14.

Chapter 14

Sunoo barely made it out of the interrogation room with his dignity intact.

The moment the door clicked shut behind him, he exhaled sharply, pressing the back of his hand to his mouth as if that could erase the heat still lingering on his lips. His pulse was still erratic, his fingers trembling at his sides. He needed to breathe. He needed to think.

But how was he supposed to think when the taste of Riki still lingered, when his smirk still burned behind his eyelids?

“Shit,” Sunoo muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair.

He needed to get himself together. This was Riki—Patient 043. A convicted killer, a manipulative bastard, a walking red flag if there ever was one.

And yet…

His fingers curled into a fist at his side.

And yet, Sunoo had kissed him back.

—

He didn’t sleep that night. Again.

Instead, he sat at his desk, staring at the files he could barely focus on, Riki’s words looping in his mind. They were never going to catch the real monster.

What the hell was he supposed to do with that?

And worse—how was he supposed to walk back into that interrogation room after what had happened?

Riki had won, and he knew it.

Sunoo groaned, dropping his head against the desk.

This was a disaster.

—

“Back so soon?”

Sunoo should have known Riki would be insufferable about this.

When he entered the interrogation room the next evening, Riki was already waiting for him, lounging in his chair like he owned the place. His restraints were still locked, but that didn’t stop him from looking completely at ease—like he wasn’t the one trapped here.

Like he was the one in control.

Sunoo sat down across from him, ignoring the way his heartbeat stuttered when their eyes met.

“I didn’t come here for games,” he said, keeping his voice steady.

Riki smirked. “Liar.”

Sunoo exhaled sharply through his nose. “We’re talking about the case.”

“Are we?” Riki tilted his head. “Because I think we should talk about something else.”

Sunoo crossed his arms. “No.”

“Yes.” Riki grinned, chains rattling as he leaned in just a little. “Like, oh, I don’t know… the way you kissed me last night?”

Sunoo’s stomach clenched. “That was a mistake.”

Riki let out a low hum, considering him. “You say that, but you leaned in first, doc.”

Sunoo’s jaw clenched. “I was compromised. You were manipulating me.”

Riki’s smirk deepened. “So? That doesn’t change the fact that you liked it.”

Sunoo didn’t respond. He wouldn’t give Riki the satisfaction.

But of course, Riki was never one to back down.

“You know,” Riki mused, dragging out the words in that lazy, teasing drawl, “I replayed that moment in my head all night.” He let his voice drop lower, more intimate. “The way your fingers curled in my shirt. The way you melted into it.” He licked his lips, slow, deliberate. “The way you wanted it.”

Sunoo swallowed hard. “That’s enough.”

Riki’s eyes gleamed. “No, I don’t think it is.”

Sunoo forced himself to breathe. He wouldn’t let Riki win again.

So he tilted his head, letting his lips curl just slightly.

“I think you were the one who wanted it,” he murmured, his voice smooth, controlled. “After all, you were the one who leaned in first. Chains and all.”

Riki stilled.

Sunoo smirked. Got him.

Then, before Riki could regain his composure, Sunoo leaned in slightly, mirroring the way he had done it the night before.

“You talk a lot for someone who’s tied down,” Sunoo mused, letting his voice drop just enough to be dangerous.

Riki’s eyes darkened.

For the first time since this started, he was the one caught off guard.

Sunoo leaned back, victorious.

Riki exhaled sharply, then let out a slow, amused laugh. “Ohh. This is fun.”

Sunoo rolled his eyes, but his lips twitched despite himself. “Let’s get back to the case.”

Riki watched him for a long moment, then leaned back, smirk still lingering.

“Alright, doc,” he murmured. “We’ll play your game.”

Sunoo ignored the way his pulse skipped.

Because somehow, he had a feeling that he was the one being played.