Page 42 of Shifting Gears

“Kaito did not follow through on the agreement. He decided since the fight wasn’t with my original fighter that was agreed on, the match was void. He wouldn’t give me the deed for our home. The agreement has gone back to the original terms. I will give you the deed once I am married to him.” I took a sip of my tea, hoping it would settle my stomach at the very thought of being with Kaito forever.

Sydney said nothing for a minute. I pulled the phone away to make sure we hadn’t disconnected.

“Sister, we should leave this place. All three of us. I hate the thought of you being with him.”

I paused. I’d thought about it so many times, simply taking my sisters and running away from it all. But there was no escape. Kaito would hunt us down and most likely kill my sisters in front of me for my actions. It was a risk I couldn’t take.

“It’s not an option. Besides, it’s my job as the oldest sister to take care of things. You focus on the dojo and making sure Regan is fine and happy. I’ll keep Kaito at bay. I need to let you go, but I’ll check in soon. I love you,” I said as I paid for my bill.

“Love you too, sis. Goodbye.”

With that, we ended the call, and I sent a short message to my driver with my location to pick me up. I knew I couldn’t show back up in the same clothes I had worn last night, so I quickly went across the street to a boutique and bought a new top, changing into it at the store.

I stood outside under the awning as my driver approached. I flagged him down and got inside the back seat of the car. It was the driver Kaito had given me, so there was no point in telling him where to go. He already knew I was expected back.

The rain only got harder the closer we got to the estate, mirroring my mood, which got gloomier as the morning went on.

I wasn’t surprised when we didn’t go to my home on his property and instead drove straight up to the main house. The car came to a stop and my driver exited the vehicle, walking over to my door and opening it for me.

“Mr. Yamazaki is expecting you, Miss Kobayashi,” he said as he gestured to the house’s front doors.

No doubt he wanted to berate me for the fight last night.

I nodded and exited the car, walking up the steps to the guards standing outside the home.

Guards escorted me through the home to his office. And once I was inside, Kaito spoke without even looking over at me.

“You may leave us.” He waved at the guards and they left. “Raven, come here.”

His tone was weirdly normal, as if he were unbothered by the events that had happened last night.

I carefully walked over to the front of his desk.

“Enjoy your tea this morning,darling?” Kaito asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I stilled at the edge of his desk, my eyes snapping to his, fear creeping in. How did he know I had been at the teahouse instead of my family estate? There was no way, unless …

Realization set in as he finally turned his attention away from his computer monitor and looked in my direction.

“I’m only going to ask you this once. How long have you been fucking your new fighter behind my back?”

He knew.

The look in his eyes. The way he’d sent everyone away. His fury was overflowing. There could be only one reason. He’d found out about AJ and me and that we were more than just business partners in the fight circuit.

“Sit down. We are going to have a conversation, Raven,” Kaito said as he narrowed his eyes and gestured to the chair right across from his desk.

I took a seat on the stiff leather. There was nothing comfortable about this chair, like it had been built to keep your body from relaxing.

“There is no point in trying to deny it. After the match last night, where you looked like more than simple acquaintances with the man who fought in Touma’s place, I had you followed. You can understand my wanting to make sure my bride made it home safe and sound. But much to my surprise, I was told not only did you not get picked up by your driver, instead getting into some strange car, but you also allowed him to drive you down to some crappy warehouse in the shipping docks.”

My heart felt like it was being squeezed in a vise grip. I kept my eyes locked on Kaito’s. His face twisted into a menacing smile as he kept talking.

“As if that wasn’t enough, you went inside with him. You would be surprised at how easy it is for my men to break into a building without security, undetected.”

He reached into his pocket and slid a phone across the desk.

“Watch it,” he demanded.

---