24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Leo is on the same page, I can tell just by his body language. His eyes narrow as they study the body, attentive and focused. He's also not really listening to the four men as they talk about the Triad and how often they run into its members in this part of the city.

To be honest, the way this all falls into place is very convincing. And whoever is behind it must've realized it would play out exactly like this… which means they've either taken all the necessary precautions or they've skimmed a corner here and there. I hope for the latter.

I send the four men off to round up the staff and deal with the police source we have, dragging Leo back inside the warehouse. We go over the camera footage with no luck.

"I want to check the containers," I say, herding him out the control room.

He huffs a half-hearted laugh. "Didn't take you for a CSI fan. "

"Miami was my favorite one."

Despite our amateur detective efforts, unfortunately, we don't find anything. Interviewing the staff is equally unproductive, though my hunch tells me none of the people standing in front of me had anything to do with the hit. They are all regular people and I doubt they'd risk a steady job and income for profit that's not even guaranteed.

I dismiss them and rub my forehead, a tinge of pain making me wish I'd caught more than four hours of sleep. Leaning against a metal column, I flick through Azawa's file on my tablet, then go through his social media profiles. He's got two kids and doesn't strike me as someone who'd risk dealing with the Triad, either. But without anything to disprove the evidence we found, my father won't hear any of what I have to say.

"What are you gonna do?" Leo says, joining me as the last of the people trickle out.

I cock an eyebrow at him. "You believe me?"

He shrugs and kills a smile before it fully manifests and makes him even more charming. "Why wouldn't I?"

"There is no proof to any of what I am suggesting. With Azawa being a sellout, this is case closed."

His gaze travels from one side of the warehouse to the other, lingering on a green container. "Sure. But I investigated the guy. He had a family and no big debts. I don't think he necessarily knew who he was really working for, either. So, with all that in mind, why would he suddenly get involved with a gang that the locals fear? It makes no sense. Besides, like you said, this is just too convenient."

My mouth curves in a smirk without me meaning to as a thrill of heat races down my back. Leo is perceptive. I don't know if it's his dealings with those people back in New York that made him this way, or if he's just naturally good at paying attention to the details, but it's a turn on for me. My cock agrees, taking immediate notice. I don't bother to hide it.

Leo's eyes stray to my crotch, and he licks his lips. "Did you just get a boner?" he says, leaning in and pretending to smooth out my suit's collar.

"Blame it on the lack of sleep."

Our gazes clash and the heartbeat in which it happens feels like minutes. His eyes are entirely focused on me, the blue lighter than last night, but just as intense. I let them hijack my senses, my world narrowing down to the simmering want they are trying to hide.

I want his mouth on mine. I want his hands touching me. I want his heat, the noises he makes. Anything and everything he does makes me want to rip his clothes off and have him.

I can't stop looking at him even when I tell myself I should, not until he breaks the moment himself and pulls away.

"Stop looking at me like this," he complains, adjusting himself.

I sigh, clearing my head of thoughts about pinning him against one of the containers so I can pillage his mouth. "Like what?"

"Like… I'm the most exquisite chocolate cake you've ever seen, and you can't wait to stuff your face with it."

I cross my arms, drumming my fingers across my elbow. "That's not very far off, actually." I tilt my head to the side, letting my eyes travel down his form. He looks very delectable in his suit. "I do hope I get to stuff my mouth with your cock tonight. "

He groans, a tinge of red spreading over his cheeks. " Fuck . It's so hot when you say stuff like this with a straight face."

He did seem to have a penchant for dirty talking. I've never really thought about it, but if it makes him squirm and flush, then perhaps I could give it a try.

Before I can stir things in a direction that will leave us both annoyingly hard, the four men return with a USB stick.

"Mr. Akiyama, here's the surveillance. The police guy said that the camera at the storage facility across the road was busted, but he has video from the ones at the intersection near the main road. He's had a look and said he couldn't find anything out of the ordinary."

There probably isn't, but I'd still like to see for myself.

I wave at the man to give the USB to Leo, who tucks it in his wallet, which then goes back inside his pocket. For the next few hours, I go through the inventory, cross-checking what's missing. It's a lot more than I suspected, as all the untouched containers are empty.

As I finish reading through the manifests, I realize why my father insisted I come myself. Half of the guns from this shipment were going to be sold, while the other half weren't contraband. They were for arming the security at the conference in Bangkok.

"Chai, what's wrong?" Leo asks, pushing off the foldable chair one of the men gave him. He's been observing me for the past thirty minutes.

I swivel in the creaky office chair. "Half of the guns were for the conference in Bangkok."

He knits his eyebrows together. "That's strangely suspicious. "

It is. The timing too, considering they were meant to ship out in two days because of the change in the schedule. The problem is that I have no real evidence suggesting this is anything more than an unlucky robbery. Not yet.

Sighing, I lean in the chair and stare at the peeling ceiling. My headache has gone from bad to worse and my brain feels like it's being squeezed. "What time is it?"

Fabric rustles as Leo takes out his phone. "Just past three."

So we've been here for five hours. I sigh again, wincing at a bolt of sharp pain. Leo's expression turns concerned.

"You need a break," he announces in a voice that's commanding and leaves no room for arguing.

I do need one. And he probably does, too.

I lock the tablet and stand up. My head spins a little, making me sway. Leo rushes to my side, grasping my arm and steadying me.

He shoves his bottle of water to me. "Drink. Your blood pressure must've dropped. You probably need something to eat, too," he says, watching me pop the cap.

I take a big gulp, then stare at him, slow on the uptake. "How do you know I have blood pressure issues?"

"I asked Aran while we were at the shooting range." He flashes me a shy smile and taps his phone. "He gave me a whole list."

"How very diligent of him to keep one."

"I mean, it's handy. I wouldn't have known you dislike tomatoes and chickpeas otherwise," he says, sounding amused. "Seriously, tomatoes?"

I chuckle. "Their texture is the problem, more so than their taste. Plus, I can have them just fine in sauces. Just not… in salads and on their own." And speaking of food. " Come on, let's go. We'll grab something to eat and go through the surveillance after that."

Leo nods and follows me out of the warehouse office. The four men see us off to the taxi I've booked.

"Do you think we'll find anything? I mean, considering the police officer didn't," Leo says when the driver puts the separator up once I've given the address.

"I'm not counting on it. But you never know. Maybe he just didn't know what to look for."

The small ramen shop I take Leo to is tucked between two massive office buildings overlooking Asakusa. Even though it's still the afternoon, the market is brimming with people, the noise and smells wafting in through the shop's door as Leo and I grab our bowls and sit along the wooden counter spanning the window.

I watch him while he eats and realize two things. One, he doesn't like wakame (he shoved it all in my bowl when I went to get water, thinking I wouldn't notice) and two, he's shit at using chopsticks. The way he struggles to grab the pork belly is kind of cute though, so I don't comment or offer advice.

"You are totally laughing at me right now," he says, pouting those full lips.

I lift my bowl and drink some of the soy broth, the warm flavorful soup worth the twenty-minute wait. Leo mimics me, letting out an appreciative noise.

"Man. This is so good. The ramen at the university cafeteria was decent, but this is the best."

I'm glad I wasn't wrong in assuming he'd like it. Whether or not that conclusion has anything to do with me asking Aran to pull up all the food and restaurants Leo has tried so far isn't that important.

"You are adorable. And I think that you can figure out how to properly use chopsticks on your own."

"You mean you enjoy watching me suck," he laughs, giving me the side eye.

He isn't wrong. "Now that you mention it, I would love to watch you suck, yes. I think my cock would look lovely stretching your mouth," I say, the image my words bring to my mind sending pangs of heat through me.

Leo chokes on a bean sprout. "Jesus, Chai." I pass him the water and he takes a sip before aiming those fiery eyes at me. "How can you say that with such a straight face in the middle of lunch?" He looks around the shop, scanning the other guests. "What if someone heard?"

I place my chopsticks on top of my bowl and push it away. Despite his very valid point, he places his hand high on my thigh and squeezes. The contact sets off more of those delightful shivers, and I can tell he feels them too. Sliding his fingers up, he rubs with a little more deliberation, using his thumbs to graze the base of my dick. It jerks, already hard and wanting more, but my slacks are keeping it trapped and hidden. I'm glad I picked this pair.

"Leo…" I warn with a voice that sounds aroused even to my own ears.

Leo's inhales audibly. "Shit. Did that turn you on?"

I raise my eyebrow very slowly and pointedly, letting him know just how stupid that question is. Why is this idiot even asking me when he can feel it? "What do you think?"

An impish smile slides on his face. "You started it." He leans in, pretending he's doing it so he can grab the water jug on my left. His lips graze the tip of my ear, and his teeth follow. "Besides," he says in a voice that goes straight to my dick, "it's kinda hot seeing you turned on in public because of me."

He pulls away and pours water in his glass, not taking his eyes off me. Something dangerous flashes in them, causing prickles all over my back. I don't really know what kinds of things he's into—hell, I don't know what I like either when most of my encounters have been with female escorts—but I am dying to find out.

So far, he seems to have a thing for dirty talking, especially if I'm the one doing it. I don't think he fully realizes when he does it himself, but that only makes it more effective. You couldn't tell if you looked at him because of his friendly and casual vibe, but he's more of a wolf than a cute puppy.

Leo's fingers keep teasing me through my pants. It takes me a lot of willpower not to show how much he's affecting me, but the flirty lift of those lips I'm dying to kiss right now tells me he's onto me.

"Are you wearing sexy underwear again?" he asks, nudging my leg with his foot.

"You seemed to like it," I breathe out. I both want him to keep going and to stop making me want to rip my clothes off so he can touch me properly.

"My ex had some, but I never really cared about it. But on you… Just thinking about it is giving me a boner." He trembles, his forefinger joining his thumb in rubbing me. "You sprawled on a massive bed with nothing but a jockstrap on, so I can see your tattoos and ass…"

He tilts his head, his eyes going a little unfocused for a few seconds as if he's not really here. Then he lets go, retracting his hand. I grab his wrist without thinking .

"If I keep going, I'm gonna die from blue balls. You need to behave from now on," he scolds in an overly offended tone, blinking his eyes innocently.

I need to behave? He's the one that started touching me inappropriately in the middle of a restaurant after banning sex until the evening.

My face must betray my outrage because he chuckles. "You are the one who said I'd look sexy sucking your dick. It's not my fault I got carried away."

After that, we stay quiet and watch the busy market until we've calmed down. We make our way to the shinkansen, stopping by the shop selling the banana-shaped sponge cakes because Leo insists that he must try them. I've never really tasted them myself, so we grab a variety of them, landing ourselves a banana plushie as a bonus for our generosity.

The seats I've booked on the train are in a non-crowded part of first class that offers some privacy, so I plug the USB in my tablet and open the CCTV the police gave us. We spend the first hour going through the surveillance leading up to the day of the robbery, concentrating on that timeframe last.

Just like the police officer told my men, nothing stands out, at least not at first.

"Leo, go back," I say as the columns of cars coming from the direction of the docks turn at the intersection.

Leo pauses the video, sliding the play indicator back. "Did you see something? Tell me when to stop."

"I don't know yet. Here." I squeeze his hand as the traffic lights go back to red and the cars begin lining up.

He presses play. My eyes focus on the third vehicle, an unimpressionable black SUV with a Nagoya number plate. I wait until it gets its turn, leaning in so I can see the plate better.

"Change to the front camera. The one mounted on the tire shop."

"One sec… Here it is."

I squint, trying to read the exact numbers. The first one is four and the last one is nine, but I need a better angle for the other two and the hiragana in front. "Can it zoom in?"

"Let me see…" Clicking through a few key combinations and one menu, Leo gets me a clearer view.

"Yo-ro-shi-ku," I whisper, my heartbeat kicking up. "Nagoya Ri."

"Ugh, I wish I could understand Japanese. Chai, it's nice to meet you too, but what's going on?" Leo demands, a whiny note in his voice.

I chuckle, patting Leo on the head. "It's the same one."

He shakes me off and frowns at the screen as I click on the play icon. "What is? Can you be less cryptic, please?"

He's cute when he's grumpy. "I recognize the plate number. Yo-Ro-Shi-Ku. Four-six-four-nine. It's the same one as that of one of the cars that ambushed me on the night we met."

"Oh. What is it doing here?"

"Great question." I play back the recording. "As for your Japanese, I can get you a private tutor on top of your college classes. But only if you are serious about it. He can get you up to a conversational level in three weeks. Nothing too complex, but enough so you can get by. Reading and writing… I can't guarantee. That depends solely on you and how much work you are willing to put in."

"Can I think about it? Aran said I need to do a bunch of evaluations and physical tests when I'm back. He wants me to train ASAP. And I've also got the shooting lessons…"

Good point. Leo will be busy playing catch up so he can be somewhat competent by the time we leave for Bangkok. He did a pretty good job today, but we also didn't run into any trouble. There are things that need to be drilled into him, so he doesn't freeze or panic.

"Think about it, sure," I agree, grazing my fingers along the curve of his shoulder.

He leans into the touch. "Maybe once I have less stuff to catch up on? Being able to protect you, use a gun, and scowl effectively so people piss their pants due to how intimidating I am takes precedence."

That pulls a snort-like sound from me that I've never heard myself make. He flashes me a shit-eating grin that threatens to melt my heart.

Leo is such a dork. He's charming and funny and so easy to be around most of the time. And when he's not, he makes me want to strip him naked and do wicked things to him until we're both a mess.

I hum to myself, a pleasant buzz reminding me we are almost back. I'll have to brief my father before me and Leo get up to no good, but it shouldn't take long considering there is no point bringing up our mole problem when I have no proof.

"You're thinking about something dirty," Leo says in that low, tempting tenor. He strokes my shoulder like I did his and then slides his fingers down the side of my arm.

"I was thinking that I'll rip your clothes off and have my way with you in front of everyone if you don't stop trying to make me go crazy. "

"Ooh. Kinky." He makes a thoughtful sound and leans back in his seat, crossing his hands behind his head. "I must say that I don't know if I'm actually opposed to it, so it doesn't really work as a threat. I mean, I can see the appeal."

I shake my head as the announcement that we are entering Nagoya Station plays over the train speakers. We stop two minutes later.

"You know. What about ropes? Are you into that? I heard there's this thing where you can go and, like, be a model. I've also always been curious about blindfolds and handcuffs. Maybe some roleplaying too," Leo blabbers on as I herd him off the train.

We get off and pass the ticket gates—fortunately he keeps quiet while we are waiting for our turn—then head toward the east exit where a car is already waiting for us.

"I think you can totally pull off a bad, grumpy cop who's not gotten laid in months and hasn't had his three coffees yet. I'll be the suspect. There for… accidental public indecency because my pants got ripped when I bent down and I wasn't wearing any underwear."

I stifle a chuckle at his ridiculousness.

"Oh, you like that idea, don't you?" he pushes, trying and failing to maintain his serious expression.

I pause as we reach the station's rotating glass doors, halting him with my hand. "There's only one way to find out, Leo. But don't try unless you are ready to deal with the consequences," I say in my most authoritative tone, give his ass a pinch and let him lead me to the car as he slips back into bodyguard mode.