Chapter 29: Poor You

Kai

The clock on the wall of the dojo read 8:35 PM and Kai quickly grabbed her things and practically flew out the door. She didn’t wait for James to finish changing out of his Gi. She could feel the energy simmering between them all through class, like an electric current just beneath the surface. Every time their paths crossed, even the slightest touch of a hand, a brush of a shoulder, made her heart race. But tonight, she wasn’t waiting around. She had a date. A real one. Or at least, that’s what she was telling herself.

She barely had time to register the tension that had built all night before she found herself in her apartment, standing in front of her closet. The task ahead: choose something “nice.” That was the only guidance James had given her earlier in the evening.

Her mind swirled with options. The restaurant James was taking her to had Michelin stars—three of them, to be precise. She couldn’t show up in something too casual, but she also didn’t want to seem too stiff. The last thing she wanted was to be out of place, especially with how much she'd been anticipating this night.

She pulled out a long, satin emerald-green dress—something timeless, sleek, and just the right amount of elegant. The color would make her eyes pop and, she thought with a smirk, might drive James wild. The dress was fitted, hugging her curves in all the right ways, with a subtle slit up one leg that added a touch of allure without being over the top. It didn’t hide her tattoos—she never worried about that—but it complemented them beautifully.

Slipping it on, Kai smiled at the way it fit like a glove, the soft fabric flowing gracefully as she adjusted herself in front of the mirror. She pulled her hair back into a messy, elegant bun, letting a few loose strands fall around her face. Minimal makeup—just enough to accentuate her features, but nothing that screamed she was trying too hard. She wanted to feel natural. Confident. Ready.

She checked the time again: 9:10 PM. Damn. She was running late. James had said he would pick her up at 9:00, but with the adrenaline still coursing through her veins, she didn't think she would calm down until she saw him.

Then the knock came at the door.

Her pulse spiked, and she took a deep breath before opening it. James stood in the doorway, looking effortlessly cool in a tailored black suit, the kind that fit him perfectly. His eyes met hers, and something in the air shifted. The world seemed to slow as his gaze lingered on her, tracing the lines of her dress, her hair, the subtle curve of her neck.

"Wow," he said, voice low, a hint of awe in it. "You look incredible."

Kai couldn’t help but grin, a flush creeping up her neck. “Well, you clean up pretty well yourself,” she teased, leaning casually against the doorframe.

He stepped closer, his hand brushing against her arm in that familiar, almost possessive way that sent her heart racing. “I’m not sure I should take you out tonight,” he murmured, his lips curving into a teasing smirk. “You might break all the rules at a place like this.”

Kai raised an eyebrow, her smile widening. “What rules?”

“The ones that say no one should be this distracting,” he replied, leaning in just enough to let his breath ghost over her skin. “You’ll have people staring at you all night, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to control myself.”

She laughed softly, shaking her head. “You’re trouble, you know that?”

He grinned, his hand resting on the small of her back, guiding her out of the apartment. “I’m not the one who’s trouble, Kai,” he said with a chuckle. “You’re the one who has me second-guessing every damn decision I’ve made in the past week.”

She shot him a playful look, her lips curling up in a mischievous smile. “You’ve been second-guessing? Poor you.”

He rolled his eyes but didn’t let go of her, his fingers trailing up her back, his touch leaving a trail of heat in its wake. As they made their way to the elevator, the air between them thickened again. The teasing banter, the lingering glances—they were a dangerous dance that neither of them seemed able to resist.

By the time they arrived at the restaurant, the tension had reached a new high. James led her into the elegant dining room, and the maître d' immediately seated them at a private table with a view of the city. The ambiance was just as breathtaking as the food, but Kai found herself unable to concentrate on anything except the man across from her.

He leaned in, his voice a low murmur that sent shivers down her spine. “I’ve been meaning to ask you something, Kai. I feel like I don’t know half of you.” His gaze softened, and the playful edge from earlier was replaced by something deeper, more sincere. “Tell me something. What was your life like before everything... before we met? What were you training for before the injury?”

Kai took a moment, her fingers tracing the edge of her wine glass as she collected her thoughts. “For UCF, ultimate combat federation. There is a reason many of our brown and higher are trained the way they are. Full contact, no holds barred fighting. That is what we are entering into next year. I was on track for it, too. I didn’t want to just compete. I wanted to win. But...” She paused, letting the words hang between them. “I will have to see how much i can improve before registration is due. Might not be my year this year, the team will still go, it just won’t be me leading it.”

James didn’t push her. “What’s the deal with a bunch of the youth that you have there? They look a little..” Instead, he waited, his eyes locked on hers with that intensity that made her feel like she was the only person in the world.

She cleared her throat. “Like they would fit better into a gang? You wouldn’t be wrong. That’s our anger management program. I developed it to help kids like me, who struggle to control their impulses. It doesn’t show now but I had major anger issues. People think anger management is just about yelling or getting in fights. But it’s more than that. It’s about learning to control yourself, to not have your emotions run away with you, and your actions. To make sure the things that hurt you don’t end up hurting others.”

His gaze softened, and for a moment, she saw the man behind the suit—someone who wasn’t just a ruthless businessman, but someone who genuinely cared about people. “I respect that,” he said quietly. “You are something else you know that, Kai. I see it. This force. But you also know when and where to channel it.”

A soft smile spread across her lips. “I try.”

The conversation flowed effortlessly through the rest of dinner, full of playful banter and flirtatious glances. The evening, like their connection, was effortless but charged with anticipation, and with every passing minute, Kai realized just how much she was drawn to James—not just for his power or presence, but for the man he was beneath it all.

And as the night continued, their laughter and flirtations filled the space between them, and she couldn’t help but wonder if this was were her life had been leading her all along.