by Sara Fields
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked.
“Drug-free, I hope,” I smirked, and he chuckled.
“Sassy girl. Yes. It’s completely drug-free and entirely organic. I am saddened to say I can’t recall where the beans come from, only that it’s an incredibly expensive blend. At least, that’s what the chef said,” he answered as his own lips rose in amusement. He handed me one of the mugs and I took it gratefully, taking a sip.
“I mean, it’s good coffee, but I’d probably be horrified at the cost of a single mug of it,” I answered lightly.
“Apparently it’s like five hundred dollars for one pound,” he answered rather matter-of-factly and I nearly spit it out.
“I should probably really enjoy it then,” I said, shaking my head in disbelief. I had a very good income in my position at my father’s company, but even I had limits on how much I spent on things. I happened to really like Starbucks, which wasn’t even close to that expensive.
“Probably,” he answered, before he spit out a mouthful into the sink.
“That’s not quite enjoying it. It’s not a wine tasting,” I said.
“I do what I want,” he replied with a smile.
“I do too,” I smirked and met his gaze playfully.
“You used to, little girl,” he growled, and I shivered with arousal at his possessive reminder. “There’s some makeup on the counter if you’d like to use it, but that beautiful face doesn’t need even a little bit. There’s a pair of kitten heels waiting by the door too, but you can wait to put those on. Feel free to finish getting ready, then the two of us are going to watch a movie before Kiyota gets here,” he continued. “I’ve got a few additional files that Richardson just sent me to review, so I’ll be looking at those in the meantime.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Put down your coffee,” he said, and I looked at him quizzically before I did what he asked. Quickly, he grasped my upper arm and swatted my backside hard a number of times until it was stinging and quite sore.
“In private, how do you address me?” he asked.
“I’m to call you sir,” I answered, my voice rising from the harsh bite of his palm.
“That’s right. Now be a good girl and get ready. We’ve got plenty of time for me to take you over my knee, so if you don’t want that, you’ll remember to address me properly,” he said sternly.
“Yes, sir,” I whimpered.
He gently squeezed my bottom and growled with appreciation. He carefully lifted my dress and inspected my pinkened cheeks before letting it fall into place once again.
“So fucking beautiful,” he rumbled, and I couldn’t stop myself from smiling. It felt good to be appreciated in that way. After that, he released my arm, taking a long look up and down my body. “The dress looks good on you. It suits you very well.”
“Thank you, sir,” I answered.
“Good girl,” he replied, gazing back at me, his gray eyes always assessing. I smiled in return and he turned around and left the bathroom. I took a deep breath and collected myself, realizing that I was so thoroughly affected by just his presence alone. When I was ready, I found the makeup exactly where he’d told me it would be. I put on some light eye makeup and foundation, and a little blush to pinken my skin. I finished it off with some powder. It took me no more than five minutes before I headed into the bedroom and knelt down to pick up the pair of heels he’d mentioned.
I padded into the large sitting room where Dominic had already spread out on one of the exquisite loveseats. He lifted his head in surprise when he saw me.
“That was fast,” he said.
“I’m pretty low maintenance,” I answered nonchalantly. A single eyebrow rose as he looked me up and down.
“Sure you are,” he answered in disbelief and I stuck my tongue out at him.
“Like you’d know. You’ve known me for like three days now,” I replied teasingly.
“Keep it up, sassy girl,” he said, but he was unable to keep the grin from his face as he said it. “Come here and help me pick a movie.”
I crawled onto the couch with him and he curled an arm around my shoulders. I leaned against him and breathed in his masculine scent. It was comforting and I allowed myself to enjoy being there against him. He reached for the remote and we ended up finding that the television was linked to Netflix. The two of us ended up choosing to watch a futuristic thriller about human clones that had to live in secret.
By the time the movie ended, it was close to dinner. I was quite comfortable as I cuddled against him though, and I was reluctant for that to end. Fortunately, he didn’t make me move. The chef had returned and begun to prepare a number of dishes in the overtly extravagant kitchen. Several security guards also entered to guard the door and not long after it was announced that Kiyota and his wife Chiyo were to arrive within the next few minutes. Knowing this, I finally pushed myself up from my place against Dominic’s side and slipped my feet into the black kitten heels. They were simple and elegant but had a pink bow at the center that matched the color of the dress. I thought they were quite cute.
I pulled my shoulders back and prepared myself to meet one of the most infamous crime bosses here in Japan. I remembered Dominic’s words from before and they made me feel even more powerful. I was ready. When the door finally opened and he walked inside, my eyes were instantly drawn to the beautiful woman on his arm. While he was in his sixties, she was either in her late thirties or early forties. She was absolutely breathtaking. Long, sleek black hair hung down to her waist. Her skin was beautifully pale, which made her remarkably pink lips even more exquisite. Her eyes met mine and I was surprised to find that her irises were a grayish-blue color.
How very rare.
When the two of them walked in the door, they handed their coats to the guards. She slipped a shrug off her shoulders, revealing the astonishing tattoos she had hidden underneath. I hadn’t known that the women were marked just as the men were, but if anything, her tattoos were even more beautiful to behold.
They were stunning. There were a variety of cherry blossom trees and various flowers that disappeared under the sleeves of her dress. Kiyota undid the top few buttons of his shirt, revealing his own tattoos too. I could only see a hint of his, but they seemed far more aggressive in design than her elegant ones.
Dominic stood up off the couch. I joined him and stood strongly beside him, just like Chiyo did with her own husband. The men shook hands then Chiyo dropped her head in deference to me and bowed more deeply to Dominic as a show of respect.
“Mr. Porter, it’s good to see you again,” Kiyota exclaimed, and Dominic grinned widely.
“Mr. Jiro, I’m glad to see you too,” he replied. “Come. Have a seat at the table. I’m sure dinner will be along shortly. In the meantime, let’s share some sake.”
“You remember how much I enjoy a good glass of sake then,” Kiyota grinned.
“I do. If you’ll remember though, I liked it just as much as you did,” Dominic chuckled.
The four of us sat down at the table, and immediately four hotel servants poured us each a small glass of sake. The two men gave a toast and we all slowly sipped at the strong beverage. I’d had sake before, but this one was especially smooth. I enjoyed it quite a bit.
The conversation was mostly innocent at first, dealing with the current weather in Japan and how business was going for the two of them. After a while, Dominic finally asked about the politician who he’d helped Kiyota with.
“He was nicely subdued, Mr. Porter. I haven’t had a problem with him since,” Kiyota grinned.
“Business has been a great deal more profitable with him out of the way,” Chiyo added, and I realized that she wasn’t just a pretty thing on his arm. If anything, Chiyo was Kiyota’s second in command.
It surprised me because she was a woman and not a man, as was Japanese tradition.
I recognized Kiyota in a new light at that moment. No wonder Dominic considered him a close ally. I al
so looked at Chiyo a bit differently too. Right now, we were sitting across from two powerhouses and not just one.
Dominic cleared his throat and both Chiyo’s and Kiyota’s expressions hardened just the tiniest bit.
“I’ve come to Tokyo to ask for a favor, Kiyota. A friend of yours took a friend of mine and I want to get him back,” Dominic began as dinner was served. A large number of decadent pieces of sushi were laid in front of each of us. The servant poured soy sauce into a number of small bowls and I mixed a little wasabi into mine using a pair of chopsticks. I took a bite while Kiyota cocked his head.
“Remind me of your friend’s name?” Kiyota asked, his voice careful and calm.
“Seth Mikaels. He is Brooke’s father,” Dominic replied.
“And who is my friend?” he questioned next.
“Your friend is Shinobu Tsukasa,” Dominic responded.
Kiyota clicked his tongue in surprise.
“What is it you’re asking for, Mr. Porter?”
“I want to meet with Shinobu. I’d like to arrange with him the return of my friend,” Dominic explained.
“That’s quite the costly favor, Mr. Porter,” Kiyota replied.
“You owe me a favor, Kiyota-san,” Dominic said, his voice dropping just a bit in warning. The Japanese kingpin followed suit, only he sat back first and clasped his hands together on top of his chest.
“If I do this for you, I’d ask you to do one more thing for me,” he said carefully.
“What would that be?” Dominic replied. His body language was open, but I recognized a certain dangerous undertone to his words and Kiyota flinched for a moment.
Even as a kingpin in one of the richest mob families in the world, he wasn’t the most powerful man in the room. It was Dominic. Right now, he was the boss and not Kiyota. That was both terrifying and comforting at the same time. The kingpin nervously cleared his throat and began to speak.
“Only recently, Japan has legalized the opening of casinos in this country. Since the government had taken initiative against many segments of the Yakuza, I’d like to get into the gambling business at its foundation. I would be very grateful if you might negotiate a trade deal for me with the one being planned here in Tokyo. In exchange, I’d happily set up a meeting for you with Shinobu,” Kiyota explained.
Dominic stared at him for a moment and it was actually quite scary to watch him in his element. Not only was he in charge of me, but he was in control of every single other aspect of his life. It was daunting to witness.
Chiyo reached for my hand then and she smiled in my direction.
“Why don’t we let the men discuss business while we take a walk in the hotel gardens,” she suggested, and I glanced at Dominic who nodded in agreement.
“I’d like that,” I replied with a returning smile.
She slipped on her shoes, which she had left by the doors, and we walked down the hall to the elevator. We took it down to the garden, which had been closed off specifically for just the two of us. It was a beautiful botanical garden complete with water features, trees that looked like giant bonsais, and immaculately trimmed shrubbery. There were water lilies floating on the lake and a number of well-kept patches of brilliantly colored wildflowers.
“It’s a shame that it isn’t cherry blossom season,” she murmured. “This garden is quite beautiful when they are in bloom.”
“I think it’s quite pretty even now,” I replied softly.
She smiled sweetly in return and then her expression turned more serious. I prepared myself for what was to come next.
“Shinobu took your father,” she said. I stared at her down a moment, trying to decide what to say. Finally, I began to speak. Dominic had trusted her to be with me alone, even though there were guards at the gate entrance protecting us. If he trusted her, I could too.
“We think he did. As it turns out, my father made several stock deals with him many years ago. When Shinobu asked for a favor in return, we were told that my father refused him. He was taken in order to teach him a lesson. As far as we know, he’s still alive but that information could be false or out of date,” I answered openly.
“Much of the world considers the family to be comprised of men, but they wholly ignore the role of their wives. We’re hidden behind the scenes in our own little world of women, but we carry just as much power when we’re standing there by their side,” she answered, and she turned to me.
“You’re familiar with geisha, yes?” she asked.
“I am. As much as public knowledge lends to their roles, that is,” I replied carefully.
“Our roles are similar in that we serve, we entertain, and sometimes we dance for them, but we are different in that we are their wives. We are also not powerless in our fates. My husband will ask my opinion on everything. In the public eye, I am his beautiful and silent wife. In private, it is very different. In private, we are equals. We are partners,” she added next.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked.
“Because I know Shinobu’s wife. Her name is Kai,” she answered.
Realization dawned on me then.
“Mr. Porter is a powerful man and he would have never brought you if you weren’t just as powerful yourself. As a show of respect, I’d like to invite you into my own world. Kai is dangerous and you should be wary of her, but she is a close friend of mine,” she explained.
“I would be forever grateful,” I replied.
“If I do this for you, it is for you and you alone. Kai would never meet a man on her own, so you cannot bring Mr. Porter,” she added.
“I understand. When would you suggest this meeting?” I pressed.
“Tomorrow afternoon. I will get in contact with Kai and arrange a meeting between the two of you,” she answered.
“Thank you, Chiyo. Should you ever need anything in return, please ask,” I said gratefully.
“I plan on it,” she answered.
Chapter Nine
Brooke
Chiyo and Kiyota stayed for several more hours. We shared many more glasses of sake and played a card game that they taught us called Oicho-Kabu. Kiyota proudly showed us his tattoos of a samurai fighting off a three-headed dog with a dragon at his back. His arms were fully covered, as was his back and chest except for a single stripe down the center. On his request, Chiyo remained modest and only showed us her back, but I was quite taken with the elegant beauty in her own markings. The cherry blossom trees continued and on her back was a magnificently exquisite geisha dancing in a kimono with a ceremonial fan in each hand.
“Thank you, Chiyo, for showing us such beauty,” I said softly, and a soft blush came over her cheeks. Kiyota nodded to her and she pulled the top of her dress back up. She turned back toward us and said her thanks, both demurely and quietly. The natural elegance in her demeanor was magnificent to behold.
The four of us shared one more glass of sake. The men appeared pleased and I assumed they had come to some sort of a deal too, but I doubted that theirs would occur as quickly as mine. I glanced at my purse and came up with a plan.
When Dominic figured it out, he wasn’t going to like it. It didn’t matter though because I was going to find my father and I wasn’t going to wait for him to do it.
* * *
The next morning began rather innocently, but it didn’t remain that way. When Dominic was in the shower, I dug into my purse. I found myself in luck and found the one last vial of sedative I’d hidden in there in case of emergency. Once again, I poured it into his coffee. Similar to how he served me yesterday, I brought him coffee as he exited the shower. I took a moment to admire his naked form, all the way from his chiseled pecs down to the delightful curves of his ass. If he noticed me checking him out, he didn’t say anything, but I blushed anyway.
“I brought you some ridiculously expensive coffee,” I began.
“I was hoping you would, although next time you should serve it to me naked,” he growled, and I blushed even harder.
“
I’d probably trip and burn my nipples with hot coffee,” I smirked.
“I’d kiss them and make it better then,” he answered with a wink and I couldn’t help but chuckle at his light mood.
“You would,” I answered, sticking my tongue out as I made a face at him.
“I’ll give you somewhere to put that tongue,” he replied cockily.
At that, I just shook my head and decided to change the subject.
“Did you and Kiyota come to an understanding last night?” I asked.
“We did. I know the individuals responsible for the planning of the future casino here in Tokyo. It’s a rather small price to ask, but Kiyota doesn’t know that. In exchange, he will broker a meeting between me and Shinobu that will take place tomorrow. In the meantime, Kiyota suggested several places that I could take you in the city, including the most marvelous restaurant situated at the top of a skyscraper that gives rather incredible views of the city,” he said.
He sipped his coffee, before placing it down on the counter. His eyes turned dark as they turned toward me.
“Come here,” he instructed.
I did.
His palm grazed my bare throat before he pulled me into a deep kiss. His lips ground hungrily into mine, possessing and claiming me in the most thorough way possible. I could feel myself growing wet just from being kissed like this. It felt sensual and seductive and altogether perfect.
He tasted of coffee and decadence.
When he finally pulled away, he picked his mug back up and took a long sip. I sipped my own, watching him closely. He stared back at me and I found myself squirming under his constant surveillance. I felt like I was cornered prey and he was a predator, ready to ambush me at a moment’s notice.
“Up on the bed. I want you on your hands and knees. I’m going to fuck that little pussy hard enough so that I leave it sore. I want you to remember that your beautiful little body is mine with every single step you take today,” he growled. I shivered hard.
