Page 28 of The Queen's Denial

Chi’s father steps in. “Andy, I appreciate your input on this matter, but we’ve heavily vetted each and every man during this process. We have an extremely tight system and don’t take these matters lightly.”

I know why he did it and wasn’t actually planning to bring it up, but in all honesty, it has been bugging me, so I gain steam as we speak about it. “Our system for low-level personnel isn’t as tight as the upper ranks. Anyone can spy, Akio, and there are methods we can explore that we aren’t using. There are other ways to tease information out of people.”

Akio nods, but I know he’s already dismissed the worry. “Thank you for your concern, Andy. It will be noted and considered. Is there anything else?”

“No, sir,” I say quickly, thanking the heavens that I’m getting out of here in one piece after eavesdropping on what sounded like a very private conversation.

“Good. Thank you. You may go now.”

I nod and try not to walk away too quickly. As I leave, I consider what I’ve heard. I think about Chi again. Are they making her do something she doesn’t want to do? I know her future as Yakuza queen will contain many responsibilities, but she’s only 24-years-old. She seems too young to be trusted with them, and yet, a man would have likely been given the same status as Daiki already. I wonder if perhaps more is expected of her behind the scenes than I’ve ever realized.

It hurts my head to consider it all, so I push it away. Chi has her life to live, and so do I.

Chapter 13

Chi

I spend the rest of the week fucking Andy as much as possible in between my lessons. Many new ones have unfortunately been added since my father told me about my Omiai. I’ve finished my college degree and really don’t feel it necessary to get another, so at this point I only take lessons for the things I enjoy, like yoga, knife-throwing, fencing and karate. I’d rather just spend my extra time in the library.

But now I have to take lessons on how to snag a husband — Japanese etiquette lessons. Really, they just teach me how to act in the presence of the big strong men who will be vying for my hand in marriage, as if I’m some medieval princess. I mostly inwardly eye roll through them, but my father makes it clear that they aren’t optional.

Over the next few weeks, I am finally getting used to this routine of mindlessly working through each lesson during the day and fucking Andy each night. And then a bomb is dropped on everything.

Mara’s face shows up on my phone for a video call and I answer it just like I normally would. I guess I should always be prepared for something bad to be happening these days, but I think I just want things to be back to normal, the way they were before this godforsaken war.

She starts talking about something weird going on with the heads of the surrounding families, but her voice is quickly drowned out by the sound of sirens. If there are sirens close enough to be that loud, they are on our property.

It’s sudden and heart-stopping. I look through my window and watch as four cop cars pull up the long driveway and park in the horseshoe lot. The guards at the gate look stressed and nervous as they rush inside the house.

I don’t even put what Mara is saying together with why the cops are here until I push through the doors to Papa’s study. There are a swarm of them, grabbing his arms and cuffing them behind his back.

“What do you think you’re doing?” I ask them in outrage. “What has he done?”

They say nothing to me or to him, and he gives me a severe look, but I won’t back down. He’s never been taken in. They can’t do this.

I hear Mara asking what is going on from the phone — I almost forgot she was on with me. “There are cops here! They’re cuffing my father!”

Mara’s face drops. “No! Why?”

“I don’t know, they won’t tell me anything!” I am the future Yakuza queen, and goddamn it, someone needs to give me some fucking information. I look at them and deliver a speech filled with red-hot frustration that the normally meek, sweet Chichi Yan would never give anyone. “I want you to know that I’m recording, and you have no idea what we can do to you! All of my followers will see this blatant ignorance of your own oaths and rules! I swear to God, if you’re taking him in without cause, you will be pariahs of the internet, of the Massachusetts PD, everything! You’ll never get a job again, and we won’t just be suing the state; we’ll make sure you all pay for taking an innocent man in, even just for questioning! You haven’t given a reason—”

“Chichi-chan!” my father whisper-shouts at me, which is worse, I think, than him actually shouting. “Calm down. You know what to do and who to call. We will comply, and then we will take action later.”

I can’t believe my father is allowing this. I can’t believe he’s throwing in the towel right now. Things must be worse than I even knew if this is happening. It feels like everything is coming to a head.

“Yes, Oto-san,” I have to call Daiki. He’s in Japan right now, likely making sure my mother and brother don’t do anything stupid. Hopefully, whatever is happening here doesn’t extend overseas.

I give a slight nod of compliance and look toward the phone. At least I’m not being taken in today. But I’m not the one who has to constantly watch my back in this war.

Cas comes into range of Mara’s phone camera. “Take care of yourself, Chi.”

He should be more worried about Mara than about me. There is always someone trying to mess with her these days. I think the words, but I try my best to give them an encouraging half smile. “I will,” I say, before hanging up the phone to deal with the shitstorm that has been laid at my feet.

*****

“Get Andy there with you immediately.” Daiki doesn’t say hello when I call. There are no pleasantries. Somehow, he has already heard about what is happening and is headed toward a plane to come back to me.

I’m surprised he names Andy. My father knows him well, of course, but Daiki has barely spoken to him. Still, I’m relatively certain that, although they don’t know the extent of it, my father and Daiki realize that Andy and I have been… close since he took over operations here. I can’t imagine either of them are thrilled about that, since they’re trying to marry me off in the near future. But I agree anyway and call him.

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