Chapter 15
CHAPTER 15
L akeshia
I settle into the back seat of a luxurious private car while Riu hands my packages to another guard. More will arrive at the house later.
“Where would you like to go next?” Riu asks as he joins me.
“My errands are over, but I don’t want to return to the house yet. What’s there to do in Serenidad at this time of day?”
He frowns. “Without knowing the extent of the threat on your life, I?—”
“You know what, walking is good for me.” I cut him off, unwilling to hear him curb the small freedom I have.
Before he can react, I exit the car.
Danger exists whether or not I hide from view. But anyone looking at me won’t automatically recognize me as the madam running a brothel in Hawaii or any of my other identities. With my high ponytail pulled through the top of a baseball cap, I pull the brim low and cover my eyes with sunglasses. I leave my breezy, oversized shirt unbuttoned over a cute crop top that exposes the top of my midriff. A pair of denim jeans and flip- flops round out the outfit, painting me as a relaxed California girl going about her day.
I blend into the crowd in this mixed-use neighborhood where custom shops like the one I nearly bought out rest beside brunch restaurants and boho-chic stores. Riu and his men, also in casual attire, rush to surround me without being too close or obvious.
As we stroll, the strains of live music thrum in the atmosphere, causing my blood to flow in excitement. The familiar upbeat vocals lead me to a farmer’s market. I always meant to go to one while living in Oahu but often missed them because of my odd schedule.
Parents sit rapt with attention on blankets with their pets and food purchases while their kids create friends and play. A cover band for Liquid Obsession performs the band’s latest hits. The lead singer is a dead ringer for the real one, replicating her intricate makeup and the exact sound of her voice.
As much as I enjoy the music, the children’s shrieking cries of excitement, and parents’ indulgent nodding and swaying to the music, the amazing variety of food available reminds me I only had an apple for breakfast.
With my promise to Takeshi in mind, I turn to Riu. “I’m going to explore some more.” I proceed to the local farm stalls to sample their goods.
While listening to a farmer relay stories about his family-run farm and the quality produce he grows, a voice behind me says, “Quality he says! Sis, if you don’t want to find yourself camping out here every day for this man’s carrots and corn, step aside. Save yourself the heartache for when he’s a no-show.”
A huge grin grows on the farmer’s face. “I can’t sell what I don’t have. You know this, Kori.”
“Hi, Sylas. I see you’re up to your usual, selling your too-good-for-humankind foods to us plebes.”
“Damn right, I am.”
I spin around to find my new favorite girl crush, at least my stomach’s new fave, grinning. Today she’s more relaxed than she was at the Kimura house.
“Oh,” she gasps upon seeing me.
“Yeah.” I shrug. “I’m incognito today.”
Kori stares at me harder before glancing around. “I’m not sure you’re pulling off incognito that well. Many people are staring.”
“Why wouldn’t they?” The farmer takes my hand in two of his. “She’s a beautiful woman. If I didn’t love my wife, I would make a move myself.” He winks and squeezes my hand before releasing me.
“Sir! I’m young enough to be your daughter.” I shake my head but can’t hide my smile from him.
He retrieves his phone. After swiping the surface a few times, he turns the screen toward me. “You may be too young for me, but not my son. I can have him here in ten minutes. Faster if you let me send him a picture of you. You are worth breaking a few speed limits and a confrontation with the cops.”
“That’s sweet of you to say, but?—”
The man hits his palm against his forehead with more enthusiasm than he should, leaving behind the echo of a loud smack and a reddened palm shape on his skin. “Oomph. Let me guess. You have someone already.”
A lump lodges itself in my throat making it impossible to refute his assertion, despite him being wrong. What I have is a business deal. An image of Shinji in Takeshi’s arms pops into my head. They have each other and I have no business wondering what it would be like if I could get a piece of what they share.
“For breaking my heart, you must now?—”
“How about this?” Kori sidles beside me, her hands full of containers. “Besides my usual order of produce, we’ll buy a few of your pre-packaged sides.” She hands the packages to Sylas.
He bags the items and sends us off with a reminder to look for him next week.
Kori hands me the bag of food. “These will go great with a French dip sandwich. Follow me.”
She leads me to a busy food stall with a long line of people. Instead of joining the line, she waves to a woman who beckons us toward the back. Once hidden from the crowd, she hands us a bag. “Today’s your lucky day. I made a seafood French dip and saved you one. Give me your feedback once you’ve tried it. I threw in your favorite roasted jerk pork dip, too.”
Kori holds the bag to her chest. “When will you leave your husband and run away with me?”
“Girl, if I thought you were serious, do you think my husband would stand a chance against your oxtail stew? Now get before he puts you on grill duty.” The woman shoos us aside.
Before we walk away, she whispers something to the woman. In less than three minutes, she hands Kori another bag and we set off in search of a place to eat.
Although Kori keeps up a vibrant one-sided conversation, my mind keeps replaying the two interactions I’ve had with her so far, leaving me dumbfounded by the drastic differences in her behavior. Who is the real Kori?
She leads me to an area much like a food court. Benches and tables go through a fast rotation of occupants as people eat to recharge for more shopping. We find a free spot without trash on the table.
“Dig in.” Before Kori settles down, she takes the second bag from the French dip spot and hands it to Riu.
Shame and guilt fill me for not thinking of him and his team. I’m not used to having someone around me for long periods, let alone people who put me before their bodily needs. Kori’s actions are a stark reminder to be more aware of the people looking after me.
I dip my half of the seafood sandwich into a buttery, lemony broth and take my first bite. I barely restrain myself from showing my appreciation the way I did at Katsuo’s house, understanding why the sandwich stall is a favorite. I’ll have to go back and check how often they’re a vendor here.
The air shifts around me but I barely notice, halfway through my dip and the vegetables roasted with Indian spices.
“It looks like you’re enjoying the meal.” Kori unwraps her sandwich but doesn’t make a move to bite into it.
Curious about her hesitation, I put down my meal and wipe my hands. “I am, but I get the sense you didn’t treat me out of the goodness of your heart.”
“Not true. I love feeding people and introducing them to great food, even if I’m not the one who prepares it.” She glances to the side before meeting my eyes. “I just thought… how could it hurt to do something I like to do and…” She averts her gaze again by staring at her food. “Pick your brain at the same time?”
I peer at her more closely, intrigued by this side of her personality. She reminds me more of the person who sat beside me at Katsuo’s table. “Before I give advice, I need to know who I’m talking to. Why are you so different from our first meeting?”
She raises her face, a crinkle of confusion creasing her forehead before it melts away as awareness enters her eyes. ”You’re asking because I was more reserved the other day?”
I nod without adding how her behavior was more than simple reservation.
“I can’t seem to help it whenever Mr. Kimura drops in for lunch.” Kori leans closer and whispers, “He’s very intimidating. I never know when he’s going to show until he’s just there expecting to be fed. I’ve worked for Katsuo for years and he doesn’t spare the compliments, yet I can’t tell if Mr. Kimura enjoys my food. He’s so frustrating!”
“Shinji and Takeshi don’t seem to have the same effect on you.”
Kori takes a bite of her roasted jerk pork dip. “Maybe if I’d never seen Shinji’s effect on Takeshi I would be. Takeshi behaves like a teddy bear around his husband, and I can’t unsee that. Same thing with Katsuo. Once you see him in a feather boa playing tea party with his daughter, you won’t find him as terrifying as I did the first time we met.”
“Tea party?” I choke on my surprise.
Kori grins, showcasing the attractive woman I glimpsed at Katsuo’s.
“You do know what Katsuo does for a living, right?”
Her smile fades, and she forks an asparagus spear into her mouth. After chewing and swallowing, she says, “I know Katsuo pays me very well to cook for his family. That’s the extent of my knowledge, and I intend to keep it that way.”
I nod, accepting she is neither gullible nor manipulative. “So, what did you want to know?”
A slight blush darkens her chestnut cheeks. “That thing you did. You said I could do it, too. How?”
“Do you have someone in mind you’d like to dial up the sensuality on?”
Kori bows her head and nods once, her shyness is an endearing quality. I can’t imagine anyone overlooking her.
“We attended the same culinary arts school, but then he went to Italy to apprentice with other chefs. Since I went to France and then toured Asia, I let go of any hope I’d see him again. Then miracle of miracles, I bumped into him recently and discovered he’s taken a head chef position in Serenidad.”
“And now’s the best time to make your move.” I nod, the full picture materializing in my head.
“Exactly!”
Masanori’s warning to stay away from Kori whispers in my ear. As domineering as he is, I have Shinji and Takeshi in my corner. Not to mention a contract they’ll do anything to ensure goes smoothly. I’ve never enjoyed being bossed around by a man, and Masanori is no exception. I grin and give Kori pointers to help her entice her crush.
She, unlike me, still has an alluring innocence about her that enhances her sexy eyes and disarming dimple. And if she learns to scrunch her nose in the right way, she’ll have a slew of men outdoing themselves for her attention.
As we speak, an unwelcome warmth enters my chest. I recognize it from the few times I’ve connected with my escorts. I ruthlessly crush the sentiment. Keeping my distance is a habit born of necessity. A work relationship won’t endanger people the way having friends will. Despite beating the message into my head, I seem to always embroil myself in other people’s problems. Portia is one example, and I hope I don’t come face-to-face with her again. I’m sure she doesn’t want me around as a constant reminder of her painful decision five years ago. Helping women is a weakness, and although Kori’s request is innocent enough, I can’t risk her entangling me in anything else.
“So… Are—do you, Shinji, and Takeshi have some sort of business as to why you needed Mr. Kimura’s help?” Kori’s voice after our lapse into silence jars me into responding without thinking.
“They want me to be their surrogate.”
“So Shinji’s going to get his wish.” A smile blossoms across Kori’s face that stuns me. Whoever she has her eye on won’t stand a chance. “I’ve been rooting for him since little Kioshi was born. He’s so fun and easy to be around, but I bet he’ll be more overprotective than Takeshi because he wants a family so bad.”
“Yeah, I gathered.” I clear my throat, as unease snakes its way into my chest, settling in for a long comfy sit.
Family. It’s too easy for me to relate. Having someone greet me at home, like me for who I am and not the front I put on in public, and if I’m lucky, someone who loves me despite my flaws… I rub at my chest, realizing the emotion isn’t unease but a deep yearning I’ve run from for years.
“Look, um, thanks for lunch. I don’t know much about Serenidad so meeting some regulars was a pleasant treat, but I should head back.” I jerk upright from my seat and grab the remnants of my lunch, ignoring the awkward moment.
Escape is my priority. Escape from the mess of feelings long enshrouded and entombed in a crypt deeper than the oldest pyramids. Yet one innocent observation could upend all my work. Yeah, I’m not sticking around while a sweet woman who has no business associating with the Kimura’s threatens my equilibrium.
Kori stares at me with a wrinkle crinkling her forehead. “Okay… Oh, and if you’re ever around while I’m working, don’t be shy. I’ll cook you something good whenever you stop by.”
I force my mouth to rise in the semblance of a smile. “Don’t tempt me. I might become your number one stalker.” I wave to her and rush away before she says or does something to persuade me to stay and soak in her companionship.
Her open invitation will already test my resolve to stay away. Life, it seems, wants to throw tons of obstacles to make me question my decisions, but doing so could see me dying before I obtain my goal. And no sweet talk or images of happy families and healthy friendships are worth letting Tommaso Giametti live.
As I walk toward the exit of the farmer’s market, a stall catches my eye and I halt without meaning to. Before I talk myself out of walking away, I make the vendor’s day by dropping a few thousand on his wares.
When I return to the car, I’m still unsure what came over me, and I’m undecided if I’ll unpack any of the parcels. The boxes containing an elaborate cat tree stare at me on the silent return to the house.
Will Katsuo put a hit out on me if I accidentally steal his cat?