Page 54 of Her Fearless Ronin

Violet nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry, losing someone we care about is so hard,” she offered, her tone carrying her own pain. She truly understood.

“Jiro is tormented by guilt over her death,” I added.

She nodded again. “Yes, he is.”

This simple acknowledgment should have brought some relief, but instead, it stung.

“But Jiro doesn’t function like that. I’ve seen how he acts around Hoka and me. If anything, his guilt isn’t what pulls him closer; it’s what’s pushing him away. Jiro is a man who would walk away from his own happiness because of his guilt.”

I sighed, my heart heavy with the weight of these revelations. “With Jiro, it’s just that…”

Yuko’s noises filtered through the baby monitor. “Ah, the little man is up,” Violet said, standing up. “Hold that thought. I’ll be right back.”

I nodded, using this moment to check my phone. There were messages from my brother urging me to meet them in the hotel hallway.

I stood up from my seat, leaving my bag on the table to show Violet that I was going to return in a minute, and informed the scary-looking guard that I’d be back in just a moment and that I just needed to go to the hotel boutique for some women issues. I knew it was something that nobody would ever question, and he nodded, clearing his throat.

As soon as I reached the lobby, I was pulled into ameeting room. I turned around and found my brother pacing back and forth. His appearance was disheveled, his hair mussed, and his eyes carried a wild edge I’d not seen since Anna’s death.

He wasted no time; his words spilled out like a torrent, fueled by both panic and anger. “I told you to walk away, Hope, I told you to stay away from that fucking yakuza. It’s everything you did that led to this mess. It’s all on your head!” He pointed an accusatory finger at me, his voice trembling with frustration.

His accusations struck me like a punch to the gut, causing anger to bubble inside me. “Hold on a minute! You think I asked for any of this? You think I wanted any of these troubles? You disappeared, Leo! You left us in the deep shit you created. How did you even know I was here?”

He paced back and forth erratically, his hands gesturing wildly. “You had choices, Hope. You always had choices, and you chose to sleep with him just like Anna!” he barked, ignoring my question.

My patience began to fray, my frustration mingling with a growing suspicion. “What are you not telling me, Leo? Why are you so vehement about all this? What are you hiding?”

He seemed to waver but looked away, his hands trembling. “Nothing good comes from digging into the past. You kept pushing deeper into it when I asked, no, demanded that you stop. But his dick was too good to pass up, huh?”

My patience snapped, replaced by raw irritation. “What does it have to do with you? You left! I thought you were dead, and you know what? For the first time, I wished youmight have been!” I turned back toward the door. “I have someplace to go.”

He stepped closer, his expression filled with desperation and bitterness. “What happens next, Hope, is on your head. Remember that.”

I was done with him, with his drama. I didn’t care what happened to him now. I opened my mouth to tell him that, but before I even got a chance to turn around, a cloth was pressed against my face from behind. Panic surged, but before I could react, darkness overtook me, and everything went black.

Chapter 17

Jiro

After spending several hours with the local yakuza to ensure we had the manpower we needed and briefing their leader about the potential fallout from our cartel meeting, Hoka and I were en route to meet Valdez.

“Have you decided yet?” Hoka asked, his gaze focused on the road as the car glided through the city’s streets.

“Decided what?” With everything going on, I wasn’t sure which decision he was referring to.

Hoka cast a sideways glance at me. I sensed he wanted to know if I’d return as hiswakagashira. The decision should’ve been easy. Of course, I wanted to return. But then there was the girl I kept insisting I’d leave behind. Whenever I considered my old life, she became a dominant thought, seemingly integral to any decision.

“What I don’t get,” Oda chimed in from the front seat, “is how you can say you’re protecting Hope from Valdez, yet you’re not fully committed…” His tone dripped with sarcasm.

Suppressing a grin, Hoka looked down at his lap, reminding me of our earlier disagreement. Oda continued, “I mean, if it helps, I can claim her. I’m sure Hope and I would get along—”

Reacting instantly, I slapped the back of his head.

“Ow! Seriously?”

“I’ll do it again until you grow up, kid!”

“I’m twenty-four!”

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