Chapter 11
Chapter eleven
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Kenji
Still on the bar, Nyomi lifted her hand and the Claws went quiet without being told.
That detail hit me harder than it should have. A week ago, only Reo and I could get silence from that group. Tonight, my Tiger had gotten it with one raised palm.
"Before we get to the Claws’ signature drinks," She rubbed her hands together. "there's one more person we need to honor."
Hiro shook his head. "Hell no!”
She looked at him. “Excuse me?”
“This better not be something for the Roar. He's lucky to be here."
Reo's head turned slowly. His eyes found Hiro's across the room and settled there with a murderous glare.
Nyomi rolled her eyes. "Hiro, keep it up and you’re getting thrown out of the party."
"I would like to see somebody drag me out of here." He crossed his arms over his chest. “I already plan on sleeping under that claw this evening.”
“Whatever, crazy man.” Nyomi snapped her fingers toward the doors at the far end of the ballroom.
They opened.
A line of women walked in, wearing black floor-length gowns and carrying small black trays. On each one sat a row of golden spheres on thin gold skewers. Steam rose from them in twisting ribbons.
The violin retreated and the band shifted to upbeat jazz. The saxophone led the melody and the piano kept a steady rhythm.
Nyomi cleared her throat. "You all need food as we're drinking so much alcohol."
Hiro narrowed his eyes at those trays. “This better not be for the Roar.”
"Of course not. In fact, these bites are not in honor of anyone special." She kept her voice light. "Not even. . .anyone absolutely amazing who I love and respect with all my heart."
Reo smiled.
Hiro loudly groaned.
Nyomi picked a skewer off the nearest tray and held it between two fingers. "But I do hope that when you all eat these bites, you have a roaring good time."
Hiro pointed at her. "I caught that!"
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh shut up and eat the damn Roar bite."
Reo snickered and reached for the tray.
He took two.
Then, three.
The waitress began to walk away.
I stopped her. “Stay. He’ll want more.”
She smiled and remained next to him.
“Thank you, Kenji.” Reo looked like a man who would lay down his life to protect Nyomi in any future endeavor.
She’s stolen my Claws. Now she has my Roar.
I took one off the tray and studied it.
At least I have my Fangs. . .for now. . .
I stared at the spheres on the skewers. They were golden, about the size of large cherries, crusted in what looked like panko flakes. A thin dusting of shaved parmesan clung to their crust.
I bit down on one.
Mmmhmm.
The panko cracked. Inside was warm cheese. No. Multiple cheeses melded into a single creamy molten interior that pulled in a thin stretch from the bite to my lips as I drew back.
“I hope you enjoy.” Nyomi turned to Reo who still had not tried his bite just yet. “First, we have aged cheddar.”
Reo groaned like an idiot.
“Gruyère rolled in behind it.”
“Oh yes!” Reo wiggled his head.
I widened my eyes.
“And don’t forget the fontina.”
“And now I agree with Hiro.” Reo bobbed his head. “We’re getting married.”
I raised my eyebrows not sure if the whiskey from my shot had intoxicated him or if he was just getting high off the list of cheeses.
The twins grabbed bites from the same tray at the same moment, bit in unison, and then nodded. “Perfect!”
“All that with a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano should make it yummy yummy in your tummies.” Nyomi ate hers.
“Yes!” Reo raised his skewers in the air. “To the Heart!”
I frowned. “Just fucking eat them.”
Reo laughed and ate two spheres together, the whole time munching and moaning like some drug addict that just got their fix. This was absolutely un-Roar-like behavior. Thankfully, no one else but us witnessed it.
Grumbling, I ate more of mine.
Around me, the Claws were having their own reactions.
Daisuke had a skewer in each hand. "I don’t usually like cheese but this is good."
Some of the melted cheese dripped on Toma’s purple jacket and he scooped it up and ate it. “Mmmhmm.”
“All forgiven,” Hiro muttered through a mouth full of cheese.
When Reo finished his skewers, he glanced at the waitress still next to him holding a tray full. “Stay with me the whole party.”
She nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Reo took his fourth skewer.
Kaede had somehow acquired a small napkin and was eating his in tiny measured bites. "Delicious.”
"Eat it, Kaede." Toma had moved on to his third. "Stop writing a review in your head."
"I am taking my time and tasting it."
"You are annoying."
Minutes later, Nyomi lifted both arms. "Twins, help me down, please."
Aki and Yuki did not hesitate. They moved together, hands at her waist and her arms, lifting her cleanly off the marble surface and setting her on the floor in one smooth motion.
As she came down, the slit of her dress rode high enough that I caught the temporary dragon tattoo curling up the outside of her thigh.
Yeah. I’ll get my artist flown to the island to make that happen.
I imagined myself licking the tattoo once it healed on her thigh.
“We are going to our next surprise.” Nyomi reached for the slave's leash.
I was across the space before my brain caught up with my body. I wrapped my hand around hers and lifted the leash out of her grip. "Leave him here, Tora. They'll watch him."
Her brow furrowed. "Kenji, he'll want to come with—"
"They will watch him." I passed the leash to the woman in emerald green.
Smiling, she took it and wrapped the chain around her palm.
The slave's head stayed down and his view remained on the ground.
Nyomi scowled at me, but remained silent.
I slid my hand to the small of her back.
Sighing, she walked with me, guiding us away.
Everyone followed.
We set off toward the left side of the ballroom, toward the first draped section, Claws trailing behind us with their tray remnants and a collective sense of increasing giddiness.
My hand stayed firm against her spine, possessive and warm through the fabric.
She turned her head slightly toward me and dropped her voice. "What did you do to my slave?"
I kept my expression pleasant. "Correction. Hiroko's slave."
"Kenji—"
"I'm the only man who kneels for you." I leaned in and nipped her ear. “The only one that crawls. He’s lucky to be alive.”
She shivered and her breath caught.
I felt it travel all the way down her spine under my palm.
“Fuck, Tora.” I licked my lip and let my mouth stay close to her ear. "Only me. Do you understand?"
"Yes."
"Good talk."
The blush crept up her neck in a slow warm tide.
I watched it climb. Watched it bloom along her jawline. Watched her throat work as she swallowed against it. When we made it to the huge draping, Nyomi stopped us, turned around, and clapped her hands once.
Two new women entered the ballroom. Each carried a small black tray.
I smiled.
Aww. Here we go. Now I’ll never hear the end of this.
On each tray sat oversized lollipops.
They were about five inches in diameter, mounted on thick white sticks that could have passed for wands.
The shells were clear sugar with the faintest red tint, like pale rose glass.
Inside each sugar shell, a liquid swirled visibly— red and white twining around each other and moving in slow hypnotic loops.
"Oh shit!" Hiro stabbed his cane at the floor for emphasis. "This is mine!"
"Actually.” Nyomi raised her finger. “This is the Roar’s lollipop.”
All laughed except Hiro, who was now sneering her way.
She chuckled. “I figured we're all due a nice lollipop, while I show you to the next space."
The women spread out and began handing the lollipops over.
Hiro received his like a child receiving a new toy. He stared at the lollipop for a moment, tilted it, watched the liquid shift inside the shell, and grinned.
Then he licked it.
His face changed.
"Oh!" He licked it again. "Oh, baby!"
Nyomi called out, "Bite it, Hiro."
"But, I'm savoring."
"No. Bite the top. You'll see."
“Fine.” Hiro examined the lollipop more carefully, saw the hollow center under the glassy shell, grinned wider, and opened his mouth.
Those diamond fangs closed over the top of the sugar dome.
The crack was sharp and clean.
Liquid poured into his mouth.
Nyomi grabbed her lollipop. “In these we have cherry sake, vodka, grenadine, and cream. All the perfect combination for a man who never needs to be introduced, only respected and feared.”
Hiro groaned loud enough that two of the serving women giggled. There, my brother stood with some of the liquid running down his chin, the shattered sugar shell still in his hand, and eyes rolled half back in his head. "Fucking. Hell."
He gathered up the liquid off his chin and licked his fingers. "This is the best thing anyone has ever made for me."
Nyomi gestured to one of the women. “Get some napkins, please.”
“He’ll need wet wipes.” Toma cracked his own lollipop next. His purple mohawk bobbed as he chewed through sugar with enthusiastic disregard for his mouth.
Kaede simply licked his lollipop, never biting. Eventually a small hole appeared and he sipped from the side. "Interesting. The cream is balancing the cherry."
Daisuke snickered. "Kaede puts on a suit and now thinks he’s a critic."
Kaede frowned. "Shut up before I spill some of this onto your dress."
“It’s not a dress. It’s a deconstructed suit.” Daisuke bit and the sugar dome shattered across his lips. Liquid ran everywhere. He did not wipe it. He just closed his eyes again and drank the remnants directly from the broken shell.
“Uh yeah.” Nyomi licked hers and looked at another woman. “We will need damp cloths.”
The twins mirrored each other. Both cracking their lollipops at the same moment. Both of them looked down at the liquid pooling in their broken shells, then up at each other, then back down. They tipped them into their mouths in perfect unison and swallowed at the same second.
"Incredible," one said.
The other one lifted his gun. "You know what this needs?”
“Fuck yeah.”