Page 120 of Emperor of Wrath

The name makes me pause, my brain searching the memory banks for how I know this fuck. Then it hits me: Ulkan’s a mid-level Albanian strongman who runs a B-list crime outfit. He also lives in New York, so why the fuck is he standing over me in Kyoto?

“What the fuck is this,” I snap coldly at him, pulling at my binds. I nod my chin at Valon as he lies bleeding and moaning on the ground. “If you’re here for him, we’re on the same side. But he’s mine,” I snarl.

Ulkan smiles, examining my sword again and running his thumb up the side of the blade.

“Put that down,” I growl quietly.

His eyes lift to mine. “I’ll ask you again, Mr. Mori. Do you hunt?”

It starts to filter into my consciousness that Ulkan is known to be a complete psychopath.

“I do,” I growl.

“Have you ever gone trapping?”

“Bunnies,” I hiss. “I’ve trapped bunnies.”

His smile grows as he circles me slowly, thumbing the edge of my blade.

“Ahh yes, rabbits. You must bait a cage for rabbits, yes?”

“What the fuck do you want, Mr. Gacaferi?”

His head swivels to me, his eyes glinting in the moonlight. “I want what I’m owed, Mr. Mori. Our honor is the one thing we have in this world, no? And to lose it, or have it taken from you, is a terrible thing. I think men like you and I can agree on that.”

“I don’t even fucking know you,” I snarl. “What the fuck do you think I took?—”

“Ahh, I apologize. You misunderstand, Mr. Mori,” Ulkan sighs, hefting my sword in his hand as he slowly walks over to where Valon is lying on the ground. He gestures to the fucker lying in his own blood, pointing at him with my sword.

“That isn’t my bait, Mr. Mori. Because it is not you I am hunting.”

He twirls the blade thoughtfully as he turns. His eyes land on me as he slowly walks toward me, smiling cruelly.

“No, you are my bait, Mr. Mori.”

My jaw clenches as I glare up into his face. “And what the fuck are you hunting?”

He leers at me as he squats down in front of me, running his thumb up the side of my sword, looking me dead in the eye.

“Your wife, Mr. Mori. I’m hunting your wife.”

24

ANNIKA

Hana and I sit together in silence. She doesn’t ask why I’ve been crying, or why Kenzo and I were screaming at each other. She doesn’t question why I’m still shaking a little, or inquire where her brother flew off to.

She just sits beside me in the garden with an arm around my shoulders and her hand stroking my hair.

As if I needed a reminder why I like her so much.

I feel her move, and I turn to follow where her gaze has just shifted. Mal walks out from the living room, his brow furrowed.

“What do you need, Annika?” He growls. “Tea?”

“I think something stronger and more Scottish might be better.”

His chuckles wryly and nods. Just as he turns to head back inside, we whirl at the sound of an engine roaring up the driveway. Tires squeal, and the crunching sound of metal has us all scrambling to our feet and bolting around the side of the house toward the driveway.

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