Taming the Tiger: Chapter 8

"So, you're under probation, huh?" Kit teased Danil, who turned and flashed his fangs at Kit in annoyance. Kit let out a soft chuckle.

"You've got quite a collection of tattoos," Ivan remarked, noticing Kit's ink.

"Yeah, I love body art," Kit replied.

"Hey, weren't you wanting more tattoos? Let Kit do one for you," Ivan said to Roman.

Roman’s gaze never wavered from Kit. "That depends. Would the artist be willing?"

Kit met his eyes, unfazed. "If you set a time and place, sure. But you’ll have to come to my shop. I’m not hauling my tattoo gear all the way to America just for you."

Roman arched a brow. "And if I have the equipment right here on this ship? Could you do it then?"

Kit raised an eyebrow slightly, then reconsidered. Knowing Roman, it wasn’t impossible. If he wanted something, he’d find a way to make it happen.

"If you’ve got the tools, I can do it," 

At that, Roman called over Travis, who approached as they lounged in the jacuzzi.

"What do you need?" Roman asked.

Kit listed every piece of tattoo equipment required, while Travis dutifully took notes. Once Kit finished, Roman gave a simple command.

"Have everything ready by tomorrow."

"Yes, sir," Travis replied before walking off to make arrangements.

"What do you want, and where?" Kit asked, shifting into professional mode.

"A tiger. Just the head, in full color. The design is up to you," Roman said, propping himself up on the pool’s edge and pointing to his left thigh.

Kit hesitated for a split second. It wasn’t like he’d never tattooed intimate areas before—hell, he’d done full pieces on clients’ asses. But with Roman, it made his face feel strangely hot.

"Alright," Kit replied in his normal tone, trying not to show his surprise. Roman smiled, satisfied.

"If everything arrives tomorrow, we can do it the day after, right? My schedule's open," Roman said. Kit nodded in agreement, knowing there was no avoiding it now. He decided to think of it as repayment for the VIP treatment Roman had given him.

"I want a tattoo too!" Danil piped up.

Kit turned to Ivan. He knew Danil wouldn’t get a single drop of ink without Ivan’s approval.

"What do you want?" Ivan asked.

"Something cute and minimal—a butterfly," Danil said, pointing to the spot just below his collarbone. "Right here. Can I?"

"Go ahead," Ivan replied, making Danil break into a wide smile immediately. Kit agreed and said he'd show them the designs tomorrow. With everything settled, they continued sipping their drinks. Ivan pulled Danil away to enjoy the water elsewhere, leaving Roman and Kit alone to talk.

"On the day after tomorrow when I'm free, how about we go fishing first, then do the tattoo afterward?" Roman suggested. Kit thought for a moment.

"Can I invite Jake along?" Kit asked.

"Sure," Roman agreed indulgently, making Kit smile with satisfaction.

"You're being unusually accommodating to me," Kit teased. Roman gave a slight smile.

Roman met his gaze with a suggestive glimmer and asked, "Don't you like being indulged?" Though Kit wasn’t inclined to read too much into the look.

"Everyone loves being spoiled, and I do too. But I prefer knowing the purpose behind it," Kit continued probing for the truth, wondering why Roman was being so generous when they'd just met, especially since Kit had nothing to offer him in return.

"So you're saying I'm indulging you because I have some hidden agenda?" 

"Yes," Kit replied straightforwardly. Roman chuckled softly.

"Yes, I do have a purpose in indulging you. But may I keep it to myself for now? I promise I'll tell you before you leave this ship," Roman matched Kit's directness. Kit narrowed his eyes slightly at Roman.

"For now, just accept my attention and indulgence," Roman added. Kit let out a small laugh.

"You’re just as self-indulgent yourself," Kit remarked plainly, aware of his own importance and confident that Roman’s teasing would never lead to harm.

"I'm far more indulgent than what you see. It just depends on who I choose to show it to," 

"Alright, I suppose I can’t refuse you now, since I’m in your territory. Sky above, ocean all around," Kit said half-sarcastically, though without any real resentment. Roman smiled, pleased.

"The sunset is beautiful, isn’t it?" Roman changed the subject. Kit turned to look at the sunset, resting his arms on the pool's edge. Roman took the opportunity to move closer, assuming the same position as Kit.

"Let's have a toast," Roman suggested. 

Kit lifted his drink to meet Roman’s with a gentle clink, both of them savoring the sip as Roman’s intense, smoldering gaze lingered on him. Kit sensed that there was something deeper hidden behind that look, though he wasn’t entirely sure—after all, he never imagined that someone like Roman would take an interest in an ordinary man like himself. From what Kit knew, Roman had many high-profile people pursuing him, and he'd been close to several impressive individuals - people Kit couldn't ever compare to.

Let’s wait and see. Kit could only tell himself that. For now, he was in Roman’s grasp, so he decided to go along with it. Once he learned the real reason behind Roman’s interest in him, he would figure out what to do next.

By now, the sun had disappeared beyond the horizon. The surrounding area was illuminated by warm white lights, casting a romantic glow over the poolside. If one were here with a lover, the atmosphere would be perfect. One of Roman’s men approached to inform them that dinner had been prepared. With that, everyone got out of the pool to shower and change into fresh clothes at the temporary shower area before gathering for dinner.

Jake, however, was called away by his father to dine with him, as there was someone important he wanted Jake to meet. It was an invitation Jake couldn’t refuse. Before parting ways, Kit told him to call anytime, and Jake agreed.

At the dining table, only four remained.

“How the hell do you eat that much wasabi, Kit?” Danil scrunched his nose in disbelief as he watched Kit pile an excessive amount of wasabi onto his salmon sushi.

"I like things intense," Kit replied with a playful wink at Danil. Such flirtatious behavior might have charmed others, but Danil knew Kit was just teasing. Roman, watching Kit, couldn't help but smile.

"Looks like someone's smitten," Ivan remarked irritably, noticing his friend's expression.

"Smitten with what?" Danil asked.

"Nothing. Just eat up, so you'll behave," Ivan said while placing tuna sashimi on Danil's plate.

"How does eating more make me behave better?" Danil asked while happily munching on the tuna, pleased to receive Ivan's attention after so long.

"When you're stuffed, you'll be too sluggish to cause trouble," Ivan said deadpan, making Kit laugh. Danil wrinkled his nose at Ivan again. 

Roman, meanwhile, placed some salmon for Kit, who thanked him.

"By the way, has Ares been in touch?" Roman asked about another close friend. Roman's inner circle consisted of four people, including himself: Roman, Ivan, Akira, and Ares. These four were considered the most influential figures of their generation.

"Last I heard, he was in Thailand, checking on the business his mom took over," Ivan replied. They felt comfortable discussing these matters in front of Kit, partly to test whether he would spread their information around. Kit listened quietly, though his interest was piqued at the mention of Thailand, his home country.

“What kind of business?” Roman asked, still casually picking up food and placing it on Kit’s plate as if it were second nature.

To everyone else at the table—whether it was Ivan, Danil, or even Roman’s subordinates—this behavior was far from normal. Roman was known to be the one people catered to, not the other way around. Yet here he was, personally serving Kit without being asked.

“A cabaret business, apparently,” Ivan replied.

"Apparently it's a cabaret business," Ivan answered. Roman raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Ares? Managing a cabaret?" Roman asked, surprised.

"Not sure, but he might be traveling between Thailand and America frequently," Ivan shared what he knew. Kit, hearing this, wondered if it might be a cabaret in Pattaya, but kept the thought to himself.

"Hmm, when I get a chance to visit Thailand, I'll drop by to see him," Roman replied.

“You should eat too,” Kit interjected, noticing that Roman had been busy serving him the whole time.

"Ah, sorry, got carried away. Why don't you serve me some then?" Roman suggested. Kit gave Roman a look and sighed softly before agreeing to serve him food in return for his attentiveness. Roman smiled with satisfaction. The four of them continued dining and drinking, enjoying the pleasant atmosphere.

"Boss," Travis approached Roman and whispered in his ear.

“Miss Anita would like to entertain you tonight, sir” Travis whispered, referring to a famous model who had boarded with a celebrity's entourage. Roman had used her services before.

"Heh, Marco sent her, didn't he?" Roman asked, knowing Marco was sponsoring this model.

“Seems like it, sir. Do you want to get some information from her?” Travis asked, carefully avoiding speaking too loudly in front of Kit. He had a strong hunch that this wasn’t something Kit should hear—and he was right. If Travis had spoken openly, he’d surely earn his boss’s wrath.

Roman glanced briefly at Kit before responding.

“No. Tell her I’m busy.” His voice was calm and firm.

Travis nodded and left immediately. Kit paid little attention, considering it none of his business. 

After dinner, Kit excused himself to return to his room, planning to draft the tattoo designs for Roman and Danil to review tomorrow. Roman offered to walk him to his room, which Kit didn't object to, while Ivan similarly escorted Danil back.

"Thank you for walking me back," Kit said, looking wearily at the bodyguards crowding the hallway outside his room.

"No problem. See you tomorrow,"

Kit acknowledged and quickly entered his room. Through the peephole, he caught Roman's sharp gaze lingering at his door, making his heart race. He stepped away from the door, as if afraid Roman could see through it. Soon he heard footsteps leaving, and Kit sighed softly before showering, changing clothes, and settling down to design the tattoos for Roman and Danil.

Meanwhile, Roman returned to his own room and called Travis and Nathan in to discuss some work matters.

Buzz, buzz.

The vibration from Travis's phone made him check it and look at his boss.

"Boss, it's a call from the Accardo residence," Travis announced. Roman sighed wearily.

"Answer it," Roman replied, and Travis put the call on speaker for his boss.

("Roman, are you on the Kraken right now?") Roman's grandfather's voice came through.

"Yes," Roman answered curtly.

("When will you dock?") 

"In five days,"

("Good. Have someone take the helicopter to pick up Rina from my house. I want her to vacation on your ship.") Roman's face immediately tensed at his grandfather's presumptuous words.

"My ship isn't a public park where anyone can come play whenever they want. And don't talk as if my ship is just 2-3 miles from your house," Roman responded firmly.

"And more importantly, my ship's helicopter is for emergencies only. If you want someone to come, figure out their own way here. That's all - I have work to do," Roman finished and immediately hung up on his grandfather in frustration.

"I wish I could destroy this family once and for all and be done with it," Roman complained. The only reason he hadn't acted was out of consideration for his grandmother. "Let's finish discussing work so you can all rest,"

***

A New Morning 

Kit woke up, showered, and got dressed to have breakfast with Roman as planned. He brought his iPad containing the tattoo designs he'd drawn for Roman to review. Kit headed to the dining room Roman had mentioned last night. Roman's staff bowed when they saw Kit and immediately opened the private dining room door, where Roman was already sitting and sipping coffee.

"Have you been waiting long?" Kit asked, taking a seat across from Roman. The private dining room offered a clear view of the ocean.

"Not long. Did you sleep well?" 

"Yes, I did. Is it just the two of us?" Kit noticed Ivan and Danil's absence.

"Yes,"

Kit didn’t mind, as he had somewhat expected it. Roman then signaled his men to inform the chef to serve breakfast. This morning's meal was a simple American-style breakfast.

"Would you like anything else? I can have the chef prepare more," Roman offered attentively.

"No need, this is plenty," Kit replied before starting breakfast with Roman. "Oh right, I've sketched your tattoo design. Would you like to see it?" 

"Let me see," 

Kit handed over his iPad showing the rough sketch with colors, which left Roman quite impressed. The design featured a red-orange tiger face with subtle coloring. Though the tiger wasn't bearing its fangs, its presence commanded respect, especially through its fierce gray eyes that matched Roman's own. What surprised Roman most was the letter 'V' on the tiger's forehead, cleverly incorporated to look like part of the tiger's natural markings.

"The V on the tiger's forehead..." Roman began questioningly.

"It's for your family name, Vasillo. I wanted to incorporate your identity into the design. Is that okay? I hope you don't mind having your family initial on your thigh," 

"Why would I mind? It’s perfect. It symbolizes that my family stands strong because of my own two legs,"

Hearing that, Kit felt deeply satisfied. It was exactly what he had envisioned, but he hadn’t mentioned it earlier—he wanted to hear Roman’s thoughts first and see if he truly resonated with the design.

"You don't want to change anything then?" Kit double-checked.

"Not at all. Don't change a thing. I love it," Roman expressed sincerely. This made Kit feel quite proud before taking his iPad back from Roman.

"After we finish eating, would you like to take a walk to digest, then head to the spa?" 

"Sure," Kit agreed easily, considering it a way to reciprocate Roman's appreciation of his tattoo design. The two enjoyed breakfast while chatting about general things about the ship. After eating, Roman told his staff he'd take Kit on a tour of parts of the ship he hadn't seen yet.

"Want to see the speedboat we'll use for fishing tomorrow?" Roman asked. Kit nodded, and Roman immediately led him to the stern where the speedboats were kept, with his staff following. Kit hadn't seen Travis or Nathan this morning, figuring they must be busy with work for Roman.

“It’s a beautiful boat,” Kit commented as he admired the sleek and luxurious vessel. “Is this boat for the guests on board?” 

“No. Only special people are allowed on this one,” Roman replied in a casual tone. Kit met Roman’s gaze before quickly looking away, pretending not to notice the way Roman was watching him.

"Do you like nature?" Roman asked, continuing to learn about Kit's interests.

"Yes, I love both mountains and the sea. Dad took me places often, so I got used to it and grew to love it," Kit replied naturally, assuming Roman probably knew who his stepfather was. Kit was certain someone like Roman must have had his background investigated.

"No wonder you went rock climbing and tried the surf simulator," Roman replied casually before leading Kit to see other areas. Along the way, they encountered several guests relaxing on the ship. Many of them seemed curious about Kit, wondering who he was to be walking so closely with Roman, especially since no one in high society, the celebrity world, or the business elite had ever seen him before. After touring for a while, they headed to the spa where Roman had already reserved a private VIP room.

“Uhhh, there are two beds… Are we getting a massage together?” 

“Yes. I wanted to talk to you while we relax. Is that alright with you?” Roman asked.

Though Kit preferred to have his spa treatment alone, he nodded in agreement since Roman had been so accommodating.

“Sure, no problem.” Kit knew that getting a full-body massage meant stripping down to just his underwear or possibly wearing disposable briefs, but he didn’t mind. They were both men, after all.

"Wait outside. Don't come in unless it's urgent," Roman told his staff, who immediately stepped out of the room. Shortly after, two middle-aged female staff members entered, bringing fresh towels and directing them to the changing area. Kit removed all his clothes and put on the robe before returning to the spa room. Roman had chosen a 30-minute aromatic oil bath program for Kit, with separate private rooms, so Kit felt more at ease. The aromatic oil bath was quite relaxing. When time was up, he dried off, put on the disposable underwear and robe, and went to the massage room, arriving slightly before Roman.

"How was it?" Roman asked.

“Relaxing. The oil smells great,” 

Roman gave a small, satisfied smile. Then, the two masseuses re-entered the room, instructing them to lie face down on the massage beds. The staff removed their bathrobes, covering their lower bodies with small towels.

Lying there, Roman turned his head slightly to observe Kit’s body. He subconsciously compared him to the other men he had been with—most were delicate, fair-skinned, and flawless. But Kit, with his toned physique and tattoos scattered across his skin, intrigued Roman far more than anyone else. Just then, Kit turned to face Roman and caught his intense gaze.

"Do you like my tattoos?" Kit teased, aware of the other's scrutiny.

“Yes. I appreciate the art of the human body,” Roman admitted. (Especially yours,) he thought to himself.

"Thank you," Kit replied, unsure of what else to say. Then, he took his turn to observe Roman’s physique. Even though he had already seen it when Roman was swimming the day before, he couldn’t help but take another look. Roman was indeed bigger than him, but not to the point of being intimidating. Kit found himself thinking that none of the people he had worked as a bodyguard for had an aura as commanding as Roman’s. Ivan was intimidating in his own right, but Kit had seen how that aura faded when Ivan was with Danil. Even Prince Casey, whom he had met just the other day, didn’t have an aura as strong as Roman’s.

"Are you checking me out?" Roman asked, making Kit smirk slightly. He looked directly at Roman, making it clear that he wasn’t sneaking glances.

"Yes, I was thinking - with how busy you are, how do you find time to work out and maintain your physique?" Kit responded.

"Well, I try to exercise when I wake up and before bed. Make an effort to do it daily," Roman answered honestly. Kit nodded in acknowledgment just as the spa staff arrived to explain the massage process—they would begin with an aromatic oil massage before using hot stones. The soft music playing in the spa room created a relaxing atmosphere. Kit shifted his focus away from Roman and toward the staff member who would be massaging him.

"Are you Thai?" Kit asked in Thai, noticing the staff’s appearance resembled that of a Thai person. He figured it was worth asking.

"Oh! Are you Thai?" the middle-aged woman responded with a smile, surprised because she had previously heard Kit and Roman conversing in English.

"Yes, I am. It’s rare to meet someone who speaks the same language," Kit replied. The woman smiled before beginning the massage, starting with his back. Kit decided not to continue chatting, not wanting to distract her.

"Mmm…right there," Kit moaned softly as the masseuse hit a particularly tense spot. When she found the right pressure points, Kit would make satisfied "mm" and "ahh" sounds, making Roman wonder if he'd made a mistake sharing a room. Just hearing Kit's voice was stirring something in him.

"Kit," Roman called out, making Kit turn to face him.

"Yes?"

"Please stop making those sounds, I'm asking you," Roman said. Kit thought for a moment before giving a slight smirk.

"Why? It’s normal. When they massage the right spot, it’s natural to react," Kit teased, deliberately provoking him. He had a good idea why Roman was saying this, but he never thought that just his voice alone could affect Roman so much.

"I don’t make noises like that," Roman countered.

Kit chuckled. "You must have a lot of endurance, then."

"I do. In everything. If you want to know in what ways, I can tell you," Roman replied, making Kit pause slightly as he realized the conversation was turning rather spicy.

"Ahem, well, I'll try to keep it down then, so you won't have to be bothered," Kit said, turning away as he suddenly felt shy about meeting Roman's eyes. Roman chuckled softly. Though aroused, he maintained control, not letting himself become visibly excited and startle the masseuses. This time Kit held back his sounds, occasionally letting a few slip but not as frequently as before. They completed both the aromatherapy and hot stone massages successfully. Now both men sat in their robes, sipping warm herbal tea after the massage.

"Do you have work after this?" Kit asked.

"Yes. What about you, what are your plans?"

"I think I'll rest in my room for a bit," Kit said, feeling relaxed enough to sleep after the massage.

"I'll call you again in the evening, maybe we can have dinner together," Roman suggested. Kit agreed, and they both went to change and left the massage room. A part of Roman wanted to pull Kit in close, to inhale the scent lingering on his skin. But he didn't want to push things too far yet. He was fairly certain Kit already had some idea of why he stuck around him so much, even if they hadn’t explicitly discussed it yet.

"Boss," a voice called out the moment Roman stepped out of the spa.

Travis approached with a tense expression.

"What is it?" Roman asked.

Travis glanced briefly at Kit before speaking.

"Just say it," Roman instructed, sensing it wasn’t something secretive.

"The Accardo helicopter is requesting permission to land," Travis reported, making Roman's face tense immediately.

"Who's on that helicopter?"

"Miss Karina and Mr. Marco with two attendants, sir," Travis answered. Kit noticed Roman’s expression darken with obvious displeasure. His jaw clenched as he worked to contain his irritation, making it clear that these were not people he was eager to welcome.

"How the hell did they even find our location? How do they know where the ship is?"

"We don’t know yet," Travis admitted.

"That old man really wants the Accardos wiped from this earth, doesn't he?" Roman muttered.

“Let them land and find them a room. No need to take care of them too much—let them look after themselves,” Roman responded. Travis nodded in acknowledgment before Roman turned to Kit.

"Sorry about this. I need to get back to work, but I'll contact you later," Roman said, his voice notably softer than before, making his staff more certain of Kit's importance to him.

"No problem," Kit replied before Roman had someone escort him back to his room while he went to work.

As for Kit, the moment he returned to his room, he collapsed onto the bed to rest. However, he didn’t sleep just yet—instead, he opened the internet to look up information about the Accardo family, just in case. He discovered that it was the family from Roman’s father’s side, but Roman had separated to establish a new family under his mother’s lineage. Marco was Roman’s cousin, making it clear to Kit that Roman wasn’t on good terms with his grandfather’s side of the family.

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

The sound of Kit’s phone ringing made him raise an eyebrow slightly when he saw it was his stepfather calling. He pressed the answer button.

“Yes, Dad?” Kit greeted.

(“Are you on the Kraken right now?”) His stepfather’s voice was laced with worry.

“How do you know that?” Kit asked back.

(“A friend of mine called to tell me they saw you on the ship. What are you doing there? Do you even know whose ship that is?”) Michael questioned.

“Let me guess—your ‘friend’ is with the FBI, right?” Kit responded knowingly.

(“Doesn’t matter who they are. What I want to know is how you ended up on that ship.”) Michael pressed on, clearly suspicious.

“I’m Roman’s VIP guest,” Kit answered teasingly.

(“Kit, don’t joke around with me right now.”) Michael scolded, his concern evident.

“I’m not joking, Dad. I’m telling the truth. Roman let me board for free as a thank-you for helping him—like I told you before,” Kit explained casually, though he chose not to mention his own suspicions about why he was really invited aboard.

Michael was silent for a moment before responding.

(“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. Roman Vassilo? Offering someone a VIP spot on his ship as gratitude? Especially when the favor you did for him was so minor? Why do I feel like there’s more to this?”) Michael speculated, his instincts kicking in.

“There’s nothing more, Dad. Don’t worry, everything’s fine,” Kit reassured him.

(“How can I not worry? You need to stay away from him. Don’t get too close.”) Michael warned again.

Too late for that, Dad. Stripping down to disposable underwear and getting a massage in the same room—does that count as getting too close? Kit thought to himself but decided not to voice it out loud, not wanting to give his stepfather a heart attack.