Page 35 of Her Fearless Ronin

Last night, I bared my heart to him, confessing my feelings even though I knew he couldn’t reciprocate. And surprisingly, I didn’t regret it. It was as if the weight of my unspoken emotions had been lifted, and now I could face the uncertain future with a newfound clarity.

I was not broken; Jiro had proven it, and I wanted him again and again. I closed my eyes and smiled, still feeling his hardness inside of me.

Just as I was lost in my thoughts, my phone vibrated on the bedside table, pulling me back to reality. I grabbed it, my heart skipping a beat again as I half expected it to be an issue with my mother.

“Hello?”

“Whatever you’re doing, Hope, it stops now.” His words hit me like a bucket of cold water, instantly pulling me out of whatever trance I was in. I sat up quickly, almost knocking the lamp off the nightstand. Beside me, Jiro stirred, his eyes blinking open as he was roused from his slumber.

I placed the phone on speaker mode and set it down on the bed, knowing that whatever my brother had to say, Jiro deserved to hear it too.

“Hope, are you there?” Leo asked, the coldness in his voice so unfamiliar.

I glanced at Jiro, my heart racing. This wasn’t like Leo at all. Jiro’s eyes locked with mine, his expression a mix ofcuriosity and concern.

“Leo, where are you?” I asked, turning toward the phone again.

“It’s irrelevant,” he started dismissively. “You’re poking your nose in Valdez business and with that fucking yakuza!” he spat with barely veiled disgust in his voice. “Do I need to remind you what he cost us? I’m sure Anna is rolling in her grave seeing you together.”

I turned back to Jiro, a mix of emotions swirling in his eyes. His face was a mask, his expression unreadable, but I knew those words had struck a deep chord within him, just as they had with me. It was like Leo’s words were designed to target every ounce of guilt and pain that he carried from the past.

My hand instinctively reached out, my fingers brushing gently against his cheek in a feeble attempt to convey comfort, to let him know that his past sins were not the sum of who he was. His lips pressed against my palm, a soft kiss that sent a shiver down my spine. He left the bed, his naked form a powerful sight, and my eyes followed him as he headed toward the bathroom.

“Hope,” Leo’s voice snapped me back to the phone, his tone accusatory. “What do you think you’re doing?”

I sat up straighter, determination welling up inside me. “You disappeared, Leo. For weeks, I thought you were…” My voice trailed off, the emotion of those weeks without him choking me for a moment. “You left without a word, without any sign of where you were. And now, you dare to call and give me orders?”

I could feel my frustration boiling over, the helplessnessof not knowing what had happened to my brother for so long. And yet, he called as if he had the right to dictate my actions, to criticize my choices. It wasn’t fair, and I wasn’t going to let him control me any longer.

“Think again, Leo,” I retorted, my voice firm. “I’m not a child anymore. I can make my own decisions, and I’ll do whatever it takes to find out what happened to you and to help our family. If you’re not going to share the truth with me, then I’ll find it on my own.”

“Hope…” He sighed. “I am working, and this has nothing to do with you. Trust me, I’m just looking out for you.”

My eyes flashed to Jiro, who was now wearing a pair of boxers, leaning against the bathroom door, frowning at the phone.

“Like you looked out for me when you used the money Jiro sent each month for your stupid club, forcing me to drop out of school?” I asked with anger.

“Is that what he told you?” He let out a little laugh. “He lied to you, Hope. Just go back to your life and let me live mine, okay? Just… BACK OFF!”

“You know what, Leo? You back off!” I shouted into the phone, my anger fueling my words as I ended the call abruptly.

Jiro approached me, his footsteps silent as he walked over and sat down on the bed. His fingers found my foot beneath the covers, squeezing it gently, a silent reassurance that he was there.

“He’s lying,” I said, my voice thick with frustration and anger.

“Iknow,” Jiro replied, his tone calm and collected, a soothing contrast to my boiling temper.

“None of what he said makes any sense,” I continued, my hands gesturing wildly in the air. “And where’s his phone? He wouldn’t have just disappeared like that, not without a word. I know my brother, and he’s not that egotistical. He wouldn’t have left me to worry like that; he would have said something. I know he would have!” I added defiantly.

Jiro nodded, his gaze fixed on his hand resting on my leg. “It doesn’t add up.”

I felt a surge of relief rushing through me. He believed me, believed in my brother’s goodness despite the lies and the mystery surrounding his disappearance.

“Exactly,” I said, my voice still tinged with frustration, but the weight on my chest was slowly lifting. With Jiro by my side, supporting me and understanding the turmoil I was going through, I felt stronger. More determined to uncover the truth about Leo’s vanishing act.

I didn’t think he realized it when his hand began to trace soothing circles on my leg beneath the cover. His touch was both comforting and electric, sending a thrill through my veins.

“You’re not going to let it go, are you?”

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