Page 9 of Her Fearless Ronin

“Youwork at a sex shop?”

“Uh-huh.”

“You? Little Hope Myers.”

She stomped her foot again, and I couldn’t help but smile this time. She truly was adorable when she was angry. “Stop seeing me as a child! I’ve grown up, Jiro!”

“Oh, trust me, I noticed!” I snapped back, effectively shutting us both up. I had noticed, of course I had, and it made me feel guilty to have let my eyes linger a little too long on her toned calves, the swell of her breasts, or how perfectly her body molded to mine on the back of the bike.

Yes, I had noticed and enjoyed it all, but Hope may be the only woman I’ll never be allowed to touch.

A heavy silence hung in the air after my curt response. The truth of my words lingered between us. I regretted my outburst immediately, knowing that my words had revealed far more than I intended.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to regain my composure. “I’m sorry. That was uncalled for,” I said, my voice softernow. “I didn’t mean to belittle you or dismiss your maturity. It’s just… I have my own mistakes to deal with, and I can’t afford for the past to repeat itself. I won’t survive it this time.”

Hope’s expression softened slightly, her anger giving way to understanding and vulnerability. “I know you still feel guilty, but this is a completely different situation.” She breathed. “Anna got in the middle of something that had nothing to do with her, something you told her to stay away from.”

I frowned at the finality of her voice. “How do you even know that?”

She let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Because I was there. I was everywhere you were. The silly little girl with her stupid crush.” Her cheeks turned bright red at the confession. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t handle my own. It ismybrother,myproblem. I asked for your help, not for you to take over, remember?”

I crossed my arms on my chest, not liking that one bit but also knowing that she was right.

She sighed, relaxing her stance. “It’s a moot point, anyway. Involve me, don’t involve me. I’ll keep on looking from my side, and so be it.”

I gritted my teeth in frustration at her blatant rejection of her safety. “Fine, but if it gets too dangerous, you’re out. No questions asked, deal?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What if I say no?”

I took the few steps separating us and stopped close enough to smell her faint flowery perfume.

“Say no?” I purred with a lower voice.

She looked up, and I couldn’t help but grin at her dilated pupils. My presence affected her. Unfortunately, seeing how my body tensed, she affected me just as much.

“Uh-huh.”

“Well, sweet Hope, I may have to ground you.” My mind went completely blank as I ran my finger slowly along her jawline, making her shiver.

I quickly regained my composure, realizing that I had momentarily allowed my emotions to get the better of me. Taking a step back, I got a hold of myself and cleared my throat.

“Sorry, that was uncalled for,” I apologized, feeling a tinge of embarrassment.

Hope nodded, her cheeks slightly flushed. “It’s alright,” she stated, her voice somewhat breathless. “So, we’re good?”

No, we’re not.I nodded. “Yes, but we can’t just barge into the club, coin or not. It’s the best way to get shot. Let me arrange something through Hoka, and we can take it from there. I’ll come here tomorrow, and we’ll talk.”

She shook her head, and I was ready to fight when she extended her hand to me. “I have to do a double shift tomorrow because I ditched today. Let me give you my number.”

I gave her my phone and watched as her graceful fingers moved quickly on the screen. “I can come see you at work. Where are you working?”

She frowned, giving me back my phone. “I told you, Sex Emporium.”

“You’renotworking in a sex shop.”

She glared. “Think what you will, Jiro Saito. It’s not like I can argue with you.” She pushed from where she stood and gestured to me. “I will see you tomorrow.”

I nodded, acknowledging her frustration and the unspoken tension between us. “Okay, see you tomorrow,” I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

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