Chapter 8: Credibility

Yujin’s powerful hand tightened around my neck. I opened my mouth to try to say something, but couldn’t manage to push anything out. After a moment, tears were trickling down my face and my hands instinctively reached up to paw at their arm. They used their grip to sling me toward the door while remaining on their side of the backseat. They took their cell phone from their pocket to check messages while Sergio calmly continued driving.

We rode in tense silence for what felt like hours, but more likely was only a couple minutes. I caught my breath and did my best to calm down while Yujin scrolled through their phone, eyes fixed in a cold glare. I really thought I’d done the right thing at the time, but now felt a sense of shame at hurting their feelings. Paolo certainly was right about them being cranky.

“Are we still…?” Sergio asked from the front after a while, letting his words trail off.

“Nothing has changed,” Yujin barked without looking up. “She's expecting us at the boutique this afternoon, and I don’t want to miss our window.” They flashed a look in my direction, causing me to cower subtly, worried they might slap me again. “Fix your f*cking face.”

I scrambled through my purse for the compact to check my makeup situation, touching up where needed. I checked my neck, thankful they didn’t leave a mark. One of the only perks of being raised in an abusive household is the ability to gracefully endure conflict when it comes around. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean-”

“Don’t f*cking talk to me,” they quickly cut me off. “Consider yourself lucky we have plans.”

We rode the rest of the way in silence and parked in front of a designer boutique that appeared to be closed. Yujin stepped out of the car and moved to the door without the pleasantries they’d shown at the cafe. Unsure about whether or not I was supposed to follow them, I watched from my seat. Sergio whispered, "Get out."

I climbed out and made my way behind Yujin right as someone was opening the door to greet them. It was an older woman, short and slender with silver hair and a bored smile. The pair greeted each other, speaking in Italian as though I wasn’t right there. We moved into the shop, and she locked the door behind us. She led us to a room with tall mirrors and plush chairs.

“Naughty us, working on the holiday. What would your father think?” she joked toward Yujin while pulling out a bottle of wine.

They raised a long finger to their lips, making a subtle hush noise. “He’ll never find out, everyone knows you are the best at keeping secrets.” She poured each of us a glass, handing them off with a lazy smile.

“People overshare when they feel vulnerable. I did not get into this business accidentally.” She motioned for me to step up on the platform in the center of the room, and I shuffled in that direction. She continued to speak, directing everything at Yujin. “So tell me what look you’re going for with this one.” She began taking measurements and inspecting my frame.

Yujin made themself comfortable in a cozy chair, leaning back and swirling their wine. “Well, he’s hosting the party on his yacht this year. One of my contacts abroad tells me he’s going to announce an official successor. So I want to make sure we’re dressed for good news.”

She laughed, looking over her shoulder at them while I awkwardly stood on the podium watching myself in the mirrors. “Such a cocky thing you are. He was the same way at your age, you know.”

Yujin sipped their wine. “Confidence is a powerful tool as long as you can back it up. Besides, everyone knows he trusts me to handle things when he’s away. Who else would he pick?”

“You’re not his only child, you know.” She said simply, taking a long pull from her wine glass.

They laughed and replied, “I’m his least favorite child, for sure. But that doesn’t change the fact that when he needs something, I’m the one he calls.” They downed their wine before continuing. “Regardless, I need everything to look perfect. Including her.”

I remained silent, taking in what I could of their conversation. Yujin seemed to really care about appearances. It was somehow refreshing to know that someone could be rich and powerful, but still feel insecure enough to care about what people thought about them. It made them seem almost human.

“I’ll pull some looks together from the back. It shouldn’t take long, make yourself at home.” She made her way to the back, leaving us alone. I stood motionless on the platform, staring down at my feet and clutching the wine that I was yet to take a sip from. Yujin slowly stood up from their chair, and I could hear heavy boots trodding evenly in my direction.

“You haven’t touched your wine,” they said in a low tone. “Are you upset with me?”

I shook my head no and lifted the glass to my lips for a long sip. While on the platform, we were almost the same height. Glancing in their direction put me near eye level, which was more intense than ever. Unsure if they wanted me to say something, I stayed quiet and drank the wine in my glass.

They reached up to brush their hand against my neck. I couldn’t help but flinch at first, but then leaned into their touch. It still stung a little, but their warm fingers felt nice against my skin. “Good,” they said, trailing their hand down to the choker and running their finger between the leather and my throat.

My heart started pounding, locking eyes with the beautiful creature. Their expression softened, and they leaned forward to place a tiny kiss on my forehead. I took a deep breath, feeling short of air while in such close proximity to them. Their smile widened, and they playfully gave the choker a tiny tug. “What’s on your mind?” they asked.

I shifted my weight nervously. “It’s just… I can’t figure you out yet. You act really sweet, and then…” I took a second to make sure I chose the correct words. “I guess I don’t understand what I am to you.”

Yujin ran their free hand along my side, stroking the fuzzy fabric while staring intently in my direction. “You’re my pet,” they said simply. “My loyal, obedient, little stray. And I’m your zaddy, the one who took you in when you had nowhere else to go.” They leaned in so close I thought they were going to kiss me. I closed my eyes, feeling their warm breath on my face. “We each have our part to play. And together, we’ll be unstoppable.”

I swallowed, letting their words wash over me. I stood in silence, wishing desperately for their lips to press against mine. When they didn’t, I said, “You’re already so... How could I possibly help you?” I kept my eyes closed, worried that seeing them this close to my face might make me melt entirely.

The hand on my side crept its way around to my lower back, gently pulling me forward. “Having a partner brings a certain… credibility. It’s an unspoken signal of stability, one that I plan to use to my benefit.” They gently brushed the side of their nose against mine in a teasing motion, whispering, “Don’t f*ck this up for me.”