by Amano, Mia
I blink in surprise. Kaito threatened someone's daughter? That doesn't sound like his style. But then again, I don't really know a lot about what he does. There's a part of me that's been turning a blind eye to that side of him. Why? Because deep down, I don't want to admit what he's capable of.
That I'm capable of loving someone who can do such things.
What does that say about me?
I'm as flawed as he is.
And I can't turn away.
But threatening someone's family? We're going to have words about that. I need to know, for sure, what he has done. And how the hell did Erika find out about my family?
I'm glare at her with barely restrained fury. When we first met, would I have been drawn to Kaito if I knew this was what would happen?
He did warn me, over and over again.
His arm is warm and reassuring around my waist. Despite my fear. Despite my anger. I feel safe, secure.
How can this be?
It's so messed up. Fuck.
"Perhaps I can't leave the Kuroda-kai," Kaito continues, "because I know too much. After I left Japan, Ishida-san had me learn the money side of it. I know exactly how our structure in America works. And our business in Tokyo is thriving. Because of people I killed. I know things even you don't, Onee-san. No-one is indispensable in this business, but I can make your life a hell of a lot easier."
Erika nods, carefully, slowly, as if watching a bomb that could explode at any minute. "You have no idea how unique you are in the organization. A killer who knows how to handle our money." Again with that flat, creepy laugh. "And how do I know you aren't going to come for me in the middle of the night, and slit my throat?"
"You don't." Kaito says it with such chilling conviction that even I shudder, though he's clutching me protectively. "Same as I don't know if you're going to carry out your threats or not. Same as I don't know if you killed my boss. I think you did, but I have no concrete proof. So this is what I can offer you. I will be your dog, Erika Goto, if you leave my family alone. But if you ever harm or threaten anyone important to me ever again, the agreement is finished, and I don't know what I'll do then."
He actually trembles as he says it. I clasp his hand in mine, holding firm.
And suddenly I understand. Why Kaito didn't tell me to leave the room. Why he kept speaking English, forcing Erika to do the same.
He wanted me to see this.
To understand that with him, the violence and danger and threats are inextricably linked. He's said it so many times. But I had to see it to believe it.
He told me I could walk away.
And now? I can't. I'm not sure I ever could. Even when I first met him.
"Hm." Erika seems immovable in the middle of all this tension. "You're saying you'll do for me what you did for my brother?"
"I will allow you to finish what you started here in Tokyo. I will show my face at the election, show my support for your husband, if you need me to. If you agree to leave my people alone. That includes Madoka. But after that, we're going back to America. I'll work for you from there, but not here. Not anymore."
I turn to give Madoka a reassuring look as she glances up in surprise.
Erika stares at us for a long time, saying nothing. Kaito doesn't move, returning her look. It's as if they're locked in some kind of silent showdown that I don't fully understand.
His trigger hand twitches.
The bodyguard is watching is warily, his eyes flicking back and forth.
The moment feels endless.
Finally, Erika nods. "It's acceptable."
And not saying another word, she brushes past us, her bare feet sinking into the deep carpet. The bodyguard trails behind her like a shadow.
Just like that, she's gone.
And I'm looking up at Kaito, wondering what the hell just happened.
Beside me, Madoka breathes a sigh of relief. And unexpectedly, she stands and bows deeply. "Arigatou gozaimashita. Thank you, aniki."
Kaito looks at her, saying nothing. Still holding me tight. But his gaze softens, just a little bit.
And I feel as if something monumental has just happened. As if the ground beneath our feet has shifted somehow, and the threads that bind us have been drawn just a little bit tighter.
Kaito
I'm still seething with anger after Erika leaves. I know she was behind Hajime Ishida's death. I just don't have any proof.
I saw it in the slight widening of her eyes when I accused her. The way her glance shifted to the left, the minute twitch of her eyebrow.
I know when people are lying.
And that video on the camera. It's subtle, and it could mean anything. But I know these people, and I know that it all feels wrong.
The whole thing about finding Ishida-san's killer was just a load of shit, cooked up to draw my suspicion away from her.
And I know Kenichi Goto, her husband, is going to become the next Kumicho. If Erika's behind it, then he'll succeed. Is that why she married the ugly bastard? Was this her plan all along?
The yakuza is a male-dominated society. No matter how ambitious or ruthless, Erika will never be chosen as the head. She knows this. But with a man like Goto at the forefront, she could very well be pulling strings in the background.
I turn and find Adele and Madoka staring at me with expectant looks. I shrug. "Now you know what it's all about."
Madoka's face holds an expression I've never seen before. It's almost as if she's about to cry. First, thanking me profusely, now this?
It's out of character for her.
But maybe this is the first time I've ever stood up for her, as a brother.
I rescued her from a fucking disaster.
Why?
Maybe it was because Adele was beside me. I wanted to show her I'm capable of more than just violence and killing. I wanted to show her I'm a better person than I actually am.
And there's no way I'm letting anyone abuse my family, even if it's Madoka.
So it starts. Hajime Ishida's gone, replaced by his far more dangerous sister. And I have to keep her happy while watching my back.
I was careless, living in my little cocoon in Los Angeles, laundering Kuroda money while the currents shifted back in Japan. I thought that while the old man was alive, no-one would bother me.
Well, that was true. He owed me too much.
Now he's dead, and Erika knows she doesn't owe me shit.
I was naive. Should have been more cautious. Should have been building alliances within the group. The problem is, I was never a social type. There are some who owe me favors. But I never thought I would have to call them in.
For how long am I going to be Erika's dog? I need to find a way to reverse this, to make her understand that she needs to leave me alone.
I'll have to do something a little more drastic. But these kinds of plans take time.
Adele twines her hand in mine, her smooth, slender fingers so different to my rough, callused palms. We're day and night, complete opposites, but we need each other to survive.
At least I need her.
Because I know that without her, I'm little more than a savage, who does nothing more than simply exist.
As if sensing that we need a moment, Madoka bows again and wordlessly slips away.
How different she is right now, to the stuck up, sarcastic bitch I've always known.
"Hey Kaito," Adele says, moving behind me, clasping her arms around my waist. Pressed against my back, her body is warm, taking away the pain Mori's hard fists have inflicted on me. "Does this mean we can go home now?"
Home? I suppose Los Angeles is starting to feel that way. I never thought about it before. But it feels right. Tokyo isn't my city anymore.
I'm almost a stranger here.
"Soon," I murmur. "But there's something I want to show you first. As you said, you haven't yet been given the grand tour."
She squeezes me tightly. "I would love that." Even after what she's just witnessed, she still mana
ges to sound excited. No, my woman was never one to let the darkness of my world get the better of her.
She's too strong for that.
"So get ready." I take her hand and bring it to my lips, planting a soft kiss on her delicate skin. "Because tonight, I'm going to take you out."
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Adele
"Madoka," I call, stepping out of the bathroom with my new dress on. "Does this look okay?"
I'm borrowing her bedroom to get ready for the evening. I have no idea where Kaito's disappeared to. He just told me to be ready by the time he gets back.
The gift he bought for me yesterday was a dress.
I gasped when I unwrapped it.
It's a sublime thing, made of black silk. It hugs every curve of my body, skimming down my hips and legs to kiss the floor. It leaves my back exposed, and it fits me perfectly.
Damn the man. How did he know my size so well?
Madoka gapes as I enter her bedroom. "It looks amazing on you."
"Uh, thanks." I lift up the folds of the skirt awkwardly, tiptoeing across the room. My hair is pulled into an updo, wayward strands escaping here and there.
She's right, of course. It's a stunning dress, and the fact that Kaito chose it for me makes it even more special. I almost don't want to wear it for fear of ruining it.
I slip on a pair of blue satin d'orsay heels I had stashed away in my suitcase. They match quite well. I guess I scrub up okay, in the end.
Madoka looks at me with narrowed eyes.
"What?" I ask, feeling self conscious.
"Gorgeous. But it needs something." She pulls open her dresser drawer. "I had a few things of mine dropped off to the apartment."
Madoka fishes around for a bit and turns to offer me something really, really shiny. I gape. There's a glittering necklace, made up of hundreds of tiny, shimmering diamonds. It's accompanied by a pair of elaborate drop earrings, with deep blue sapphire centrepieces.
"Are those real?"
Madoka gives me a wry, sidelong glance. "Being a celebrity has its perks. You get all kinds of gifts. Here. Let me help you put these on. They match the dress. I can't believe my brother has such taste."
I stand still as she fastens the necklace. Moving in front of the mirror, I put on the earrings.
I barely recognize the woman staring back at me. I don't think I've ever dressed so formally in my life.
But Kaito told me to wear something fancy. A thrill of anticipation shoots through me at the thought of going somewhere special with him. I never thought he might have this kind of romantic streak.
The man never fails to surprise.
Madoka looks me up and down. She still doesn't seem satisfied.
"Hold still," she orders. Lipstick materializes from somewhere, and suddenly she's painting my lips.
It's a wicked shade of crimson that contrasts with the dark tones of my outfit.
And with that final detail, the outfit is complete.
"You're like a work of art," she murmurs, standing back to appreciate her handiwork. "It's nice being on the other side, for once. I'm sick and tired of being the one in your shoes." A smirk crosses her face. "But you look stunning. I can't wait to see the look on my brother's face. He'll be floored."
"You're exaggerating." I shuffle around awkwardly.
"No, way. You’re enough to melt the heart of even a hard bastard like him."
"Madoka," I chide her gently, but who am I to argue? She responds with a wink.
Why am I suddenly feeling nervous? It's not like me. I feel like a goddamned high school girl on a first date.
And all this excitement is making the stress of the last few days melt away. I actually have butterflies in my stomach.
Who would have thought it?
I take a deep breath and shake the tension out of my limbs. Madoka takes my hand. "Come, girl. You look like you need a glass of champagne."
There's no way I can argue with that.
Adele
With a long, fluted glass of Dom Perignon in hand, I stand alongside Madoka in the kitchen, feeling awkward beside her. She's wearing grey sweats and slippers, and I'm decked out in an elegant gown and a small fortune worth of rocks.
We're such a mismatched pair.
I down the champagne, hoping it'll help quell the nervous excitement that has taken hold. My heart flutters like a tiny little bird.
The alcohol goes to my head, making me feel as if I'm floating, and this is all just a dream. I've gone from a place of fear and uncertainty to absolute bliss, all in a day.
How does he do this to me?
Madoka downs her champagne as if it's water, and she's about to pour herself another one when she freezes. She stares over my shoulder, and she's about to open her mouth to speak. But she closes it again, going silent.
I get that familiar tingling at the back of my neck and I know that Kaito's behind me. I'm about to turn, but he puts his hands on my bare shoulders, caressing my skin.
"Don't turn around," he whispers.
Taking a hint, Madoka offers me a cheeky little smile and leaves, saying something in Japanese to Kaito as she goes.
When the hell did he appear?
"Always sneaking up on me," I tease. "Can I turn around now?"
"No." He traces his thumbs up to the nape of my neck, causing me to shiver with delight.
His hands drift downwards, over the exposed skin of my back. "Dress looks good on you," he comments, sounding a little too nonchalant.
Smug bastard.
"Pleased with yourself?" Again, I try to turn, and again, he gently stops me.
"Wait." He puts his lips to the back of my neck, planting long, slow kisses there. "Do you trust me?"
"Of course."
"Good."
Before I even know what's going on, he's reaching up, tying a silk blindfold across my eyes.
"Kaito, what-"
"Shh." He holds a finger to my lips. "It's a surprise. You have to trust me."
I start to make another sound of protest, but it's quelled as he slides his arm around my waist, guiding me across the room.
"Where are we going?" I ask, unable to help myself.
"Adele," he growls, but in an amused way. "Just for once, will you do as I say?"
"I'm not that argmuentative, am I?"
Silence. I'm guessing there's a wry expression on his face.
With my world cast into darkness, I have no choice but to follow Kaito's lead as he takes me away. Where are we going? I have no idea.
We walk slowly across the floor, his arm around me the whole time. Then we stop, and I hear the faint hum of an elevator, then a muted electronic tone as it reaches our floor and then we're inside and he's pulling me against him, my back pressed against his strong chest.
He takes a deep, long breath, as if savouring something. "You have no idea how incredible you look," he murmurs.
I feel the hardness of his erection pressing against me, and arousal stirs below.
We're going down, I think, but I'm disoriented, and all I can do is savor Kaito's warmth, the reassuring feel of his arms around me, his scent, clean and masculine, like he's just stepped out of a crystal clear lake in a pine forest.
We exit the elevator, and he guides me to his car, sliding into the back seat alongside him. He tells the driver a set of directions in Japanese.
"Hai." The driver responds, as the car starts to roll. I recognise Ryuji's familiar voice.
"He's working for you now?"
"Kid needed a place," Kaito replies, cryptically. Then he puts his hand on my thigh, and heat seeps through the thin fabric of my dress. "But don't you worry about such things. Just relax, and be here with me."
I lean back into the plush, leather seat. Stripped of my sight, I'm cocooned in darkness and warmth.
And I'm lost in surrender, letting this man take me wherever he chooses.
Allowing myself to be vulnerable, exposed.
He's the only one I'd ever let in like
this.
And now there's no turning back.
Adele
When we finally reach our destination, after getting out of the car and walking and going up in an elevator, Kaito rests his hands on my shoulders, his lips brushing against my ear. "Here we are," he whispers. We're standing outside somewhere. A balmy evening breeze caresses me, carrying just a hint of coolness, a faded memory of winter lingering in its touch.
I don't know if it's the whisper of a chill or Kaito's presence behind me that raises the fine hairs and goosebumps on my arms.
"Are you ready?"
I nod.
He undoes the blindfold, and I gasp. Stretching out before me is a glittering ocean of light. It's a vast, intricate network, shimmering golden against the faded blackness of the night sky.
It goes on and on, as far as my eyes can see.
It's an impossible, endless, glowing tapestry.
I stand there, entranced, as I take in the view. We're somewhere really high up, on the rooftoop of a building that dwarfs the surrounding structures. We stay like that for a while, enjoying the silence. I have no words for something like this.
"Welcome to Tokyo," Kaito says, finally.
"Why, thank you," I reply, more than a little breathless. "It's beautiful."
"From up here, it is. Seeing something so huge, something that's difficult to comprehend, makes me wonder how we humans, with all our flaws, can create something that's so beautiful, as a whole. You don't see the ugliness from up here."
"Are you getting all philosophical on me, Araki-san?"
"I have my moments, Adele. Believe it nor not, we gangsters also think about life sometimes."
I suppress the temptation to giggle. There's something about the concept of a philosophical yakuza that's faintly ridiculous.
But I've found that in this life, anything is possible.
The fact that I'm standing up here, right now, with this sensitive killer, is a sharp reminder of that. I turn around, catching sight of him for the first time.
He's dressed traditionally, in a steel-grey kimono. It's different to the elaborate ones I've seen the women wear. It's simple and elegant, crossing in a vee at his chest and covered by a flowing outer jacket that hangs to mid-thigh. A pair of trousers with pleated, wide legs completes the outfit.
