Page 78 of Ruin

“Hey,” I said and leaned in to kiss his cheek. The brothers had fanned out around the room, standing behind Taro’s family, who still sat in their chairs.

“What are you doing here?” Taro asked.

I smiled and took his hand in mine. “You’ll see.” I faced Akio and announced, “The Hawks MC wanted to let the Takahashi family know that with Wolf as head of the house, he has our support.” Taro’s hand tightened in mine. “In other words, anyone who wants to fuck with Wolf, fucks with us, and we don’t mess around in reaping retribution if someone is foolish enough to screw with Wolf. The Hawks MC protects what’s ours in any way necessary. No one wants us as enemies… the way we play is dirty. I’ll be stickin’ around to make sure that whoever is stupid enough to come after Wolf thinks otherwise.”

“This meeting is adjourned,” Taro announced.

Akio stood. He eyed the brothers and then looked to Taro. “You are not fit to run this house. Jiro was right.”

“Why? Because I’m gay?”

He screwed his nose up. “That’s one reason. You need to step down and let me be head of the Takahashi family before you destroy it with all your changes.”

“I thought we were done with this when I dealt with Jiro,” Taro said.

“It will never be done until you do not stand at the head of the table trying to control us in foolish ways.”

“How is anything I’ve done foolish? Because I refuse to allow the men of the family to bargain off their daughters in marriages that they would never be happy in?”

“It should be the men’s choice in what they want to do within their own family,” Akio shouted.

“Careful with your tone,” I warned.

“Or what?”

“Or I’ll make you,” I clipped.

The guy sitting beside Akio stood. “You dare speak to my father like that?” He pulled a gun and pointed it my way. His lips thinned, and his burning eyes shone with anger when I started chuckling.

“Wrong move, motherfucker,” Vicious said from behind Akio’s son as he pressed a gun to the back of his head.

“If you don’t like the way I run things, then leave. Do not be foolish like Jiro was.”

Akio stared Taro down, but Taro didn’t move or flinch; he took it like the leader he was. Why were all the old fuckers wanting to live back in the dark ages? Times had changed, and if they had their way, it’d stay where the men looked down on the family's women. It disgusted me.

“We will speak of this at another time,” Akio stated.

“No, we won’t. You either walk from this room and leave or stay within the family and accept how I run things. The choice is yours, but you make it right now.”

“Father—” The son started until Akio shut him up with a look. If he’d teamed up with Jiro, this dick could have possibly got lucky and taken over. But neither of them would have conspired to work together. Both of them were obviously stubborn and wanted to rule. Fucking idiots.

“We’re leaving to go back to Japan,” Akio finally said, and relief coursed through me.

“If that is what you wish,” Taro said.

“I will not stay and be led by someone like you.”

Taro shrugged. “I can’t change how you think, Akio. I want you off my property by tonight.”

Vicious moved back as Akio turned. He took in the brothers again before he stalked from the room with his son following and ten other men who must have been his people.

When the door closed, Taro called, “If there isn’t anything pressing right now, I wish to continue this meeting another day.”

The others stood, bowed to Taro, and walked from the room. The only ones left were Taro, Ryo, me, and the brothers.

“Ryo?”

“I shall warn your uncle in Japan of Akio’s arrival. Akio will be in for a surprise when he realises he’s moved back to a place that has made just as many changes as you have.”

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