Page 37 of Love on the Run

When we are done wrapped in the soft robes, I comb and braid his hair before he moisturizes and re-braids mine. Today seems like those lazy days when we’d go to the Takeda Manse to visit his mom and take care of estate business.

All tension has fled from me. I dare not ask what is happening between us or where we stand.

“Flower,” he says turning me to face him. His face is hard, and I steel my myself for the crushing disappointment to come.

“I want to spend the day with you and Asa. Is that something you’d like to do?”

I almost take too long to answer. Is he really asking me? Is he saying he wants to spend his whole day with me? Because I know he spends his own time with Asa.

I am humbled he’s including me. I’m delighted he wants us all together and he cares about my wishes.

“I’d loved that,” I say tentatively. I see frustration flash in his eyes for a tense moment before he slides his gaze predictably to the side before returning with a close expression.

“Hai. Good.” It’s like we are frozen as if we are strangers on an awkward first date.

Taking a chance, I step into his space causing our bodies to touch. I can feel heat radiating from him through the layers of plushness. I know I shouldn’t but even if he sets me straight, he’ll keep his word. I look up into his hard, onyx gaze, reaching up to stroke his hard, chiseled face, letting all of the feeling I dare not say infuse my gaze. “Thank you for this.”

I reach up on tip toes, pressing my lips against his firm hard ones. To my surprise he doesn’t hesitate. Though I initiated our embrace and kiss, his firm lips claim mine. He cups the back of my head. Hot, lush lips press mine open. I dart my tongue into his mouth. He tastes of mint. I lose myself in the beauty of it. There’s no agenda — not to punish or prove anything. It’s just us —Akchiro and Flower. Two people who’ve made a lot of mistakesand hurt each other. I hope this is the first step of finding our way back.

He pulls back with a soft caress of a smile as he looks down at me, his eyes soft. “Let’s go spend the day with our son.”

“This is the dress for tonight.” With a flourish the Aussie girl lies a sheer, webbed, onyx sparking masterpiece before me on my bed. I look at her in askance. She just shrugs halfheartedly.

“Why were helicopters here? I heard like three of them.”

I watch her smirk as if she has a secret.

“When I was in Mr. Takeda’s office earlier ourconversationwas interrupted by guests. I believe they were his brothers.”

“Ryu and Takashi are here?” Strangled words somehow make it past my lips. I must look visibly upset. She gives me a nasty-nice smile and another flippant shrug.

Two weeks. That’s how long Akchiro has been gone. Disappeared from my life like ether. Not a word since the day we shared as a family. Satoh-chan finally took mercy on me, giving in after seeing my distress, saying he had an emergency requiring his personal attention, so he flew out the day after our family day.

The fact that he didn’t bother to leave me a message or come to see me once he got back—he’d had Asa taken to him as soon as he returned yesterday. Just Asa.

I don’t know why I’d allowed myself to think we’ve made progress. I spent a lot of time wondering and waiting yesterday; finally giving up and falling into my chosen self-destruction. Embarrassment claws at me. I feel so stupid.

I snatch the garment up from the bed tossing it back at her face. When she attempts to lay it down again, I grab her wrist.She freezes. Stopping, I search her eyes wondering what’s going on with her. I glance down and that’s when I see the thin scars in perfect rows from where her wrist begins until they disappear up the sleeve of the uniform she’s wearing.

Dropping my hand, I step back realizing she knows why I was scrounging around for the pins. This woman who wants to take my husband or at least wants to be his concubine knows the deepest, ugliest secret I’ve ever had.She brought you pins knowing exactly why you wanted them.

A cold chill lances through me. I’m not a coward but I know evil. She knows my suffering and instead of trying to get help, she aided in my self-destruction, so she’d be able to get my husband.

“A lot of people get the scars removed.” I nod toward her arm releasing my hold on her. Moving away from her, what she represents and my own destruction I focus on my breathing wanting her gone from my space.

“I kept them as a reminder, battle scars and all that.” She shrugs carelessly.

Nodding, I look back at the dress. “You may tell my husband. I won’t be able to attend his event tonight.”

“You can tell him yourself.” The cold clip tones have us both turning to the door we obviously didn’t hear open.

“Thank you, Miranda. I’ll handle it from here.” The glowing smile he gives her feels like a slap in the face. I turn from them both wrapping my arms tightly around my waist. It seems innocuous enough but one thing I know for sure, Akchiro is never that casual with people who work for him. He is formal in all things. A penchant retained from the old school Japanese way his father trained him in business. Keeping distant keeps you safe and your business efficient. He never crosses those lines.

“Flower.” His voice cuts across the room like a blade. I stiffen in a way I know he notices but remain obstinately turned away.

He takes his shoes off at the door as is our custom. Still, I can feel his presence coming forward. A dark shadow of rageful fury storming across the room in silent menace with each step he takes forward.

Hard hands grip my shoulders spinning me around. Not thinking, I don’t know what comes over me until I hear the loud smack and watch in horror as crimson blooms on his left cheek.

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