Page 22 of Shifting Gears

Sydney sat back down and finally chuckled about the whole thing, and I couldn’t help but smile at her.

How I miss this …

We sat and chatted, but after ten minutes, I looked down the hallway, wondering what was taking her so long. At thirty minutes, I walked down the hall in search of her. I knocked softly on her bedroom door.

“Regan?”

“Come in.”

I froze. That wasn’t my sister’s voice. It was Kaito’s.

I quickly swung the door open, not sure about what I was about to see, but when I saw Regan sitting quietly in a chair by her desk, I relaxed some.

But that moment of respite lasted for only a second. Kaito walked over to stand behind her and placed his hands on her delicate shoulders, stroking them before leaning down, his mouth close to her ear.

“You’re even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, darling. Such a fine woman you’ve become. You should ask your sister to let you come out with me. I’ll treat you to anything your heart desires. It’s the least I could do as your future brother.” He locked eyes with me and smirked.

I watched as he trailed a set of fingers up the side of her neck, his lips dangerously close to kissing her in the same spot.

“I’ll have to check my calendar, Mr. Yamazaki. That’s very kind of you,” Regan said, her voice a note away from quivering.

“Kaito, what are you doing here, in my sister’s room?” I had to play this safe, but I demanded answers. How dare he invade her private room and not even come in through the front door!

“I was just looking at what is soon to become my newest investment.” His hand gestured around the room, but his eyes peered down at Regan and back at mine as his smirk grew.

His insinuation was clear. And it made me sick.

“Well, I think you’ve seen quite enough,” I said coldly.

He stroked my sister’s shoulders one last time before straightening up and walking over toward me, coming to a stop right in front of me.

“You are quite right. It is time for us to go home,my dear. Grab your things. We’re leaving.” He locked eyes with mine, daring me to challenge him.

I said nothing. Instead, I walked past him and over to my sister.

She stood and hugged me, whispering in my ear, “I wish you didn’t have to go with him.”

I gave her a quick squeeze in reply. She slipped the book into my hands and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I gave her a weak smile and turned. Kaito gestured for me to walk in front of him, and I did. We walked out of her room and down the hallway.

“About time! I was about to call a search part—” Sydney’s voice trailed off as soon as she saw me and Kaito come out of the hall. “What areyoudoing here?” she snapped angrily.

He sneered at her. “Ahh, the brazen one. Still as classless as ever, I see. Don’t worry; once you move out of this hovel and in with me, we will fix that disrespectful attitude of yours.”

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. “Fat chance. Why don’t you get out of our house? Last I checked, I never invited you here, so you need to leave.”

I knew Kaito was about to do something to her, so I immediately grabbed his arm, looping my arm around his. “Kaito, we really need to get back. I’m sure you have some important business to attend to.”

He glanced down at me and composed himself. “Of course I do. Let’s go.”

He didn’t even let me say goodbye to Sydney. I peered over my shoulder back at her. She looked sad and waved at me. I gave her a nod.

I walked with Kaito to the car, where his bodyguard opened my door first. I slipped inside before Kaito joined me on the opposite side.

I thought I was in for a very uncomfortable ride home, but Kaito didn’t say two words to me. He pulled out his cell phone and began talking to someone on it. He was completely ignoringme, which was probably part of his plan to keep me tense over the whole situation that had just happened.

I yanked out my phone and stared at it.

Did I dare text him? While sitting next to Kaito in the car?

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