Carli
This morning, after a long, yet rewarding shower, I called Circe’s room. She’d asked me why Jamieson was naked and scaring the staff, and why she had to be scarred for life after seeing his minion, and why we were fighting in the first place. That last one should have been obvious. Male Crown.
I knew she had a good night. Actually, the animals surrounding us in the forest knew she had a good night. She’d mentioned holding out on Wyatt, but as always, Crowns’ have their persuasive tactics that can make you do just about anything. And Wyatt, from the kink she’s explained, could bend her like a pretzel and she’d ask how much further he wanted it. His funk is beyond fucked. She’s trying the persuasive tactics on me, but I told her I wasn’t feeling well, and that I wouldn’t be down for breakfast. It’s not totally a lie, but also not a truth either. I’m lying in bed, trying to erase all the fond memories of Jamieson’s wandering hands, alternating between shower, sticky self sex, and back to shower again.
Jamieson showing up, reminding me that I’m about to be a parent and he’s the other half to the reason why sucks. Yeah, my life has been gradually stepping into the darker, seedier parts of the Yakuza underworld, but I’m getting a grip on it and dealing in my own way. Dealing with him and his sexiness will not be as easy.
I shouldn’t have freaked out and told Circe. I should have kept my trap shut and dealt with it on my own. I’m good on my own, and I don’t need a man to make me complete. Stupid me. I’ll just have to deal now that he’s here, loving and despising it in equal measure.
So back to why I’m hiding out. If I’m here enjoying my Jai and lil’ Whiskey, then I’m not having to face him and his ‘music.’ I already ordered in what I want for breakfast, and I can sequester myself until I figure out what to do. As I’m rounding another silent orgasm, my doorbell rings.
“Just a second,” I call out, a bit louder and shriller than intended. “And if your name is Jamieson fucking Crown, you can go away.”
“It’s not. It’s Miori.”
Miori? Why the hell would she be looking for me?
“Give me a second.”
Cranking the setting on both toys higher, the crest approaches with a vengeance. Pulling the pillow over my head, squealing into it, my happy ending explodes out of me. As I come down, turning off both toys, then setting them in my en suite, I toss on a silk housecoat and walk to the door.
Clicking the lock and swinging it wide, I find Miori wearing only a housecoat like myself, looking uneasy. “Hey, Mi. What’s up?”
“I’m so sorry, Kaori. Really, I am so, so sorry.” Stepping to the side, I see Kato hiding behind her, the silenced gun he’s holding visible.
“Kaori. I hope we haven’t intruded?”
Questioning what’s going on isn’t necessary. Just figuring out how to survive it will be.
Knowing my smart mouth normally gets me into trouble, maybe this once I’ll dial it down a smidge.
Maybe not.
He’s expecting it anyway.
I address Kato. “I was actually thinking of getting dressed and doing the same thing. Because, you know, holding people at gunpoint as they stand in bathrobes is normal in our line of work. Won’t you come in. Make yourself at home.” Stepping to the side allows Kato, Miori, Hiro, Kano, and a man I don’t know to pass. “Would you care for a cup of kiss my ass, Jiji?”
He looks at me with a flat expression. “Oh, Kaori, your mouth is your downfall.” Motioning for my sisters to take seats on the couch, Kato walks over. “Have a seat, Kaori. We need to change some of your arrangements.”
“I have the feeling you don’t mean with flowers.” Looking at my sisters seeming horribly nervous, I keep up the sarcasm. “You don’t mean with flowers, right?”
Walking toward an empty chair, he taps his gun on the table. “You may not like the arrangements for the flowers, unless you like funerals.”
I bypass that remark. “Kato, I’m frustrated. I’m seriously wondering what’s going on, and I’m a hungry pregnant lady. Tell me what you’d like and let’s get on with our lives.”
Sitting in the chair, neatly crossing his legs, Kato places the gun on his knee, leaving it pointed toward my frightened sisters. “That’s the point. I want the family business. It’s only yours because of my lackluster, imaginative brother.” He grinds his teeth. “No more. I’m taking what is mine.”
I shrug my shoulders and shake my head. “You actually think I want this life? You think I asked to come here? Are you kidding me? I wanted to stay in the states. I wanted the life I’d built as Carli, but no, Uncle. You dragged me back. Why? If you wanted this, why not take it and forget I ever existed?”
His tight smile is completely fake. “My brother’s will and my standing in the clan would have made it dishonorable to take that which was mine by force. But, if you offer it willingly, turning it over to me, I’ll leave you alone. You can go back to your precious American life.” His disdain and disgust is visible as he spews the words.
“Then toss me a pen, a knife, or a fucking gun to get on with it. If I have to sign it over I will, as long as you leave us alone. We’re your nieces. You didn’t need to come at us with a gun pointed. You just had to ask.”
I have the feeling there’s more to it than this. Otherwise, he could have done this while I was in LA, as he shadowed me for weeks.
He smirks. Shit, I knew there was more to it.
Why do I always have to ask the dumb questions?
Raising the gun, he swings it toward me. “Be careful what you ask for, Niece. You may not like the results.”
“True. I don’t like abuse on puppies, children, or picnics without coleslaw, but I’ll repeat, I didn’t ask for this.”
With another ring of the doorbell, I’m hoping to fuck it’s not one of the Crown’s. The staff he’ll ignore, acting like this is just a family meeting, but one of the Crown’s, he’ll use them as hostage and bait against what he intends to inflict.
When no one rises to get the door, I look at the statuesque pair of bodyguards slash muscle. “Are you going to get that, or should I?” I ask.
Looking at my uncle, then each other with vacant stares, I rise off the bed and walk over to the sentry. Looking through the peephole, it’s not staff with my breakfast.
“I’m a little tied up right now. Can we talk later?” I ask through the door.
“Look, I was an ass last night. A total fucking dick, and I need to explain it to you. Just let me in, Katana.”
“I’m sorry. No speaka Spanish.”
“Carli, open the door. I promise I’ll sit on my side of the room…you know, where you tossed my clothes? And you can sit on yours.”
Boy, does he have that wrong right now. “Yeah, right now is not a good time. Come back with your Girl Scout cookies—”
“Don’t be rude,” my uncle says. Turning to look at him, I see mirth, devious planning, and further damage in his gaze. “Open the door, Kaori. Let the man apologize.”
“That’s a hard pass. I’d rather not add to your body count, Jiji.”
Lifting the gun, flicking it toward my sisters, he shoots Kano. Hitting her in the leg, she screams out. Turning to her, Miori moves to help, but my uncle waves the gun. Looking at my little sister in pain, I want to rush to her side, but my uncle stops me. “Don’t move. Neither of you. Kano will be fine. It’s a flesh wound.” He looks back at me with sinister determination. “Now, Kaori I believe your guest shouldn’t be left waiting.”
The sounds of Jamieson pounding on the door, shouting questions is unmistakable. On one hand, I’m glad the doors are thick or he’d have had it open and been shot in the process. On the other, I’m saddened that I’m dealing with this alone and he couldn’t be a hero. I always wanted a hero.