Page 11 of Ruin

I saw the older teen take the younger’s hand. “W-We don’t want to marry the men you have us set with.”

Jesus Christ. They were younger than Mimi and already had been set to marry someone. That was fucked up. I wanted to wrap my hands around Jiro’s neck and choke the life out of him.

“You are my daughters. You will follow my rule!” Jiro yelled.

I stood, ready to storm around the table and lay the fucker out. A hand dropped to my shoulder. Wolf’s. He didn’t say anything to me. When he removed his hand, he moved closer to Jiro and said to the room, “From this day on, the women have their say on howtheirlives are lived.” He stopped just before Jiro. “That is my word.”

“They are my children.”

“They are a part of the Takahashi family.” Wolf cocked his head to the side. “Tell me, Oji-san, who runs the family?”

Jiro’s jaw clenched, along with his fists. “You.” It was pretty clear he left off “for now.” Calculating intent filled his eyes. I expected he wouldn’t even flinch from killing his own nephew—as long as he had control in the end.

Mimi’s life wasn’t the only one in jeopardy within these damn walls. Wolf’s was as well.

I hadn’t, as yet, seen the muscle backing Wolf. Would he have enough protection? Would they both? I’d stick around and stay close to see. If not, I would make sure they did by calling the brothers in.

“Yuri, Hina, come,” Jiro tried again. If they left, I worried for their safety. I wouldn’t put it past Jiro to beat them bloody for “dishonouring” him in front of the rest of the family.

The girls looked to Wolf. He smiled gently. “If you wish to move to this side of the property, I am sure your aunt will love the company.”

“You will not take them!” the mother yelled.

I caught Mimi wrapping her arms around her waist and biting her bottom lip. I quickly moved around the table and rested my hands on her shoulders in support. She leaned back into my chest.

Wolf’s gaze hardened and swung to the woman. “The girls will still be within the walls, just closer to me so I know my ruling will be followed.” Yeah, Wolf also knew the girls were going to get in the shit for speaking up.

Jiro’s face shot red as he screwed it up. He took two steps back and grabbed Yuri’s hair. She cried out as he pulled her from her seat. Hina started crying. She dropped to her knees and pressed her forehead to the floor by her father’s feet.

“They are not your problem. I am their father. They will do whatIsay.” He shook Yuri by the hair, a whimper falling from her lips.

Fuck this.

I started around Mimi, but she gripped my arm. “No,” she uttered. “Taro will take care of it.” I took another step. “Please, Ruin. It’s a family matter. You can’t get involved unless asked by the head of the family.Please.”

I didn’t like it one damn bit. But I locked my body down and glanced back to see the men had joined Jiro at his back. All of them scowled at the girls like they were a disease.

“You do not want to do this,” Wolf warned as he removed his white jacket.

“You have no say overmychildren,” Jiro snarled.

“I have a say over the treatment of any member of this family, and I do not like what I see. Let Yuri go, Jiro.”

“You will call me Oji-san, boy.”

Wolf chuckled without humour. “You do not deserve the title when I have no respect for you.”

Jiro’s face screwed up again and he pushed Yuri away. She stumbled and dropped to her butt. In the next second, Jiro raised his hand and slapped Wolf across the face. A bit of a bitch move, but maybe it was something this family did.

Wolf slowly moved his gaze back to Jiro. “You want to do this now?”

“I will never bow to you as head of the family.” He turned to the room and waved a hand at Wolf. “This is who you will follow? This pup? He is still wet behind his ears. He knows nothing. He will change everything, and you will sit there letting him? He sucks cock, he takes men to bed, and soon you will be bending over for him.”

Jesus Christ.

Another man stood abruptly. “I will not follow a man who takes other men.”

Bloody hell, were they all bigots?

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