Taming the Tiger: Chapter 4

"It's exactly bodyguard work," Norris confirmed. Kit chuckled softly, unsurprised by his correct guess. He leaned back in his office chair with a casual air, propping both feet up on his desk.

"I decline," Kit responded immediately, causing Norris to pause briefly.

"How much do you want?" Norris pressed. Kit let out another small laugh.

"This isn't about money, buddy. Bodyguard work is just my hobby. I only do it when I’m bored. Besides, I don't like being anyone's subordinate," Kit explained frankly, unconcerned about whether his answer would anger Norris. After all, when he took bodyguard jobs for Billy, he wasn't treated like an underling, which was why Kit could work with him. Norris hesitated slightly at this response. He was beginning to understand why Roman was interested in Kit— this young man showed not a hint of fear and had casually rejected a major mafia boss's offer without batting an eye.

"To be honest, I don't understand either why the boss wants you to work with us," Norris admitted straightforwardly. Kit raised an eyebrow slightly, as he was genuinely curious about that too.

"Yeah, but still, I'm sorry. I decline," Kit repeated. Norris nodded.

"Hmm, I understand now," Norris replied, though he wondered what his boss would do if he got this answer. After bidding farewell to Kit, Norris left immediately.

Kit sighed. He suspected this matter wouldn't end so simply, but being naturally good at controlling his emotions, he didn't show any reaction. Deep down, he didn't know what kind of person Roman was - whether he was the type to hold grudges or someone who disregarded all rules. If Roman was the latter type, Kit would need to find a way to defend himself or maybe even hide out somewhere. For now, he'd need to stand his ground.

"Why do I feel like trouble's coming my way?" Kit muttered to himself before getting back to his work, trying not to dwell too much on the matter.

***

"Is that so... No worries. You don't need to come back yet... I'll go there myself," Roman spoke into the phone with Norris. After hanging up, a slight smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. He wasn't angry at all about being rejected - if anything, it made him more intrigued to get to know this person better.

"Travis, call the captain and tell him I'm flying to Geneva tonight," Roman ordered in an even tone.

"What are you going to do, boss?" Travis speculated, though he already had a hunch.

"I feel like visiting a tattoo shop," Roman replied briefly. That was enough for both Travis and Nathan to understand where Roman was headed.

"Um, what about the party your grandfather Frances asked you to attend in his place?" Nathan inquired.

"I never actually agreed to go. I just listened to the request, that's all," Roman answered dismissively. He could see through his grandfather's intentions, wanting him to make public appearances to help restore the Accardo family's power and prestige through their Vasillo name. “Now, Travis.”

"Yes, sir," Travis responded, immediately calling the pilot to prepare the aircraft for tonight's international flight.

***

Slap! Slap!

"What the hell, bro? Why are you slapping yourself all of a sudden?" Bay asked in shock. Kit had been peacefully eating his lunch when, out of nowhere, he smacked himself in the face.

"My left eye was twitching, so I slapped myself to break the bad luck," Kit replied, making Bay burst into laughter.

"You've been living abroad for so long, and you still believe in Thai superstitions? But wait—doesn't the saying go, 'Right eye bad, left eye good'?" Bay asked.

"Good or bad, I don’t know. Better be safe than sorry," Kit said before going back to his meal.

"KITT!" Zest's panicked voice rang out as he burst into the restaurant's dining area.

"What is it?" Kit asked.

"Men in black suits are all over the store. You need to come see this now!" Zest exclaimed anxiously. Kit's brows immediately furrowed, his mind instantly concluding these must be Roman's men, though he wasn’t sure about their intentions.

"How do they seem?" Kit probed, trying to gauge the situation.

"Not sure, but they're asking to see you," Zest replied. Kit figured they probably meant no harm - otherwise, they would have already barged in here. Besides, a mafioso like Roman wouldn't make such a conspicuous move if he really intended to grab him.

"I'll go check. You guys stay prepared - if anything goes south, call the police," Kit answered, though he knew local law enforcement would be useless in this situation. Kit sighed before walking out to meet the men in black. As he emerged, he froze. He hadn't expected to find Roman himself standing there. Roman's eyes gleamed as he took in Kit's casual appearance: ripped jeans, a plain black crew neck t-shirt that contrasted with his tattooed fair skin.

"You're scaring my staff and deterring customers," Kit stated.

"I apologize if my men startled you," Roman replied evenly, his gaze never leaving Kit's lean frame.

"Let me guess, you want to talk?" 

"Yes," Roman confirmed. Kit surveyed Roman's men scattered throughout and in front of his store, counting at least ten.

"Your men can wait at the coffee shop next door while we talk. Having them stare like this makes me uncomfortable," Kit said frankly. Roman turned to say something to Norris, and his men dispersed, leaving only Roman, Travis, Nathan, and Norris.

"I hope you're more comfortable now," Roman said. Kit sat on the sofa across from Roman. Only then did Kit notice how his shop's inexpensive and somewhat worn sofa seemed to look even shabbier with Roman sitting there in his expensive attire.

"You're here about the bodyguard position, aren't you?" Kit asked directly.

"Yes," Roman replied.

"I already gave my answer to your men. Didn’t they tell you?" Kit glanced briefly at Norris.

"Norris told me," Roman replied, "but I wanted to talk to you myself."

"Which, to be honest, my boss shouldn't have to lower himself to do," Nathan interjected, his voice laced with disdain.

Roman shot him a sharp, warning look, making Nathan immediately shut his mouth. Kit, however, smirked slightly.

"Oh? Should I feel honored then?" Kee teased. He was already starting to get irritated by Roman’s men, especially the one who had spoken just now, whose eyes held an obvious disdain.

Kit took a quick look at the three men standing with Roman. Norris seemed neutral—neither for nor against him. Nathan, the one who had just spoken, was displeased and looked at him with contempt. The last one seemed skeptical but didn’t share the same level of disdain as Nathan.

"I apologize on behalf of my men," Roman said. He knew Kit wasn’t pleased, but truthfully, what Nathan said wasn’t wrong. If Kit hadn’t piqued his interest, Roman wouldn’t have bothered coming to such a small shop himself.

"It’s fine. I get it. It’s fine. Ambition makes people act a little defiant sometimes," Kit said, raising an eyebrow at Nathan, whose face flushed in anger but dared not retort under Roman’s glare.

Norris, on the other hand, avoided eye contact altogether, staring off into the distance. Seeing this, Kit figured Norris probably shared his thoughts on the matter.

"Let’s call it settled then," Roman said in a calm, level tone. He wasn’t mad at Kit, but he was annoyed at Nathan for wasting his time.

"Alright then, let’s get to the point. I want to know why you want me to work for you," Kit asked, getting straight to the heart of the matter.

"I like your instincts," Roman answered. But that wasn’t the whole truth. His real reason was more personal—he wanted Kit within his sights at all times. There was something about Kit that intrigued him, something he couldn’t quite put into words. It wasn’t just about skill or looks; he had seen plenty of capable and attractive people before, yet none had ever held his attention for this long. Kit was different.

"Huh. That’s an odd way to pick a bodyguard," Kit mused. "I know who you are, Roman. I know how powerful you are. If you were really choosing a bodyguard, you’d pick someone you could trust completely—someone you were sure wouldn’t betray you. Your position is too dangerous for blind choices. Yet here you are, offering a job to someone you barely know. Aren’t you afraid I might betray you?" Kit’s voice was serious now.

Roman’s eyes glinted with amusement. He liked this. He liked Kit’s way of thinking.

"You’re sharp, Kit," Roman said, clearly entertained, though he didn’t smile. "Alright, I see I won’t be able to convince you to work for me. But in that case, let me at least repay my debt to you. Will you accept?" If Kit wasn’t going to be his bodyguard, Roman was already scheming other ways to keep him close.

"I already told you—I don’t need anything in return," Kit replied. He felt slightly more at ease now, seeing that Roman wasn’t going to keep pushing the bodyguard offer. Maybe, just maybe, this mafioso wasn’t as unreasonable as he had thought.

"But I'm not at ease with that," Roman persisted. His three subordinates exchanged surprised glances—it was unprecedented to see their boss troubled by something as simple as being unable to repay someone. In normal circumstances, Roman wouldn't have cared at all.

"Alright, how do you want to repay me?" Kit asked, curious about Roman's true intentions.

"I run a cruise ship business in America. There are lots of activities on my ship, so I'd like to invite you for a leisure trip. Would that interest you?" Roman offered. Kit pondered for a moment. He had been wanting to try a cruise for some time.

"Interesting. But could I bring a friend? If you want to repay me, you should include my friend too. That night when I helped you, he was with me," Kit suggested, thinking it would be better to have company. He planned to bring Rogan.

"Of course," Roman agreed immediately with a slight smirk, making Kit feel slightly uneasy about that cunning smile.

"Since you've agreed, I'll have someone send you the date and boarding passes later. Thank you for not refusing my goodwill," Roman said.

"And thanks for understanding why I can't work for you," Kit responded. 

"Okay, I won't take up any more of your time. See you later," Roman said, standing up. Kit walked him out. As soon as Roman reached the front of the shop, his men immediately flanked him and escorted him to the luxury car parked outside. Roman turned to give Kit, who stood in front of his tattoo shop, one last look before getting in.

"How'd it go, Kit?" Zest asked as soon as Roman's group left.

"Nothing much, just a chat," Kit replied.

"Must be because you slapped yourself when your eye was twitching earlier - that's why everything went smoothly," Bay joked, now relieved.

"To be honest, I still can't tell if this is a good thing or not," Kit muttered, feeling confused about the whole situation.

***

"Nathan, arrange the cruise boarding passes for Kit," Roman said after returning to his secure luxury hotel in Geneva.

"Which ship, sir?" Nathan asked, since Roman owned several cruise ships.

"The Kraken," Roman replied briefly, making Travis and Nathan freeze.

"Boss, you don't mean the day of Prince Kazik's party, do you?" Travis asked for confirmation.

"That's exactly the day," Roman affirmed, leaving Travis and Nathan even more stunned.

"Sir, that day will be full of VIPs on board. I'm concerned that..." Nathan began to object but stopped short when he met Roman's steady gaze.

"Just do as I say," Roman said firmly, silencing any further protests from Nathan.

"Yes, sir," Nathan complied.

"So that's two passes, for Mr. Kit and his friend, correct?" Nathan clarified.

"Yes, but..." Roman trailed off, turning to Travis before giving some additional instructions that left both Travis and Nathan thoroughly puzzled by this unusual assignment.

Ring... Ring... Ring...

Travis's phone rang - the one he carried on Roman's behalf since Roman's personal phone only contained his parents' and close friends' numbers.

"It's the Accardo residence, sir," Travis announced upon seeing the caller ID. Roman's lips curved into a slight smile, already guessing who was calling and why.

"Put it on speaker," Roman said tersely. Travis answered and placed the phone on the table in front of Roman.

("ROMAN!!") An enraged voice burst through the speaker, making Nathan wince, while Roman maintained his composed expression, seemingly unfazed.

"Would you like some warm water, Grandfather?" Roman replied sarcastically.

("You dare speak to me like this? Why didn't you attend that party in my place yesterday? Do you know how embarrassing you are?!") Roman's grandfather raged. Roman took a small sip of wine.

"I had my own work to do. Surely you know which I'd prioritize - my business or yours," Roman responded coolly, indifferent to the other's anger. Travis and Nathan exchanged glances, noting how Roman seemed to suggest that meeting Kit was more important than his grandfather's affairs.

("You!! Your mother must be influencing you to defy me!") Roman's grandfather continued ranting. Travis and Nathan tensed up, knowing he'd just crossed a line by mentioning Roman's mother.

"If you don't want the Accardo name to fall further, stop disrespecting my mother," Roman said icily, the atmosphere turning frigid. Travis and Nathan felt the tension thicken. On the other end, Frances fell silent before hanging up without another word. Roman's subordinates quietly exhaled in relief.

"Get back to your work. Oh, and have someone disrupt Marco's business a bit," Roman ordered. He wouldn't let his grandfather badmouthing his mother go unpunished, though this was just a small act of retaliation.

"Yes, sir," Travis replied before they dispersed to their duties. Roman picked up his phone to call his mother.

***

Time passed until the day Kit's cruise invitation arrived. Roman's team had sent everything - invitation cards and plane tickets - for both Kit and his friend Rogan. Since Rogan was in Italy and Kit in Switzerland, they agreed to meet in America.

"Hey, I've arrived. Are you here yet, Rogan?" Kit called his friend immediately after landing, turning off airplane mode, since they were supposed to board the ship that evening.

("Kit, finally got through to you!") Rogan's anxious voice came through, making Kit furrow his brow.

"What's wrong? Sorry, I had airplane mode on during the flight," Kit replied.

("I needed to tell you I can't make it. There's a problem at my dad's farm, I had to come help. I'm already at the farm now,") Rogan explained, making Kit pause.

"You're leaving me to go on this cruise alone?" Kit asked, stunned.

("Come on, it's fine. It's just one night, right?") Rogan asked. Kit fell silent for a moment.

"Yeah, but damn, what a waste. Thought you'd get to relax too," Kit complained slightly. Though he often traveled alone, something felt different this time. Part of it might be because he was going at the invitation of a major mafioso like Roman, making him slightly wary.

("Yeah, sorry man. I'm disappointed too. Was hoping to meet some ladies on board. Take pictures for me at least,") Rogan added.

"Alright, talk to you later. I'm about to get a taxi to the pier," Kit wrapped up his call with Rogan. After hanging up, Kit sighed softly, wondering what to do. It seemed a waste to fly back now that he was already here. As he walked to the exit pulling his luggage to catch a taxi, he stopped short when he saw a familiar face approaching.

"Boss sent me to take you to the pier," said Shek, Roman's subordinate who had once been Kit's tattoo client.

"Isn't your boss being a bit too accommodating?" Kit asked suspiciously. Shek didn't know how to respond, as he was just following orders.

"Let's go, we need some time to get there," Shek replied. Kit nodded, trying to look on the bright side - at least he'd save on taxi fare. He followed Roman's three men to their car, loaded his luggage, and headed straight for the pier. Kit watched the scenery pass by until they reached the dock at 2 PM, with the ship scheduled to depart at 3.

Kit stared at the vessel in amazement - he hadn't expected Roman's cruise ship to be this luxurious and massive. He'd thought it would be just an ordinary cruise liner. Looking around, he noticed numerous luxury cars parked near the boarding area, making him furrow his brows in curiosity.

"Shek, where do I check in?" Kit asked as the car stopped near the boarding area. From what he knew, cruise boarding procedures were similar to airports - you had to check in at the terminal first before loading luggage and waiting to board.

"You can take your bags directly to the guard at Gate S," Shek pointed out. Kit noticed two boarding paths - one seemed regular, while Gate S appeared more like a VIP entrance. He didn't question it, just nodded and headed there with his luggage, though feeling somewhat strange about it all.

"Sorry sir, this section is for VIP guests with invitations only. We're not letting others board yet," the staff member explained, noticing Kit was alone without an entourage like other VIP guests. Kit handed over the card Roman had sent him. The staff member paused upon seeing it, then bowed respectfully to Kit.

"I apologize for my rudeness, sir. Someone will escort you to your room," the staff member said. Kit nodded, and another staff member came to take his luggage and led him inside. Kit followed with interest, taking in his surroundings as they took the elevator to the accommodation deck.

"This way, please," the staff member opened the door with a keycard and showed Kit in. Kit looked around in astonishment. Was he excited and surprised to see a room as luxurious as a hotel suite? Yes, but he also had quite a few questions in mind.

"Is this really my room?" Kit asked, noting the separate living room, bedroom, two bathrooms - like a small condo - plus a private balcony with an exterior view.

"Yes, sir. The boss specifically requested this room for you. Here's your keycard and convenience pass," the staff member handed Kit a keycard and a hard card, which Kit accepted with bewilderment.

"What's the convenience pass for?" Kit inquired.

"You can use this card for all activities on board free of charge, sir - ordering food, drinks, or any activities. Just present this card to the staff or waiters," the staff member explained, then proceeded to describe the ship's various sections, helping Kit download a deck plan to his phone for easy navigation. Kit listened stoically, feeling something was off about all this.

"I understand your explanation, but there's something I'd like to know. Can I meet your boss?" Kit asked.

"Once the boss is done with his business, he'll come to see you himself, sir. Please enjoy your journey," the staff member said simply before leaving, abandoning Kit to stand alone in this ultra-luxurious room.

"What the hell is this? Isn't this a bit much for repaying such a small favor?" Kit muttered to himself, bewildered.

"Is this how the wealthy repay favors?" Kit wondered aloud before trying to push his concerns aside. He decided to focus on relaxing and walked around the room, taking photos to taunt Rogan for missing out. After exploring the room to his satisfaction, Kit planned to take a nap, tired from the flight and car ride. He set an alarm, intending to wake up later to explore the ship.

***

After his nap, Kit woke up to his alarm. He got up, went to the bathroom to freshen up, and when he checked the balcony, he could tell the ship had already left the dock.

"Is it 5 PM already?" Kit muttered to himself. He grabbed his wallet, phone, and the card Roman had left him, before heading out to explore the ship as planned. When he reached the lounge area with its outdoor swimming pool, he noticed people walking around in high-end designer clothes, their auras indicating their wealthy status.

"Just who am I on this ship with?" Kit murmured to himself, though he tried not to dwell on it. He walked to the bar to order a light drink to quench his thirst. When he saw the drink prices, he nearly choked. Initially, he had planned to use his own money for expenses on the ship, reluctant to use Roman's card, but in the end, he had no choice but to hand the card to the staff member, who swiped it and returned it to him.

"Enjoy your drink, sir, and have a wonderful week-long journey," the staff member said with a smile, causing Kit, who was just raising his glass for a sip, to freeze immediately.