Page 119 of Tripped By Love
“Are you sure? We talking about theAda Mae?” I asked, throwing out the name of my yacht that was at the forefront of our business dealings. I faked a stumble as I stepped another foot into the room. I was trying to see aroundSaito-sanand the suited goon at his side to what was going on at the desk. I was pushing my luck. I’d never forced myself in on any of their talks. I’d posed myself as Jada’s party-happy friend who just so happened to have a suggestion for moving their products.
A groan manifested itself from a body hidden from view.
“This is none of your business.”Saito-sanwas ominous as he stepped toward me. As Ken’Ichi’sWakagashira-hosa,it was his job to make sure his boss wasn’t interrupted. To make sure that anything theOyabunand Ken’Ichi needed done happened, no matter the cost. The scar on his forehead and the one on his neck proved that the work he’d done hadn’t come easily.
“Ken’Ichi, my man, need some help?” I said, leaning a head toward the bodies I couldn’t see.
Ken’Ichi’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly. He hated the disrespect I showed him by using his proper name. I refused to call himWakagashiraorMatsuda-samalike I would if I truly gave a shit. It was the perfect way to get under his skin whenever I could. The crass American, refusing to bow to the honorifics their Japanese culture?and company?held precious.
“Hosa-san, show our guest the door,” Ken’Ichi said toSaito-sanbefore turning away to the window. In the reflection of the glass, he could watch my exit while still having the power of giving me his back.
Saito-santook two steps toward me, but I was already opening the door and stepping out where I bumped into Jada as if she’d been about to enter the room. My eyes tried to send her a warning, but if she saw it, she ignored me.
“Your guests are bored, Ken’Ichi.” Her voice rang out across the room. “Don’t you think you should let them out to have some fun?”
Ken’Ichi turned ever so slowly, his face a blank slate, but even across the room, I could feel the steel in his gaze as it landed on Jada. She was in a tank top that showed her bellybutton ring, with straps so thin they were almost nonexistent. One had slid down her pale shoulder. Her skirt was leather and short, barely covering her ass, and her shoes were stilettos so high I wasn’t sure how she stayed upright. On someone else, the skimpiness might have looked over-the-top. On Jada, it looked like she should have been a movie star.
Ken’Ichi had refused to be moved from his position by me, but her appearance had him stalking toward us. He brushed pastSaito-sanand landed next to me. He looked from me to Jada and then back.
“You want to help, Langley? Make sure my fiancée gets put to bed?alone?and then clear out the villa.”
Jada rarely had a filter sober, but drunk, it was even more limited. “You don’t own this house. You don’t own me. My guests will leave when I’m ready.”
Ken’Ichi turned to her. “I hope you’ve enjoyed yourself this week,Jada-chan, because this is the last of your parties. No more. Are we clear?”
“Fu?” The rest of her expletive was hidden beneath my hand.
“Got it. Bed and cleared,” I said, wrapping my arm around Jada and practically carrying her from the room.
The door shut with a click behind us.
Jada dragged herself away from me. “What the hell?” she stormed.
I shook my head at her, pulling her with me toward the wing of the house that her suite was in. One thing about every mansion I’d ever been in of Jada’s was that she always had a huge suite filled with clothes and belongings, which meant she rarely had to pack a bag. The other thing each house had in common was that her suite was always situated as far away from her parents’ quarters as possible. Even growing up, there’d been a wall between them and her.
When we reached her room, I didn’t stop until we’d gone through the French doors to stand on the balcony outside it. I unlocked my secure phone, turned on a music app, and cranked it as loud as I could get it to go before leaning close to her ear.
“I think they might suspect something,” I whispered.
She closed her eyes, sagging against me, all fire gone. “I think it’s whyOtosanis forcing my hand with Ken’Ichi.”
There was nothing either of us could say to that, but dread filled me.
“Let’s try not to provoke him any more then, shall we?” I tried to tease, tried to lighten the mood, but she didn’t bite.
“I don’t know how much more of this I can take, Dawson.”
Guilt. So much fucking guilt.
“We’re leaving tomorrow for New London. You’ll have a break.”
She nodded.
I turned off the music, opened the door, and she went inside. I looked down the steps that led to the first-floor verandah. “I’ll go send everyone home.”
She didn’t respond. She just shut the door much like Ken’Ichi had moments before, with a resounding click.
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