Ashes to Ashes (Book Two of The Kazuya Series) (✔️)

十二 (Twelve)

(Arielle's POV)

I peaked out the window of Koan's office as I waited. Koan was sitting behind his desk flicking his lighter open and closed.

"There he is." I said, seeing Roland walk in.

He greeted Renzo at the front desk and I saw Renzo point him in our direction. Giving him a nod, Roland headed our way.

I waited till he knocked to open the door.

"Wanted to see me?" Roland asked.

"Yes." I grinned, letting him in and closing the door.

"Did I do something?" Roland asked, his voice laced with concern.

He may be with the Irish mob, but everyone in the gym agrees when they sign up that Koan is essentially their boss when they're inside the gym. Doing that keeps people from different families from fighting.

"No. We'd like your help with something, if you don't mind."

His shoulder relaxed and he nodded. "Anything."

I leaned against the desk in front of Roland so he couldn't see Koan.

"You told Renzo a bit ago about what you say in the locker room between Masaki and Koan. Right?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "I thought the way he was staring at Koan was...strange. Made me uneasy."

"Well some odd days ago in the locker room...he...Mas-"

I saw Roland's body tense as he interrupted me. "Masaki did something to him?"

I nodded. "Assaulted."

"If I may ask, in what way?"

The force of the lighter opening and closing increased behind me.

"He pinned him to the wall and kissed him. Tongue and all."

"Was it after I left?" Roland asked, trying to look around me at Koan.

"It was." I answered.

"Fuck. I shouldn't have left. I saw him walk in the gym as I was leaving. I should've fucking stayed."

"You're not at any fault here, Roland."

He sighed. "What can I do? Want me to get rid of him?"

"Uh no. Not yet anyway. We would just like it if you could run interference as best as possible. You're here almost as much as Koan and Masaki, from what I hear, only shows up and stays when Koan is here. No one else knows what happened besides us and Masaki. We'd like to keep it that way for now too."

He nodded before leaning to look at Koan and this time I let him.

"Does this mean I'll get an excuse to make you my sparring partner every once in a while?"

Koan cracked the tiniest of smirks.

"And now we'll be platonic shower pals?"

Koan rolled his eyes and snapped his lighter closed.

"Not gonna lie, it's gonna be hard not to bash Masaki's face in when I see him next."

"Has he been here since?"

"About everyday, but now it makes sense. He would nonchalantly ask if Koan was here or if anyone knew where he was. That motherfucker."

"So you will help us?"

"Definitely. You can count on me to be your interference man."

"Thank you."

"Anything for you two." He smiled, standing up and grabbing his bag.