by E A Hunt
“Your enemies! Your enemies had nothing to do with what happened to me Ren. It was all you!” she poked him in the chest. “You said you loved me. Said you wanted to be with me. But you lied! You called me your blossom, your Hana, but I wasn’t, was I? No, I was just someone you wanted to bed!” she couldn’t stop, couldn’t close her mouth as everything she felt came pouring out.
“I was just some fling, some black whore for you to laugh about with the others. And when you didn’t want me, when you no longer considered me your Hana, you tried to end me. The person you said you loved. You!” she pushed at his chest. “You put three bullets in me and left me for dead.”
Audra wiped at the tears rolling down her face, “No one does that to someone they love. Someone they’d only hours earlier called their Hana,” she shook her head. “I was never yours was I Keizo? I was never truly your Hana.”
Chapter Five
‘You put three bullets in me and left me for dead!’
Ren played those word over and over again in his head. She was wrong, it hadn’t been him. It couldn’t have been him. The night Audra was shot, he’d been across town handling a shipment for his Uncle with Hiro. He’d been anxious most of the night because he’d wanted to be with Audra and he hadn’t spoken with her since the day before when she’d mentioned she wasn’t feeling well. He’d worried that she was working herself too hard and needed a break. If it hadn’t been for his obligation to his Uncle, he would have been with her. Caring for her. Asking her to marry him and loving her when she said ‘yes.’ Instead he’d been on a cold dark pier listening to his cousin talk about some woman he was screwing while his Hana was across town getting shot by someone who she thought was him.
“Excuse me?”
Ren watched as Audra pulled her phone from her bag and unlocked the screen. Since her admission he’d kept his distance from her, opting to lean against one of the penthouse walls. He’d watched as she showed Kenzi and Joanne her portfolio. Both women’s oohs and ahhs were nothing he hadn’t heard before. His Hana was a master at her craft.
“Iain, calm down.”
Iain? Who the hell was Iain? If she had some man in her bed, she didn’t anymore. Now that he had his Hana back in his life, he wasn’t going to let anything, or anyone, stand in the way of winning her heart once more. He just had to prove he hadn’t done what she was accusing him of.
“Calm down Iain, it can’t be that bad. All right sweetheart. All right. I’ll be there shortly.” Audra said into her phone, before ending the call. She hated to leave in the middle of a business meeting, especially when the meeting included Ren’s sister. When they were dating the young woman was living in California so Audra hadn’t met her. In fact, she hadn’t met any of Ren’s family. He’d kept their relationship discreet. Only his detail knew about her – which convinced her even further that he had been the one who had shot her. He didn’t want the family to know about his Black, American girlfriend.
“Who’s Iain?”
Audra turned and was unsurprised to find Ren standing behind her, listening to her conversation. He’d been watching her for the last thirty minutes. “None of your concern,” she snapped, turning around, and heading back over to Kenzi and Joanne. They were arguing over one of the only design concepts she had got them to agree on after going through half of her sketch book
“I think it is my concern when this person has you leaving a lucrative business meeting,” Ren replied. He and his men were going to have a serious conversation about the meaning of watching his woman.
“Kenzi, Joanne,” Audra started, ignoring Ren. “I have to be leaving. Something important has come up that can’t be avoid.” Gathering her things, she continued, “I’m going to leave this rendering with you and if there are any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.” Audra passed both women her card, hoping that when she heard from either woman again it would be to tell her she had the job.
“Hana,” Ren tried again. He ignored his sister’s intake of breath. Kenzi had never heard him use his father’s endearment for their mother on anyone. But this wasn’t just any woman. This was Audra. There would only ever be Audra.
“Talk to me,” he pleaded.
“I have talked to you and now I’m all talked out,” she replied, placing her bag on her shoulder. She stepped away from him using her sketch pad as a shield. She had handed over her rendering for the style of the studio apartment, which incorporated both Kenzi’s modern touches and Joanne’s homey touches; and was ready to leave.
“Iain is no concern of yours. Not now and probably not ever,” she said, before she turned and headed towards the elevator.
Ren watched as she stepped onto the elevator, turned the key, and left. “You good here Kenzi?” he asked as he watched the numbers until they reached the ground floor.
“Yes, but Ren -”
He shook his head. He’d deal with her questions later. Turning, he headed for the back stairs. It was time for him to follow Audra.
“Oh Iain,” Audra pressed a kiss to her son’s forehead. When she’d seen the school’s number on her caller ID, she’d been worried. It was rare for the school to call her, especially in the middle of a work day. Usually if they had any issues they would send an email and she would deal with it the following day. But not today. No, today her son was sick, and he only wanted his Momma to hold him and make it all better.
“I don’t feel good Momma,” Iain told her, wrapping his arms around her neck.
“I know baby,” Audra replied. Wrapping her arms around her son, she looked at the nurse.
“Ms. Daniels, we are so sorry about this,” the nurse said. “A young man in Iain’s first grade class brought in a rare fruit for show and tell. Before the teacher could get it from him, several of the kids had taken a bite.” She wrung her hands and continued, “Several other children also had to be sent home sick.”
“Do you know what kind of fruit it was?” Audra questioned the woman. She would look it up when she got home.
“I placed some information about it in Iain’s bag,” the nurse replied.
“Thank you,” Audra said as she scooped up her son. She grabbed his bag, turned, and headed out of the nurse’s office. Once she got Iain home, she would get him his favorite PJs, pop on his favorite movie, and have him drink some ginger ale for his tummy ache. Then she would sit on his bed and read the literature the nurse had provided while her son drifted off to sleep. Pushing open the doors leading outside, Audra stopped when she found Ren standing before her and looking curiously at first her, then the child in her arms. She placed a hand on her son’s face, which was thankfully buried in the crook of her neck so Ren couldn’t see him properly. Iain’s face looked so much like his.
“How -” she started to ask.
“I told the boys to back off,” Ren said. He stepped up to her and the child she carried. Once he’d picked up her tail, he’d wondered where she was going until she’d pulled up in front of the school. He’d gotten out of his car wondering if this was where Iain worked, and if so what kind of donation would he have to make to get the man fired.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Audra said, walking quickly towards her car. She needed to get Iain inside before Ren saw him fully.
“You should have told me you had a child,” Ren scolded, following her to her car.
“There was nothing to tell. I told you I wanted nothing to do with you. So why would I tell you I had a child when all I wanted was for you to leave me alone?” Audra asked sharply, as she unlocked the door to her car with her key fob.
“Momma!” Iain moaned in Japanese.
“Is he speaking Japanese?” Ren asked, startled.
“I speak Japanese why shouldn’t he?” Audra replied, struggling to open the car door.
“That’s not Anglo-Japanese,” Ren replied. He loved hearing Audra speak Japanese but hers had an accent to it which gave away that it wasn’t her first language. The child in her arms had no such accent as he told his mother
what ailed him.
“Ren,” she needed to end this before…
“Momma who is he?” Iain asked, lifting his head to his father.
‘Oh Iain!’ she thought, just as her car door opened.
“Explain now!” Ren demanded, not taking his eyes off the image before him. It was as if he was looking at a mirror image of his younger self. He reached out and placed a hand on the child’s head. “I want an explanation Audra. Now,” he repeated, a bit more gently.
Audra sighed, realizing that it was pointless to continue to fringe innocence.
“Keizo Toshi Ren Tsao meet Ishiro – Ren Iain Tsao, your son.”
She’d had his child?! She’d had his child and kept it from him?! Leaning against the door jam of his son’s room, Ren watched as the boy slept. Watched as his spitting image curled onto his side, his hands tucked under his pillow and softly snored, contented in his little bed. His son and his well-being were the only reason he wasn’t railing against his mother for keeping the child a secret from him.
Iain was also the reason they weren’t on the Tsao estate. His son didn’t know the estate, though he would soon, and wouldn’t be happy there especially if his mother wasn’t with him. So, he’d placed them in his car, while calling for someone to pick up Audra’s car from the school; and brought them to where his son felt safe. Felt loved.
“Ren?” Audra cautiously walking towards him. Despite all her attempts to get him to leave once they’d arrived at her apartment, he’d simply removed their sleeping son from her arms, given a small nod to the men who watched her apartment, and come inside without saying one word. In silence, they’d gotten Iain into his PJs, given him his ginger ale and got him tucked into bed with his favorite movie playing. She’d left Ren in the room watching their son as she’d researched the fruit he’d been given. The fruit her son had eaten was deadly and would only cause a tummy ache for those who weren’t used to eating it. With that concern addressed she’d come to deal with her other concern. Ren and his reaction to their son.
“I -”
“You had no right to keep him from me,” Ren said quietly, still watching his son. He couldn’t look at her right now.
“I had every right,” Audra replied
“I am his father Audra.” Ren reminded getting more and more pissed
“And I am his mother and it is my responsibility to keep him safe!” Came her quietly pissed reply
“I could have never harmed him,” he turned and looked at her. “Or you.”
Was he telling the truth? She looked into his eyes and saw nothing but conviction there. He believed what he was telling her. She shook her head, “I know what I saw Ren.”
“And I’m telling you, you are wrong.”
“How can I be wrong? You’d been coming to my apartment using the key I gave you for months! So, when I heard my apartment door open and heard footsteps, I thought it was you. But…” she sighed. “You said you saw me. Said I betrayed you. I’ve never betrayed you not even when the consulate and police were asking about you after I woke from surgery. I still loved you. Still wanted to protect. Still wanted to believe you loved me even if I had three bullet wounds and a baby who was fighting for his life just like I was fighting for mine.”
Audra turned and headed towards the front door of her apartment. She needed some space from Ren. He was making her second guess what she’d seen that night. But she knew she wasn’t wrong. She couldn’t be wrong. Reaching for the handle, she was about to open the door when she felt Ren at her back, his light musk scent invading her senses.
“I’m not dismissing what you thought you saw Hana,” he breathed into her hair. “I’m just telling you that you are wrong.”
“I saw your tattoo peaking from your collar. The gun was the same one your father gave you as a present after your first kill.” Audra placed her forehead against the door. “You didn’t want us,” she said. “So, you tried to – “
“Watashi no utsukushi hana,” my beautiful blossom in Japanese. Ren kissed the back of her neck, “I have wanted nothing more than you and a child,” he said, kissing her along her shoulder blade. Placing a hand on her belly he brought her fully against him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lifting her head Audra finally gave up and sank into him, “I’d planned on telling you. I’d planned this big reveal then…” she sniffled.
Ren wrapped his other arm around her as he bent down, placing his forehead on the back of her neck. His Hana had thought he’d tried to kill her. Had had his child all on her own because someone had made her believe he didn’t want them. He squeezed her to him. Not only was he going to find out who had tried to take his Hana and his son from him, he was going to end anyone who had dared to help them. It was time for the Kokushibyo (Black Death) of the Tsao Yakuza to come out and play.
Chapter Six
After a dinner of chicken and stars soup with Iain asking Ren questions only a child could, Audra had finally got her son back to sleep and his father to leave, though it was clear Ren wanted to stay and talk. Something she was not up to doing just yet. She was all talked out and just wanted a hot bath and some rest.
Walking into her bathroom, Audra started running her bath water. Before Iain woke up they had sat on her couch and Ren had told her where he was the night she’d been shot. She had stared at him in confusion because though it had been dark in her apartment that night, the moon had been shining into her room and there was enough light from her bath to give her a clear picture of whoever had come into her home. If it wasn’t Ren, then who had succeeded in making her think the man she loved, the father of her child, had tried to kill her?
Shutting off the bath water, Audra started to strip. Once she had a nice long soak she would crawl into her bed and sleep. Thinking about who could have possibly wanted her dead was not something she had the energy for this evening. It had been a long day and right now she just wanted a nice rest before her son and his father invaded her life once more. Ren was on the rampage about learning everything about that night and Iain was a sick little boy who wanted his Momma’s cuddles. She was reaching for her bra when she heard movement in her hall.
“Iain back to bed,” she called out to her son. It wasn’t unusual for Iain to come into her room when he wasn’t feeling well, wanting to sleep with her. “Iain?” she called out again. Audra turned just in time to see the black gloved covered fist coming towards her face. She dodged, punching her assailant in their side before crouching and swiping them off their feet. Hearing the crunch of the person’s head hit the floor, she scrambled to her feet and jumped over them to rush out of her room. Taking the hall as fast as she could, she entered Iain’s room to see another person, covered in head to toe black; like their partner, standing over her son with a syringe in their hand. Spotting Iain’s soccer ball she picked it up and threw it at the assailant, targeting his head with the precision of any mother defending her child’s life. She cheered inside as the syringe was knocked from its hands.
“Bitch!”
“You haven’t seen a bitch yet,” she sneered, rushing towards the assailant with all the strength she had in her. She tackled them to the floor and clasped both of her hands together before knocking them across the face. It worked and they were knocked out. Audra scrambled off them and quickly scooping up her son, blanket and all, she turned and ran from the room.
Taking the apartment door at a labored sprint she pulled it open, turned to her right and bolted out of the apartment building. She needed to get herself and her son out of there as fast as possible. Out on the street, she rushed towards the car where she had seen a member of her detail only five minutes ago, smoking a cigarette. Opening the door, she saw the man slumped over the steering wheel with a hole in the back of his head. This explained how those people had gotten into her apartment.
Moving her son to her shoulder she pulled the man from the car leaving him on the ground. Sliding into the car she prayed it was one of those ‘push to start’ cars because she
was not about to go through a dead man’s pockets looking for keys. Securing Iain in the passenger seat, she closed the door just as the two people who’d broken into her apartment came rushing out. She pushed the car to start, slammed the driver’s door, and sped away from danger.
“I’m supposed to believe you’ve been looking for me for months because you want to offer me a deal?” Rouva Tyrell questioned. She’d been brought before The Four two hours after Kendrik had located her in Northern Illinois where she’d been hiding since her mother’s death. She wasn’t going to call it murder because as far as she was concerned her mother had got what she deserved. There was no love lost between Rouva and her mother. After all, she had sold Rouva’s virginity to the highest bidder when she was only fourteen.
“That’s right,” Bram replied. He’d wanted this whole situation dealt with before The Four were thrust into war over a woman who’d betrayed them all. “Most of the houses have been shut down and the girls have been offered more suitable work or ...”
“I know,” Rouva replied. She still had some friends within her mother’s organization. They’d been the ones to help her get out of the city when she learned The Four were looking for her. “Thank you for caring for them,” she answered honestly.
“It was our pleasure,” Seamus said. He could see the hurt in Rouva - it was the same hurt he’d seen in himself once upon a time. “I want to -”
“Don’t,” Rouva shook her head. “My mother and I weren’t on the best of terms. She thought I wasn’t worthy. And there were many times that she would offer me up for some fun when she wanted something from someone.” She shrugged, “Men thought I was beautiful, so she used me. And I rebelled, much to her displeasure. So trust me, you have nothing to be sorry for.”
“Your mother’s people,” Ren started. He wanted to have this little meeting over with so he could get back to Audra and Iain. His son was sick, and he wanted to be there to care for him if he needed something through the night. It was his turn to take care of their child so Audra could get some rest.
