Chapter 14

She smiled at me tentatively. “Hi.”

I froze for a few seconds and then slammed the door in her beautiful face. 

I didn’t even know what I was doing until the door was closed and I found myself dragging the chain lock over the door. 

How did she get my room number? 

Was she back to finish the job?

Or was I being way too paranoid for my own good?

The door vibrated as she knocked again. 

Damn it. That’ll teach me to open the door before checking the peephole. 

“Rika?” She knocked on the door again and I almost choked on my own heart. “Rika, please, I think we need to talk.”

“I don’t need to talk to you,” I muttered through the gap in the door. “Go away.”

Crap. First thing after she left I was going to request a room change. 

“Look, I need to talk to you,” she said in a stilted voice. “I’d like to apologize. Yesterday was not…me at my best.”

At that point, I would’ve promised her my first born if it meant she would leave me alone. “Okay, apology accepted. Will you please go away?”

There was a faint thump on the door. It almost sounded like a forehead meeting the wood. “Please. What I did last night was absolutely reprehensible and I’d like to talk about it.”

“Why, so you could try killing me again?”

There was a pause then I heard her speaking with someone. 

“Um,” she said awkwardly. “I think your room service is here.”

I stared at the door in horror, contemplating my possible actions. 

Knowing only one action was logical and wouldn’t make me look like a child, I undid the lock and opened the door to a confused looking young man, holding a tray in one hand and a small check in the other. 

And next to him was Heather. 

I figured she wasn’t going to  attack me while he was still there, but I couldn’t ask him to stay until she left. 

“Uh.” His gaze flitted from me to Heather. “You ordered room service, ma’am?”

Heather let out a slow breath, her expression flustered. “I didn’t mean to bother your meal.”

I took the tray from the young man, and placed it on the bed before signing the receipt, putting it on the company card. I slipped him a five from my back pocket and he walked away, whistling under his breath, while the woman who tried to kill me the night before shifted from one foot to the other. 

She opened her mouth to say something, but I beat her to it. 

“I’ll meet you in the first floor lounge,” I said. “Give me a couple of minutes.”

“What about your food?”

I resisted the urge to look back at the tray because I was worried what she would do if my back was turned. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll keep. See you in five.”

I closed the door with marginally more dignity than before and waited until I heard her footsteps fade down the hallway. 

Then I waited another minute and checked the peephole. 

No one. 

You could call me excessively paranoid, but I wasn’t going to let her kill me in the quiet end of a hotel. 

I took a deep breath and inched the door open, half expecting to see sharp nails tear through the gap. 

No hands. 

Nothing. 

I poked my head out into the hallway and looked both ways. Again, nothing. 

My pulse raced as I closed the door behind me, leaning against it as my head spun from the sudden spurt of adrenaline. 

Even so, I put in a heavy bottle of facial toner in my purse…just in case. If she got a little too frisky, I’d use my purse as a sling and knock her out before she could rip me to pieces. 

The hallway was eerily quiet as I crept into it, making sure my room door closed and locked behind me. I was sure Heather was waiting in the lounge, but I still jumped at the smallest sounds, almost shrieking when the central vent above me kicked in as I waited for the elevator. 

I was a shaking mess by the time I made it to the lobby and I had to take a few minutes to compose myself by the front desk. I didn’t want to let Heather see what kind of wreck I was. I had to let her see that I was strong, implacable, even if on the inside, I was a wobbling mess. 

When my heartbeat approached normal, I went to the lounge. Heather sat at the table nearest to the entrance, a tall glass of something amber in front of her. 

I took another deep breath and slid into the seat across from her. “I hope that’s not alcoholic.” 

She gave me a forced smile. “It’s just ginger ale.”

I ordered an iced tea and Heather’s shoulders stiffened, her small hands wrapping around the perspiring drink. 

“I didn’t think you’d come down,” she murmured. 

“How did you get my room number?”

“Oh…” She looked away. “I figured you were next door to Nobu.”

My hands tightened around the purse. “I see. What do you want?”

The waitress arrived with my drink and Heather waited until she was out of earshot before speaking again. 

“I’m sorry about last night.” Her gaze flitted everywhere but at me. She must’ve felt incredibly guilty if she couldn’t look me in the face. “I don’t even know what to say, Rika.”

I shifted uncomfortably in the chair and took a sip of my tea because I didn’t know what else to do. “You were super drunk. You threw on yourself. I was just trying to help.”

She lowered her head and ground her palms into her eyes. “Yes. I know.”

Her shoulders shook and I realized she was crying. 

And then, all of a sudden, I was the monster as we became the center of attention, everyone captivated by the beautiful woman weeping into a handful of napkins while I was looming over her like some kind of monster. 

I wished I could stand up and point a finger at her and tell everyone that the girl they were all pitying tried her very best to kill me the previous night. 

But I didn’t. 

Mostly because I didn’t want to cause a fuss and she was creating enough with her luminous eyes and tear-streaked pallid cheeks. 

I slid the napkin dispenser closer toward her. 

She nodded and grabbed a bunch more, blowing her nose with a tiny squeak. 

“That’s it?” I asked. “You just cry, give me an apology, and that’s all? Everything’s okay? You’re lucky I didn’t call the cops on you.”

She ripped the napkins into tiny damp shreds. “I know. I know, and I feel so bad. I’m a terrible drunk.”

“Maybe you should’ve stayed away from the alcohol last night, then,” I muttered. 

“Yeah. I should’ve.”

She let out a deep, shuddering sigh, her shoulders shaking.

“Can I ask you something?” she asked and winced. “It might be personal. I’m not sure.”

I gave her my best stink eye. “You tried to kill me last night. I’d say you lost that privilege.”

She flinched as though I had struck her across the face. 

I jammed a fist to the back of my neck, trying to release the tension between my shoulder blades. “Look, what do you want? If you called me here to apologize, you’re wasting your time and mine..”

She licked her lips. “It’s about Nobuki.”

Of course it was. “I’m assuming this is about the ‘he’s mine’ you were screaming while strangling me.”

I was going overboard with the whole “you tried to kill me” shtick, but I got perverse pleasure out of seeing her wince every time I mentioned it. I was just petty enough to enjoy her acute discomfort. 

She fiddled with scraps of shredded napkin. “What is your relationship with Nobu?”

“He’s my boss,” I said coldly. “Anything else is none of your business.”

Heather sniffled. “I’ve got to be honest with you. I have a thing for him.”

I snorted. I didn’t mean to, but it just happened. “Yes. I know.”

Twin spots of pink rode high on her delicate cheekbones. “I like him. A lot. I’m pissed he’s leaving so soon.”

In my opinion, we could not leave soon enough. If it meant I’d never have to see Heather again, I was almost willing to leave that very hour. 

“What’s your point?” I took another sip of iced tea, the tension melting from my shoulders as the patrons started paying more attention to themselves. 

“I’ve liked him for a long time,” she continued, her gaze steady on mine. “I saw him doing some public speaking five years ago when I was just starting out with my first book. I fell in love with him then. When he came back this time, I knew I had to make my move.”

“Like I said, what is your—”

Her hands clenched into fists on top of the table and I stiffened, anticipating some kind of attack. 

“He’s mine,” she said. “I want him. Please don’t interfere.”

I blinked, struck dumb by her blunt words. 

“I don’t know what’s going on between you two, but I don’t like it. I’m going to do whatever, everything I can to make him mine,” she said. “So I’m going to ask you again. Do you have feelings for him?”

“No,” I sputtered, stunned into honesty. “Nothing. He’s my boss. We work together.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Really?”

I put up my hands in defeat. “You’re nuts. I don’t want to be anywhere near you. But if you want my boss, you are more than welcome to that frigid son of a bitch.”

She watched me, as if trying to gauge if I was lying. 

As if I would lie to such a dangerous person. 

“Are you sure?”

I rolled my eyes. “You’ve seen the way he acts around me. He treats me like trash. When you came into our booth, he was all too happy to leave with you. You still think I’m a threat?”

She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. Her hand trembled minutely. 

Damn it, I was supposed to be the victim here. 

“So there’s nothing between you?”

I didn’t bother to hide the impatience in my voice. “No. There’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. As far as I’m concerned you can have him.”

And the both of you can go to hell for all I care. 

A small, tentative smile blossomed on her lips. “Really?”

I felt like I was talking to a child of seven. “Really.”

“I’m so glad to hear you say that.” She let out a sigh of relief that made me even unhappier. “I was pretty sure there wasn’t anything between you, but I had to be positive.”

“Of course.” I pushed my chair back. “Is that all?”

“You know, Julian seems to be into you,” she said. “I think you two make a cute couple.”

“Thanks,” I stood up, putting a five on the table for my drink. “If you’ll excuse me—”

Something stopped me from leaving. 

That something was a small but surprisingly strong hand around my wrist. 

“I’m serious,” said Heather, with something that made me incredibly uncomfortable in her hazel eyes. “Nobu’s mine.” 

I tried to shake my wrist out of her grasp without raising too much of a fuss. “Yes, you’ve made that very clear. Would you let go of me, please?”

She was shorter and lighter than me, but I didn’t think I could bet on myself if things ever came down to violence. I mean, hell, I was the one walking around with a scarf around my neck to hide the bruises. 

She leaned back in her seat, a beatific smile on her red lips. “Just so we’re clear.”

“Very clear,” I replied and tried to walk out of the restaurant with a modicum of dignity. 

Mostly, I was just trying not to run because showing her my back made my legs feel unsteady. Only when I was in the elevator again, back against the wall, did I let myself take a breath. 

Fuck, she was scary. 

Nobu’s mine. 

And dangerous. I didn’t understand why she was so possessive of him. Surely this level of affection wasn’t normal. 

I couldn’t truly relax until I was back in my room, the door double locked. I thought about calling the front desk and requesting a room change, but stopped halfway through to reaching for the phone. 

Was I overreacting? 

I had made my intentions clear and Heather seemed to believe me. 

I was okay. 

Probably. 

My stomach grumbled again and I padded over to the covered room service tray, lifting the cover off the plate to reveal a very wilted bed of greens hulking under a massive load of grilled chicken. 

I was hungry and finished the entire meal, but I found myself missing the simple taste of white rice, miso soup, and maybe a fried egg with some pickled vegetables on the side. 

After setting the tray outside my door, but not before checking the hallway to make sure Heather Jimenez wasn’t waiting outside my door with a fire axe, I fell back into bed, more exhausted than I should’ve been. 

The conversation with the crazy lady had taxed me, mentally and physically. I drifted into uneasy slumber, face pressed into a large white pillow that smelled like lavender. 

He was there. 

My boss was there, sitting in his seat, one leg crossed at the knee, fingers pressed together, watching me with that cold, implacable look of his that never failed to terrify yet arouse me. 

And, God, I wanted him. 

I was naked, but it felt natural to me. 

He was fully clothed and I found myself kneeling at his feet, like he was some kind of god and I a worshiping apostle.

I put my hands on his thighs and the muscles flexed under my fingertips as I looked at up him through my long hair tousled around my face. 

He said nothing. Just watched me with those cold, dark eyes like he was daring me, like he was calling my bluff. 

I ran my hands up his thighs, my face pressed against the soft fabric of his pants, smelling that inexplicably arousing scent that made liquid pool between my legs. 

Still nothing. 

My fingers slid up farther, found the cold, hard metal of his zipper, and I pulled it down, unsnapping the button with a flick of my hand. His hard, thick cock fell into my hands, hot and unyieldingly stiff. 

I held that long, pulsating length and squeezed gently, hearing Nobuki’s faint intake of breath. 

Finally. 

Then I ran my tongue down him, tasting that salty, almost bitter transparent liquid accumulating at the tip of his cock. 

He shifted in his seat and I took that chance to take him in my mouth, drawing him deep, letting my tongue play along the vein. 

I tasted him in the back of my throat and I worked harder, my tongue brushing more forcefully along that thick raised vein, feeling him bob and flex in my mouth. 

And when he came, I drank him in, swallowing every last drop. 

But still no words were spoken. 

I raised my head to look up at him and found him looking down at me, his eyes dark and luminous, heated. I stood up, my knees weak. 

I faced him, straddled him on that chair, and slid down his long length almost agonizingly slowly, watching myriad expressions cross his cold, handsome face. 

Then I rode him, slowly at first, taking my time, listening to his deep breathing, feeling his cock flex inside me, my moisture almost taking away the friction that I wanted, needed. 

Then harder. Faster. 

The chair creaked under us as I tightened my hands around his shoulders, a breath hitching in my chest. 

His hands were around my waist, almost painfully tight as he worked me up and down. 

It was so close. 

Ecstasy was right there, ripe for the taking. 

And then I heard something. 

Something that didn’t belong in that dream. 

I was slipping away, slipping into darkness and I was lying half in, half out of damp sheets, hair plastered to my face, groping for whatever was vibrating under my pillows, all the while blaring a song by KinKi Kids I now abhorred. 

“He—hello?”

“It’s Julian.”

Throat thick, memories of Nobuki’s body under mine, his eyes like hot coals, made my body stiffen as I shifted onto my back, the room semi-dark. 

“Julian?” I asked, mouth mossy. “Wha—what time is it?”

“A little past seven.” He paused. “Shit, I woke you up, didn’t I?”

I managed to flounder into a sitting position, back against the headboard, and I closed my eyes, mentally cursing Julian for interrupting my fantasy interlude with Nobuki. 

And cursing myself for having such a dream.

“It’s okay.” I groped along the nightstand to flick on the lamp, an action I instantly regretted as the bright wash of light made me recoil. “Is something wrong?”

“Just checking up on you,” he said. “How do you feel?”

I ran a hand over my throat, flinching as my fingers brushed against the bruises. “I’m okay. My neck still hurts, but I’ll live.”

“I was wondering if you’d like to go somewhere. I’d like to show you something.”

“Er,” I said, still halfway in between sleep and alertness. “Now?”

“I can meet you outside in ten minutes.”

Ten minutes. Just enough time to change my clothes and splash some much-needed cold water on my face. 

I didn’t want to go. I wanted to fall back asleep and continue that dream with Nobuki. 

Or start another. I wasn’t that picky. 

But then I wouldn’t see Julian. “Yeah. That’s fine. See you then.”

“Right.”

We hung up and I shuffled out of bed, changing into a semi-loose black shirt with blue jeans. The knees looked artfully ripped at the knees, but it was because I’d had the pants for years and they had just turned out that way. I hastily pulled my hair back into a rough bun and tied Nobuki’s scarf around my neck at a jaunty angle.

Julian was waiting in his car in the pickup area, staring intently at his phone, a frown marring his handsome face. 

I knocked on the window and the frown disappeared. 

“Hey,” he greeted me as I slipped in, the air conditioner raising goose bumps on my arms. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

I shook my head. “No. It’s a good thing you called, otherwise I’d be up at two in the morning with nothing to do.”

He laughed. “I know what you mean. Ready?”

I nodded, putting on the seat belt, and we left the parking lot, headed for some mysterious place Julian couldn’t tell me about. 

“Heather came to see me.” I wondered what kind of expression Julian would give me. “She knocked on my door.”

He glanced at me, alarmed. “Jesus. Did you call the cops?”

“No,” I said. “I didn’t want to cause a fuss. She said she wanted to apologize and asked me to meet her in the lounge.”

His brows furrowed, hands tightening around the steering wheel. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

I touched a corner of the silky scarf, shaking my head. 

He drew in a quick breath. “Sounds like the start of a psychological thriller. You need to get your room changed. What if she bothers you again?”

“She threatened me.” I watched his eyes narrow. “She said that Mr. Miyano was hers and told me to stay away from him.”

“Shit.” He sent me a quick glance. “Should we warn Nobu? I didn’t think she was crazy, but that sounds dangerous.”

“I don’t know,” I mused. “Maybe she has a strange way of showing her interest in someone.”

“Not sure if I’d call it strange if she’s going around strangling and threating those she thinks are a threat,” he said. “Remember what I told you to do about Nobu? Imagine what kind of hell she’d bring on you for even thinking about doing him.”

My face felt hot and I changed the subject to the day’s activity at the booth. “I saw the booth at lunchtime. There were a lot of people there.”

He grinned at me. “Yeah. I kind of whored myself out there, didn’t I?”

I shrugged. “It’s not my business to say otherwise.”

“Were you jealous?”

I snorted and crossed my arms. “It’ll take a lot more than that to make me jealous.”

He laughed under his breath and the conversation faded away into comfortable silence as we drove through the rapidly darkening sky.