After Closing

PROLOGUE

There were three rules Yin had lived by since he was seventeen.

The first: if War called, answer.

The second: never let anyone hurt him if Yin could stop it.

And the third...the one currently ruining his life -

Don't touch War unless he could survive it afterward.

Bangkok shimmered beneath the rain outside his condo windows while unfinished work glowed uselessly across Yin's laptop screen. He hadn't been able to focus for hours. Not after tonight.

Not after War had ended up between his knees on the café floor with Yin's hands gripping his waist too tightly, both of them breathing like something dangerous had almost happened.

You have no idea what you do to me, do you?

Yin should never have said it aloud.

His phone buzzed suddenly against the counter.

WAR CALLING.

Yin answered immediately. "P'war?"

For a moment, only rain filled the silence.

Then War spoke softly.

"I think I messed up."

Yin's chest tightened instantly. "What happened?"

War hesitated.

And when he finally answered, his voice sounded small enough to make something in Yin's stomach twist painfully.

"I kissed someone."

Silence.

Bangkok traffic blurred below the windows while Yin stood completely still, fingers tightening around his phone.

"Who?" he asked quietly.

"That investor from the café."

Tee.

Yin closed his eyes.

On the other end of the line, War laughed nervously, though it sounded nothing like happiness.

"It didn't mean anything," he whispered quickly. "I don't even know why I did it."

Yin forced himself to breathe evenly despite the sharp jealousy crawling beneath his skin.

"Then why kiss him?"

The silence afterward felt endless.

Then, very softly, War admitted:

"Because he looked at me the way you do."