Page 128 of Emperor of Wrath

“Why,” he growls quietly.

“I’m…dirty,” I whisper.

He turns to reach for the body wash. “I’ll get the spots you missed?—”

“No, Kenzo,” I choke, pulling back as his hand reaches for me. “I…”

I avert my eyes again. He stills for a moment, but then suddenly his hands grab my hips, pulling me close. I stiffen, trying to pull away again. But he holds me fast and tight, reaching up to cup my face and lift my eyes to his.

Water streams over his gorgeous face and dark hair. His piercing eyes hold mine.

“Kenzo…”

“What was done to you was evil, Annika,” he says quietly. “That in no way taints you in any way. It doesn’t change the way I see you.”

His one hand slips into my hair. The other tightens on my hip.

“None of that changes the way I feel about you…”

He backs me against the wall, chest to chest, heart to heart.

“The way I’d kill for you…”

My pulse skips as he brushes the hair back from my face and leans closer, our eyes never even blinking under the spray of the shower.

“Or the way I love you.”

He cups my face as his mouth descends, his lips crushing mine as I melt against him. I moan, clinging to him desperately, like I’m being tossed in a hurricane and he’s my only grounding point. I whimper hungrily into the kiss, holding him tightly as he lifts me into his arms, shuts off the water, and carries me out of the shower.

The air hitting my wet skin is a reality check. I stiffen against him and pull back from his lips with a shudder.

“He…” I swallow. “He’s still out there,” I breathe. “He got?—”

“Leka’s dead, Annika,” Kenzo says quietly. “The police found a body not far from the rental house—cut to hell, but matching his description.” His eyes harden. “They say he bled out slowly.” Kenzo grits his teeth. “I couldn’t bury the past for you, princess,” he mutters quietly. “I’m sorry?—”

“Yes, you did,” I whisper back, cupping his face and resting my forehead on his. I kiss him softly as my heart thuds against his chest. “You just did.”

I melt into his lips again as he turns and carries me out of the bathroom.

27

KENZO

I watch the gentle rise and fall of her back as she sleeps next to me. Personally, I’ve always been a “back” sleeper. Recently, though, with her here, I’ve found myself sleeping on my side, because not sleeping with my arms around this woman has become intolerable to me.

Annika, however, can sleep in any position. And she does. On her side, half draped over my chest. Sprawled on her back. But frequently, when I’m still awake watching her sleep, she’s on her front. Like tonight.

I reach out quietly and gently brush some errant red locks away from her face, letting the moonlight illuminate her.

God, she’s beautiful.

And fuck, do I love her.

I know that now. No doubt or hesitation. No reservations. No self-reflection. It’s as true as the fact that I’m alive. As true as the fact that I’d go to war with the entire world for this woman.

I’d burn the whole thing to the ground, if it was necessary to keep her by my side.

Annika fell directly asleep after I carried her in here after the shower. For the last hour, I’ve been downstairs with my siblings and some of my and Sota’s top waka gashira planning what comes next.

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