by Imari Jade
Shaundra rolled her eyes at him, knowing he was referring to her. “You think I don’t know what you’re implying? But you’re right. You never truly know someone until you marry them. Note to self, never get married again.”
“Low blow, Shaundra,” Yori said. “Do you ever intend to forgive Ich?”
“No,” Shaundra answered. “I plan to make him suffer for a very long time. Women are vindictive that way when their men cheat on them.”
“But what if he’s telling the truth?” Yori asked.
“Okay, smart guy. How can he prove to me he didn’t sleep with her?”
“You can always ask Eri,” Satoshi suggested.
“Yes, I could. But you know how I am. I might haul off and punch her in the face. Would you like that to happen?”
Satoshi nodded his head furiously.
“You would. Listen. I appreciate what you guys are trying to say, but Ich and I will work this out eventually.”
“And what if you can’t?” Yori asked.
“Then we’ll amicably end our marriage.”
“You mean you’d divorce him over this?” Yori asked.
“Hell yes,” Shaundra answered. “For four months he thought I was pregnant by one of you guys and he wasn’t man enough to come and ask me. I love Ich with all my heart, but he’s not the only man on this side of the Red Sea. If he wants that waitress, all he has to do is tell me. I will walk away with no problem.”
“But what about the babies?” Satoshi asked.
“What about them?” Shaundra asked. “I raised the other four and I can raise them too.”
“But boys need male figures in their lives.”
“They’ll have plenty of those,” Shaundra said. “But this isn’t about them. If Ichiro wants me to forgive him, he needs to bring me proof. Only a fool would accept someone’s word on something like this. Humans lie, even gorgeous ones.”
“You are aware that the twins are Japanese citizens and you can’t take them out of the country without Ichiro’s consent?”
Shaundra nodded. “I’m not leaving the country and I have no intention on keeping his sons from him. I’m just making myself less available to him. I also have a career and once I’m back on my feet, I plan to throw myself back into my work. Harper is getting me an office together at KiNii as we speak.”
“Does that mean you’re going to hire someone to look after the twins when you go back to work?” Satoshi asked.
“Yes. I love my kids, but six weeks is enough bonding time. That’s why God invented nurseries.”
Yori laughed. “Ich is going to love this. He expects you to stay home and care for his sons.”
Shaundra shrugged. “Who cares?”
“Well, I might as well tell the other bad news,” Satoshi said.
“What?” Shaundra asked.
“Cristal has moved out.”
“Oh,” Shaundra said. “She’s finally free.”
Chapter Seven
The telephone in Cristal’s office rang. She pushed aside some papers to answer it. “Yes, Ms. Lee,” she said to her assistant in Japanese.
“You have a visitor, Ms. Gentry. He says his name is Tae Hayashi.”
Cristal stared at the phone. What? What is he doing here?
“Are you still there, Ms. Gentry?”
“Yes, please send him in, Ms. Lee.”
Cristal hopped out of her seat, smoothed down her skirt, and checked her makeup in the mirror while she waited.
Several seconds later, there was a knock at her door. “Come in,” she called out.
The door opened and Tae walked in.
“Satoshi isn’t here,” Cristal said politely.
Tae bowed to her. “I wouldn't be here if he was,” Tae replied. He straightened up. “I’ve come to see you.”
A lawyer coming to see her? Why? Who was trying to sue her and how the hell did he know where to find her? Cristal walked back to her desk, trying to look as professional as she could without letting him see how his fine ass affected her. The resemblance to Satoshi was uncanny, except Tae was shorter and had more muscle. And he clearly looked like a man. She offered him a seat and he sat down across from her. “What can I help you with? Do you need publicity? Are you looking for a copywriter or would you like me to do a story on you or some cause you’re sponsoring?” He looked good in charcoal grey. It brought out the brown in his eyes. Cristal shook her head to clear her thoughts.
“No.”
He wasn’t much of a talker. “Then how can I help you?” She played with a pen on her desk.
“Go out with me.”
Cristal dropped the pen. “Pardon me?”
“I would like to take you out to dinner.”
She hadn’t seen that coming. “Why?”
“Because I don’t want to eat alone,” Tae said. “And ever since I met you I haven’t been able to get you off my mind. I’m a good conversationalist. I’m up on current affairs and I think we have a lot in common.”
What? “I don’t know. I need to get some work done.” But her curiosity was getting the best of her. Was he asking her out on a date because he liked her? Or was he doing it as a way to get at Satoshi?”
“But you have to eat,” he said, staring at her.
He did have a valued point. Since moving out into her own place a couple of days ago, she’d eaten only eaten takeout meals. “Let’s just say I take you up on your kind offer. What’s in it for me?” Did he even know how to relax? He sat like a statue in the chair.
“Stimulating conversation,” Tae replied. “And it’s not like you have a better offer.”
Cristal scowled at him. How did he know that? “What time?” She hoped she didn’t sound too desperate.
“Seven,” Tae said, rising. He smoothed non-existent wrinkles from his suit. “I have reservations for two at Scaphinos.”
Impressive. Scaphinos was a fancy Italian restaurant in Osaka. “So you were sure I’d accept.”
He smiled at her. The first since he’d arrived.
Damn, he’s cute. But everything about him told her not to trust him. She’d been around those four gorgeous demons long enough to know that looks were definitely deceiving. Pretty didn’t always equate to husband material. And after all, he was Satoshi’s older brother and they had this rivalry thing going. She smirked. She wondered what Satoshi would say when he found out that Tae took her out to dinner. Maybe he’d get jealous and try to woo her again. “Seven it is.”
He bowed. “I will pick you up at your apartment.”
Cristal raised an eyebrow. No one other than Satoshi and Takumijo had been to her place since she’d hurriedly moved out. “How do you know that I moved out of the Aomori compound? And while I’m on the subject, how do you know where I live?”
He didn’t answer, just smirked. “I’ll see you at seven, Ms. Gentry. And wear a dress. Something pretty that shows off those long legs.”
Creep.
Tae left her office.
Cristal leaned back in her chair. What is he up to and how is Satoshi involved?
****
Tricia looked down at her test paper, groaned, and dropped her pencil on the desk. Her mind was a total blank. Everything she had studied before going skinny dipping with Damien had disappeared from her memory. Think, think, think. What’s the next answer? She groaned. What did she need Economics or a Master’s Degree for anyway? She was going to be a journalist.
Tricia looked around. All the other students had their heads down and were busy filling out their answer sheets. Well, not all of them. Damien had his head down on his desk, sleeping. Tricia rolled her eyes. At least she was making a conscientious effort to at least look smart. She glanced over at him again, noticing the way his blond hair gently curled at the nape of his neck. Her panties dampened. Damn, she had to stop looking at him.
She picked up her pencil, skipped the question, and went on to the next one. Okay, you know this. She wrote down the answer and then gazed at the next question. It wa
s on the state of the Japanese economy. Who cares? It’s not like I’ll ever be living there. Tricia jotted down the first thing that came to her mind. An hour later, a buzzer sounded and the professor entered the class.
“Pencils down, everyone.”
Tricia put down her pencil and sat up in her chair.
The professor walked down each aisle collecting the answer sheets. He looked down at the sleeping Damien, shook his head, and continued on to the next student. A bell rang, signaling the end of the class. Tricia moved out of her chair and gathered her book bag filled with resource notes for her next test. She walked over to Damien and shook him gently.
He raised his head and his eyelids slowly lifted, revealing his green eyes.
“Come on,” she told him. “The test is over.”
Damien yawned and stretched. “What time is it?”
“Noon,” Tricia answered. Their next class didn’t start until one.
“Good,” he said. “I’m starved. Let’s go get something to eat.” He moved from his desk, dragging his backpack.
Tricia walked past him and he grabbed her hand, stopping her. “How did you do on the test?”
Tricia shook her head. “I could barely remember how to write my name on it.”
“Bummer,” Damien said. “You won’t need to work anyway. I’ll take care of you.”
Tricia shook her head again. She supposed they could live off of love and a fast food salary.
He took her to the university cafeteria for lunch. Once they got their food and found a vacant table, she pulled out her notes for her Master’s English Composition class. Damien’s next class was Humanities.
“Aren’t you going to study?” she asked him.
Damien rolled his eyes at her, but reached into his backpack and took out what appeared to be notes.
“What’s the test on?”
“Famous eighteenth century artists and their works,” he told her.
Tricia grimaced. “Have you ever been inside a museum?”
Damien picked up his burger with one hand, bit into it, and nodded.
Tricia smirked. Why didn’t she believe him?
Damien reached for a couple of fries and put them into his mouth, watching her.
She raised her notes. The highest percentage of her test grade would come from a three-hundred word composition on a random subject supplied by the professor. Since it was an English class, she supposed it would be a story they had read in class. Which one? She didn’t know. But she was usually good at winging her way through the subject. The professor was also giving a grammar and a spelling test. She made a face. So juvenile. She was twenty-four years old, not five.
“You better start eating,” Damien told her.
Tricia lowered her notes and looked down at her ham and cheese sandwich. She picked up one of the wedges and bit into it. She found Damien staring at her when she lifted her eyes.
“Marry me,” he told her.
Tricia turned her nose up at him. Damien had proposed to her at least once a week since she’d known him. “Pass your Humanities Class with at least a ninety and I’ll think about it.”
Damien perked up. “Really?”
“Maybe,” Tricia said, trying to tease him. She’d offered bait to him before and he always messed up.
Damien started studying, forgetting about his burger. “I’m not going to lose this time,” he told her. “Start picking out that wedding dress. Something white, tight, and low-cut.”
Tricia turned up her nose. Why did this man know so much about women’s clothing?
“And I’ll expect you to wear a white satin garter and stockings, not panty hose.”
Tricia raised an eyebrow. He really had thought this out. She picked up another piece of her sandwich, not a bit worried about him winning the bet. If she didn’t pass the Economics test, she was going to be in so much trouble with her mother.
****
She’d ridden in limousines, private jets, and horse-drawn carriages on the way to dinner, but she never expected Tae to arrive in a vintage Rolls Royce, complete with chauffer. Hmm, what do lawyers earn these days? He also showed up right on time, dressed elegantly in a dark suit and tie. He helped her into the car, leaving the chauffer to just sit in the front seat looking cute.
Scaphinos was the type of restaurant where rich people dined with important clients and left their squalling children at home. It was the type of place she expected someone like Yi-jun to take her to, so now it perked her curiosity about just what type of man Tae really was.
The waiter led them to a private booth and handed them a couple of menus.
“This is a nice place,” Cristal said. “Do you eat here often?”
“Only when I want to impress a woman,” Tae answered.
Cristal smirked. At least he didn’t lie. She opened her menu and browsed the selections. Every now and then she peeked over at him. He caught her once, smiled, and then ignored her.
“What do you suggest?” she asked.
“The smoked oysters are delicious,” he told her. “They are also good for the libido.”
“My libido is fine, thank you very much.”
“Then I would suggest the veal parmesan.”
She wasn’t in the mood for veal or anything in tomato sauce. They served blackened redfish. “Ooh, this looks good.” She showed him the picture.
“You’re right. That does look good and it is probably healthier than veal.”
The waiter returned, took their order, and left again. They continued to talk while they waited on their meal to be prepared.
“How is Europe?” Tae asked.
“Entertaining,” Cristal answered. “We’ve been very busy.” She sipped her imported water.
“So I’ve heard,” Tae replied. “I’m surprised they let you out of jail so soon.”
Cristal nearly choked on the water in her mouth. “You know?”
Tae nodded. “You guys made world news.”
That meant Mr. Niigata also knew. She and Aomori were in deep shit.
“I told you that Satoshi is nothing but trouble,” Tae replied.
“To be fair, it wasn’t his fault. Some guys were cheating at cards and he called them on it.”
“That was chivalrous of him, but he should not have been gambling in the first place. And he should not have brought you along for the ride.”
“First of all, he did not bring me. I was the one who suggested it to him.”
“Let’s not argue,” Tae said, dismissing her. “So you are a woman with her own mind. I can deal with that.”
She didn’t care whether he could deal or not. It was just dinner, which didn’t constitute a relationship or understanding.
The waiter brought their food. Everything looked good, including the arrogant guy seated across from her. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, he was a good conversationalist too. Before she knew it, the meal had ended and they were back in the car and on their way back to her apartment. Tae didn’t try anything once they got there. He just gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and left her standing dumbfounded at the door.
Chapter Eight
The doctor finished examining Shaundra and closed the file he’d been writing in. “You’re recovering nicely and your vitals are stable.”
“So, I’ll still be able to go home tomorrow?” Shaundra asked. Please say yes.
“Yes,” Doctor Sou told her. “You might need help getting around for the next couple of weeks and no sex for the next five weeks until I examine you again.”
“That part I can handle,” Shaundra said. In a couple of days, Aomori would be going back to Europe, taking their blue-eyed temptation with them. She’d have to put up with him today until they named the babies and then a few days at the farmhouse, and then she’d be alone again.
“Good, I think you will make a full recovery.” The doctor headed toward the door. “Remember, no sex.”
“Don’t worry. I’m not in the mood for being bothered with an
yone but me and the twins.”
The doctor smiled at her and left her room.
Shaundra adjusted the bed. She had showered, changed into a clean gown, and had combed her hair. Now she could relax and go over her plans for the next couple of days. Her cell phone rang. Shaundra lifted it for the nightstand. “Hello?”
“Hello, beautiful lady.”
“Hey, Harper. What’s going on?”
“I just called to see how you’re doing.”
“Apparently, I’m doing fine. They’re releasing us out of this hospital tomorrow.”
“That’s good news,” Harper said. “But I just called to tell you that I’ll be out of the country for the next two weeks.”
“Oh, where are you going?” Shaundra asked.
Harper hesitated for a moment and then answered. “Home.”
“Oh,” Shaundra said sadly. She’d known it would eventually happen.
“It’s only going to be for two weeks. The University called and wants me there for a meeting to discuss Damien.”
“What’s he done now?” Shaundra asked.
“He’s on academic probation. The only class he managed to pass is Humanities. He scored one hundred percent on the test and didn’t even bother writing his name on the other tests.”
“Wow, he really must love the Arts.”
“Damien could have aced all his tests if he really tried, but the Dean seems to think he’s distracted by something.”
“Or someone,” Shaundra said. “He’s twenty-four. You know what that’s like.” She paused. “So what are you going to do?”
“Pack him up and bring him back here. He can retake his last semester at one of the local universities.” He sighed. “I just don’t understand him. It was his idea to go to graduate school. He could have gone straight to work after he got his Business degree.”
“We had these kids, but we don’t understand them,” Shaundra said. “I hope the two new additions make up their minds early what they want to be.”
“I don’t think you have to worry much about that,” Harper replied. “Mr. Niigata will have them on stage by the time they’re sixteen.”
