Loving Jiro

by Jordyn Tracey

  You're ten. This is not date weekend! Kiara took a deep breath and put Ayumi back into her seat beside her. “Sweetie, I don't know what influence you think I have over your brother, but believe me, I can't tell him to do anything. And as I said, you're ten. You can be friends, but..."

  Ayumi grunted and bounced impatiently. Kiara did one of Jiro's tricks by raising her eyebrow. The girl settled immediately. She felt guilty afterward for using the trick. Ayumi should feel she could be free with Kiara, and she wanted that for her.

  "Kiara, the fact that you live in our house tells me my brother thinks you're great."

  "Why is that?"

  She smiled. “Because when my adult cousins and uncles come, if they bring a woman who's ... you know ... they don't stay in our house. Grandfather won't allow it."

  This was news to Kiara. “Where do they stay?"

  "In the guest house.” She pointed over her shoulder, although nothing but trees was viewable.

  Kiara remembered seeing a house not quite as large as the main house, but close, on the grounds at the back. She had meant to ask Jiro who lived there, but forgot to. When he walked with her in the evenings, he never took her that way, and so far, she had managed to avoid horseback riding. The stables were in that direction also. Jiro's lands went on for many acres. She wondered how the guards could keep watch over it all.

  "Oh,” she muttered. “Well, that still doesn't prove that he will let you be friends with this boy. I will have to think about how to handle this and talk to him later. You, young lady, calm down. You're still very young and have a long road ahead of you. There's plenty of time later for liking boys."

  She was shocked to see the stubborn set to Ayumi's mouth and hoped she had handled the situation right. Teaching kids art didn't equate to her knowing how to raise them, or to handle situations like this. She worried that she should make sure to tell Jiro but at the same time, she didn't want to break Ayumi's trust. Jiro surely wouldn't let the girl get too close with her cousin's friend.

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  Chapter Twelve

  The house was filled to capacity with guests. Kiara had been wide-eyed most of the afternoon and into the evening at the variety of dresses and styles. She knew from what Ayumi had told her that while the guests could arrive in western clothing popular in America, at the formal evening, all would honor Ayumi's grandfather with more traditional clothing.

  She shuffled over to her full length mirror to take in her own outfit. Her verdict was official. The kimono did not suit her, and she was becoming increasingly annoyed that her thighs could not move farther apart in the restrictive costume. She only hoped the festivities didn't last all night. Maybe she could slip away early.

  For the millionth time, she wobbled over to the window to look out. Her room had a narrow view of the driveway, and she couldn't help watching for when Jiro arrived. He was late.

  Somewhere in the house, a gong sounded and music began playing. Kiara knew from Ayumi's birthday party that the music playing now was Minyo, Japanese folksongs. Her family would sing heartily for a few rounds, and then it would change to Shakuhachi, the flutelike instrument one of her uncles liked to play. Kiara preferred his playing. The music spoke to her soul.

  She left her room reluctantly and followed the voices toward a room decked everywhere in beautiful scented flowers. The fragrance almost made her head spin. Tables around the room were laden with dishes of maki rolls, miso soup and teriyaki chicken. Seeing the chicken, she was relieved. As yet, she hadn't developed a taste for sushi, no matter how many kinds the housekeeper and her staff had laid out.

  No one acknowledged her, but then not many acknowledged certain of the women either. She had a feeling she knew who they were. Mistresses or just someone to warm the rich business men's beds for the night. She was surprised to see that there were plenty of other races present, including black. Apparently Grandfather respected those he did business with, even if they weren't Japanese. Yet, all were dressed in the traditional garb.

  "Kanpai!” someone yelled. Teacups rose. Kiara followed suit. Something Japanese she didn't catch was said and all raised their cups to Grandfather. She spotted the old man near the head of the room, surrounded by other pompous old men who looked like they were just as firmly wedged into the past as he was.

  After too many toasts by men determined to impress Jiro's grandfather, the assembly finally began to drift to different parts of the house. Grandfather disappeared with his devotees, and the music started up again. Kiara glanced around trying to spot Ayumi, but saw that none of the children seemed to be present.

  She touched a female servant's arm to ask. “Do you know where Ayumi and the other kids are?"

  The woman barely acknowledged her. “The children are not allowed in this gathering. They have their own celebration in the back.” With that, she walked away.

  Kiara would have gone to search for Ayumi except someone linked his fingers with hers. She gasped and looked around to find an older man, foreign but not Japanese, grinning at her. He might not speak English, but she didn't need to speak his language to know a proposition when she heard one.

  She tugged at her hand, but the man held on, moving closer. His breath smelled stale, and she barely ducked away from a kiss while he wrapped an arm about her waist.

  "Please, I am with someone,” she told him.

  He giggled like an idiot. When his hand lowered to her ass, she lifted her arm to elbow him in the side. Someone calling out caught both their attention before she could make contact.

  Jiro stood with the sternest look she had ever seen on his face. His eyes were black slits, and his nostrils were flared. His lips had all but disappeared they were so tight. Her heart pounded in excitement and fear. She was glad to see him, and scared that he assumed she wanted this old creep to touch her.

  His eyebrows shot up. Someone whispered something to the man holding her too fast for her to catch, a person who hadn't said anything before Jiro showed up. The man's hands dropped to his sides. Jiro crooked a finger to her, indicating that she should come to him. Kiara wasn't about to shame him in front of everyone and refuse to go.

  She shuffled up to him and stared straight ahead at his chest. Odell used to get a special pleasure out of humiliating her in front of others. A few times, he had even hit her in front of his friends. She had cried while they laughed and called her stupid and ugly. These memories fresh in her mind, she stood still, waiting for the hammer to fall from Jiro. This situation had never arisen. There was no telling what his reaction would be.

  He brought his hands up to her waist, and she jumped. The music started. A woman's voice sang a modern love song, and Jiro pulled Kiara tight against his body. He kissed her neck. “You didn't invite him to touch you?"

  "No, never."

  "Good, because you're mine. I do not share my woman. Do you understand?"

  She tried to pull away, resenting his tone and his words, but he held on. When she wouldn't look at him, he forced her head up. “I said, do you understand?"

  "Yes.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.

  He flipped her around so that she faced the door and swatted her butt. “Go to your room, and wait for me. I'll be there shortly."

  As Kiara worked through the crowd to the door, she saw the knowing looks for those who would look her in the eyes. The others turned their noses up as she passed by them. She didn't realize how close Jiro was behind her until she drew alongside the man who had touched her. Jiro stepped around her, blocking her view of the man and said something to him. He gestured to a door leading to the gardens. The man preceded him out into the dark night.

  Kiara took a step in that direction, but the crowd closed the gap. From the look of it, she would have to make a scene to get through, so she turned and left by the door into the hall. Instead of heading right toward her bedroom, she turned left to the front door. When she stepped outside, the chilly fall air cut through her clothing. A guard eyed her briefly before tucki
ng a cigarette between his lips and disappearing into the night.

  She ran on tiptoe around the house to the side where Jiro had gone with the man. Hearing no sounds except the call of an owl and the muffled music and laughter from inside, she searched the area. A path led back to the guest house and the stables. She followed it.

  Shouts reached her ears. As she drew nearer, someone cried out. She stopped, shaking from head to toe, and not from the cold. Around a bend, lights from the guest house came into view. In an upstairs window where someone had forgotten to draw the blinds, a pretty Asian woman stripped sensuously. She no doubt had an audience in the room where she was, and one lingering in the trees too unless Kiara missed her guess at what the stilled hulk was nearby. She moved past him.

  At a tree halfway between the guest house and the stables, Kiara came across Jiro. He stood in front of the man who had touched her with two guards at his side. The man was bent forward holding his stomach. She cried out and slapped a hand over her mouth. Jiro turned to look her way. She couldn't see his expression, but imagined the anger that must have registered there.

  She bolted, running as fast as her clothing allowed. Jiro caught her before she had taken half a dozen steps and swept her up into his arms. She fought against his strength, but it was pointless.

  "Put me down, Jiro,” she demanded.

  "Why? So you can leave me? No! You disobeyed me, Kiara.” His voice was so harsh, she didn't recognize it. “I told you to go to your room."

  "I'm not a child for you to boss around,” was her snappy comeback.

  "And you should know better than to make your pointless stance when I have a house full of guests!” He kicked open the front door just as one of her shoes fell off. A maid, who had appeared out of nowhere, picked it up and followed them down the hall. Several people milling around saw. She hid her face in his chest, humiliation spreading throughout her body.

  When they were in her room, the maid placed the shoe just inside and closed the door on her way out. Jiro dumped Kiara on the bed. She scrambled to a sitting position in time to see him undoing his belt. Fear tightened her chest. “What are you doing?"

  "Take off your clothes."

  Her eyes grew wide. “Jiro—"

  "Take them off now!"

  She struggled out of the layer upon layer of clothing and dropped them on the bed. In matching lacy panties and bra, she waited silently with her hands clenched in front of her. He soon stood bare from the waist up and pinned her in place with an angry glare. She looked down to see that the knuckles of his right hand were deep red.

  "Y-You hit that man,” she whispered.

  "He knew you belonged to me. Everyone here knows which woman is available and which is not. He disrespected me when he touched you. And you,"—he took hold of her chin to force her to look up at him—"you dishonored me when you disobeyed me. I told you very plainly from the start that I would care for you, but you must not break my rules. Did I not say that to you, Kiara?"

  She closed her eyes. “Now you'll hit me like you did him."

  He growled. She felt his fingers, cold from being outside, slipping over her skin. He unsnapped her bra and let it fall to the floor. Her panties followed.

  A tremor rushed through her body when he pulled her tight. Her nipples grazed his chest, sending ripples of pleasure over her despite her fear. Jiro kissed her earlobe. “You silly woman. You still don't get it,” he whispered in her ear. “I'm not going to beat you. I won't abuse your precious body.” He ran his hand down over her ass, squeezing gently. “But you will obey. Won't you?"

  He moved to kiss her lips and pushed his fingers between her ass cheeks to massage her hole. Kiara whimpered, melting into his arms. She let her head fall back while he feathered kisses along her neck.

  She wasn't sure when he had loosened his pants, but in another moment, he checked that she was wet enough and he lifted her onto his erection. His shaft eased all the way to the hilt. She cried out her pleasure.

  "Kiara,” he groaned.

  Deep inside then all the way out before thrusting harder, he took her. She didn't know how he kept his balance but he did standing at the side of the bed with her legs wrapped around him.

  "Kiara,” he said again. “Say it."

  She wanted to tell him no, to tell him he didn't own her, but how could she utter the words when she wasn't happy if he wasn't at home? When one touch sent her airborne, greedy for more.

  He tangled his hand in her hair and pulled her head back. “Kiara!"

  She cried out. Fresh tears started down her cheeks. “Yes."

  "Yes, you will obey me,” he coached.

  "Yes, I will obey you.” Her climax crashed down over her, as if he had been the one holding it back. She shook and whimpered, calling out his name until the intensity eased. Gently, he lifted her off his rod and placed her on the bed. He bent down to gather their clothes from the bed and floor before tossing them on a chair. Clicking off the lamp, he joined her on the bed.

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  Chapter Thirteen

  The next morning, Kiara searched the grounds for Ayumi, but found the girl nowhere. She questioned the servants and learned Ayumi had gone off on her horse with Luke. Luckily, Jiro had been called into a meeting with his grandfather, so he hadn't been looking for the girl. Kiara switched the dress she had chosen to wear that morning for a pair of comfortable slacks and tennis shoes. If it killed her, she would ride a horse and find Jiro's sister before he knew what was up.

  Arriving at the stables, Kiara glanced around. A stable hand walked up to her. “May I help you, miss?"

  She nodded. “Yes, I'd like to borrow a horse to ride, please. Also, can you tell me which way Ayumi went?"

  "Yes, yes.” He pointed and said something very quickly.

  "I'm sorry, could you run that by me one more time?"

  The man saddled a horse, guided it out onto the path in the direction she should go. To save her embarrassment, he placed a stool at the side of the horse and held the reins while she prayed her leg muscles were strong enough to slip a foot in the stirrup and hoist her body up and over the horse. He patted the kinky blond mane and spoke soothingly to the animal. Kiara's stomach dropped. She thought she might spew out the shrimp and rice she had consumed twenty minutes ago, but swallowed repeatedly to keep it down.

  Finally, she was on her way, bobbing and dipping from side to side and gripping the reins so hard, the horse complained. “Sorry.” She gasped as her stomach bubbled. Giving into dizziness when she rounded a turn passing out of sight of the stables, she rested her cheek on the horse's neck.

  "Just take me to Ayumi, girl."

  Two hours later, she sat on a rock waiting for someone to rescue her. She prayed Ayumi had returned to the house by another path, and that she herself would be missed. “More likely, if Jiro stays shut in with his grandfather, I'm screwed.” She wondered how the other mistresses dealt with the cold shoulder they were given. Maybe if they had been around a while, they had formed friendships. She vowed to find out which women had her lowered status in the Fuschida household and to make friends with them. She would at least have someone to talk to when Ayumi and Jiro were busy with their guests.

  The sky grew dark with thick grey clouds. Lightning sparked intermittently, and she was sure she heard a distant rumble. “Great."

  She shoved up to her feet and moved to untie her mare from the branch where she'd left her. A crack of thunder split the sky. The horse reared up in terror on its hind legs. Kiara jumped backward, smacked her ankle on the side of the rock and crumbled to the ground in pain. By the time she got her head to clear of confusion brought on by her injury, she looked up to see the horse galloping away. Panic choked her cry.

  Limping, she plodded along the way she had come earlier. Only after passing a fork in the road maybe a mile back did she remember she had veered along a different path to look for Ayumi. The day steadily darkening to night, she shuffled back to the fork in the road and stood
trying to picture how she would have come to it the first time. She couldn't remember.

  She chose one and followed it. The rain came soon after. A check of her watch showed it to be going on eight-thirty. The sun was most firmly down and with the storm, the night sky was blacker. The moon had half hidden itself, so that it was hard for her to find her way. Tears flooded her eyes, mixing with the rain. She shivered with the drop in temperature and sodden clothing.

  At midnight, she heard the shouts, people in the trees and calling. She thought they were calling for her until she drew up closer. They called for Ayumi. Her heart sunk, and she cried harder.

  Reaching the grounds immediately surrounding the house, Kiara rested against a tree. She planned to change her clothes, find an umbrella and help look for the girl she loved like her little sister. Worry tugged at her as she stumbled toward the main house.

  "Don't worry,” someone was telling Grandfather, “we will find her. The woman, she guessed, was one of the business associates’ wives. Others’ conversation was not discernable.

  Kiara considered asking for an update from Ayumi's grandfather, but when his cold eyes swept over her, her tongue froze. He said something to the person beside him, and the man who had just moved to his side turned to face Kiara.

  "You!” the man spat. “Where is she?"

  Kiara's stared in shock. “I-I don't know. I went looking for her."

  "Liar!” Grandfather shouted. It was a testament to his fear over Ayumi's welfare that made him speak directly to her. He stiffened his back and turned away to say something to the man again.

  "She left a message for her brother where he would not find it right away."

  Kiara closed her eyes. The girl was too clever for her own good.

  The man continued. “The note says for Fuschida-chan to trust her just like you trust her. So I ask you once again. Where is she?"