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Every muscle in Dimitri’s body tightens. I know that look. One more word and this room becomes a crime scene.

Before either of them can make the first move, I tear away from Dimitri’s grip and violently discard the lollipop onto the table.

“Stop… just…” My voice catches before I force the rest out. “Get the fuck away from me.”

The words are meant for Kento.

He is still smiling.

Bright.

Poisonous.

“You’re welcome.”

He turns on his heel, but halfway there, he pauses to glance at Dimitri over his shoulder.

“One more thing,” he says pleasantly. “Don’t tell my brother about this, Morozov.” The smile never leaves his face. “If you do, I’ll know.”

Then he’s gone.

I stand there pale as a corpse, the sticky-sweet residue of his lollipop still clinging to the back of my tongue. I don’t know what the hell has just happened.

Only that Kento showing his face here, in front of everyone, after everything, cannot be a coincidence.

Alexei leaves too, leaving me alone with Dimitri. He crosses the space. “Are you okay?”

I nod. The lie comes out thin. “Yes.”

He studies me, rattled as hell. I mean, finding out your boyfriend’s brother is a yakuza heir probably wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card for a Tuesday.

“Did you know about this?”

“I knew.”

“You knew?”

“Yes. I wasn’t supposed to say anything. It’s—”

“Is he the one hurting you?”

“What? No. Of course not, Dima.”

“Then what the hell is going on between you two? Why did you know, and why didn’t you tell me?”

“Nothing is going on. My father knows too. He was the one who told me to keep my mouth shut.”

Dimitri exhales, running a hand through his hair like he’s trying to physically pull the weight of this knowledge out of his skull.

“How the hell am I supposed to keep this from Rei?”

I can hear the genuine panic threading through his voice. I lean back against the wall, considering him. “If he came here unmasked, he’s not planning on hiding from Rei for much longer either.”

Dimitri’s jaw tightens, then he sighs again.

Luckily, I manage to escape the rest of his questions that day. He lets me go, but I already know he’ll pick it back up later.

Later, I get home, shove my bedroom door open, and freeze. My room isn’t empty. Kento is sitting on my bed.