Emperor of Rage: A Dark Mafia Enemies To Lovers Romance

The sun is just dipping below the horizon, casting long shadows across the grounds of the Mori house. I watch the gardens slip into twilight before I step outside. I take a seat on the back terrace, wrapped in a soft cardigan, nursing a cup of my “morning” coffee.

I glance at my phone, rolling my eyes when I see the simple thumbs-up emoji response from Annika to my question about doing something later tonight.

Yeah, that’s a no. That’s code for “sorry, actually, Kenzo and I will be locked in his suite banging each other’s brains out until we can’t move, at which point we’ll probably do it again.”

I grin, sighing.

I’m happy for her. Even though we’re all living in the same house, and I’ve barely seen her in a week.

There wasn’t a precise point where I “decided” to stay in Kyoto. I just…didn’t go back to New York. New York was never “home” for me. A lot of places have held that designation over the past eleven years since I left home. Some for longer than others—like when Annika and I were basically trapped with Valon, living in Milan.

New York was only a temporary stopping point. I mean, I spent the few months I was there living exclusively in hotel rooms.

But Kyoto?

I smile to myself as I sip my coffee. It feels weird to say a place I’m just visiting “feels like home”. But it does. Annika is here, for a start. Kir has zero issues with me doing my work for him from here.

Mal’s here.

The sound of footsteps pulls me from my thoughts.

Instantly, a heated tremor ripples up my spine.

I don’t need to turn around to know it’s him. His presence is unmistakable—dark and inevitable, like a storm rolling in over the mountains. He doesn’t say anything for a minute, just stands behind me, his long shadow stretching across the terrace.

Finally, he speaks, his voice low and commanding. “Come with me.”

I blink, glancing over my shoulder at him, frowning slightly.

“Come with you where?” I ask.

He doesn’t answer, just steps forward, reaching out to take my hand, and before I know it, I’m being pulled to my feet. I take another large sip of my coffee and then set the mug down, stumbling after him.

Mal leads me through the house and out the front door to the sweeping driveway, where his Jeep is parked. The top is down, and in the back seat are two surfboards, their sleek forms jutting up into the evening sky.

I stop in my tracks, my eyes widening before I turn to glance at him. “What…?”

He grins that rare, crooked smile that always sends a jolt of electricity through me. “Get in.”

I hesitate for a moment, my mind spinning with questions. But then I feel that familiar pull—the irresistible urge to go with him and see where this will lead. Without another word, I climb into the passenger seat.

We don’t speak as he pulls out of the driveway and onto the winding mountain roads that lead away from the house. The wind rushes past us, cool and fresh. I glance over at him: Mal is focused on the road, his hands steady on the wheel.

I watch the moon climb, the sky turning a deep shade of purple as the stars begin to peek through. After a while, I can’t help but ask.

“So…surfboards?”

Mal’s eyes flicker toward me for a brief second, a hint of amusement in them. “Thought it was time you learned.”

I stare at him, gaping. “I was clear that I’ve never surfed before, right?”

“You’d also never fucked before.”

My face explodes with heat. Mal just grins.

“Why now?” I ask softly, watching his profile as he drives, the moonlight casting shadows across his face.

Mal’s hand slides off the gearshift, his fingers brushing mine briefly. “Because I want to.”

There’s something in his tone that makes me stop questioning. Maybe this is what I need.

And maybe Mal knows that better than I do.

Honjohama Beach, two hours from Kyoto, is empty, the waves crashing softly against the shore. Silvery moonlight glistens over the rolling waves and the sand, and I can’t help but feel a sense of awe at the beauty of it all. The darkness makes everything feel a little more dangerous, a little more thrilling.

Clouds ripple across the moon as Mal grabs the surfboards, and I follow him toward the water, kicking off my shoes and letting my feet sink into the cool, wet sand. The sound of the ocean fills the air, a steady, rhythmic pulse that matches the thrum of my heart.

“You’ll want this.”

Mal hands me a black long-sleeved wetsuit with the bottom part cut to shorts, along with a simple black bikini. I bite my lip, heat teasing my cheeks as he strips down to nothing and pulls on a swimsuit and a men’s wetsuit in the same style as mine.

“If you need help ripping your clothes off, just ask.”

I blush, realizing I’ve been openly staring at him. I pull off my clothes, feeling the heat of his gaze on me as I slip on the bikini and wriggle into the wetsuit.

“We’ll see how long we have,” Mal growls, turning to glance up at the sky over the water. Dark clouds are rolling in, and the surf is definitely getting higher. “We might have a storm rolling in.”

I swallow uneasily, tension knotting in my stomach.

“I don’t know…” I murmur, looking out over the frankly terrifying black water.

“You can.”

I shiver as I glance at him. “Hmm?”

“You can do this. We’ll practice standing up on the board in the sand first. Then we’ll head out.”

He hands me one of the boards. “Ready?”

I nod. Honestly, I’m not sure if I am. But something about being here with Mal makes me want to push past that fear, to throw caution to the wind and just…live.

Memento Vivere.

We spend about an hour on the sand first, Mal showing me how to slide from a lying position to a standing one in one motion. The trick is, you’ve gotta do this while balancing on water, and a wave is carrying you toward the shore.

Even on the sand, I suck at first. But after about a million tries, I start to suck at it less. Another million tries after that, I think I’ve got the hang of it.

Mal walks with me toward the water, the cool waves lapping at our feet. The moon hangs low in the sky, its silvery glow making the water look almost ethereal, though definitely spooky, too.

I shiver. “Are their sharks out here?”

Mal grins. “Only one way to find out.”

Well, fuck.

I swallow back my fear and follow him into the water. There’s a quiet peace in the darkness, a stillness that settles over us as we wade deeper into the waves.

He shows me how to lie on the board, his hands steady and sure as they guide me. “You’ve got this,” he says quietly.

I take a deep breath as I paddle out into the open water, my heart racing with both fear and excitement. The waves beneath us are gentle at first, rolling like soft, undulating hills. But as we paddle farther from shore, I can feel the power of the ocean underneath me, the pull of the tide growing stronger.

Mal is just ahead of me, his body moving with the waves as if he’s part of them. There’s a grace to him I’ve never seen before, a fluidity that’s both beautiful and unexpected.

“You’re doing great,” he calls back over the sound of the waves.

My arms are already starting to tire from the effort, but I manage a smile. The cool salt spray on my skin and the vastness of the ocean stretching out before me feels like freedom, and for the first time in ages, I feel like I’m in control. Maybe not of my disease, or my fate. But this moment?

This moment is mine.

“Get ready to stand!” Mal yells as a wave comes surging toward us from behind.

I hesitate, my heart pounding in my chest. But it’s okay. I trust him.

“Now!”

I push to standing, my legs wobbly, but somehow, I stay upright. The wave carries me forward, the wind rushing past me, and for the briefest moment, I feel utterly weightless—like I’m flying.

“Mal!” I shriek, laughing as the wave takes me toward the shore. I catch his grin out of the corner of my eye, and it’s like nothing else matters.

I don’t know how long we surf. It feels like hours. Time itself blurs out here, the moonlight and the ocean blended together in perfect harmony. I’m breathless, my body exhausted, but I don’t want to stop. I don’t want this night ever to end.

Then something shifts.

The wind picks up, a sharp gust that sends a chill down my spine. I glance out at the horizon and see the dark clouds from earlier rolling in way faster. The ocean is starting to churn, the waves growing taller and more violent by the second.

“We should head in,” Mal says as he paddles over to me.

I shake my head, adrenaline coursing through my veins. “Just one more,” I grin, placing the board under me and paddling out away from him.

“Freya, now,” His voice is sharper, cutting through the growing wind.

But I’m already gone, chasing one last wave, the thrill of my new addiction too tempting to resist. A storm might be coming, but in this moment, I feel invincible.

I catch the wave, my body moving with the ocean as the seriously massive crest roars toward the shore. For a second, it’s perfect.

Until it’s not.

Gravity goes sideways and the wave crashes down around me, the wind whipping the water into a frenzy. I’m thrown from the board, tumbling beneath the surface, disoriented and gasping for air.

Panic surges through me as the storm hits in earnest. I try to surface, but the waves are relentless, dragging me under repeatedly, the board tied to my ankle jerking and yanking my leg. Just when I think I can’t hold on any longer, strong arms wrap around me, pulling me up into the air.

Mal.

He hauls me onto his board, his eyes wild with fear and anger. “What the hell were you thinking?” he roars, but there’s no time for a reply. The storm is here, and it’s fucking angry.

The waves thunder around us as we paddle frantically toward the beach. We make it to shore just as the winds reach a fever pitch, the rain sheeting down. Mal grabs both boards, undoing the ankle straps, and we rush up the sand toward the Jeep. We’re both yanking our wetsuits and swimsuits off when a sudden, violent cracking sound explodes through the night.

I whirl, screaming as a huge tree branch comes crashing down, smashing onto the parking lot right in front of the Jeep, boxing it in.

I shudder as the massive storm begins to rage and thunder around us. I glance around, looking for shelter, but there’s nothing. Mal told me on the way that that’s why he loves this beach—because it’s so isolated, without even a single tacky surf bar.

“FREYA!”

Mal screams my name over the howling wind, the sky thundering and booming as the storm crashes against the shore. He grabs my hand, yanking me after him into the swirling winds as we stumble back down the beach, naked, wet, and scared.

Mal pulls me down into the space between two rock formations, shielding us from the worst of it. I can’t tell if it’s the wind or me screaming as his powerful arms wrap around me, his body pressed tightly to mine. His breath is ragged, his chest rising and falling as Hell on earth thunders around us.

“Typhoon!” he roars.

I cling to him desperately, like the winds might rip me away and suck me up into the storm itself. I look up at him, my heart pounding in my chest, and something shifts between us. The storm is raging all around us, but all I can focus on is him—his ice-blue eyes, the way his hands grip me like he’ll never let go.

And then, without thinking, I kiss him.

It’s fierce and desperate, a kiss that says everything we’ve been unable to. The wind howls around us, the rain pelting our skin, the fury of nature herself screaming into our ears.

None of it matters.

Only we matter right now.

My tongue dances with his, my moans lost on the wind as I kiss him eagerly. His hands slide over my body, gripping the back of my neck and tangling in my wet hair. Grabbing my ass, his body rolling against mine.

I shiver, whimpering as I kiss him maniacally.

He’s hard.

I’m wet, and it’s not from the rain.

Mal growls into my mouth, biting and nipping at my lips as I reach between us and wrap my small fingers around his huge dick. His eyes snap to mine, his stormy, icy blue gaze locking on me as his lips curl dangerously.

We’re the perfect blend of crazy.

Without thinking, forgetting the fact that we’re in a fucking typhoon with Mother Nature attempting to wipe us off the face of the Earth, I slip my leg over him. Mal groans as I get on top, stroking his cock against my slick pussy before I center the head.

Fuucckk yesss…

I slide down onto him, feeling his fat cock impale me as he drives into me hard and deep. He grabs fists of my hair and my ass, bruising his lips to mine in a punishing, violent kiss as we start to rock together.

The storm thunders and roars around us. Rain crashes down on us as the wind rips and claws at our bodies. Lightning explodes across the sky, the booming thunder rattling my very bones as my hips bounce and writhe and I grind on Mal’s cock.

His mouth drops to my neck, biting so hard I swear he breaks the skin. His hands are all over me, rolling my nipples, twisting my piercings, grabbing my ass and pinning me to him as he thrusts up into me with a savagery that sends me reeling.

Lightning crashes again and the wind keeps howling like a banshee. Mal grabs my face, locking eyes with me, our lips an inch apart and our bodies slamming together over and over as I bounce and ride on his cock until the world turns blurry around me.

The sky rips in two. Thunder explodes in my very soul.

I scream as I let go and come.

Mal’s mouth slams to mine, swallowing my cries as my pussy clamps down around him. The orgasm tears through me, and when he grips me tighter and groans into my lips, I gasp as I feel his cum spurt deep inside me.

The storm doesn’t let up. Neither do we.

We just keep going.

And going.

And going.

Because out here at the edge of the world, in the middle of the Armageddon, with him…

I’m free.

And in this moment, we are gods.