Page 23 of Bound By the Yakuza

“He’s in Tokyo?”

I nodded.

Tatsuya bolted to his feet. “Are you safe? Let me go with you. You can’t meet him alone. What if it’s a trap?” I dressed quickly.

“No, it’s alright,” I said. “Trust me. I know my brother and it’s not a trap.”

Tatsuya sighed and examined me. “You look beautiful.”

I blushed. A compliment was not what I was expecting.

Tatsuya closed the distance between us and tried to kiss me. I turned my head so his lips landed on my cheek and saved my lipstick. When he pulled away, I noticed the hurt in his eyes.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked.

I nodded. “Yeah, I promise I’ll be fine.” I enjoyed the warmth and security of being in his arms for a moment longer before pulling away.

“Let me come with you.”

“It’s family. I need to go alone.” I grabbed my purse.

Tatsuya’s jaw flexed as he clenched his teeth. He was silent.

I held his hands gently. “Tatsuya, I know you want to go with me. I know that you want to protect me. I promise you I’m safe. Remember what I said last time?”

He nodded. “I trust you to take care of yourself. I know you can. It’s the world I don’t trust.”

“Have faith in me then,” I said and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be back tonight.” I held his hand a moment longer, wanting to remember how his skin felt against mine and then left without looking back.

-

The taxi ride took forever in the morning traffic. I was glad that I overestimated how long it would take to get to the hotel.

My phone buzzed. Another text: I’LL BE IN THE RESTAURANT. TAILWIND.

I replied with a simple OK and closed my eyes.

The rest of the ride was uneventful. I paid the driver and stood at the front doors of the fabulous hotel. My brother and I had similar tastes when it came to luxury.

My heels clicked on the marble floor as I headed to the restaurant. It was nearly empty; I spotted Aleksey near the back. He was reading The Japan Times and sipping coffee.

I stopped a pace away from the table.

Aleksey looked up at the sound of my shoes. He gasped and threw down the newspaper. “Karina,” He said and stood. He attempted to hug me but I stepped back.

“What are you doing here?” I asked.

Aleksey was taken aback. “I came to see you. I miss you, sister.”

I sat across from him. “I miss you too, but you shouldn’t be here.”

A waitress came over with a cup of coffee for me. She set it down with a bow and walked away silently. I used this as a distraction, ignoring his eyes as I mixed in cream and sugar.

My brother sighed. “Karina, I know I shouldn’t be here. But things back home are not going well. Father misses you terribly.”

“Then he should call off the marriage.”

Aleksey paused. “If it comes to that, he might.”

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