Page 12 of Secrets & Sake

Fury boils within me as we step out onto the sidewalk. A crowd has gathered around my ride. Oh, fuck, no. I shove my way through the crowd and curse. Those bastards slashed my tires and bashed in the windows! Hiro gasps when he sees the wreck. Growling, I yank a pack of Seven Stars from my pocket and light up a smoke. “Fucking hell.” I take in a deep drag, then blow out smoke. Beside me, Hiro rubs his arm. I can’t look away from the bruise already forming there.

For a while there, tonight almost felt like a normal date. Then, those Takada-kai bastards showed up and dragged Hiro into the violence and chaos of my world. He should be out tonight with a nice guy, someone with a normal job and a safe life. Not some yakuza thug like me.

“Sorry about that.”

Hiro just shakes his head. “It wasn’t your fault.”

A cloud of smoke billows from my lips. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home.”

“Home?” Hiro’s face falls. “Already? It’s only six PM.”

How can he still want to spend time with me after that shitshow of an evening? “You should go home. This was a mistake.”

Hiro winces, and I immediately want to punch myself in the throat. Damn it. I’m no good at this at all.

“I only meant—” I bite back a groan. “You’re not a mistake.”

Hiro actually laughs. “My parents would have to disagree with you.”

He means it as a joke, but my wolf growls deep within. Reaching out, I take his hand. “I had fun tonight. With you.”

Finally, Hiro’s features light up. “I did, too.”

There it is. There’s my sunshine.

I jerk a shoulder toward the bar. “Sorry those bastards showed up and ruined dinner.”

“It’s okay. Sorry about your car. Hey! Did you see me? I threw a plate at one of them!” He grins. “And you… you were so badass.” His voice gets oddly gravelly, and lust spikes his scent. “I mean, you were terrifying. But it was… kinda hot.”

A pleased rumble escapes me. I want to lean in and breathe in the sweet scent of his arousal, bask in it. “The night’s still young. How about we stay out a while longer?”

“I’d like that.”

I put in a call to get my car towed off for repairs.

“Tenko said something about abductions,” Hiro says.

“Yeah.” I bite down harder on the cigarette between my teeth. I wish he hadn’t heard that.

“He thinks the Takada-kai are behind it?”

“Help me!”

The memory of a woman’s scream pierces my brain.

“Get off me! Help!”

“Raiden?”

Hiro’s voice makes me jump.

“Are you okay?” His doe eyes are wide with concern.

What was that? I haven’t harassed any women for protection fees lately. Oddly breathless, I fill my lungs with smoke and give a dazed nod. “I’m fine.”

“I asked you a question.”

“You did?” I must not have heard.

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