Page 175 of The Dragon 2
The atmosphere between us was heavy with sincerity, anxiety, and regret.
I didn’t speak right away. Couldn’t. Because part of me wanted to freeze time, roll it backward to the moment before he said it—before the fantasy cracked.
Another part of me, the sharper one I’d been sharpening for years, wanted to stand up and walk out.
Not because I didn’t care.
But because Ididcare,too fucking much.
Because this man could wreck me.
And I needed to know that loving him wouldn’t mean disappearing inside his world and losing myself—my standards, my worth, my sanity.
I took a breath and lifted my chin. “Kenji, this is not a story where I quietly accept everything just because you say I matter. If we’re going to have a future, then my boundaries get to live in it too.”
“I understand.”
I let out a long sigh, feeling the weight of his words. “You should’ve told me sooner.”
“I didn’t think we would behere.”
“Here?”
He gestured to the space. “Your. . .cooking for me. Opening yourself up to me. Doing this big night and. . .changing me. I never thought this would ever happen. I’ve never beenherebefore.”
“Well, we areherenow. . .because I’m. . .”
He quirked his brows.
“I’m. . .really. . .liking you.”
He studied me like he was memorizing the moment, and maybe he was. “You’re more than. . .likingme, Tora.”
“Maybe.”
“You and I both know that this is more than. . .likingfor the both of us.”
I shivered. “You’re dangerous and scary, but for some damn reason. . .I want this to work. I know a long-distance relationship could be difficult and now with the addition of the kids. . .that could be challenging, but I don’t know. We’ll have to see. I want it to work.”
“Long distance. . .”
“Yes. Me in New York? You in Tokyo? Planes. Time zones. Real life. And. . .maybe babies.”
Something in him changed. Gone was the cool, amused expression. His smirk flattened into a line. The fire behind his eyes roared back to life.
I shifted in my seat.
“Tora. . .I accept your need to have boundaries. I will respect them, but there will be nodistancebetween us.”
“There may. . .while we are figuring things out.”
“There won’t. I would make you stay.”
“You could try.”
That got a twitch at the corner of his mouth. Not a smile. Something darker. Something unspoken. “I’m not the type of man people walk away from, Tora.”
“Then maybe it’s time youlearnhow to be that man.”
