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I BLINK RAPIDLY, MAKING SURE that Y/n isn't a mirage.
My meeting with the Gojo Holdings board of directors just wrapped up, and I stopped by the hotel bar for a drink before meeting up with some friends to party. I don't get to come to Vegas often, so I take full advantage of its nightlife when I do. The last thing I expected was to see Y/n Geto being accosted at the bar by some creep.
I'm distracted when my phone buzzes with a text, coincidentally, from her twin brother.
Suguru: Don't play too hard while you're in Vegas.
Satoru: I can't make any promises.
Evidently, he didn't deem it relevant to tell me Y/n was going to be in Vegas the same week as me.
Suguru and I have remained close since high school, staying connected through calls and texts when he moved to London ten years ago after graduating from culinary school. However, I haven't seen Y/n since the summer after high school. We fell out of touch when she moved away to college, and our paths never crossed over the years.
I slip my phone into my pocket to avoid any more distractions.
"Hello, N/n." Her childhood nickname passes my lips like it was only yesterday when we were hanging out in the backyard of the old Yaga house.
"Gojo." She gives me a curt nod but averts her gaze.
Despite her cold greeting, warmth floods my chest at her use of my nickname. It almost makes up for her mask of indifference and her refusal to make eye contact. The Y/n I grew up with was friendly and affectionate. In contrast, this version is distant and guarded.
"Suguru didn't tell me you'd be in Vegas," I say, sliding into the seat on her left, avoiding the chair her unwanted guest just vacated. The creep may think he got away with how he treated Y/n, but he's mistaken.
Y/n finally meets my gaze, fixing me with a scowl. "Do you and my brother make a habit of discussing my whereabouts?"
"No, not usually," I answer with a hint of amusement.
"He told me you're living in London and heading up the European division of Geto International. That's impressive," I commend her.
My conversations with Suguru usually revolve around sports, business, and our one-night stands. His family is a sensitive subject, and he doesn't talk about his parents, or share much with me about Y/n's personal life.
Y/n tugs her lower lip between her teeth, a habit that hints something is bothering her-at least it did when she was younger.
"He exaggerated the truth," she says with a hint of cynicism. "My dad put my step-brothers in charge of the European division when he shifted his focus to global expansion, and I report directly to them." There's bitterness in her tone, but I'm unsure if it's directed at her dad or step-siblings.
