Page 7 of Taint My Soul

The room empties around us too quickly. The door chime rings repeatedly as they spill out through the exit. Then Vincent guides me forward with a firm hand as he leads us to the booth at the end.

We settle in before a young waitress in a yellow-outfit hurries toward us to clear the table, then comes back to take our order. “Is there…” She clears her throat to steady her voice. “Is there anything you’d like, sir?”

My uncle orders only water. Neo smiles at the young woman, telling her he’s not hungry.

Her hand tightens around her pen when her gaze rests on Vincent. “Soup and salad.” He grumbles under his breath. “For the boy, get him fish soup and rice.” His eyes flicker over me.

The woman nods and disappears, only to return a few minutes later with our order. The trays clatter against the table, the scent of spice curling through the air. She sets everything down quickly, eyes lowered, before she retreats behind the counter.

Silence settles in, heavier now, pressing in from every corner of the establishment. Vincent starts eating and I follow suit, fingers tightening around my spoon. I can’t refuse to eat. I haven’t had a nice meal since last night.

My body trembles at every clink of metal and the steady rhythm of breathing across from me. But Vincent acts like no one else exists in this moment except him. Like this is normal. Like the tension coiled around my throat isn’t suffocating me.

Boom!

The memories flood in and my heart skips a beat, hands visibly shaking as I shut my eyes and count every breath I take.

After a moment, the tension in my bones slackens, and the waitress comes to clear the plate and collect the bill.

Once she’s gone, Vincent looks at all of us with a sickening smile, then he nods toward Neo.

The other man, his second in command, pulls out an envelope and a smartphone box and hands them over to him. He slides the phone box to me and taps his fingers on it. “It’s already charged and has everything you need.” Vincent says. My hands tread around the box and I lift it off the table and put it inside my hoodie. He takes out the pictures and places them on the table.

“What am I looking at?” The word slips from my lips, and his eyes snap to me in a quiet assessment.

“This is the King family. They run the Black Viper Syndicate in Kingston City. They are one of the most powerful mafia men in this country.” Vincent explains.

“What am I supposed to do, sir?” I ask, hands hovering over the picture as one man particularly catches my eye.

Vincent notices, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest. “That’s Saint King, the oldest and next in line for kingship. He’s the one I’m after.”

“What do you need from him?”

“It’s not what I need. It’s what you could get for me.” He shrugs. His words send a sickening chill up my spine. “You’ll work in his company.” He clarifies any doubts I have. “You’ll find me something I can use to destroy his family’s empire.”

“Evidence to launch an investigation?” I ask, stuttering.

“Brilliant.” He commends.

“I get it from my mother.” The memory surfaces uninvited, softening the tension on my shoulders. My gaze flicks up to my uncle. His jaw locks with an emotion I can’t read. I break eye contact and look at Vincent.

“There’s also something else.” Vincent trails off.

“What?” My brows arch.

“You’ll have to sleep with him.”

My stomach drops, and my chest tightens. I have to sleep with him. Against my will?

Vincent doesn’t let me ask any questions before he goes on and on. “I’ll give you two weeks to figure something out, then I’ll come to collect.” He leans back against the booth and stares at me.

I jerk my head in a nod even as his words replay in my head.

I’ll come to collect.

He didn’t need to shout to exert his influence.

I had seen him kill a man so easily, like violence were his second skin.