Chapter 23 - Clem
Of course, we didn’t stay in our little walled paradise.
As distracting and enticing as Rurik could be, we were in Tokyo.
The complete other side of the world, and as new and exciting to me as if we’d gone to another dimension.
This place had thousands of years of history and some of the most advanced technology in the world.
Not even Rurik’s intoxicating kisses could keep me from wanting to explore.
And of course, we let the Koboyashis know we had arrived, and now, two days later, I was having lunch with Erina at a traditional tea house after hours of rigorous shopping.
Our bags were safe in her chauffeured car, and I was stuffed from the multiple courses that didn’t seem to have an end before the pouring of the tea commenced.
Erina explained the ceremony to me in low tones as the thick green tea was mixed. My crash course in Japanese on the plane was basically useless in understanding anything, but Erina and everyone else I practiced my few phrases on seemed grateful I was at least trying.
After the tea lady left us, I carefully tasted the strong brew, looking up to find Erina looking at me thoughtfully, as if she had something on her mind she wasn’t sure would be proper to bring up.
Setting my cup down, I waited, trying not to ask if anything was wrong.
Everything was so different here that I could have messed up in a myriad of ways.
“Clem,” she finally said. Yes, her tone was too serious. “You’ve only been a Fokin for a short time.”
“Yes.” I nodded, still finding it odd to hear anyone refer to me by my borrowed last name.
“And you’ve become close with Rurik’s family since then?” she asked.
“To be honest, there are so many of them I haven’t met them all yet,” I told her.
At the beginning of our ruse, Rurik had told me to always stick with the truth as much as I could so I wouldn’t get tripped up by things that were unimportant.
“He has a whole army in Russia, and we haven’t had time to take a trip there. ”
She flinched slightly at the word army, and leaned closer, though we were alone in the private dining room. “But you must be aware…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “Of course, we know that Gavrik Imports ultimately has nothing to do with anyone but your husband.”
I pressed my lips together. If she forgot about our silent partner, Gavril, this didn’t seem the time to bring him up.
“Rurik is very proud to have started the company on his own,” I said.
Even as his executive assistant and with my fingers in everything to do with Gavrik Imports, I couldn’t have spoken with any certainty about his Russian affairs, or what his cousins did to make their vast fortunes when they weren’t running LA’s hottest restaurants and nightclubs.
Now, Erina asked me if I ever felt uncomfortable, then once again cut herself off, assuring me it had no bearing.
I couldn’t lie, either to defend Rurik’s family or deny any wrongdoing, because I had no idea why she was being so cagy with her questions.
“They’ve only ever been perfectly welcoming to me,” I said, the many different Japanese delicacies we’d had for lunch beginning to stir up in my stomach.
“And why wouldn’t they?” she asked, changing the subject.
Once she dropped me off at the sumptuous villa Rurik had rented for us, I hung out by the koi pond for a few minutes before going inside.
I needed to be alone to ponder those questions she hadn’t really asked, but that still stirred up a heap of trepidation.
It was almost as if she were alluding to some shady behavior in the family I had married into.
Or, been dragged into.
But wasn’t I loving it despite the secrecy and tricks that got me here?
Loving it too much, especially in such gorgeous, tranquil surroundings.
Enough, I could have easily overlooked whatever Erina was hedging about.
I was good at digging up information. My love of research had led me to the Koboyashi Corp’s amazing game system.
So why had I never dug into the Fokin family?
“There you are,” Rurik called, sticking his head out of the sliding door. He grinned at the shopping bags I’d dumped on the paved walkway surrounding the pond and hurried out to help me carry all my new purchases in.
In the excitement of showing off everything and telling him about all the places Erina had taken me, I forgot about his family. I hadn’t lied when I said Rurik had built his import company on his own. What did they have to do with anything?
He made fun of me for wanting to see the Tokyo Tower, saying it was for tourists, but ultimately gave in when I refused to budge. In fact, he had already booked a diamond tour for us, and we were whisked up into the exclusive lounge as soon as we arrived.
He put his arm around me as we watched the breathtaking sunset over the vast expanse of the city, then settled in to watch the lights begin to wink on in all the skyscrapers. We rambled on about everything and nothing while sipping our drinks, and before I knew it, I was hungry again.
He had been checking his phone surreptitiously while we chatted, and I pretended not to notice, but now he glanced at it for too long, not answering right away when I asked if he wanted to try one of the restaurants in the tower or find a café on the street while we explored some more.
“Trouble at home?” I asked.
He looked up, abashed, and resolutely stuck his phone in his pocket before dropping a kiss on top of my head. “Not at home, no,” he said, but refused to expound further.
We decided to walk around, and every time I looked away, he sneakily brought out his phone to tap out a quick message. I wouldn’t have noticed if Erina hadn’t sparked my curiosity, and yes, my suspicions, earlier that day.
Then he bought us some kebabs that looked like fried dough, daring me to eat them without knowing what they were first. They were sweet and fluffy, and emboldened, we moved on to the next food vendor to try something else.
I kept asking him what everything was, and he laughed, holding out the next fried thing on a stick for me to taste.
“I know exactly as much as you do, Clem,” he reminded me. “It’s my first time here, too.”
Since he was so much older and more experienced in everything, I had forgotten. I felt warm all over, on the same footing in our Japanese adventure. This was something I hoped he’d never forget, long after our temporary alliance was dissolved. I sure wouldn't.
“What’s that face for?” he asked, kissing some takoyaki sauce off my lower lip.
I pushed aside the wave of melancholy that washed over me at the thought I’d only be a memory to him one day. Instead of thinking about a future without him, which quite frankly scared the crap out of me, I smiled and shook my head. “Just realizing we’re almost at the end of the row.”
He pointed down to the beginning of the street lined with food stalls. “Then we’ll start at the beginning again if you don’t want it to end.”
I didn’t. I really didn’t.
We found an area with tables and chairs and settled in to watch the people go by. I went into a restroom to wash all the greasy remnants of our food adventure off my fingers, and when I returned, I found Rurik scowling down at his phone, angrily tapping out a message.
He sensed I was returning and swept it back into his pocket before I slid beside him again. This time, I was resolved to get some answers. If something was bothering him, maybe I could help.
Before I could say a word, a big man with blond hair a few shades sandier than Rurik’s made a beeline through the crowd to our table. He spoke in rapid Russian as Rurik rose to greet him.
“I’m sorry,” he said hurriedly to me. “One second.”
They both moved far enough away that I couldn’t hear them, not that I could understand a word since they both spoke in Russian as they hurried off. Neither one’s body language told me anything good. They were both tense, and Rurik was clearly annoyed, but at the man or the situation, I had no idea.
He left the man, who had to be some kind of relative unless their Russian heritage alone accounted for their physical similarities. Leaning over the table, he pointed to a row of taxis. “Go back to the house. This won’t take long, I promise.”
He kissed me quickly, still in a rush, and was gone before I could stand up or ask a single question about what was going on.
As if he’d tell you, I thought, bitter that our fun night was cut short.
But he had promised not to take long, so I did as he asked and returned to the villa, trying not to let my fears and paranoia find me all the way in Japan. I had two choices when Rurik came back. Demand answers, or get things back on track.
This was supposed to be a honeymoon, after all, right? If this was only going to be a memory one day, why not make it the best one possible. Something to cling to during the upcoming lonely nights.
But time dragged on without Rurik’s speedy return, and after an hour, I gave up hanging around in the courtyard, jumping with excitement every time someone walked past the front gate. I went inside to take a bath, with only hurt feelings and fresh suspicion to keep me company.