Page 8 of Her Fearless Ronin

“You were just passing by, and now you’re helping me. Won’t Ora be upset?”

“Hoka,” I corrected her. I smiled a little as I opened a leather-bound notebook. She was facing all these hardships, worried about her brother, and yet she still worried about me… the man who’d caused her family’s downfall. I did not deserve her compassion. “No, he won’t be. I—” It was hard to admit it out loud. “I’m not part of the clan anymore.”

The silence that descended on the room was suffocating as I flipped through the pages of the notebook, scanning them quickly.

“I’m sorry, Jiro. For whatever happened, I’m sorry.”

As I crouched there, my back turned to Hope; I couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed by the weight of her undeserved kindness. The genuine concern she showed me, despite knowing the role I played in her family’s downfall, was both a testament to her character and a painful reminder of my own mistakes.

Her compassion touched me deeply, and in that moment,she reminded me a lot of Violet. Both women possessed a strength and resilience that was rare and admirable, and it was no wonder that Hoka had become captivated by Violet. In a world filled with darkness and blood, finding someone like her was a rare and precious gift.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself as I reached the last page of the notebook to find a golden coin taped on it.

As I stared at that golden coin taped to the last page of the notebook, a mixture of anger and disgust surged through me. It was the token given to members of Killian Doyle’s sex clubs, a symbol of the illicit activities that took place within those walls. The realization hit me hard—the exorbitant amount of money I had been sending each month to Hope’s family had been squandered by her brother for his own perverse pleasures. The monthly fees were exorbitant, but now I was no longer wondering where the ten thousand dollars I sent to her family went. He was using it for his own sexual satisfaction instead of keeping his family healthy and fed. The anger I felt toward Leo intensified. Not only did he add some undue concerns to Hope, but he had also betrayed their trust and used the money meant for their well-being to fuel his own debauchery.

But as my gaze shifted back to Hope, I made a silent vow. I would not let her suffer any longer because of her brother’s actions.

I stood up and waved the notebook at her. “I’ve got everything I need to start. I’ll bring you answers soon.”

She took a step sideways to stop my exit, a frown on her face. “Where are you going?”

A similar frown of confusion appeared on my face. “Tofind your brother?”

She shook her head. “Not without me. I asked for help, not for you to take over.”

Oh no, I was not doing that again.The ghosts of what I did to her family haunted me way too much for me just to give in.

“No, absolutely not. You asked me to get involved; it’s not for you to get into harm’s way. Absolutely fucking not.”

“Absolutelyfuckingyes,” she replied, and honest to God, she stomped her foot with anger. I had to do my best not to smile at how adorably cute it made her.

I sighed, showing her the coin. “This is a membership to a sex club, Hope, and not the kind you think. It’s part of Killian Doyle’s Wonderland clubs, a place that caters to those with sexually depraved needs. Is that where you want to go?”

She raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Are you saying that to scare me?”

Yes. “No, I’m just saying this is not a place for a girl like you.”

If I thought she was annoyed before, she was furious now. She crossed her arms over her chest and widened her stance, ready for a verbal fight.

“And please do tell, what is a girl like me?”

Beautiful, kind, hopeful, witty, and fierce.

I’d been in a room full of deadly Mafia bosses before, and yet I had never felt as much apprehension as I did now in front of this little but fierce woman.

I sighed instead. “I didn’t mean it as an insult, and you know that.”

“Tellme, Jiro Saito. Do you know where I work?”

I narrowed my eyes with suspicion at her tone and side smile. I already knew I would hate the answer.

Her smile widened when I remained silent, and she straightened up as if she was about to give me the killing blow.

“I work atSex Emporium.”

“Se—What?”

“It’s a sex shop in town. One of the most popular, if I may say so myself, so trust me, there’s nothing in your little sex club that can shock me.”

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