Chapter 26
Augusto
I couldn’t give two flying fucks who’s listening. Seeing how happy my declaration is making Yuki, the tension in my body eases a little.
She’s all that matters.
I press another kiss to her mouth, savoring just having her back.
I didn’t lose her.
My soul shudders as I nip at her lips.
Yuki breaks the kiss, which is a good thing, because I’m a second away from devouring her.
“Sit.” She pats the stool beside her.
As I lower myself onto it, I glance at Ryo, who’s watching us with narrowed eyes.
I wrap my arm around my wife while keeping my sight focused on her brother.
“So, you’re the fucker who sent the shooter and set fire to my warehouse?” It’s not actually a question because I already know the answer.
Ryo moves his gaze to me. “Where’s Asuka? He never returned after delivering the message to you.”
“Dead,” I say in a low growl.
“That’s a pity.” Ryo drinks the last of his whiskey and lets out a sigh. “He was a good man.”
“I don’t give a shit.” My body tenses again. “You took a shot at me, damaged my business, and kidnapped my wife. The only reason I’m not killing you right now is Yuki.”
“What I did to you is nothing compared to what you did to my sister,” he replies. “But she has somehow found it in her heart to forgive you,” his eyes flick between Yuki and me, “and she seems to love you.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere,” Yuki says, relief coating her words. “Where do we go from here?”
“I have to return to Tokyo,” Ryo informs her.
Yuki glances at me, giving me a pleading look. “He can’t face my father alone.”
I lift my hand and brush my knuckles over the red blemish on her throat. “Do you want me to kill your father and his guard dog, my love?”
“Please.” She places her hand on top of mine. “Help Ryo take over the Yakuza.” Her features tighten with a sad expression. “I don’t want to lose him again.”
I take a deep breath as my eyes return to the man who’s my brother-in-law.
As much as I want to beat him to death, I can’t do that to Yuki, but Masato and Yutaro deserve to die for what they did to my wife.
“The Yakuza will back every decision I make and transport weapons and counterfeit money through Asia for the Cosa Nostra,” I demand. “Agree to it, and I’ll put you at the head of the table. Don’t, and you can go try your luck on your own.”
“What percentage do we get for the work?” the fucker asks.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to say nothing, but Yuki presses a kiss to my palm.
Relenting, I mutter, “Ten percent the first year.”
“With a fifteen percent increase for the second year,” he demands.
“Don’t push your fucking luck.”
I climb to my feet, and when I walk closer to him, he gets up. Ryo’s a head shorter than me, but he’s trained well. I saw it during our short fight.
When he lifts his eyes, his lip curls, and there’s no fear in his eyes.
“Let’s get through the next year without killing each other, then we can negotiate the terms,” I say for Yuki’s sake.
Ryo nods and glances at his sister. Only then do I see the flash of sorrow on his face.
This is not about you, Augusto.
Letting out a sigh, I ask, “Are you staying for dinner?”
“Really?” Yuki asks as she jumps off her stool, hurrying to my side. “You don’t mind?”
Ryo meets my eyes for a moment, then nods. “I’d like that.”
There’s still a fuck ton of tension between us, but Yuki is too happy to care. “I’m making chicken pot pie.” She pauses, glancing around the kitchen. “That’s if my groceries were delivered.” She looks at Ryo again. “Did you throw my groceries at Aldo? Shit! Where’s Aldo? Is he okay?”
“Aldo is taking time off until I don’t want to kill him anymore,” I say while walking to the doorway. “Rocco, where are the groceries?”
He points to the corner of the foyer. Seeing the torn-up bags and food on the floor, I order, “Get rid of it.”
I walk back into the kitchen and give Yuki an apologetic look. “Sorry, my love. The groceries are ruined. Let me order in, so you can spend more time with your brother.” Placing my hands on her shoulders, I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. “What do you feel like eating?”
“Pizza,” Ryo gives his two cents, like he actually has a say.
Before I can tell him to go to hell, Yuki nods, her smile widening again. “Yes. It’s been months since I’ve had pizza.” Her gaze lowers to my chest, and she pats the armored vest I’m still wearing. “Are you staying home for the rest of the day?”
I’m not leaving her alone with Ryo. I don’t trust him. He might try to kidnap Yuki again.
“I’m not going anywhere.” Removing the vest, I hold it out to Lorenzo to take, then ask him, “Where’s my gun?”
He pulls it from where he has it tucked behind his back and hands it to me.
I check the magazine, my eyes flicking to Ryo as I shove it back into place before holstering the weapon. “Let’s sit in the living room.”
Placing my hand on Yuki’s back, I stay close to her as we leave the kitchen, knowing Lorenzo will bring up the rear and keep an eye on Ryo.
When Yuki breaks away from me, walking to the side table, I stay between her and Ryo. We both remain standing while Yuki pours two drinks, and when she turns around with the tumblers in her hands, she scowls at us.
“Stop it now. Sit and relax.”
I take one of the drinks from her, and once she’s given the other to Ryo, I take a seat beside her. Her brother sits down across from us while Lorenzo steps outside to talk to the guards so everyone can get back to work.
I take a sip of the whiskey, then ask, “When did you come out of hiding?”
Annoyance flashes over Ryo’s features as he locks eyes with me. “Give or take five weeks.”
“Hmm…” I relax and rest my arm on the back of the couch. When Yuki snuggles into my side, I smirk at Ryo.
He says something to her in Japanese, to which she responds in English, “Don’t be rude. It will take time for the two of you to get to know and trust each other.”
Wanting this dinner over with as soon as possible, I pull my phone out and send Lorenzo a message to order pizzas.
Ryo and Yuki stare at each other before he says, “Seeing as we’re not going to get any privacy, tell me everything I missed out on.
School.” His glances at me. “Boyfriends. First loves.” Turning his attention back to her, he continues, “And about the fact that you were forced to impersonate me. Tell me more about that shit.”
“I was tutored at home, and obviously I didn’t date at all.” She lets out a heavy sigh. “After they took you away, I was given boy clothes and started getting fillers every three months to make my features masculine.”
“But you’re short and small,” Ryo mentions, a dark frown on his face.
“The shoes had built-in lifts, and I wore padded shirts, so I’d look bigger.”
He shakes his head. “What else?”
“She almost died,” I say, wanting him to know how fucked up Yuki’s life was.
“I know. I heard about how you beat my sister. Four broken ribs. A dislocated shoulder. A hairline fracture in her jaw and teeth missing.” His eyes snap between Yuki and me. “Did I leave anything out?”
“Don’t, Ryo. Augusto thought I was you, and it’s in the past. Stop bringing it up.”
“Yuki was starving when she was given to me. She collapsed, and it took three weeks to get her healthy again. For three days, it was touch-and-go. Honestly, that first night I wasn’t sure she was going to make it, but she’s fucking strong and pulled through.”
Ryo’s jaw clenches with anger as he asks Yuki, “Is this true?”
“Yes. I had to lose weight really fast,” she admits. “The three months before the wedding were so much worse.” She waves her hand over the living room. “This life Augusto has given me is everything I’ve ever wanted and so much more.”
When she places her hand on my thigh, I trail my fingers over her forearm, soaking in the feel of her soft skin.
I lean into her and press a kiss to the side of her head before I look at Ryo. “I’ll go with you to Tokyo and help you take down your father, but I want Yutaro.”
“What will you do with him once you have him?” Ryo asks.
“I’m going to starve him.”
Ryo nods, a cruel gleam creeping into his eyes. “Make sure to pull all his teeth, so he can’t bite off his tongue or chew through his wrists.”
I actually like the idea a lot, and grinning, I reply, “Thanks for the recommendation.”
“Seriously? You’re bonding over planning Yutaro’s death?” Yuki lets out a chuckle. “Men.”
We’re all quiet for a moment, then Yuki suddenly jumps up, and running out of the living room, she calls out, “Be right back.”
As soon as I see her dart up the stairs, I lock eyes with Ryo. “Try a stunt like today again, and I’ll fucking rip your throat out with my bare hands.”
He stares at me long and hard, then asks, “Do you really love, Yuki?”
“Yes.”
He nods and glances around the living room, then leaning his forearms on his thighs, he looks at his hands. “I only want what’s best for my sister.”
“That’s something we can agree on.”
Lifting his eyes to me again, I see the worry written on his face. “If things don’t work out between the two of you, return her to me rather than fuck around behind her back.”
“I’ll never cheat on my wife,” I grind the words out through clenched teeth.
He lets out a heavy breath. “Yuki is the only thing that kept me alive. If you make her happy, then I guess I can accept things as they are.”
Realizing he’s trying, I say, “I suppose I can do the same.”
His eyes narrow, then he asks, “When do we leave for Tokyo?”
“Give me a few days. I need to have a meeting with the other four heads and get authorization from my Capo before we can attack Tanaka.”
“What if he doesn’t give his approval?”
“He will.” I pick up my drink and take a sip. “As long as you sign the agreement I put together and hold up your end of the deal, once you’re in charge of the Yakuza, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
Yuki comes back, carrying a box, and when she sits down beside Ryo, I have to suppress the urge to scoop her up so I can keep her close to me.
“I wrote you letters but didn’t have anywhere to send them.
” She lifts the lid, and I lean forward, seeing stacks of letters written in their language.
She takes two sticks out, and the expression on her face turns nostalgic.
“This was the bamboo stick you used as a sword the last day we played together in the forest.”
Jesus.
Emotion washes over Ryo’s face as he takes one half, looking at it as if it’s a rare artifact worth billions of dollars.
For the first time, I feel a glimmer of pity for the guy. I might be pissed off with him for taking Yuki, but I understand why he did it. I’d do the same for my sisters.
“Can I keep this?” Ryo asks. “And the letters?”
“Yes. They’re yours.” She takes the other half of the stick, holding it to her chest. “I wanted to show you that I never forgot about you. Not for a single day.”
Ryo yanks her into a hug, the emotion exploding from them hits me square in the heart.
Watching them reunite, I realize how strong their bond has to be to have survived eleven years of separation. It will kill Yuki if anything happens to Ryo.
Fuck. I’m going to have to protect him and make sure nothing goes wrong.
My eyes settle on Yuki’s face as she wipes a tear from her cheek, and seeing how happy she is, I get up and walk to Ryo.
This time, when I hold out my hand, I mean it. “Peace. For Yuki.”
He rises to his feet and shakes my hand, then says, “Thank you for giving my sister a good life.”
I nod as we let go, then I walk out the sliding doors and join Lorenzo where he’s having a cigarette.
“How are things?”
“Better.” I shake my head as I glance over the garden. “We’re going back to Tokyo to help Ryo take over the Yakuza.”
My friend nods. “I knew it was only a matter of time before we’d head back to Japan to kill Tanaka and his guard dog.”
“The sooner the better.”
“Will you take time off afterward?” he asks.
“Yes.” I glance over my shoulder, and the corner of my mouth lifts when I see how happy Yuki is. “I’ll take a couple of weeks to spend time with my wife.”
He lets out a chuckle. “I think the whole Cosa Nostra will be happy to hear that.”