“Right. Of course. Proper. Yeah, fuck that. I need your help or either me or your brother is gonna end up dead. And, you can rest assured that if something happens to me, everyone in your family is next.”
“So, what you’re telling me is that I have no choice but to talk to you?” she asked calmly.
“What I’m sayin’ is, we gotta talk.”
Yuki returned to her shopping.
“Perhaps my honorable brother-in-law would like to join me for tea once my shopping is done.”
I didn’t like being rescheduled.
“Where?”
“There is a tea shop two blocks from here. Are you familiar with the area?”
I knew where she was referring to. It was where she always went after buying white lilies.
“I know where you’re talking about.”
“Then I will see you there,” she said dismissing me and going about her business.
I had to admit, our interaction didn’t go as planned. Everything I personally knew about her made me think that she would bow her head and avert her eyes the whole time. She had more backbone than I would have guessed.
Leaving her to do her thing, I headed to the tea shop and found a table. She did not rush over to join me. It took 45 minutes for her to arrive and by then, I was a little pissed. There was only so long I could sit still with my stitches starting to itch.
“Mr. Ricci,” she said with a humble bow.
Everything about her was polite. Everything except her actions.
“You’re my sister, now. You can call me Dante.”
“Very well, Dante.”
She stood until I got up and pulled out the seat for her. She then sat quietly staring at me until I had called the server over and had allowed her to order. She was not what I had expected.
“So, your brother, what’s his deal?”
“You will have to be more specific,” she said never taking her eyes off of me.
“Your father send him to kill me, or what?”
“That is something that you will have to talk to Kuroi or my father about.”
“Right,” I said not knowing what I was supposed to ask. “Okay, listen. You know your brother.”
“I am familiar with him.”
“And you know about his reputation.”
“I’m not sure which reputation you’re referring to.”
“I’m talking about the Black Widow, one.”
Yuki shifted uncomfortably.
“You know, the one where all of his lovers end up dead.”
She stared at me without reply.