Dahlia

The air is tense. There's food in front of me, but I can't bear to eat it, my stomach is in knots.

He leans back. He pushes his cup toward me. In the middle of us is a pitcher of water.

"Will you pour me a cup?" He asks me softly.

I look at it and then him. I reach out, filling his cup. He smiles at me.

"Thank you," he raised it to his lips. "You haven't touched your food."

I swallow roughly. He raised his brows ever so gently before shrugging.

"What is this?" I nod to the table.

He raised his glass to his lips once more. "What do you mean? This is the club you chose?"

I scoff. "I mean...what is this? You're usually so..."

He leans back, raising his brow.

"Not this way," I finish carefully.

He looks at me. I can see him mulling over his words. "You're...special to me. Sacred. So..." he frowns, "I want to treat you with kindness."

He licks his lips. My eyes are drawn to the movement. I shift in my seat a bit as he struggles to articulate what he's trying to say.

"However,"

I look up.

"Sometimes...I need to keep you in line," he sets his cup down. "And I can't do with kindness. It requires firmness."

He smiles, satisfied.

Did this motherfucker just say keep me in line? Is he on fucking crack? Who does he think he is?!

He chuckled. "Don't look so upset, Dahlia. You know me. I don't want to be unkind to you. Have I ever been unkind to you?"

I open my mouth and he raised his finger. "Except the one time I very carefully prevented your exit with my sword."

I frown, looking away. Fucking...I would say asshole. But he's usually so sweet.

"I know you want to go home," he murmurs, waving his hand. The men around us disappear. We're alone now. He stands up, leaning over.

His hands cup my face gently. He kissed my cheek his warm hands caressing my back, neck and cheeks. All my animosity is sucked out of me.

His touch is gentle. Calming and strong, his kisses tender . "Hm...good girl." He whispers softly in my ear, rubbing my cheek.

I'm melting in his hands, my eyes heavy.

"I'll make you happy here, Dahlia. Hm?"

I nod gently. He smiles down at me and praises me softly with a kiss to my forehead. I open my eyes looking up at him. He peers down at me a soft smile on his face.

I glance away. "I want to go home."

He raised a brow. I clear my throat. "Back to your place I mean."

He smiles kissing my head once more. "Okay, baby girl. Let's go home."

He offers his hand, and I take it. My stomach is in knots. Akira walks me to the car. His sword sheathed on his hip. I glance down at it.

"Can we walk? It's not far?"

He nods gently, holding onto me as we walk back through the busy street.

"You'll be hungry when we get back," he informs me softly.

I look up at him. His dark hair catches a breeze. He meets my eye.

I look away, tucking my curls back as the wind picks up. I glance at his sword once more before clearing my throat.

"What did you expect?" I ask softly, the lights of the district casting a neon glow.

He glanced over at me, before shrugging gently. "What do you mean?"

"Keeping me here. Kidnapping me. I mean...Akira what did you expect?"

He raised his brows. We walk a little while. He seems pensive. I wait for his answer.

"I don't know," is what he settles on. "I didn't think. I was desperate. I...when I saw you. When we met up again, I kept trying to come to terms with you leaving." He smiles softly down at me.

"And I just couldn't picture what I would do without you there. And I knew I couldn't convince you to see what I saw. I thought...I just needed time."

The air is crisp and cool. The cicadas are shrilling, making a soft background noise. His eyes burn down into mine, our arm linked.

"I just needed time to convince you to love me just as much as I love you."

I blink. And then I look ahead. I feel his eyes burning into me. He doesn't love me. And I don't even say that because of the kidnapping thing.

He doesn't love me. He loves the idea of me. Not me now. Me on that island caring for him. That's what he loves.

I nod. "And what happens if I can't be convinced?"

He clenched his jaw. "I am a man of commitment and loyalty. I have committed to my duties. I fulfill them. I am loyal to my family and the people who work for me."

I nod.

"When I am committed to something it gets done."