Instead, he saw a young woman arguing with his receptionist.
He expected her to become frightened when he approached.
She didn't.
"Excuse me," Zora said.
Jihan stopped.
"Do you know who I can talk to about an apartment listing?"
His eyebrows rose slightly.
"I've been getting the runaround."
The receptionist rushed forward.
"Mr. Kong, I'm sorry. She was just leaving."
"Was I?" Zora asked.
Jihan looked at her.
Then at her phone.
"What apartment?"
"8C."
He recognized the number immediately.
He owned it.
He had forgotten about it.
"That apartment is available."
The receptionist stared at him.
"Process the lease," Jihan ordered.
Zora blinked.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
Her entire expression changed.
"Thank you."
She extended her hand.
"I'm Zora. Zora Bennett."
Jihan stared at her hand for a moment before shaking it.
Her palm was calloused.
A dancer's hands.
"Kong Jihan," he said.
"Jean," she replied. "You just saved my future."
Something moved inside him.
He couldn't explain it.
People normally looked at him and saw danger.
She looked at him and saw a man who had solved a problem.
"Welcome to Chicago," he said.
He walked away.
Neither of them knew that their lives had just collided.
Neither knew that within days, Zora would kiss him in front of half of Chicago's underworld.
And neither knew that the kiss would become the beginning of something neither could escape.
The Kiss
Zora's first few days in Chicago passed in a blur.
Classes.
Rehearsals.
Orientation.
Cheap meals.
Long walks.
She loved every second of it.
The studio apartment wasn't glamorous, but it was hers.
She could dance in the living room without waking three cousins sleeping in the next room.
For the first time, she had a place where she could close the door and simply breathe.
She saw Jean only once after moving in.
He was leaving the building surrounded by men in dark suits.
Zora waved.
He didn't appear to notice.
She laughed at herself.
Obviously.
The man probably had more important things to do than wave at his ridiculously underqualified tenant.
Then, four nights later, Zora stayed late at campus.
By the time rehearsal ended, it was after ten.
Chicago had become cold.
She pulled her jacket tighter and began walking from the train station toward Lotus Tower.
Halfway there, she noticed footsteps behind her.
She looked over her shoulder.
A man.
She kept walking.
He kept walking.
She slowed.
He slowed.
Her stomach tightened.
Zora pretended to check her phone.
The man stopped.
She began walking again.
He followed.
Fear took over.
She ran.
The doors of Lotus Tower opened and Zora rushed inside.
She barely noticed the group of men standing in the lobby.
Then she saw Jean.
He was in the middle of a tense conversation with members of the Anteneelli family.
He looked colder than she'd ever seen him.
More dangerous.
Behind her, the glass doors opened.
The man had followed her inside.
Zora panicked.
She didn't think.
She grabbed Jean's jacket, pulled herself onto her toes, and kissed him.
For three seconds, the world stopped.
Jihan froze.
Nobody kissed him.
Nobody touched him without permission.
But before he could react, he noticed the man behind Zora.
Carlo Anteneelli.
A known predator.
Jihan's expression changed.
He wrapped one arm around Zora and moved slightly in front of her.
"Carlo."
The man's confidence disappeared.
"Mr. Kong."
"Is there a problem?"
Carlo glanced at Zora.
Then at Jihan's arm around her.
"No problem."
"There better not be."
Carlo left.
The Anteneelli representatives exchanged looks.
Jihan understood immediately.
They believed Zora was his girlfriend.
He made a decision.
"My girlfriend just arrived," he said calmly. "We'll continue tomorrow."
After the others left, Zora immediately stepped away.
"I'm so sorry."
Jihan stared at her.
"I panicked."
"You kissed me."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because you looked like someone who could scare that man away."
Jihan almost smiled.
Almost.
Instead, he asked, "Are you hurt?"
"No."
"Did he touch you?"
"No."
Jihan removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.
She looked down at herself.
"Thank you."
Then his expression hardened.
"We have a problem."
"What kind?"
"The Anteneellis think you're my girlfriend."
Zora's eyes widened.
"Oh."
"If they discover you're not, they'll know you were frightened and vulnerable. Carlo could try again."