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CHAPTER EIGHT:
The art of seduction.
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               "Good morning, asshole!" Aki chirped cheerily as she swung the office door open. It hit the back of the wall, making the redheaded man who was sitting at his desk jerk a little. He had been previously writing out a report, but due to being startled, he had made a mess of his words. There was a big line across his page.

               Chuuya looked up through his eyelashes, a murderous expression on his face, "I'm going to murder you." He growled, the pen between his fingers snapping in half as Aki waltzed into the room. But once his gaze fell on her, he found himself gulping, his body going rigid. He hadn't seen her since he dropped her off with his subordinates the day before, but there she stood in the centre of his office, wearing a skin tight black dress with a short sleeved blouse underneath, her red ribbon tied around her smooth neck. He'd had a peak at her figure before, through the clothes she had previously wore, but the dress was hugging every single curve on her body. It made him completely forget the further threats he was about to spit out at her.

              "Oh? You're so scary," Aki purred, grabbing the chair from the corner of the room and dragging it across the floor as she took long strides towards him. Chuuya was needlessly gripping the broken half of his pen, eyes locked on her. She dropped the chair in front of his desk and then sat down, crossing one leg over the other. "Mori said you've to train me." She told him, leaning over to rest her elbow on the desk before resting her chin in the palm of her hands.

               Chuuya's lips turned into a scowl, "Train you? What does an assassin need training for?" He asked her in exasperation. She had been in the room for approximately thirty-five seconds, and already, he felt a headache coming on.

               Aki raised her hand, reaching into her blouse where she had stuffed the note Mori had given her in her bra. Chuuya tensed when he caught a slight glimpse of her black bra when she moved the material of her blouse to the side, the first few buttons undone. She pulled out the note and handed it to him, a sly smile on her lips. She had deliberately shown a little bit of her bra to catch him off guard—and it worked. Because he was now staring at the note as if his life depended on it.

                Chuuya, please take Akira to the training facility today. I want you both to get closer and learn each others fighting patterns so that you can work well together. Treat her like the gentleman you are. — Mori.

               Chuuya's teeth gritted together as he slammed both his fists onto the table, crumpling the note between his gloved hands, "Dammit, Boss." He hissed through his teeth. He was in over his head with paperwork, since Aki had so tediously annoyed him the day before, making him fall behind on paperwork that would usually be finished.

                Aki tilted her head to the side, blinking innocently at him, "Is there a problem?" She inquired, fighting to stop her lips from twitching upwards.

               Chuuya's icy blue gaze landed firmly on her, "You're the problem," Aki pointed at her chest, mouthing 'me?' with pouty lips. "You come barreling in here like a fucking tornado—I'm behind on paperwork because of you, and I have a constant headache. It's been a day, a day of knowing you and I want to hang myself from the fucking ceiling fan." The entire time Chuuya spoke, a wide grin broke out on Aki's lips, unable to hold it back.

               "Can't handle the stress, Nakahara?" She teased, fluttering long, sultry lashes.

               "Stress, I can handle," Chuuya told her. His gaze momentarily flickered up and down her body. "You on the other hand..." He trailed off, giving her a hard stare. Chuuya wasn't exactly inexperienced when it came to women—but none of the women he had known had been like Akira Kitagawa. She was an enigma, sucking him in, making him want to know more whilst simultaneously never wanting to know a single thing about her.

               Aki sighed dramatically, leaning back on her chair, throwing her arm over the back of it, "The Boss is gonna be real mad if you don't do as he says," She chastised him, making his eye twitch. He was more than aware of that, and he never went against the Bosses orders. He just wasn't happy about it. "Should I tell him that you've refused?" She asked in a high voice, locking her golden gaze onto his challengingly.

               Chuuya sighed, sliding his chair backwards as he stood up. He dropped the crumpled roll of paper and the broken pen onto the desk, "I can't stand you." He groaned, adjusting his hat on his head, tipping it downwards.

                Aki gave him a sarcastic smile, "Then maybe you should sit back down." She fired up at him. Please, sit the fuck back down, she thought to herself. Getting Chuuya in trouble with the Boss sounded like a grand old time. She would make sure she was present for his scolding.

                Chuuya laughed humorously, "You're not fooling me, bitch," Aki rose an eyebrow at him as he slipped his hands into his trouser pockets, walking around the side of the desk. "I'll train you—but only so I have the chance to punch you in the face." Aki laughed at that as she stood to her feet, following him.

                "Jeez, hitting a girl? You're such a gentleman, Nakahara." She teased in a sing-song-voice. He fucking hated when she did that. It mad him think of him.

               Chuuya glanced at her from over his shoulder, "Please, you're no girl, Kitagawa."

               Aki smirked.

             Chuuya had just punched Aki in the gut. And did it hurt? Yeah, it hurt, it hurt like a fucking bitch. Even though the Gravity Manipulator wasn't using his ability, he still had an insane amount of brute strength. Aki was surprised her ribs didn't immediately snap in half at the contact—but she was grateful. Having broken ribs on her second day at the Port Mafia wasn't how she wanted to start out. And she had also let Chuuya hit her.

              The pair were sparring in the underground gym in the Port Mafia. They were the only ones there and they had been going at it for a solid twenty minutes, both dodging and blocking every attack that came their way. Hence why Aki allowed him to deliver a blow. To make him think he was gaining the upper hand.

              Aki was down on one knee, gripping her stomach. Her hair was tied back into a high ponytail, but some strands had fallen loose, framing her face. Her teeth were gritted together—but not in pain, she was grinning her head off.

               A laugh rumbled form her stomach, "That's a pretty good punch you've got there, short-cake," She complimented. From above her, Chuuya kicked out, but she ducked under his leg, sliding out from beneath him. She looked up at him, an excited twinkle in her eye—it had been quite a while since she fought with someone worth her while. "But to beat me, you'd be better using your ability. Brute strength isn't going to be enough." Within a blink of an eye, she had lurched forward, grabbed his shoulder and kicked him in the ankle, making him drop to his knees. Before he could counter her attack, she looped her leg around his thigh, bringing him down onto his back.

              He hit the training mat with a thump, a pleasing groan escaping his lips, his hat slipping off his head.

Aki was on his lap in an instant, straddling his waist. She lowered her face to his, her hair falling over her shoulders, tickling his face as he squirmed beneath her, "You wanna tap out already, Nakahara?" She teased, a shit-eating grin on her lips.

               "Not a chance." Suddenly Chuuya's hand was in the back of her hair. He tugged with a ferociousness, pulling her body to the side. It was her turn to hit the training mat as Chuuya got on top of her within an instant, straddling her.

               His hand was still in her hair, holding on tightly, tipping her head back. He lowered his face to hers—she could smell menthol cigarettes on his mouth which made her feel pleased. He had said he was a stress smoker and she hoped she was the cause for the stress.

"You wanna tap out? I wouldn't blame you. You can't win against me." He challenged, his voice low, eyes dancing mischievously into hers. His eyes were like a swimming pool, and Aki could swim circles in them.

               Aki stared at him, taking in the way his hair had fallen over his shoulder. His hair looked so soft, like she could run her fingers through it and not feel one single tug. She rose a tempting brow, "Tap out?" She pouted. "But you look so good on top of me." She cooed, lifting her head from the ground. It made her scalp hurt, since Chuuya still had a death grip on her hair, but she didn't mind it. She wasn't against hair pulling.

               "Shut your mouth." Chuuya growled.

                "Make me." She purred.

                The pair stared at each other, their chests heaving. Chuuya couldn't bring himself to move, even though he was begging his body to make him stand. There was something so beautiful about Aki being at his surrender, laying there beneath him whilst he was the one in control—and he couldn't step away from the moment. Not yet.

               "Stop trying to flirt with me and just fight me already—you're not even trying." He said through gritted teeth. He was annoyed. For once, not with the gorgeous woman beneath him, but himself. He knew he should get off her and put distance between them but he couldn't bring himself to, no matter how hard he tried. He liked being on top of her, he liked being the one in control, it made him wonder—no, fucking stop it, Chuuya, he mentally scolded himself. He was not going there, not with that lunatic.

                "You want me to use my full force?" Aki questioned, reaching upwards. She put her hand over the hand Chuuya had in her hair, making his body go rigid. She began weaving her fingers through his, detaching his hand from her hair whilst holding eye contact with him. "Alright. I'll play along." The moment the words left the woman's lips, a searing hot pain shot though the gingers hand.

              It made his body jerk, his teeth gritting together as a sound of pain escaped his lips. There were a clear ripple around their enclosed hands, like a rain droplet hitting a puddle. Aki began sitting up whilst Chuuya was too busy focusing on the pain in his hand. She pressed her chest to his, tipping her head back whilst watching the pain cross his features. It was sickening, but she enjoyed it—seeing others in pain. Especially because of her ability.

               She trailed her finger up his chest, playing with the buttons on his grey waistcoat, a smile on her lips before she put her palm flat against his chest, "Remember, Nakahara. You asked for it." Within a blink of an eye, a ripple effect had erupted from the palm of her hand, immediately blowing Chuuya's body backwards. He flew across the room at lightning speed—but still, he managed to activate his ability on time, his body being engulfed in a red hue before his back could collide with the wall; if it did, he was sure his back would have broke on impact.

              His ability blocked the impact, but the wall behind him cracked under the pressure of the gravity. Aki slowly stood to her feet, a sickly sweet smile on her lips as Chuuya released his ability to lean his back against the wall, breathing heavily, "I didn't hit you hard enough to break anything—you might have a few bruises. But you'll unfortunately survive." She told him with a heavy sigh as she approached. The man slowly brought his head up, his hair falling in his face as he glared at her with a ferociousness.

              "You bitch," He growled. "We said we weren't using our abilities."

              Aki crouched down in front of him, resting her elbow against her knee, "No, you said you weren't using yours." She fired back at him, grinning like a maniac. She could feel his heart beating erratically in his chest. It wasn't that he was afraid, more so just the after effect of her ability. Being struck by something so powerful was enough for anyone's nervous system to have a shock—after all, her ability had the potential to crack the entire world apart.

                Chuuya slowly began getting up, using the wall for support as he held onto his rib cage, "That was a really dirty move you pulled," He spoke through his teeth, his eyes on the ground as he walked towards her. "Though, I guess I shouldn't expect anything less from a dirty assassin." His words struck a nerve.

               Aki swung, attempting to punch the man. But a red glow engulfed his body, stopping her hit from ever reaching him. But she had surrounded her entire fist in seismic energy. The pair stood there, Aki's fist shaking against Chuuya's gravity, the abilities battling to see which was stronger. Chuuya's ability came from space—gravity itself, whilst Aki's, came from the earth. They were both just as powerful as other.

                 Chuuya smirked, "You're powerful, princess. I'll give you that," He said, making her smirk widely as their abilities battled one another. "But you're not as powerful as gravity." With his words, he pushed out more of his strength, knocking it straight into Aki. It sent her hurling backwards into the air, but she managed to get one hand on the ground to flip herself over before skidding to a stop on her feet.

                 She blew her hair out of her face as she looked up at him, "The only reason I'm not as powerful is because I'm not trying to kill you right now." She told him, as if it were a fact.

                 Chuuya walked toward her, picking up his hat from the floor and swiftly putting on on his head, "And why aren't you trying to kill me?" He questioned, making her give him an innocently curious look. "Don't look at me like that, you know exactly what I'm talking about."  Aki felt her heart skip a beat. Was he onto her? It was true, that in order to get to Mori, she might have to kill his strongest men. Had Chuuya somehow discovered her mission?

                  "You're an assassin, aren't you? Why wouldn't you kill me just to win?" Aki felt a breathy laugh leave her throat—a laugh of relief. For the time being, her mission hadn't been exposed.

                "Is that what you think us assassins are? Robotic killers?" She humoured him.

                 Chuuya shrugged, "If the shoe fits."

                Aki tutted him, "So judgmental," She scolded, earning a scoff on Chuuya's behalf. She walked towards him. "We're contracted killers—we don't kill unless we're on a job or we ourselves are threatened. We don't just needlessly kill, there would be no point to it." She explained, stopping a few feet in front of him.

                  "But you enjoy it, don't you?" Chuuya countered, a wicked smile on his lips. He took three large strides towards her, closing the gap between them, making Aki take in a sharp breath at their proximity. "You enjoy the feeling of a life being lost at your hands. The rush is enough to make you dizzy, right? It's almost... orgasmic." His voice had dropped in octave and his eyes—where they focused on her lips?

                 Aki blinked, "You sound like you know what you're talking about."

                 Chuuya let out a low laugh, "I'm a Port Mafia Executive. I've killed enough people to feel the rush," He shocked her by reaching out, hooking his arm around her waist and pulling her into his chest. She stared at him, completely dumbfounded by his sudden shift in nature. She had relentlessly flirted with him—just to get under his skin, but he hadn't even taken the bait once. But this time, he was the one making the advances. "There's no feeling quite like when you take the life of a sex trafficker—or a child murderer. It's thrilling, to know that you've rid the world of such an evil. Isn't it?" He brought his free hand up, playing with the collar of her blouse, icy blue gaze staring at her parted lips—lips that were almost welcoming him in. Almost.

                  Aki swallowed, feeling heat rise up her neck, "It is." She agreed breathlessly. All she could focus on was Chuuya's arm wrapped around her waist, holding her tight, his hand pressed against her lower back. Aki was never the type to be seduced by men—but there was something enigmatic about Chuuya Nakahara. She'd only known him for two days, but she would let him do anything he wanted to her, even though they despised one another. Strange, it might be, but true nonetheless.

                  Chuuya's hand moved from the collar of her blouse, trailing a finger up her neck, her chin, before eventually stopping on her cheek. His hand cupped her face and just when Aki thought he might kiss her, she was suddenly being flipped forward. Well, shit.

                  Chuuya's knee was on her chest as she landed on her back, staring up at him breathlessly. He was wearing a wicked grin on his lips, "You women aren't the only ones trained in the art of seduction," He told her, his knee pressing into her ribs. He lowered his face, his hat casting a dark shadow across his skin. "You don't just kill the bad guys, Kitagawa. You and I are nothing alike." Aki stared at him, unblinking. And then she laughed.

                     "Don't flatter yourself, Nakahara. You think I was being seduced by you?" She was. "Get a grip. I like my men taller than five foot—"

                   "I'm five foot three, asshole!"

                  Aki blinked, smirking, "Is that you putting yourself forward as a romantic interest?" She teased, batting her eyelashes at him.

                   Chuuya's lip twitched upwards in a snarl, "I'd rather fucking die."

                 Aki smiled sweetly, "Then get the fuck off me and go die."

               AUTHORS NOTE.

               the fact these two haven't killed each other yet is shocking. hope you all liked this chapter!!

               — taylor xx