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PROLOGUE
KAI
Five Years Old
"Are those tears?"
I bite the inside of my mouth in an attempt to stop the torrent of water that is spilling out of my eyes, but it does nothing to stop it, instead it just makes me cry harder.
"It hurts." I whimper.
I crouch down, and my father flicks the thin wood stick against my inner thigh, breaking through the skin as I crouch into position. "This is not pain. This is strength taking root in your soul." he says.
The warm liquid pouring down my leg and pooling into my shoes reminds me that I'll have another scar. I grind my teeth to keep from screaming out.
It's important to be the best at what you do, isn't it?" He asks me, and I draw in a soothing breath before I position my hands and begin to move forward.
"There is no other option." I reply, in the matter that he's taught me over and over.
"Exactly Kai, there's no other option; you'll be the best, no matter how hard I have to work to whip you into shape." A rod snaps against my right palm, and I hiss in pain as it snaps against the palm of my hand again.
Perfection isn't something I hope to attain. Perfection is the only way I'll be able to survive.
* * *
Twenty Two Years Old
Wooo!" Charin raises his glass and shakes my shoulder. "Are you ever going to celebrate? I mean, we did it Kai!" He laughs just as he downs the clear liquid, and winces as the burning alcohol runs down his throat.
"I'll celebrate when I win my first case." A small smirk passes over my lips and I put the shot glass to my mouth. Every last person in my class that passed the bar is here getting drunk out of their minds, but for me it doesn't seem like something to celebrate as of yet. I worked hard, I passed all the tests, passing the test is the bare minimum. Nothing to be ecstatic about.
"Kai, only you would be so nonchalant about becoming a lawyer. I can't wait to see what happens when you finally start to practice. No one is going to want to see you in court." Charin shakes his head as he puts his hand up to request another shot.
I don't reply to his statement.
No one is going to want to see me in court. I hope that's not the case. What's the point of working to be the very best lawyer if I can't find anyone to stand toe to toe with me.
"Hey, sexy."
My body clenches in readiness. I relax only slightly when I see it's Josette. It doesn't matter what is going on, I'm always ready for a fight, I have my father to thank for that.
"Josette, congratulations." I tilt my head down at her and turn fully in her direction. She's a pretty girl. Long red hair, freckles, honey brown skin and nice full lips. There was a time that I allowed myself to give into my carnal urges with her, but it was a once and done type of thing. Something Josette never seemed to understand. I'm not the type of man to go back for seconds.
"Can you believe this is happening? I mean one minute we're slaving away in the books and the next we're standing in the bar as full-fledged lawyers." She runs a hand down my arm and moves in a bit closer, her long hair shimmers under the dim lights above.
"Yeah, it's a shock, for sure." I reply.
"Tell me about it." She swallows down hard, and I can almost hear the gears turning in her head as she leans up to speak in my ear, "Now that we don't have to worry about anything distracting us, what do you say to continuing this celebration back at my house?"
I knew it. I hate to make her upset, but I'm not interested in fucking her in the least.
"Ah, such a tempting offer. I can't though, I'm training tonight." I say giving her as little information as I can.
She pulls back and looks at me with an expression of confusion and disbelief. "Training? Tonight? This is the same training you do when you come to class looking like you've just got knocked upside the head with a four by four?"
I clench my jaw, but make sure not to let the calm expression drop off my face. She's talking about my fight with the Blade. I'd won, but it came at a great cost.
None of my classmates know exactly what I do to end up with cuts and bruises on my body, and I'm not going to tell them. They all think I'm training at a gym, and that's perfectly fine with me. In reality, I'm part of an underground fighting organization. I'm the lightweight Jiu Jitsu champ and I have been for the past three years. The purse from my fights is how I was able to pay for law school. My last fight against the Blade caught me by complete surprise. He was faster than I anticipated. Of course, I beat the brakes off him, but he did a number on my face.
