Book Title: Dark Money Love
Author: Ace Fawn
Publisher: Self-Published
Cover Artist: Angela Haddon
Release Date: September 1, 2021
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Tropes: Age-gap, work off the debt, yakuza, loan shark
Themes: Money, love and death
Length: 35 893 words/121 pages
It is a standalone story.
Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited
Blurb
Akira Kazama is a man that gets what he wants. A loan shark king affiliated with the yakuza, he practically runs the money game in Tokyo.
Sora Nakano wants to save his mother’s life. When he has no choice left but to take out a hefty loan for her medical bills, he becomes indebted to Akira.
For Akira, business is always strictly business. And when someone owes him money, he always collects. Except this time, he wants more than just money from Sora.
He wants his body.
They agree on an arrangement for Sora to pay off the debt, and it’s supposed to be a win-win situation for them both. But Sora never wanted to be involved with the dark, hidden side of Akira’s life, and when Sora is threatened, he must turn to Akira for help.
Will Sora save his mother and get out of this alive? Or will he spiral down the path of dark money love?
“Drink.”
It was an order. Sora couldn’t say no to that deep and dominant voice. Besides, he didn’t want to risk angering Akira. He drank from his glass again, taking it slow and resisting the urge to cringe or poke his tongue out.
Sora swallowed hard, wincing at the burning sensation in his chest.
“Good boy,” Akira murmured. He looked amused.
The only thing Sora could taste was the liquor down his throat. His cheeks flushed with heat, and he hoped that would be the last glass. He didn’t want to get drunk and risk making a mess in Akira’s beautiful penthouse.
“Now go to the bed and relax.”
Sora placed the glass on the benchtop, avoiding Akira’s sharp eyes. He turned on his heel, walked to the bed, and sat on smooth sheets. What had Akira given him? The alcohol must be strong because Sora’s head and body already felt warm and fuzzy.
“What was that?” Sora asked.
Akira approached him, his chuckle smooth and low. “Whisky.”
Sora nodded, keeping his eyes on Akira. “Are we going to…um…do it now?”
“Not so fast, Sora. We need to talk about this first.”
Sora was confused. “What is there to talk about?”
“You need a safe word.”
“A what?”
Akira smiled, and Sora’s chest throbbed.
“This is new to you, I understand. I’ll guide you. You just need to trust me.”
Sora hesitated before he nodded. Regardless of those two shots he’d consumed, the nerves fluttered in his stomach. Or was there a little bit of excitement too?
“Now, give me a word. It could be anything. Like the colour red. Or something else.”
“Like a fruit?”
“Something like that.”
“Hmm…” Sora gazed at the ceiling in thought. “How about…strawberry?”
“That’s perfect.”
Their eyes lingered on each other before Sora asked, “But what is this for?”
“Your safe word is strawberry. You say that if I go too far and you want me to stop. Of course, I will push you to your limits, but I’ll make sure you’re okay.”
Sora saw the hungry look in Akira’s eyes. It sent a spark to his groin, and Sora pressed his knees together. He felt like he didn’t know anything at all, yet at the same time, he couldn’t stop his curiosity from growing.
Akira walked to the drawer and took out a collar. Sora stared, frowning.
“Don’t worry, Sora. I won’t hurt you. This is something you will wear while we play.”
Although he was hesitant, Sora nodded and allowed Akira to place the collar around his neck. He had a feeling that not a lot of people did this type of thing in the bedroom, but then again, he couldn’t be so sure.
Akira stood before Sora, gazing down at him with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. “It looks good on you.”
Sora blushed. His body felt aflame with heat. He thumbed at the collar, the leather smooth against his fingertips.
“Um…thanks.”
Akira played with the neckline of the bathrobe. “Now take this off.”
Akira pulled open the bathrobe, exposing Sora’s bare chest and hard nipples.
The plush fabric pooled around Sora’s hips before Akira pulled it all the way off, revealing his bare, lean body. Sora blushed and looked down at his hands.
“Don’t be shy now,” Akira said, taking Sora’s chin and lifting his face.
Sora looked at Akira from under his eyelashes, his cheeks burning. He shrugged. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
Sora hadn’t expected Akira to be so gentle with him. And now Akira was staring at him again.
“Are you okay?”
Sora nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Remember your safe word. We’ll start now.” Akira pulled his hand away and went to the drawer, taking out a pair of cuffs connected by a short chain. He took hold of Sora’s wrists and clasped them on, the insides lined with soft faux fur. The black leather matched the collar around Sora’s neck, contrasting with his fair skin.
“Lie on your back.”
“What are those for?” Sora asked.
“Do as I say, Sora.”
Sora trembled from that firm tone. He did what Akira told him to.
“Arms up.”
Sora slowly lifted his arms, his fingertips brushing the headboard. He liked not having to worry about what to do next. He liked how Akira was the one to tell him what to do. He felt the nerves pick up in his stomach, but he wasn’t afraid.
Akira unclasped one side of the chain and looped it over the headboard before he reconnected the chain to the silver D ring on the other cuff.
Sora wriggled his wrists and pulled. He was trapped in place and couldn’t move his arms down. He trembled harder, that nervous energy from before seeming to come at him at full throttle. Chewing hard on his lower lip, Sora stared at Akira, trying to focus on anything other than that feeling in the pit of his stomach.
Australian author Ace Fawn writes contemporary m/m romance fiction. She is drawn to dark themes and loves reading m/m books as much as she loves writing them.
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