way his lips twitch and eyes narrow. Johnny shifts next to him, lowering his foot to the ground and leaning forward.

"Kai is angry - more than angry - over Soichiro's response to our engagement. If you knew half the stuff he's pulled, you'd understand. But it's safe to say, Kai is no longer looking for Soichiro's approval in matters."

"And this matters to me because -"

"Because you don't want to be here. I mean, you don't want Hiwatari, right? That's why you built this," I say, motioning to the room around us. His creation, everything his grandfather would hate. Not to mention Majestics, where he's hiding all his assets so his family doesn't see him shoring up his safety net.

"You're trying to leave one day, like Salima."

Ralf inhales, his eyes turning sharp. Suddenly, I fear that I might have crossed a line and Kai's words come back to haunt me. "How do you know that?"

"Kai trusts me, of course. I am going to be his wife." I feel bad lying to him. In a few weeks, he'll figure out our duplicity and will probably struggle to trust anyone ever again. I wonder if we're doing too much damage, just to keep ahead of the game. I beat the feeling back because I can't give up now.

Ralf's chest falls with a heavy breath, and his jaw works as he considers what I've said.

"Soichiro says that if I marry Kai, Kai loses his shot at the presidency. If Soichiro takes it away, he's either going to give it to you or Kay."

"There's nothing I can do about that."

"But there is," I argue. "You can decide to work with Kai."

"Team up?" Johnny scoffs. "No chance. Those two can't stand each other."

I nod. "I know. But look at it this way, you have to make it clear that you stand with us. Between the shares that you own, Kai's shares, and the shares of the board members - who I already know favor Kai over either Kay or Soichiro - you have enough power to vote Kay out. If it goes to you, then-"

"I'll be a masthead at most."

"You'll be the face of the company, sure. But Kai will be doing all the work. You'll still be free to focus on what you love."

"Clever," Ralf says. "You're missing something, however. Kai would never agree to that. He wants his name up there. He wants the credit."

"Well, it would only be temporary."

"Temporary? And why's that?"

"Soichiro has to die at some point, right?" I reply bluntly.

Maybe too bluntly, because Johnny's mouth falls open in a howl of laughter that he fails to hide behind his hand. Ralf blinks rapidly, too. I scold myself silently. Biologically or not, the man still had a hand in raising him, and I just announced that he's going to kick the bucket eventually. I even sounded somewhat hopeful about it.

I shift uncomfortably, but power on. "You just need to make it clear that there are no winning options: it's Kai or nobody."

Ralf considers this. "I still don't see why I should trust you."

"You should trust me," I trail off, looking for the reason. Why should he trust me? I'm lying, after all. I shake my head. "You should trust me because Kai didn't send me. He'd never send me to speak to you; to try to convince you to help us. He wants to work with you about as much as you want to work with him. I'm here because I'm looking out for his blind spot."

Somewhere through my speech, I was able to gain a bit of conviction. I hope that's enough.

Ralf's narrowed gaze borrows into me and I hold as strong as possible, refusing to let him see me weak. Finally, he looks away. "I'm not going to make a decision here. There's a lot to consider, but I'll do you the favor of considering it."

Do me a favor? I'd roll my eyes if I could get away with it.

"You can leave."

I stand, unsure what else I could have said to make this work. I guess I'll have to see. But at least I've said my piece.

"Johnny, see her out."

"Henchman," I mutter where only he can hear me.

"Watch it," he replies. But his voice doesn't rumble with anger. He wraps an arm around my shoulder and shuffles me out the door.

I elbow his side, trying to get out from beneath him, but his arm is like an iron band keeping me locked in place until we near the lobby. There, he pushes me forward. My shoes skid against the tile and I only manage to catch myself before falling face-first.

"You're doing better than I imagined you would," Johnny says as I turn to glare at him, righting my clothes. "Word of the wise, don't shine a spotlight on yourself as one of Kai's weaknesses."

"Kai's not weak." I snap.

Johnny tips his head forward. "That's not what I said."

He leaves me there, with the lobby just around the corner, sure that I'll see myself out and not take the chance to snoop. As I pass the desk, I wave to the attendant, giddy with the success of my meeting with Ralf. Yeah, sure, he said he wasn't giving me an answer today, but I think he sees what the only clear path is. And I still have my blackmail information if he needs some convincing.

For now, Ralf is one problem I am crossing off my list.

As I wait for the car to pull up outside, I send Kai a thumbs up to let him know I'm all good. After, with nothing to do but wait, I search for this school club Kai told me about. An archival site has an article from the school paper from that time. It featured a picture of the four boys, their faces rounder than what I know now.

According to the article, the club was extremely exclusive, and entry was difficult due to its high standards. To qualify, an applicant must have maintained perfect grades for a minimum of two terms; it required an impressive knowledge of history, the arts, and philosophy; a disciplined and rigorous physical training program; and a dedication to the future.

In addition to all that, any applicant must be voted in by a majority of the current members.

Gee, I wonder why joining was so difficult, I think sarcastically.

The overall tone of the article isn't positive towards the group. I don't doubt for a second that it was written by a rejected applicant. Not that they don't have any reason to be mad; it's clear this is all a ruse – a way for the four to do what they wanted without being forced to include others.

I try not to smile at the charm and foolishness of it all. In my school days, I would have hounded these boys for finding a loophole that allowed them to ditch school to hang out. As an adult, however, I can see the appeal.

Notes: There's a big scene in the next chapter, and after that it'll be harder to keep Kai off the page, so there's that to look forward to. I'm still working on that scene, and I was hoping to have it finished before I posted this chapter. However, if I don't post, then I might get frozen there. In other news, I have started a rewrite of this. It was to help me get back into the characters and figure out which storylines are most important to me. It cuts down on some of the extra fluff around the story, some scenes that just aren't needed. Some characters change. And what else... oh. right. It has Kai POV chapters. That's been interesting. If I do get the chance to post it, I'll try to post in bulk so there's no waiting, or if I don't finish it, I'll post them as bonus scenes if the interest is there. That said, we're rounding the final corner. Thanks so much for hanging on this long, and I really hope you enjoy what comes next. All the love and appreciation to you. I apologize for any mistakes in the chapter.