Page 7 of Patience
Harada Koemi, surrounded by her team, refused to back down. “The data doesn’t lie. This takeover—”
Haruka tuned her out. The argument wasn’t worth losing brain cells over. Haruka could tell with one glance that the entire thing was an elaborate show set up to convince one man that his aunt’s power base was crumbling so he’d be willing to attempt the coup he’d spent years planning.
Last fall, Haruka had earned his aunt’s esteem and fear when he’d exposed the plan to her. He’d let her know she’d only win with him on her side, thus earning the right to her staying out of his life. Unfortunately, he’d lost the right to stay on the sidelines of the family company.
Goya Itsuki—the traitor in question—sat back in his chair and tried not to look smug. His aunt’s plan was clearly well on its way to succeeding.
Haruka didn’t need to be here. He could easily have played his role as puppet king from the onsen.
“I’m missing a massage for this,” Haruka said in a bored tone.
“I’d be more than happy to fill in for you, Haru-chan. Especially if the masseur is who I think it i—”
Haruka cut her off with a sharp glance. He would only be pushed so far.Just because he didn’t want to take over the company didn’t mean he couldn’t. He’d made sure his aunt was well aware of this fact. She was the best at running his company, but if she didn’t stop making sly allusions to wanting Eli, he had no qualms about removing her.
His aunt choked on her drink and looked away hastily. “You’re no fun anymore Haru-chan.”
Haruka sighed inwardly and went to his happy place. It used to be on the archery field. Now his happy place was currently in the process of trying to maim himself on a ski slope in Kusatsu. And Haruka needed to get back there before Eli succeeded.
But he still had to give a good performance on his way out.
“I would be more fun if I had my own jet. I had to take a helicopter here.” Haruka added a little pout at the end. It always worked on Eli, so he liked to use it sparingly.
His aunt’s eyes sparkled. She’d claimed to love his performances now that she was in on the secret. “Don’t be so spoiled, Haru-chan. When I was your age, I didn’t have access to the family helicopter.”
“It was a rental.” Haruka shuddered like he’d been asked to scrub the employee bathroom. “I’m going back. You know what my vote is, put it in for me.” He turned on his heel and left the room without giving even the smallest bow.
Now his aunt had to file a boatload of paperwork so she could be his proxy for the vote. She could have saved herself—or her assistant, rather—the trouble if she’d stayed out of his business. The least he could do was inconvenience her in return.
The return flight seemed to take longer than the flight to Tokyo had. Probably because he’d spent the first one imagining all the ways he could make his aunt suffer. Now he was imagining all the horrible things that could have happened to Eli while he was alone.
And why did Eli demand to have Kamakura be his bodyguard? Haruka knew to his bones that Eli loved him, but Eli didn’t have a thousand years of memories of being forced to watch Haruka die or be stolen away scraping raggedly against his soul.
Haruka had the right to be a little overprotective.
Which meant he didn’t like young, attractive men spending time alone with Eli. Protecting him, making him feel safe . . .
Haruka was unaware of the low growl coming from him.
Chapter4
Kamakura Keiji
How did his life end up like this?
Kamakura Keiji lived by a strong set of morals and was a good man—okaasan told him so and his mother was always right.
So, how had he ended up with an adorable and dictatorial bundle of energy as a charge?
“Kamakura-san, can we start at the top? The bunny slope looks boring.”
Eli stared up at Keiji with jewel blue eyes, filled with a fascinating mix of innocence and mischief. It was nearly enough to make Keiji say,Yes, of course, Talosa-san. Anything you want.But since he wanted Eli to be alive when he was returned to Yamada-san, he said, “I think the resort requires all skiers to complete a basic course before they can use the ski lift.”
It was only a partial lie. Keiji thought theyshoulddo so, but Eli didn’t need to know that. And if Keiji was smart, he’d be able to make sure the lesson lasted until Yamada-san came back from Tokyo.
The moment this beautiful chaos demon dropped into Keiji’s life, he knew his world would be changed forever. Exactly what extent that would be was yet to be decided, but Keiji was beginning to have some idea of what he was in for.
It had only been a few short months since Eli had bullied Keiji into allowing him to escape Yamada-san’s custody, but it had been enough for Keiji to know he would give his life for the boy without hesitation. Of course, it was his job to do so, but Keiji would do it now even without being paid for the honor—or the constant threats from his boss.
