Taming the Tiger: Chapter 11

Roman was wearing nothing but a bathrobe, having just stepped out of the shower. Kit was there to clean his tattoo.

"What's wrong with me like this?" Roman asked with feigned innocence.

"Isn't it a bit too... familiar?" 

"Is it so bad that I'm being familiar with you?" Roman countered, his voice playful.

"Perhaps a bit too familiar," Kit teased back, "but it's entirely your choice. If you're comfortable this way, who am I to object?"

"Heh," Roman chuckled softly. "Since you've put it that way, I suppose I should change." A slight smile played on his lips as he rose and walked to the inner dressing room.

Kit exhaled quietly, relieved that Roman had agreed to dress without much protest. Though Kit wasn't one to obsess, he couldn't help but notice Roman's strong chest occasionally visible through the parting of the bathrobe.  Normally, Kit was accustomed to the smooth, fair chests of those he shared his bed with, but he had never seen a chest so robust and muscular.

Before long, Roman emerged wearing dark blue pajamas made of fine fabric—short-sleeved shirt and long pants—a sight so unfamiliar that Kit couldn't help but stare. Roman raised an eyebrow slightly when he caught Kit's lingering gaze.

"Something wrong?" 

"Just not used to seeing you like this," 

Roman's lips curved into a small smile. "You'll get used to it," he replied, then invited Kit to join him for their late-night meal.

"Do you have any plans to visit Thailand?" Roman asked as they ate together.

"Yes, but not for a while," Kit responded. "I'll probably go back for my college reunion."

"Do you have many friends in Thailand?" Roman asked, continuing the conversation. It was unlike him to initiate talk about personal matters or casual topics like this, but with Kit, Roman wanted to know more—beyond the information he'd already had people investigate.

"Quite a few, actually. Mostly my college friends," Kit answered, his mind drifting to his friends back home.

"Will I ever get the chance to meet them?" 

Kit glanced at him briefly, then let out a soft chuckle. "In what capacity would you meet my friends? They're not particularly important people. The most impressive among them is just a police officer. The chance of them meeting or talking with someone like you seems unlikely," 

"Well," Roman said with quiet confidence, "I believe someday I'll definitely meet your friends."

"Hmm, I'll look forward to witnessing that day," Kit teased back. He understood the implication behind Roman's words. But Kit wasn't certain it could happen. The relationship between them remained ambiguous, their social standings vastly different. And perhaps most significantly, they were both tops.

Roman continued to engage Kit in various topics—about tattoos, a bit more about his friends—until they finished their late-night meal.

"I should probably head to bed now," Kit suggested, noticing how late it had grown. "You need your rest too." Roman made no attempt to keep him.

"Alright. See you tomorrow," Roman said, walking Kit to his room where one of Roman's men waited to escort him.

"Thank you for the late meal," Kit offered.

"Don't mention it. Sweet dreams," Roman replied. Kit smiled back.

"Sweet dreams to you too," he answered before walking away.

Roman watched Kit's retreating back for a moment before returning to his own room to rest. He thought that tonight, he would likely sleep well and have the sweet dreams Kit had wished for him.

***

After that night, Kit continued his daily life aboard Roman's luxury yacht, with Roman's staff attending to his every need. He spent his days swimming, doing activities with Jake, and occasionally dining with Danil—sometimes joined by Roman, though he was constantly occupied with work. Despite his busy schedule, Roman frequently made time to see Kit. He permitted Kit to use his tattooing room to work on Jake and a select few of his men—only a handful, as Roman didn't want Kit to overexert himself. Roman wanted Kit to have activities to keep him from growing bored, and even insisted his men pay Kit for the tattoos, despite all the equipment belonging to Roman.

Meanwhile, Marco and Karina continued their persistent attempts to cause trouble for Roman, but he always found ways to evade their schemes. When they tried to interfere with Kit, Roman's men intervened, and occasionally Kit himself would subtly embarrass them with his clever retorts. Simply put, Marco and Karina's presence on the ship had hardly ruffled Roman at all.

Today in the afternoon, the ship would dock, bringing this journey to an end. Kit had awakened early, visited the fitness room, and returned to pack his belongings for the trip home. The previous night, he'd had farewell drinks with Jake, and they'd exchanged contact information. Kit had last seen Roman at breakfast yesterday and thought he should say goodbye before disembarking. He planned to call his friend to let him know he was leaving the ship and would fly to Geneva tomorrow, as he intended to stay at a hotel near the airport for one night. But before he could make the call, someone knocked on his door. Kit opened it to find Norris, Roman's subordinate, accompanied by four other men.

"Is something wrong?" Kit asked.

"The boss sent us to bring you immediately, sir. There's a bit of an emergency," Norris replied, his voice tense. Kit raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What kind of emergency?" Kit asked, surprised.

"The boss will explain everything to you himself. Carlos, get Mr. Kit's luggage. Mr. Kit, please come with us," Norris instructed gravely, gesturing for Kit to follow right away. Though confused, Kit quickly grabbed his personal bag while Roman's men carried his clothing luggage. He walked alongside Norris with the others following closely, almost like bodyguards, until they reached Roman's private quarters—the same place where Kit had cleaned Roman's tattoo. Inside, Roman was already seated, giving instructions to his two secretaries.

"Kit, sit down," Roman said seriously. Kit complied without protest.

"What's going on?" Kit asked curiously.

"Last night, you were drinking with Jake, right?" Roman questioned. Kit nodded.

"Yes, until midnight, then we went back to our rooms," Kit confirmed.

"Have you ever met Annita?" Roman continued. Kit looked slightly puzzled. Roman turned to Travis and received a photograph, which he passed to Kit. Kit examined it, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know her personally, but last night this woman came to toast glasses with me and asked a few questions about my tattoos, that's all," Kit explained. He remembered the woman clearly, though he hadn't paid her much attention at the time. People occasionally approached him with questions about his tattoos—it was normal for those interested in the art form, and he would engage in casual conversation.

"Is there something about this woman?" Kit asked.

"This woman's name is Annita. Her body was found in a storage room on the same floor as your cabin, and more importantly, your shirt was found there too," Roman stated. Kit's eyebrows immediately furrowed together.

"My shirt?" Kit asked in disbelief, then paused as something occurred to him. "Which shirt of mine?" 

Nathan placed a clear bag containing a shirt on the table for Kit to see.

"Is this the shirt I wore when we went fishing on the boat days ago?" 

"Yes," Roman confirmed. "And I know this has nothing to do with you. You took this shirt off before diving and never put it back on—you wore a robe back instead," Roman added, confirming exactly what Kit was about to explain. Kit now remembered that this shirt had gone missing when he was packing and recalled leaving it on Roman's speedboat. He hadn't bothered looking for it, thinking it was just one shirt, and never imagined it would be involved in something like this.

"So what the hell is going on? How did my shirt end up there?" Kit demanded, his tone turning serious.

"My men discovered Annita's body and immediately informed me. When I went to investigate, I found the shirt, which I recognized as yours, so I removed it. None of the guests know about this yet, but when we dock, I'll need to contact the police about the body," Roman explained.

"Why?" Kit asked, puzzled why Roman would need to do that.

"Kit, I'm confident someone like you would never do something so terrible to a woman. But with your shirt being found there, you know what would happen. I believe someone is trying to frame you, to make you a suspect. So while I sort out this situation, I want you to stay in my safe house," Roman said gravely. Kit fell silent for a moment.

"I need to call Dad," Kit stated, thinking his foster father could help him in this situation.

"I'll call and discuss this with your father myself. I need to take responsibility—I invited you onto this ship, and now this has happened," 

Kit hesitated.

"Trust me, just as I trust that you wouldn’t do such a thing," 

Kit looked at Roman steadily before sighing softly about his predicament. He realized that by removing his shirt before the police investigation, Roman was essentially destroying evidence. In other words, f Kit had actually harmed the woman, Roman would be an accomplice helping to cover up the crime.

"Okay. What do you want me to do? Just tell me. Oh, and I want to be kept updated about this situation. I want to know who's trying to set me up," Kit said with slight irritation in his voice.

"I'll report everything to you," Roman assured him.

"So what do I do now?" 

"You need to leave on the speedboat right away. My men will take you to a nearby dock and then to my safe house," 

"And what about you?" 

"I'll follow you as soon as possible," Roman replied. Kit sighed softly before nodding.

"Thank you for helping me," Kit said, before Roman had his men escort Kit to the speedboat while Roman himself waited for the cruise ship to dock.

"How can you be so sure he didn't actually harm Annita, boss?" Nathan asked after Kit had left.

"Do you think I'm making decisions based on personal feelings?" Roman responded in a measured tone. "Have you forgotten how many security cameras are on this ship?" 

Nathan fell silent for a moment. "In that case, the security footage would prove his innocence already. So why send him to the safe house?" 

Roman's lips curled into a slight smile. "Have you ever heard the phrase 'turn a crisis into an opportunity'?" he answered.

Nathan remained quiet, contemplating his boss's words. Travis, who had been standing silently listening to the conversation, had understood from the beginning that Roman's actions served a dual purpose—not only did Roman position himself as Kit's protector, but he also extended the time Kit would need to stay close to him. Travis, however, chose not to explain this to Nathan, preferring to let him figure it out for himself.

After boarding the speedboat, Kit debated whether he should call his foster father, but decided against it. Better to wait for Roman to speak with him first.

"Where are we going, Norris?" Kit asked Norris, who Roman had assigned as his primary guardian.

"To the boss's safe house in the forest, sir," Norris replied. Kit didn't ask which forest, figuring he'd find out soon enough. Before long, the speedboat reached shore where two gleaming black Audis waited. Kit was escorted into one car with Norris while the other men took the second vehicle. Everything happened with swift efficiency. Kit watched the passing landscape as they drove for nearly an hour before reaching a forest entrance. The car followed a narrow path until they arrived at a dock on the edge of a mysterious lake. Norris then led Kit onto another boat, heading toward an island in the middle of the deep waters.

Are they taking me into the forest to kill me and hide my body? Kit secretly wondered.

Soon they reached the island's dock. Looking up, Kit saw an enormous log cabin standing majestically among massive trees.

"We've arrived," Norris announced as Kit disembarked and followed him. Kit surveyed the surroundings with interest, realizing that the truly wealthy could indeed accomplish whatever they desired.

"Has the Kraken docked yet?" Kit asked as they walked.

"Should have by now, according to schedule," Norris answered after checking his watch. Some of Roman's men were already waiting to open the house.

"So this is Roman's safe house?" Kit inquired.

"Yes," Norris confirmed. This log cabin was more of a vacation retreat for Roman—completely private and disconnected from the outside world, known only to Roman's closest friends and most trusted staff.

"How much did the concession rights cost for this place? Is this considered forest encroachment? And after cutting these trees to build the house, were any replanted?" Kit asked, genuinely concerned.

Norris nearly stumbled in surprise. He had expected Kit to admire the cabin as a fitting monument to Roman’s wealth, not to bring up issues of trespassing and reforestation.

"Uhh, well, this area was acquired by the boss completely legally, though few people know about it. As for the construction, we have a company that purchased proper timber concessions to harvest the wood for the house, and they replant trees every year," Norris explained, prompting Kit to nod with satisfaction.

"This will be your bedroom, sir. If you need anything, just call for any of the staff. I'll be around this area," Norris informed Kit after leading him to a room on the second floor.

"Thank you," Kit replied, appreciative of how attentive Norris had been throughout their journey. Entering the bedroom, Kit discovered that most of the furniture was crafted from wood, harmonizing perfectly with the log cabin's aesthetic. When he drew back the curtains on one side, he found a balcony shaded by trees and spotted a treehouse not far away. This immediately captured his interest—fulfilling the boyhood dream of having a treehouse he'd harbored since childhood. Kit made a mental note to ask Roman if he could explore it later.

Kit returned to his luggage and began hanging his clothes in the wardrobe. It was fortunate he'd used the ship's laundry service, though he wasn't sure how long he'd be staying here. When he checked his phone, he found there was no signal. Sitting at the edge of the bed, Kit pondered why someone would frame him for this crime.

Wait a minute... After deep contemplation, something occurred to Kit. He quickly left the room and went downstairs to find Norris, who was giving instructions to the staff.

"Mr. Norris," Kit called out.

"Yes?" Norris responded.

"Roman's ship must have security cameras installed. That means there's evidence proving I'm innocent. So why did Roman send me here?" Kit asked with genuine confusion, internally chiding himself for not thinking of this sooner. Norris paused briefly.

"Yes there are cameras, sir. Although they can prove your innocence, the fact that someone tried to frame you suggests they're targeting you specifically. The boss wants you to remain here until he can identify who's behind this," Norris answered smoothly with a convincing tone. While this explanation held truth about protecting Kit, it conveniently omitted Roman's underlying desire to keep Kit close. Kit considered this explanation before nodding.

"I understand now," Kit replied. "Where's the kitchen?" he then asked.

"Are you hungry, Mr. Kit? I'll have someone prepare something for you," Norris offered.

"No need for that. I'd rather cook for myself. Please continue with your work," 

Hearing this, Norris led Kit to the kitchen, where the refrigerator had already been stocked with fresh ingredients. The house was equipped with several large generators and solar panels—certainly sufficient for comfortable living.

"Should I make enough for all of you too?" Kit asked when he saw the abundance of ingredients before him.

"No need, sir. Please just prepare something for yourself," Norris responded before leaving Kit to cook alone. Kit made himself a simple steak and then went exploring around the house.

***

"Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Roman. If there are any developments, I'll contact you again," said a high-ranking police officer after investigating the death of the model Annita.

"Of course," Roman replied in his characteristically calm, flat tone—his usual demeanor in front of others. The police officers then departed to gather additional evidence, while Roman prepared to leave, having assigned his men to monitor the investigation on his behalf.

"What about Marco and Karina?" Ivan asked once the police had left the ship's reception room.

"They've already left. They said since they weren't officially on the passenger manifest from the beginning, there was no need to stay and waste time," Roman answered, clearly unconcerned whether they stayed or left.

"What were they thinking? And weren't they Annita's caretakers? Shouldn't they be helping?" Danil remarked.

"Do you think they're behind this?" Ivan questioned. Roman chuckled softly.

"They might be involved, but they're not the main players," Roman answered confidently before turning to his secretary.

"Nathan, have our people prepare the helicopter. Travis, call Kit's father—I need to speak with him," Roman instructed. He didn't actually need to call Kit's father, but since he'd promised Kit he would, he intended to keep his word.

"In that case, I'll take Danil back now. I'll be in touch later," Ivan said. Roman nodded as Ivan and Danil departed with their people. Meanwhile, Roman waited to speak with Kit's father.

"Mr. Michael?" Travis's voice came through as the call connected.

("Yes, who is this?") Michael's deep, authoritative voice responded.

"I'm Roman's secretary. My boss would like to speak with you," Travis explained before handing the phone to Roman.

"Hello, Michael," Roman greeted him with an even tone, showing no particular deference despite the man being the father of someone he was interested in.

("Roman Vasillo,") Michael said, confirming his identity.

"Yes, it's me," Roman confirmed.

("Where is my son? What happened there?") Michael immediately demanded. Roman's lips curled into a slight smile.

"You're as well-informed as expected from an FBI insider," Roman remarked, understanding that Michael's questions meant he already knew about the incident on the ship.

("Of course. You won't ask how I know, I presume,") Michael replied.

"Did you think I wouldn't know which government officials boarded my ship?" Roman countered. In truth, he had always known exactly which FBI or CIA agents were disguised among his passengers—he simply didn't care. Michael fell silent for a moment.

("So why are you calling me? Is it about my son Kit?") Michael asked.

"Yes. Someone tried to frame Kit. I'm working to help him, so I wanted to inform you that he'll need to stay with me for a while longer," Roman explained in a serious tone. Michael hadn't expected Roman Vasillo himself would call personally rather than having an assistant handle it.

("I want to speak with my son. Where is he now?") Michael demanded tensely upon learning that his son was involved in the case.

"I've sent him somewhere safe. Don't worry—I'll have him contact you soon," Roman assured him.

("I think you should send my son back to me. I can protect him myself,") Michael insisted, believing that being with Roman was likely the most dangerous situation of all.

"I'm only calling to keep you informed," Roman replied coolly, making it clear to Michael that he had no intention of releasing Kit anytime soon.

("I don't understand. Why are you involving yourself with my son?") Michael asked directly, knowing Kit offered no strategic advantage or benefit to someone like Roman.

"You'll understand eventually. I need to go now. Sorry," Roman cut the conversation short before Michael could ask anything further. He ended the call and returned the phone to Travis.

"You know what to do next," Roman told Travis, who immediately removed the SIM card from the phone and snapped it in half—they had plenty of other numbers for situations like this. Afterward, Roman headed to the ship's deck to board a helicopter, planning to visit his parents first before going to see Kit the following day.

Meanwhile, Michael contacted his FBI friends, asking them to help locate his son out of deep concern. He also found himself wondering why Roman would help his son so readily. While Kit might be someone Roman owed a favor to, Michael suspected there was something much more significant behind his interest.

***

Kit woke up refreshed in the morning, surrounded by the forest ambiance with birds singing periodically. After washing up, he went downstairs where Roman's men were stationed throughout the house.

"Good morning, Mr. Kit. I'm Kenta, assigned to prepare your meals," introduced a tall, slender man whose features clearly indicated his Asian heritage, as Kit entered the kitchen.

"Ah, I already mentioned I can cook for myself," Kit replied casually.

"Then allow me to be your assistant, sir," Kenta offered. Kit didn't object. He prepared a simple American breakfast and carried everything to the balcony table overlooking the vast lake. As he ate, he wondered if his father knew about his situation yet. While surveying the surrounding forest, something caught his eye, making him squint slightly. He quickly finished his breakfast and returned to the kitchen.

"Kenta, do you have a basket and a small knife?" Kit asked. Kenta looked puzzled but provided what Kit requested. Kit then headed toward the front of the house with his items, some of Roman's men watching him curiously.

"Where are you going, Mr. Kit?" Norris hurried out to ask after Kenta informed him about Kit's unusual request.

"Mushroom picking," Kit answered without turning around. Roman's men exchanged bewildered glances. Kit walked directly to where he had spotted the mushrooms and crouched down to collect them. Kenta approached Kit with curiosity while Norris instructed some men to follow Kit.

"What kind of mushrooms are these, sir?" Kenta inquired.

"Honey mushrooms. Look—there are more over there. Help me collect some. There's so many! Don't you people ever gather these to eat?" Kit said as he used his knife to trim away the dirt and grass from the mushroom stems.

"These ones, sir?" Kenta asked, stopping at the cluster Kit had pointed out.

"Yes, exactly," Kit confirmed. Kenta borrowed a pocketknife from one of Roman's men to help Kit gather mushrooms. Some of the other staff came closer to observe, while others actively joined in the search.

Roman arrived by helicopter, landing on a pad on the opposite side of the island. His men drove him along their private road until they reached the house, where Norris was waiting outside. Nathan and Travis hadn't accompanied him as they needed to await instructions at the penthouse downtown.

"Where's Kit?" Roman asked Norris immediately upon exiting the car. Norris hesitated briefly before glancing toward the forest beside the house.

"In the forest, sir," Norris replied. Roman's eyebrows instantly furrowed together.

"The forest? Why? What happened?" Roman demanded, his mind racing with worry over Kit’s well-being. Just then, a faint voice drifted through the trees:

"Mr. Kit! There are more over here!"

Roman immediately walked toward the voices, with Norris and others following. Norris decided it would be better for his boss to see the situation firsthand rather than explaining. Roman walked briskly forward until he found his men scattered about as if searching for something, while Kit knelt on the grassy ground, focused on a task.

"Kit," Roman called in a measured tone. Kit turned, offering a small smile.

"Oh, you're here. I'll talk to you in a minute—just give me a moment," Kit replied before returning his attention to whatever was in front of him. Roman approached to see what had captured Kit's interest and stopped short when he saw baskets filled with mushrooms.

"Mr. Kit! This one is huge!" Kenta called out, walking over with an exceptionally large mushroom. He froze slightly upon noticing Roman, immediately standing at attention.

"The others are helping Mr. Kit gather mushrooms, sir," Norris explained quietly to Roman. Roman clenched his jaw, part of him wanting to reprimand his men for such frivolous activity, but since Kit was the ringleader, he restrained himself. Upon realizing Roman had arrived, the mushroom-gathering security men quickly assembled and stood at attention.

"That's probably enough, Kit. When you've eaten all these, you can find more later," Roman said. Kit looked at the basket in his hand and the additional one Kenta had brought, then nodded in agreement.

"Hmm, you're right. This is plenty for now. Thanks so much, Kenta," Kit said. Kenta bowed his head in acknowledgment of Kit's gratitude. Kit stood up, brushing off his pants.

"I'll go take a shower first, then come down to talk with you," Kit told Roman before turning to Kenta.

"Kenta, don't wash the mushrooms with water. Just use a knife and a small brush to remove the dust," Kit instructed as he walked past Roman toward the house, Kenta hurrying after him. Roman remained where he was, taking deep breaths while staring at his men who had been helping Kit forage for mushrooms.

"If you have time to spare, go practice your combat skills," Roman said flatly. His men could only bow their heads silently before Roman followed Kit back into the house.

Kit handed the mushroom basket to Kenta and went upstairs to shower and change, having only washed his face and brushed his teeth earlier that morning. When he finished, he came downstairs to find Roman sitting on the sofa in the main hall. Roman simply watched him in silence. Kit returned a small, knowing smile, yet instead of approaching Roman, he veered off toward the kitchen, causing Roman to furrow his brows immediately.

"Go tell Kit to come see me," Roman instructed Norris. Norris walked into the kitchen but soon returned alone.

"Mr. Kit says if the boss wants to talk, you should come to the kitchen. He's busy cleaning the mushrooms," Norris reported in a neutral tone, averting his eyes to avoid looking at Roman's face—afraid he might accidentally laugh. After all, he'd never expected anyone would dare summon Roman rather than going to him, as most people approached Roman first. Roman took a deep breath to control his emotions. He wasn't particularly angry, just surprised to encounter someone brave enough to challenge him. If it had been anyone else, he would have refused their request, but this was Kit.

Roman's men secretly watched their boss, curious about his next move. Roman placed his iPad on the table, stood up, and walked toward the kitchen—causing his nearby men to exchange startled glances, realizing that Kit must indeed be someone extremely important to their boss.

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