“Morning, Kitty.” He comfortably sat at my table. What felt like a rock settled in my gut. I hated when he surprised me like this. I instantly sensed I did something wrong or something bad would happen to me.
“Morning.” I yawned and walked over to him. I bowed, then kissed him gently on the head before sitting at the table.
“I hope you don’t mind. I pulled Tatsou away for business. Rest assured, I have three men stationed around this studio.”
I nodded and thanked him for the guards. Without Tatsou around, there wasn’t a threat like he assumed, but of course he didn’t know about my vamp.
“I came here to check on you, Kitty. You can relax.” He chuckled at how rigid I’d been sitting, and I lowered my shoulders from attempting to touch my ears.
“You’ve been taking everything in stride, like a true Sakura woman. I’m very proud of you.” He reached his hand over and I placed mine in his. I loved hearing he was proud of me, despite the situation.
“If there is anything you need to talk to me about, you can always do so. Any troubles, I will take care of them.” He squeezed my hand once, and I fought the reaction to eye him suspiciously.
“Thank you,” I replied automatically, but a feeling of foreshadowing curled up my spine.
“You’ve always been my special child. Most beautiful and kind. I’d hate for anything to crush that out of you.” This conversation took a strange turn and all I could do was nod. Did he know about Tatsou being a vampire? He could be acting like a father who feared for his daughter. The vampire had the power to mindscrew with him, he could know, and not be able to tell me. The urge to keep Tatsou safe from my father slammed into me. Not only was I fighting to protect Romi, but I’d do the same for Tatsou.
“I would not like that, either,” I admitted, and he squeezed my hand one last time before releasing me.
“Good. I think we are on the same page.” He stood and left while I sat there stewing in his words. Were they a threat? A warning? I wish I knew.
Chapter Thirty- One
Katsumi
It’d been three days since the little chat with my father. My anxiety had taken over and I’ve been frantically worrying for Tatsou. Was he okay? Did my father hurt him somehow? I knew vampires could die, but I didn’t know all the ways or if only originals could kill them. There was so much I needed to know. I wouldn’t have taken Tatsou as the type of man to ditch me without saying anything. He wasn’t a coward. Something else had to be going on, and I would figure it out.
After family dinner, I lingered around the house and snooped. I asked my sister if she’d seen or heard anything about Tatsou, but she had nothing for me. She hadn’t brought up our discussion to get away from Father, but I could see it in her eyes whenever I looked at her. She’d yet to share with the family about her engagement. I wondered if she’d hold onto that secret until she knew what plan I had in the works.
Either way, while Father was busy, I snuck into his office and looked for anything on Tatsou’s whereabouts. When I didn’t find anything, I searched the garage where Father liked to torture people. When my guards were busy drinking outside my studio in the middle of the night, I snuck out and looked in Tatsou’s cave. Nothing. He was nowhere to be found. I could wait for him, but an urgent feeling in my gut wouldn’t allow me to sit back and wait until he came home.
I convinced my father that I needed to meet with a client in Osaka, then another in Tamba City. I tossed out the large amounts of money I would be making, and he allowed me to go as long as I took one of the guards.
Rei jumped at the chance to spend time with me, and Father allowed it. He trusted Rei to protect me while another elite guard took over protecting mother.
“So, what are we really going to Osaka for?” he asked, as we passed the property gates.
“To meet a client.”
“You’re a really bad liar. Always have been.” He laughed, and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“Is it that obvious?” I wondered if Father saw through my lie as easily as Rei did.
“To me, yeah. But you probably got away with it to your dad. He still looks at you like a precious angel who can do no wrong.”
I crossed my fingers against the steering wheel, hoping he was right.
“I’m looking for Tatsou, and before I hear any crap from you, we are a thing. It’s done. I’m sorry. I know you wanted us to work but I couldn’t help the way I feel about either of you.” The words fell out of my mouth and I couldn’t take them back. Rei was silent for a few moments, and I second-guessed having him in the car with me. He was a decent friend. We had grown up together, played as kids, but then a sort of distance happened when he started working for my father. Whenever we did talk, it usually wasn’t about anything of substance.
“I figured. I don’t like the guy. I saw the way he looked at you. I thought maybe I could help you to see how great we would be together, but I get it. Stings, but I’ll be around if there are wedding bells in the future or to give you a hug when he breaks your heart.” He reached over and patted my hand on the shifter twice. I thought Rei would get pissed but he seemed to be okay.
“You’re really okay with it?”
“Yeah, the heart wants what it wants, right? What am I gonna do, stop being there for you just because of who you date? I’m not a dumbass teenager.” He shrugged and offered me a smile. My tensed shoulders dropped, and I sighed in relief. I was glad he remained on my side.
“Thank you. It means the world to me that you’re still my friend, Rei.” I wish I could show him the truth in my statement. He winked and then clapped his hands together.
“All right, we got a boyfriend missing. Where do we start? What was he into? I know all the clubs and shady places to look.” Rei got straight to business and a laugh bubbled up from my chest. Geez this was weird talking to him about boyfriend troubles, but at least I had someone helping me in my quest. Someone who would help me lie to Father about my whereabouts.
