Category: Writing Life

Chapter One

Niran Shin
Niran Shin was only fifteen when his world shattered.

His father’s death hit like a storm, sudden and ruthless, tearing away the ground beneath his feet. The mourners offered empty condolences, muttering, “It happens,” as though losing a father was just another inconvenience.

Niran refused to swallow their hollow words. The sadness that lodged itself in his chest refused to be tempered. Instead, it morphed into something darker, more volatile—a burning ambition laced with the bitter taste of revenge.

This fire that ignited within him could not be extinguished.

Niran embraced it, allowing the flames to consume every part of him until they left no room for anything else. Revenge became his only guiding star, a beacon he followed with unwavering resolve. His father had been taken from him, and Niran was determined to make the world answer for that loss.

Dragon Shin was no saint. To the outside world, he was a feared gang boss—a man whose name was spoken in hushed whispers and whose hands were stained with the blood of countless sins. The world saw him as a violent criminal, a dirty gangster who deserved nothing more than the cold ground that now cradled his body.

But to Niran, Dragon was more than the violent legend; he was his father, and that unbreakable bond demanded justice.

Dragon’s life was a tale of survival. Born in the grimy depths of Camfield City, in the Kingdom of Aeras, he had clawed his way up from nothing. His mother, a sex worker, had no means to give him a future, so Dragon carved one out of the only thing he knew—violence.

By fourteen, he had risen to the top of the thieving gang he joined, leading the street urchins who once mocked his ambition. His hunger for power grew alongside the number of mouths he fed, and by twenty-five, Dragon had a firm grip on Camfield’s vibrant black market. He ran a gang known as Shino and commanded respect through fear, and even the police, despite their disdain, were forced to disregard his operations.

Wealth followed power, and with it came enemies. But Dragon, ever the fighter, met every threat with unmatched brutality. He became a figure of nightmares, a man no one dared to cross.

Then, in a twist of fate, Dragon met a woman who would become his anchor. Stacy, an orphan who had known the same harsh streets, was everything Dragon was not—gentle, kind, and a beacon of calm in his stormy life. He fell in love with her quiet strength and married her to protect the life they created together.

For Stacy, Dragon built a sanctuary, a sprawling twenty-acre estate in the serene hills of Camfield, far removed from the chaos of his world. Their marriage was a small, intimate affair, attended only by the most trusted members of Shino.

In this sanctuary, the happy couple found a semblance of happiness that Dragon fiercely guarded from the darkness that clung to him.

When Stacy bore him a son, Niran, Dragon’s love for his family became an obsession. He taught Niran everything—navigating their lives duality and understanding their world’s beauty and horror. Dragon drilled into Niran the importance of power and the need to protect those you love, even if it meant wielding an iron will.

Stacy watched with quiet sorrow as Dragon molded their son into a reflection of himself, knowing that her husband’s legacy was both a blessing and a curse.

The summer Niran turned fifteen, Dragon decided to take his family on a luxury cruise. They sailed along the Riviera, stopping at picturesque coastal towns, where Stacy and Niran would explore and indulge in simple pleasures. But Dragon, always the vigilant boss, stayed behind on the yacht, conducting his affairs from the safety of his floating fortress.

Everything unraveled on a sunlit Sunday. Stacy and Niran had spent the day in Barcelona; their hearts light with the joy of discovery. But that joy turned to ice when they returned to the yacht to find Dragon and his entire security detail slaughtered.

Stacy tried to shield Niran from the carnage, but the boy was too fast, too desperate to see for himself. He ran through the yacht, his breath catching in his throat, until he found his father’s lifeless body floating in the pool on the top deck. The scream that tore from Niran’s throat was one of pure anguish, the sound of a soul being ripped apart.

The funeral was a blur of faces and whispers.

Niran barely registered the pitying glances, the greedy looks of those who saw his father’s death as an opportunity. They spoke of Dragon with disdain, as though his death was deserved, as though his life had meant nothing. But to Niran, those words were knives in his heart. His father had been a giant, and now that giant was gone, leaving a void that threatened to swallow him whole.

Stacy, broken by grief and the weight of Dragon’s legacy, crumbled under the pressure. She tried to protect what remained of their lives, but the enemies that circled them were relentless.

Niran watched helplessly as trusted allies turned their backs, as the vultures closed in to pick apart the remains of his father’s empire. But Niran was not his mother. He would not bend or break.

At seventeen, he sought out his father’s most loyal men, those who had risen from the dirt alongside Dragon. He made promises, deals that he knew would bind them to him, and he waited. He waited for the day he would take back what was rightfully his.

On his eighteenth birthday, just after midnight, Niran took control of his father’s estate. With the help of Jaran, Dragon’s most trusted lawyer, Niran secured their family home and embarked on a path of vengeance that would leave no stone unturned.

Niran began by dismantling the life of Mayor Christos, the corrupt official who had preyed on his mother’s vulnerability, forcing her to give up a considerable amount of Dragon’s wealth in the form of corrupt charges of unpaid taxes.

Niran exposed Christos’s misdeeds to the public, ensuring his swift downfall. But that was only the beginning. Niran turned his attention to those who had betrayed his father, systematically destroying their businesses, reducing their lives to rubble without spilling a single drop of blood.

The fear of Niran’s wrath spread like wildfire through the ranks of the Shino Gang. In their desperation to save themselves, the disloyal members turned on each other, igniting a bloody gang war that ravaged Camfield City for a year and a half. The police, powerless to stop the violence, could only watch as the streets ran red with the consequences of corruption.

In the aftermath of the carnage, Niran emerged as the undisputed leader of what remained of his father’s empire. But he did not seek to rebuild the Shino Gang.

Instead, he dismantled the gang’s strongholds brick by brick until nothing was left. Then, with Jaran’s guidance, Niran transformed the remnants of Dragon’s legacy into a legitimate business empire.

Niran founded Keta Group, turning his father’s fifteen remaining clubs into thriving enterprises. He used the profits to expand his business into owning hotels, residential real estate, and selling construction materials, slowly building up a flourishing empire of his own.

Despite his success, Niran’s heart remained cold, his soul scarred by the loss of his father. He ruled Keta Group with an iron fist, his gaze always focused on the goal that had driven him since he was a boy—protecting what was his, no matter the cost.

Niran had no room for love, not even when a scheming woman drugged him, seduced him, and bore him a son. He took in the child but cast the woman aside without a second thought.

His fifteen-year-old son, Doryu, grew up in the shadow of a father as distant as he was formidable, believing that Niran was more dragon than man.

As the years passed, Niran became a man shaped by fire and loss, a force to be reckoned with in Camfield City.

At thirty-seven, Niran regained his father’s wealth, protected his mother, son, and family home with an iron will, and built a business empire that even the most powerful dared not challenge.

However, beneath the surface, the flames of his revenge still burned, refusing to be extinguished until the day he could finally lay his father’s ghost to rest. Niran Shin still hoped to solve his father’s murder. His search for the truth continued, even as he had cleaned up his father’s old gang. He still wanted to know who murdered Dragon Shin.

Who had taken the initiative to slay a dragon in his lair?

This question kept Niran awake most nights.

The investigator in charge of the murder case lost hope after five years went by with no new clues.

Niran worked at keeping his hope burning. He managed all the evidence of his father’s case with utmost care through his family lawyer, Jaran Wilde.

Jaran managed the investigation and updated any new findings as they were discovered.

Twenty-two years was a long time to wait for an answer, but Niran did not grow tired. He continued to hope that he would meet the villain who set his life on such a tailspin.

---

On a sunny Tuesday morning in May, Niran made a rare morning visit to the exclusive club he owned in Camfield’s most affluent neighborhood.

Komorebi was his pride and joy.

Niran conducted his discrete projects within Komorebi’s walls, ensuring the club was as private as possible.

The club’s members, a mix of aristocrats and business moguls, were carefully chosen from the elite across the Kingdom of Aeras, and they often provided unprecedented entertainment and infinite use.

Everything within Komorebi was useful to Niran Shin, who genuinely enjoyed spending time in the club.

Sitting in a private dining room, Niran enjoyed a late breakfast and leisurely sipped coffee when his business managers walked in.

“Morning, Niran,” Tyler Parker said, leading the way to the dining table for six.

Niran invited them to join him with his left hand.

“It’s rare to meet here on a Tuesday,” Rune Samran said as he sat at the table and accepted the menu from the butler. “May I ask what the occasion is?”

“Jaran called,” Niran said, sitting back to look out the windows.

The backyard was free of guests today. The green grass shone in the bright spring atmosphere, the landscape cascading in a sea of green and trimmed bushes to a distant forest. The grounds were often used for scenic grand occasions.

Komorebi’s grounds were a secret, sought-after venue for elite weddings. The grand occasions brought in good money, but Niran was grateful for the peace on a Tuesday morning.

A knock on the door came, and Niran gave up the scenery in time to see Jaran Wilde walk into the dining room, followed by his son, Dylan.

Jaran was turning seventy-five in three months, and he wanted his son to take over the private law firm he had grown through the years.

Niran took in Jaran’s white hair and wondered if his father would have the same shade if he had lived long enough.

“Niran, sorry we are late,” Jaran said, pausing to shake hands with Rune and Tyler before he came around the table to Niran. “We stopped to collect the necessary documents from the committee at Camfield City Hall.”

Niran pushed his chair back and stood.

Jaran was the only man Niran ever made concessions for. The man was old enough to be his father and had guided Niran often as a father would.

Niran pulled out a chair to his right for Jaran and only sat when the older man settled.

“Dylan,” Niran said, acknowledging Jaran’s son, as he pushed his empty coffee to the side, ready for the meeting.

“Mr. Shin,” Dylan said, sitting next to his father.

The butler was already coordinating meals for Niran’s guests. His staff moved silently around the dining table, pouring coffee and bringing plates of hot food and water for Jaran.

“What documents?” Tyler asked as he stirred sugar into his coffee.

“The Camfield Project approval and bidding guidelines,” Jaran said, making Tyler and Rune shout happily.

“That’s good news,” Niran smiled. “I’m glad the mayor’s committee has finally approved the project.”

The Camfield Project was a proposal to build an Olympic-sized stadium with a shopping mall in the city of Camfield. The stadium would encourage commerce in the region, as the town was already a significant business hub for the Kingdom of Aeras.

“Unfortunately, the project is a political development,” Jaran said, folding his arms against his chest, as Dylan distributed the folders to Niran, Tyler, and Rune.

Niran placed his folder to the side. He would read it with care when he got home.

“There will be a massive backlash if things go wrong,” Jaran said. “The most important part of building this project is sourcing the materials used for construction. Each item needs to be authentic and sourced fairly and without dispute. Otherwise, controversies will ruin progress.”

“Keta Group has a strong construction background with our steel company,” Rune said. “We can source materials with minimal issues. With the company’s reputation, no one will dare to dispute—”

“There is an obstacle,” Dylan said. “The Camfield Project Committee insists on a selective tendering process. They are targeting companies that have completed similar projects before. They have invited four companies to the tendering process.”

“Fair enough,” Rune said, meeting Niran’s gaze. “It is true we have not completed such a major project before. However, we can attach Keta Steel to the winning bid. Who is on the list?”

“Two foreign firms,” Jaran said. “One local to Camfield City, Rivenrose Construction, which the Millenrose family owns. The list finishes with Apico Industries. This is a recent addition. Apico is based in the minor city of Delbury. All four companies have one month to submit their bids.”

“Why Apico? Delbury is not a large city. Why would the Camfield Project include them?” Tyler asked.

“Apico is a construction and restoration company. They might have their headquarters in Delbury, but they competed and won the tender to complete the Capital Palace renovations three years ago,” Dylan said, reading from the tablet before him.

“Apico Industries has an impressive list of architects and construction professionals. Their work is impeccable. Thanks to their work on the Capital Palace, the company is pulling in billions in sales worldwide. The man at the helm is Kaleo Rana,” Dylan said. “Mr. Rana is a structural engineer turned businessman.”

“Interesting,” Rune said. “Do you have more information about him?”

“His company profile shows a diversified portfolio. Apico is not his only company. He founded MinErrands at eighteen, the profits allowed him to enter the real estate industry. Mr. Rana started Apico Industries at twenty-two and has worked as Apico’s CEO for eight years. The company has propelled him into billionaire status. The company’s numbers are quite strong,” Dylan said, reaching for a glass of water to take a sip.

“Kaleo Rana,” Niran murmured.

The name sparked a sense of recognition, though he could not quite place the source. It was on the fringe of his memory.

“We hope Millenrose wins the bid,” Rune said, pulling Niran’s attention away from the mystery.

“Why?” Niran asked.

“Rivenrose is a Camfield City company, which gives us easy access,” Rune said. “We know Brandon Millenrose. I believe he is a member of Komorebi.”

“Hm.” Niran nodded.

Rune was right.

Club members would offer Keta Steel business, and business from the Camfield City Project would mean millions in contracts.

Niran could not see any problem with the decision.

“Still,” Niran said, meeting Jaran’s warning gaze. “Keep your ears on the ground. In case there is a problem. We don’t want to expose ourselves to trouble.”

“Dylan,” Jaran said, looking at his son. “Work with Rune and Tyler as you navigate this deal. Whoever wins the bid should be able to provide a supply contract to Keta Steel.”

“We’ll work on it,” Dylan said with a nod.

Niran nodded in approval and listened as the four gentlemen worked through a few more decisions managing Keta Group businesses across the kingdom. When business ended, the breakfast meal concluded.

“I need a few minutes alone,” Jaran told Niran.

Tyler, Rune, and Dylan got up, pushing their chairs back.

“Call me when you need me,” Niran told Tyler and Rune.

They both nodded and headed out.

“Dylan, stay,” Niran ordered when Jaran’s son started to leave, too. “If you’re taking over your father’s law firm, there is no need to keep this from you.”

“Yes, Sir,” Dylan said, closing the door.

The action was interrupted when a tall man with dark hair entered the dining room.

Dylan glanced at Niran.

“It’s okay,” Niran said as he smiled at his bodyguard. “Close the door, Rasul.”

---

Kaleo Rana drank the expensive liquor the wait staff had delivered hours ago with relish. His brain filled with thoughts of his ex-boyfriend.

“Ex-boyfriend,” Kaleo scoffed as he tipped the bottle and drank deep. “Dares to make me call him my ex.”

He shook his head and looked around the beautiful suite of rooms at Komorebi. They were leased to Brandon Millenrose.

Kaleo was here because he had come out to meet Brandon for the week. Only to discover that his so-called boyfriend was cheating on him with a legitimate fiancé.

A beautiful brunette doctor whose family supported Brandon’s family in the corporate world. Their families had planned a wedding and wanted the cute couple to make babies for the next generation.

Kaleo tipped the liquor bottle and drank deeper, hoping to drown the sting of betrayal crawling through his veins. He could not believe Brandon Millenrose had dared tell him to keep their relationship secret for the sake of his fiancé.

Kaleo was to hide away their so-called relationship and stop coming to Komorebi and Camfield City.

“Like a dirty secret,” Kaleo slurred, dropping the empty bottle.

The loud crash on the marble floors felt satisfying. He wanted more of the sound, so he looked around the room and grinned when he saw a silver baseball bat tucked into the corner of the sitting area. Brandon liked playing and kept a bat for convenience.

Kaleo crossed the room on bare feet, his shirt disheveled and stumbling from drinking too much. He took up the baseball bat and chuckled.

The bastard waited to have sex with him last night and this morning before he broke off their relationship after a shared breakfast.

Shaking his head at the disgust rising, he swung the baseball bat and hit a ceramic vase on a tall stool. The resulting crash made him giggle with satisfaction, so he turned to the glass coffee table closest to him and let his rage loose.

---

Rasul closed the door and joined Niran, Jaran, and Dylan at the dining table. The butler and his staff had retreated. The dining room was secure.

“Go ahead,” Niran said, meeting Jaran’s weary gaze. “What have you found?”

“As you know, we have reconstructed your father’s last day down to the meals he ordered for his staff,” Jaran said. “While you were on land with your mother, he conducted numerous business meetings. Most people who talked to him have given us information on his business dealings.”

“Yes,” Niran nodded, getting up to pace to the windows. “We have never had a problem finding out what he was selling or buying during those hours. I need to know which of these business associates decided to take my father’s life.”

“Well,” Jaran said with a soft sigh. “One of our investigators may have uncovered a rivalry between Shin and an English business jackal. Someone who wanted control of the Camfield City docks to gain a foothold in the kingdom. Shin stood in the way.”

“Who?” Niran asked, turning to look at Jaran. “Why would they need to fight my father when all they needed was to make a good offer, and he would have taken the deal?”

“I’m handing you speculation,” Jaran said, shaking his head, his shoulders slumped with exhaustion. This search had not been easy on him.

“What makes you think there is a rival we don’t know?” Rasul asked, leaning his hands on the table as he studied Jaran.

“Have you heard of Shawick?” Jaran asked

“Shawick,” Dylan said, his tone thoughtful. “It is a new shipping company bringing in goods from the East.”

“Yes,” Jaran said with a nod. “Shawick is an old company. They are new to the kingdom. The investigator claims they reached out to your father before he died. Dragon refused to partner with them because they were unknown. Your father did not want to deal with someone he could not control. Shawick is rumored to be owned by an Englishman named Gordon. Our investigator says there are rumors that Gordon is looking to enter Camfield city again.”

“Oh?” Niran scoffed and folded his arms against his chest. “A rat is looking for a way into the city without my permission.”

“Perhaps,” Jaran said. “Perhaps not, this is all speculation. Rumors are not as good as proof. Still, if Shawick did reach out to Shin and failed, then…it’s the first solid starting point we have had for a while.”

The Camfield docks had long fallen into Niran’s control.

Niran had built strong alliances with the shipping businesses at the docks, invested in some, and owned others. If someone wanted in, he would have heard about it.

If he had not heard about it and it was happening anyway, this presented a delicious challenge. It was rare to face a challenge these days.

“Focus all our resources on Shawick,” Niran said. “I want to know everything about them and Gordon. If something is hidden between Gordon and my father, I want to know what it is. Rasul, investigate why the docks have not reported a problem.”

“Yes, boss,” Rasul said, pushing off the table, winking at a wary Dylan. He reached the door and stepped out but returned minutes later.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. Boss, there is an issue on the second level.”

“What kind of issue?” Niran asked with a frown.

“One of the guests has taken a bat to the furniture. The butler is wondering what should be done,” Rasul said.

Niran scoffed.

“Who dares to damage my property?”

---

Chapter 2

Kaleo Rana

When Kaleo Rana hired Liam Rivers eight years ago, Kaleo called him an administrator at Apico Industries.

Liam always thought that being an administrator meant helping manage the largest construction company in Delbury. The job came with a substantial paycheck, more than enough to manage his life expenses and invest in a healthy nest egg for his retirement years.

Liam especially loved the perks of being Apico’s Administrator. He got to travel with Kaleo, Kaleo Rana’s personal dresser managed his wardrobe, and he got exclusive soccer season box tickets to watch the Delbury City Eagles. The tickets were hard to come by, so Liam loved that he could get them because of his job.

However.

There were times when even his love for soccer and season box tickets could not win over how crazy his job description had gotten. One would think an administrator was meant to spend his time behind a desk at Apico Industries managing the company affairs.

But no, that would be too easy a requirement.

Apico had grown into a monstrosity in the minor city of Delbury. Much of this growth was thanks to the company’s CEO and largest shareholder, Kaleo Rana.

Kaleo was both smart and unhinged. Crazy and sane at the same time. Though Kaleo hid his insanity quite well when he met clients, and investors, only his closest family knew he could turn crazy in a second.

Liam shivered at the thought of Kaleo’s strange personality and sighed when his phone buzzed. He reached for it from his pocket and checked the message from Kaleo’s lawyer.

‘We have a problem. Someone has placed two of the properties owned by Blue Dahlia on the market. Is your boss trying to liquidate the little company he uses to manage his family’s finances?’

Liam frowned and glanced at the driver who was speeding along the busy streets of the Kingdom of Aeras’s second busiest city, Camfield.

They were in search of Kaleo who had left his office at three in the afternoon yesterday. It was now almost ten in the morning and Kaleo had yet to resurface.

Apico Industries was presenting an important business proposal in seventy-two hours. The proposal’s project manager needed Kaleo’s input and approhttps://leesuilanwrites.com/2024/12/07/bold-desires-excerpts/val but the boss was missing. When the boss was missing, it was Liam’s responsibility to find Kaleo and save the day.

The only clue to Kaleo’s disappearance was his on and off relationship with a businessman in Camfield City. Kaleo’s security team insisted he should check out their lovers’ hideaway first before panicking.

Liam hoped the security team was right and he would find Kaleo.

Liam frowned as he reread the message from Kaleo’s lawyer again.

“Who would dare to sell Blue Dahlia properties?” Liam asked, and dialed Kaleo’s lawyer.

“You read my message.”

“Are you saying someone has listed Blue Dahlia properties?” Liam asked.

“Where are you?”

“I can’t tell you, Yaya,” Liam said, glancing out the tinted windows of the black Mercedes.

The driver was pulling up to a grand white building in an upscale neighborhood. The valet waiting at the entrance opened the car door for Liam and he got off, still on the phone.

“When you find your boss, tell him the properties on sale service Dahlia’s finances,” Yaya said. “He will want to know.”

“Damn it, must be about the divorce,” Liam said, as he entered the exclusive club only open to members. He paused at the lobby, his gaze on the receptionist waiting to receive him. “Kaleo has not authorized the sale of any properties owned by the little company. You manage this until I get back to you.”

“Alright,” Yaya said. “Call me if you need help.”

“I always do,” Liam said, and ended the call. He met the expectant receptionist’s gaze. “I’m here for Mr. Rana.”

Liam retrieved his business card from his wallet and gave it to the receptionist. She moved around the receptionist desk made of fine wood and swiped his card over a scanner. He waited a moment, then the card machine beeped and the door behind the desk opened.

“Welcome to Komorebi,” the receptionist said, handing Liam his card. “You’ll find Mr. Rana in his usual place.”

“Thank you,” Liam said, breathing out in relief.

He had taken the flight to Camfield after searching for Kaleo all over Delbury City. The security team seemed sure Kaleo would be here, but Liam had been unsure.

Komorebi was an exclusive club owned by a powerful Camfield City businessman. Membership was by invite only. Kaleo had gained an invite through his on and off boyfriend, Brandon Millenrose. Their relationship was tedious and toxic.

Liam could not define the reasons why Kaleo insisted on holding on to Brandon, but it was not his place to judge his boss. He could only manage the consequences of Kaleo’s encounters with Brandon.

Liam put away his card and entered the exclusive world only accessible to the kingdom’s elite.

The owner of Komorebi had a deep love for Baroque Italian design. Marble statues and expensive art lined the walls, making the first floor of the club feel like an old-world museum. Cozy armchairs arranged in discrete spots in the space invited guests to sit for a drink, relax, and take in the artwork and statues on the walls. Companions could have intimate conversations without disturbance. A more dedicated bar space was situated to the far left of the building.

Liam crossed to the grand staircase.

Brandon Millenrose had a suite of rooms on the second level of the club. He liked spending time with Kaleo away from prying eyes. They had somehow kept their relationship private and out of the press. The only people who knew about Kaleo and Brandon were Liam and Kaleo’s security team boss.

Liam doubted anyone on Brandon’s side knew about Kaleo. The bastard kept the relationship too secret, leaning on Kaleo to handle the secrecy.

Liam rushed up the stairs with a sigh and found the door to the private suite easy enough.

The door was slightly ajar.

Liam paused, nervous about interrupting Kaleo’s time with Brandon. But then, he heard a harsh sob and the sound of glass breaking.

Liam pushed the door open, his eyes widening with alarm. He stopped and stared in shock as Kaleo held a metallic baseball bat, swinging it over a glass shelf in the furthest corner of the suite.

Kaleo hit the glass shelf multiple times with all the force he could muster.

Kaleo’s five feet nine inches height shook with each swing. He looked disheveled. His white shirt unbuttoned, and his dark trousers had no belt. His dark hair was wet with sweat, and his cheeks were stained red.

Liam started to step into the room when he noticed that Kaleo wore no shoes and there was glass debris all around him.

“Don’t interrupt him.” An amused male voice stopped him.

Liam turned to his right and frowned when he saw the tall man leaning on the wall right by the door. He wore a neat, tailored dark suit, his arms crossed against his chest as he watched Kaleo. His dark shoulder-length hair was combed back, away from his face, revealing an intense expression. His features sharp and well-defined, in a harsh masculine beauty.

Liam’s frown deepened when the tall man glanced at him for a split second, and worry slammed into him at the intensity of blue eyes.

“What is your name?”

“Liam.”

“Who are you to him?”

“His business administrator,” Liam said, handing over his business card. “If you have any grievances against my boss, I’ll manage it. I promise he won’t mind fixing the damage.”

The stranger studied his card with a small smile, then smiled wide.

“Apico Industries?”

Liam felt a trace of worry race down his spine.

“Yes,” Liam said, taking back his card when the other man handed it back. “I hope we are still guaranteed privacy—”

“Oh, yes. Komorebi guards all its patrons’ secrets.”

Liam fought back his frustration as he realized the stranger had not introduced himself and had no intention to. Komorebi’s privacy policy was useful, but it was also very frustrating.

“Your boss has impressed me. This is the first time someone has dared damage my property without a second thought and no sense of remorse.”

“We are willing to compensate for the damage,” Liam said, his gaze straying to Kaleo who was now tiring himself as he smashed the last of the glass shelf.

Kaleo’s bad habits were frightening. Frustration triggered the worst of it. Kaleo could break down a glass house in a fit of anger, if allowed.

The first time Liam found him raging with a baseball bat, he had been in shock. Kaleo had broken several pieces of furniture with a baseball bat in his office until they turned into splintered wood.

Liam often worried his boss would one day lose his mind and hit him with the baseball bat. He shuddered at the thought. Well, he had yet to find Kaleo beating up on someone, so he could judge himself as relatively safe. He could not speak for the furniture though.

Liam bit back a sigh.

It looked like Kaleo’s temper was about to get them banned from entering Komorebi.

---

Niran smiled as he watched Kaleo Rana descend into unadulterated rage. He was beautiful to watch. Describing him did not do Kaleo justice—slim build, average height, black hair. But the way he swung the baseball bat in his hands, with the force of Thor taking down a forest, the rage inside him burbling hard and threatening to explode his body into tiny bits. It was like he was the strongest man in the world, and the most vulnerable.

Niran wanted to walk over and pull him into his arms, soothe the rage with a deep kiss that would set them both on fire. He grinned at the thought and tightened his arms against his chest, unwilling to stop Kaleo until the fury burned out.

---

Kaleo broke the glass shelf to pieces, exhausting all his energy and the anger boiling inside him. The pain was challenging to digest. No matter the form, it reeked of discomfort.

Heartbreak and breakups were the most inane, self-inflicted types of pain in existence. It should be easy to avoid them, but…

Kaleo lifted the silver baseball bat he held and smashed the last glass shelves with delight. The glass cracked and crunched, and he nodded with satisfaction. He broke the pieces on the floor with more force, using up strength and a fraction of his anger and annoyance.

He still could not believe his newly minted ex-boyfriend had dared to cheat on him. He was the undisputed prince of casual dating, and an idiot had dared walk into his world and decided to cheat on him.

“Fuck!” Kaleo threw the silver baseball bat on the ground and dug his fingers into his sweat-slicked hair. He stepped back and missed stepping on a shard of glass by an inch.

A worried gasp filled the room, but he paid it no mind.

Instead, Kaleo looked around at the distraction he had caused, and a sense of satisfaction filled him, erasing the hole Brandon Millenrose left inside him when he walked out earlier. He had no idea what he expected dating Millenrose, but heartbreak was not on his menu.

Shaking his head, he took in the chaos of broken glass and let it soothe a small part of his anger.

Taking a deep breath, Kaleo let it out and glanced toward the door.

Kaleo paused when he saw the tall man in a neat dark suit leaning on the wall, arms crossed against his chest. He looked older, maybe at the tail-end of his thirties. The beard on his chiseled jaw was dusted with some gray. His gaze was thrilling, so intense and handsome, Kaleo stared.

Damn, it is illegal to look that sexy, Daddy. So dangerous. Making me wish I could kiss you to forget fucking Brandon is so unfair right now.

Kaleo met intense blue eyes and his heart squeezed tight in his chest.

“What?”

“You’ve ruined my shelves.”

“Did I?” Kaleo stared at the broken glass around him and nodded in agreement. “I have. Sorry. I’ll replace them.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“What else?” Kaleo asked and started to turn.

“Stop.”

The order came out in a deep, forbidding voice.

Kaleo stopped. It was difficult to ignore the authority in the one word.

Kaleo frowned. He liked the bossy tone that Sexy Daddy used. Glancing at the stranger, Kaleo placed his hands at his waist and smiled.

“You like ordering people around, don’t you?” Kaleo asked, frowning when the stranger’s figure wavered.

He cursed under his breath and blinked, shaking his head to clear his vision.

“I may have drunk more than I planned,” Kaleo murmured. “The bourbon was delicious. This place always has the best liquor.”

The stranger pushed off the wall, and the move was so seamless that it reminded Kaleo of a hunting jaguar. A trace of unease raced down his spine, and he started to step forward. He brought his right foot down on a piece of glass, but powerful arms lifted him before the shard could cut his foot.

Kaleo sighed and closed his eyes as the motion made him dizzy.

“You’re too dangerous,” Kaleo murmured as the stranger carried him to a comfortable couch on the opposite side of the room.

“You’re unhinged,” the stranger said as he arranged a pillow under Kaleo’s head. “Your temper has caught my attention. I don’t know whether you’ll be happy about it.”

Kaleo frowned and started to reach for the man’s gorgeous burgundy tie, but then the bourbon won. He closed his eyes, ready to sink into sleep.

Then, the whisper of pain brought him back from the abyss.

“Don’t let Brandon Millenrose in here,” Kaleo said, gripping the stranger’s shirt collar. “He broke a promise. I don’t want to see him again.”

“Done,” the stranger said, and the decisive promise filled Kaleo with infinite comfort.

Kaleo nodded and closed his eyes, sinking into sleep, feeling much lighter than he had a few hours before.

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Bold Desire by Suilan Lee

Status: Coming Soon
The first time Niran Shin meets him, Kaleo Ran a is having a meltdown of epic proportions. Breaking glass shelves with a baseball bat after a terrible breakup. Niran Shin loves Kaleo’s vibrant personality, but their worlds seem too far apart. Niran is on a path of vengeance and has no desire to pull Kaleo into his world.

Then, a villain asks Niran for a favor that places Kaleo’s life in danger, and Niran has no choice but to pull Kaleo into his world. A world full of dark secrets that threaten their future together. Will Kaleo ever choose him?

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