Taming the Tiger: Chapter 7

“Hey! Do you even know who my father is?!” The young man sneered, shouting at Kit when he realized the staff was siding with him. Kit, hearing this, chuckled softly.

“Excuse me, is there an information desk here?” Kit turned to ask one of the staff managing the rock-climbing area.

“Yes, there is,” the staff replied, slightly confused as to why Kit would ask that.

“I’d like to make an announcement—this guy seems to have lost his parents. Not only is he separated from them, but he also can’t even remember who they are, so he has to go around asking other people.” Kit’s words made the staff and nearby onlookers burst into laughter. The young man’s face flushed red with anger and embarrassment.

“You two, teach this punk a lesson!” the young man barked at his bodyguards. The two men stepped forward, fixing their gaze on Kit.

"Sorry about this," one of the bodyguards said before reaching out to grab Kit. But Kit swiftly dodged, knocking the man’s arm away with a quick motion, forcing him to stumble back. Kit could tell that the bodyguards weren’t entirely eager to hurt him—they were simply following orders. So, he held back, choosing to observe rather than escalate things further.

The bodyguards, momentarily stunned by Kit’s speed, regrouped and moved in again. The crowd around them watched in nervous anticipation. Meanwhile, one of the staff wasted no time secretly alerting their superior.

Kit skillfully defended himself, blocking and countering just enough to keep the bodyguards off balance, preventing them from attacking effectively rather than hurting them outright.

"What are you idiots doing? Just beat him up!" the young man bellowed in frustration. Even the bodyguards couldn't help but be impressed by Kit's prowess.

“STOP!” A firm voice rang out.

Everyone turned to see Norris, Roman’s trusted bodyguard, striding toward them. The two bodyguards immediately froze. When Kit saw that it was one of Roman’s men, he let out a quiet sigh.

“Who the hell are you?!” The young man snapped, irritated by the sudden interference. However, his bodyguards recognized Norris immediately and quickly whispered something to their boss. The young man’s rage faltered, his expression shifting from fury to pale unease.

"You're disturbing the other guests," Norris stated coldly before turning to Kit. "Are you alright, Mr. Kit?" His deferential tone made it clear just how important Kit was. The young man’s confidence wavered even further—who exactly had he just picked a fight with? At first, he had assumed Kit was just some nobody tagging along with a wealthy guest on the ship.

"I'm fine," 

"Can someone explain what happened here?" Norris asked the staff member who had alerted him. After hearing the full account, he turned back to Kit.

"How would you like us to handle this, Mr. Kit?" Norris inquired, following his boss's prior instructions to let Kit make the call.

“No need to do anything. They’re just a bunch of kids. If we do something and they start whining about it, that’d be a real headache,”

“You—” The other man gritted his teeth, but before he could say more, his own bodyguards held him back.

“Since everything’s settled, we’ll be taking our young master elsewhere,” one of the bodyguards said before swiftly escorting their employer and his friends away.

“Mr. Kit, would you like to go anywhere else?” Norris asked.

“Hmm, I was thinking of trying out the wave simulator,” Kit replied, sticking to his original plan.

“But you guys don’t need to follow me. I can take care of myself,” he added, cutting off any objections before they could start.

Norris nodded in acknowledgment. “Understood. But allow me to walk you there, at least. I promise I won’t stay to watch over you.”

Kit shrugged in agreement, and the two of them headed toward the wave simulator area. Norris, however, had another reason for accompanying him—he wanted to personally instruct the staff to take good care of Kit.

Once they arrived, Norris parted ways while Kit went to change. He stripped down to just a pair of knee-length swim trunks, removing his shirt to reveal intricate tattoos that stood out against his fair skin.

His appearance immediately drew attention. Both men and women couldn’t help but steal glances at him, intrigued by his toned physique. And when he finally stepped onto the simulator and showed off his surfing skills, even more people found themselves wanting to strike up a conversation with him.

***

"So whose man was he?" Roman asked Norris in a measured tone, hearing about Kit's incident. Initially, Roman had wanted to go to the climbing wall himself, but being caught up in important business matters, he had sent Norris in his stead.

“He’s the son of Deputy Prime Minister Bernard, sir” Norris reported.

"Invite Deputy Bernard to speak with me," Roman instructed in his characteristically calm voice. His subordinates in the room exchanged subtle glances, knowing their boss would surely take some form of action. What surprised them, however, was seeing Roman worked up on someone else's behalf - and for someone he'd only recently met, at that.

***

"You were really good out there," Jake, Kit's new friend, remarked as they sat drinking by the wave simulator. After Kit had finished his session, the young man had casually approached him for a chat. They hit it off quickly, leading to this impromptu drinking session.

"I go surfing with my dad a lot," Kit explained, referring to his stepfather who often took him to various activities.

"Your tattoos are awesome, by the way. Where'd you get them done? I'm actually looking for a shop myself," 

"I did the ones on my arms and legs myself. The ones on my neck, chest, and back were done by my senior," Kit pointed to the different areas.

"Wait, you did them yourself? That’s crazy! You're too talented," 

Kit chuckled. “It’s nothing special. I’m a tattoo artist.”

Jake blinked in surprise. “Wait, you’re a tattoo artist? Like, as a hobby?”

Kit shook his head. “It’s my full-time job. I own a tattoo shop in Geneva. If you’re interested, you can book an appointment.” He took the opportunity to subtly pitch his business.

“Uh, sorry if this sounds rude—I don’t mean to offend you, really. But… who did you come on this yacht with?” 

“Alone,” 

“Alone? You sure? Or do you have another business on the side?” Jake pressed further, making Kit realize what he was getting at. He let out a soft laugh.

“Sorry to disappoint, I’m not some big-time businessman, not a celebrity, not a mafia boss, and I don’t hold any fancy titles. I’m just a regular guy who owns a tattoo shop. Sometimes, I take on bodyguard gigs when I have free time. That’s all,” Kit said bluntly, watching for Jake’s reaction.

But Jake remained unfazed. He showed no sign of looking down on Kit or being displeased with his answer. Instead, he asked, “Then how did you get on this yacht?”

Kit saw no reason to hide it. “I happened to help out the owner before, so he let me come aboard as a thank-you.”

“You mean Roman Vasillo?” Jake’s voice rose with excitement.

Kit nodded.

“Damn, do you know I’m a big fan? Everything he touches turns to gold! My dad always says that while Roman’s father may have founded the Vasillo empire, it was Roman who made it what it is today.”

Kit, who knew a bit about Roman's background, nodded slowly in agreement.

"I begged my father to bring me on this cruise hoping to meet Roman up close. But don’t get me wrong—I’m not interested in him romantically or anything. I just admire him as an idol," Jake quickly clarified at the end. Kit chuckled softly.

"So, who’s your dad?" Kit asked, suddenly curious. After all, most people aboard this ship were either celebrities or influential figures, including the group he'd had trouble with earlier.

"Oh, my dad is Leonardo Pienno," Jake smiled. Kit paused for a moment, studying Jake's innocent grin.

"Are you from Italy?" Kit asked. Jake nodded enthusiastically.

"Your father... is President Leonardo Pienno?" 

"Yep!" Jake confirmed, making Kit want to laugh out loud. Who would have thought his new friend would be the Italian President's son? Kit only knew the President's name but had no idea how many children he had or what they were like.

"You're thinking I don't seem like a president's son, aren't you?" Jake asked playfully, noting Kit's expression.

"Yeah, I expected you'd have bodyguards surrounding you, but I don't see any," Kit said, glancing around.

"I don't like that much. I prefer going solo. Besides, we're on Roman's ship, so my dad doesn’t mind if I walk around on my own" Jake explained. Kit nodded.

"Now that you know I'm just an ordinary person, not some bigshot's kid, are you still okay talking to me?" Kit asked directly, ready to understand if Jake wanted to end their conversation.

"Aren't ordinary people still people? I don't judge others by their status. Actually, now that you know who I am, please treat me like anyone else. I’ve dealt with enough fake people in my life—I just want a real friend for once,"  

Kit could sense the truth in his words. With that mutual understanding, the two continued their conversation, hitting it off even better. Jake even promised to visit Kit’s tattoo shop for a session.

"Hmm, there's another boat below," Kit, sitting by the ship’s railing, glanced down at the ocean and noticed a speeding motorboat carrying several people. He couldn’t make out who they were.

"Hope they're not people being kicked off the ship," Jake commented. Kit raised an eyebrow inquiringly.

"Yeah, if anyone causes trouble or creates problems on board, they get sent back to shore," Jake explained.

"Or maybe someone's seriously ill?" 

"No, if that were the case, this ship has a helicopter to transport sick passengers to the mainland," Jake corrected. Kit nodded, acknowledging the information, before losing interest in the departing boat.

Had he paid more attention, he would have realized that the people on that boat were the same ones who had an altercation with him at the rock-climbing wall earlier. Their father had scolded them harshly for picking a fight with someone important to the ship’s owner—so much so that it nearly jeopardized their father’s business partnership. As a result, the son who was kicked off was now permanently banned from setting foot on any of Roman’s affiliated cruise ships.

"I'm thinking of getting lunch. Want to join?" Kit invited.

"Yeah, sure!" Jake agreed readily, and they both went to change before heading to the ship's restaurant.

"Mr. Kit," a staff member immediately approached them at the restaurant.

"Yes?"

"The boss has already ordered and prepared a private room for you and your friend, sir," the staff member informed him. Kit paused briefly, a slight smirk crossing his face. He had to admit, Roman was truly impressive - while he hadn't sent anyone to shadow Kit, he clearly knew about Kit's new friend and their lunch plans.

"Well, with the ship owner being so hospitable, how can I refuse?" Kit remarked, making Jake's eyes widen.

“Don’t tell me… Mr. Roman already arranged everything for you? Just how important are you to him?” Jake asked, clearly surprised. Kit just smiled and led Jake to the private dining room, following the staff member.

***

Once seated, the staff immediately served their meal - Italian cuisine and premium-grade steaks. Kit silently admitted that Roman really knew his tastes. Yesterday and this morning, he had eaten Thai food, and now, just as he was craving Italian, it was already prepared for him.

“Help yourself—it’s free,” Kit joked before they started eating.

However, not long after they began their meal, the door to the private dining room swung open, revealing Danil with a bright smile on his face.

"Hi, darling," Danil greeted Kit warmly, causing Jake to look at Kit in confusion.

"Join us for lunch," Kit offered.

"Of course, I came specifically to eat with you. But who's this handsome young man?" Danil asked, smiling at the still-confused Jake. Kit smiled slightly as Danil sat beside him.

"This is Jake, President Leonardo Pienno's son," Kit introduced him directly.

"Ah, that's why you looked familiar. I'm Danil, pleased to meet you," Danil extended his hand, which Jake shook.

“Danil is the younger brother of Ivan, a friend of Mr. Roman’s,” Kit explained briefly, as he wasn’t sure what family Roman and Danil belonged to.

“Ivan? You mean Ivan Balenkov?” Jake asked excitedly. Kit turned to Danil for confirmation, since he honestly didn’t know.

“Yes,” Danil replied.

"Wow, Kit, you're connected to people at this level? That's incredible," Jake exclaimed enthusiastically, showing no signs of intimidation or jealousy.

"I'm just an ordinary guy," Kit maintained his stance, making Danil chuckle softly.

"By the way, how did you know I was in the dining room?" Kit turned to ask Danil.

"I ran into Roman. He mentioned you were having lunch, so I rushed over to join," Danil explained before ordering his own meal.

"So what are you two planning for this afternoon?" Danil asked while waiting for his food.

"Thinking of checking out the boxing gym. Got any suggestions?" Kit asked back.

“Hmm… how about going for a swim in the evening and watching the sunset together? I guarantee no one will disturb us since it’s a private pool,” Danil offered with a playful smile. “You too,” he added, turning to Jake. Jake glanced at Kit, waiting for his response first.

"Sure," Kit agreed.

"If Kit's going, I'm in too," Jake added. He wasn’t too keen on going alone, not knowing anyone there.

"Perfect! I'll have someone reserve the private pool," Danil smiled, texting his staff. When the food arrived, they ate together, chatting about various topics. After finishing their meal, they took a short walk to let their food digest before heading to the small boxing gym. 

"Make yourselves at home, you two. I'll sit here and enjoy the view," Danil said with a grin, eyeing the several shirtless young men displaying their six-packs. Kit chuckled softly before he and Jake went to change for some boxing practice.

“Damn, Kit, you look good enough to eat,” Danil joked with a grin.

“Wanna take a bite?” Kit shot back playfully, knowing Danil was just teasing.

“No thanks. I don’t wanna end up at the bottom of the ocean. Not even Ivan could save me,” Danil said, still grinning.

“Who’d dare throw you into the ocean?” Jake chimed in, clearly getting along well with Danil.

"Roman, obviously," Danil said, shooting Kit a teasing look. Kit pretended not to hear, walking off to warm up before hitting the punching bag.  Danil decided to drop the teasing and just watched.

Meanwhile, Roman’s men discreetly snapped photos and recorded clips of Kit, sending them to their boss to keep him updated on what Kit was up to.

***

"You guys go rest for now. At 5 PM, take the elevator to RT3," Danil told Kit and Jake after they had finished boxing to their satisfaction. Kit nodded in acknowledgment. Before Danil left, Kit and Jake arranged a meeting spot so they could go up together. After settling plans, Kit returned to his room for some rest. He reflected that this cruise trip wasn't bad at all - he got to relax and do activities he enjoyed after working non-stop for so long.

Kit woke up around 4 PM as his alarm set. After freshening up, he packed his swim shorts and some essentials for swimming with Danil and Jake.

Come to think of it, haven't seen that guy all day, Kit mused about Roman, figuring he was probably busy and had no urgent reason to see Kit. When it was time, Kit went to meet Jake at their arranged spot, finding him already waiting.

"Lucky Danil invited us swimming. My dad was going to make me have dinner with someone, but when I mentioned Danil Balenkov invited me to swim, he immediately let me go. Even told me to be on my best behavior," Jake chuckled. Kit realized Danil's family must carry an influence similar to Roman's Vasillos.

"Let's go," Kit suggested, and they took the elevator to RT3 as instructed. When the doors opened, Jake startled slightly at the sight of several men in black suits watching the elevator. Kit merely raised an eyebrow.

"Mr. Kit, this way please," one of Roman's men greeted, leading them to an outdoor pool area. Jake looked around admiringly at the drink bar, indoor seating area, and the infinity pool extending toward the setting sun.

"You guys can change inside," Danil said with a grin. He was already in tiny swim trunks that showed off his pale, slender legs while lounging with a drink in hand.

"Wow... nice skin," Kit whistled teasingly. Danil crossed his legs and lifted his chin proudly.

"Of course," Danil replied, making Kit and Jake laugh at his confidence. Even though Kit was attracted to both men and women, he saw Danil more as a friend than someone he’d want to take to bed. In fact, he found himself feeling protective of him, almost like a little brother. 

Kit and Jake changed into knee-length swim shorts, leaving their muscular chests bare.

"Order whatever drinks you want," Danil offered. Kit and Jake ordered drinks before getting in the water. The pool, measuring 3 x 10 meters, was perfect for swimming laps and featured a jacuzzi area. When Kit got his drink, Danil joined them in the jacuzzi.

"This is incredible," Jake smiled. Kit agreed—after a day of physical activity, relaxing in the jacuzzi felt amazing.

"The sunset view is perfect from here," Kit commented, watching the large sun nearing the horizon.

"Two more people will be joining us," Danil announced, surprising Kit and Jake.

"Who?" Jake asked, while Kit had a decent guess. Danil just smiled without answering. Within five minutes, two tall figures approached the poolside. Kit smirked slightly upon seeing Roman and Ivan.

"Danil," Ivan’s deep, slightly stern voice called out. Danil immediately flashed a sweet, appeasing smile, placing his drink on the pool’s edge before swimming over to Ivan at the far end.

Meanwhile, Roman kept his gaze locked on Kit. Kit met his stare head-on, refusing to look away. This seemed to please Roman, who smiled slightly.

"Mind if I join you?" Roman asked.

"This boat belongs to you. I don't think you need my permission," Kit replied.

Roman let out a satisfied chuckle before heading off to change his clothes. Meanwhile, Danil was led to another room by Ivan.

A moment later, Roman emerged, now wearing a pair of short swim trunks that revealed his strong legs and a well-defined, muscular body. Kit felt almost boyish in comparison to Roman, He couldn't help but let his eyes wander, observing his v-line, his sculpted abs with a faint trail of hair which made him gaze drift lower to the center of Roman's swim shorts to which Kit found himself swallowing involuntarily.

"I thought my father was generous, but Roman's father gave him even more," Jake whispered, trying to mask his own dry throat. Kit choked on his drink.

"Cough cough! What the hell are you talking about?!" Kit responded. Jake laughed, but their conversation ended as Roman swam toward them.

"Um, hello Mr. Roman, I'm Jake Pienmo," Jake quickly introduced himself. Roman settled into the jacuzzi next to Kit, who shifted slightly away.

"Hello, I know your father well," Roman replied casually before turning to Kit.

"What would you like for dinner?" Roman asked.

"You're asking me?" Kit responded, a bit surprised.

Roman nodded.

"What do you want to eat, Jake?" Kit turned to his friend, but Jake, sensing an odd chill from Roman’s gaze, hesitated.

"Uh… I think you should decide," Jake deflected the choice back to Kit. When Kit looked at Roman again, Jake noticed how the icy expression on Roman’s face from earlier had instantly melted.

"You indulged me yesterday. Tonight's your choice," Kit offered.

"How about Japanese? You've had Thai and Italian already," Roman suggested.

"Sounds good. Something light would be nice," Kit agreed. Roman immediately ordered his staff to have the ship's chef prepare Japanese for five.

"Um… You keep Mr. Roman company for a bit, Kit. I’m gonna go take a break," Jake said, feeling the weight of Roman’s presence pressing down on him. He needed to get away and let the two of them be alone. Kit raised an eyebrow but didn't object.

"Do you like the view here?" Roman asked.

"I do. The sunset is perfect," Kit replied, watching the sun disappear as the deck lights began to illuminate.

"What did you do today?" Roman continued the conversation, his eyes subtly tracing the smooth curve of Kit’s neck down to his collarbones. The urge to sink his teeth into that pale skin was almost unbearable, but he held himself back.

"Don't you already know?" Kit asked back. Roman raised an eyebrow slightly, and Kit chuckled softly.

"Weren't your men taking photos and videos of me today?" Kit pointed out, leaving Roman momentarily stunned that Kit had noticed.

"Your men weren't exactly subtle. You might need to retrain them," Kit teased. Roman’s gaze flicked toward his men stationed around the area. They immediately felt a chill down their spines, though they had no idea why.

"But thank you, really. I got to do many activities I enjoy today, thanks to having you as my sponsor," Kit said straightforwardly.

"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself," Roman replied.

"Tomorrow, want to get a massage and a spa treatment together?" he offered casually.

"Are you free?" Kit asked, assuming Roman would be too busy.

"I have time in the morning," 

"Okay, what time?" Kit agreed, thinking he'd definitely be sore tomorrow after today's activities.

"Breakfast together at 7 AM, then spa around 10," Roman set the schedule, ensuring Kit would join him for breakfast.

"Okay," Kit agreed, making Roman smile with satisfaction. 

Just then, they heard Danil's whining. Turning to look, they saw he'd been made to change from his tiny swim shorts into knee-length shorts and a dark short-sleeved shirt, while Ivan, who followed behind, wore shorts similar to Roman's.