Nyomi didn’t flinch, not even a little.
Are you sure, Tora? Do you understand what you are asking?
I had already told Nyomi: no woman, no situation, no history would ever disrespect her. I had explained that I would fucking harm myself before I harmed her.
And I had meant it.
But what Nyomi didn’t understand—not yet—was that Reo had this under control. He was just being nice to them forher.
Keeping it dignified.
Restrained.
If my Tiger hadn’t been here? If I had let Reo off the leash? Kiko wouldn’t be screaming anymore and Tet would be on his knees—eyes swollen, mouth bloodied, teeth scattered across the marble like pearls.
And even more. . .ifIhad to deal with this myself?
There would be pain.
Real pain.
I didn’t want to ruin Nyomi’s first entrance into my world. I didn’t want to paint her welcome in screams and broken bones.
But Kiko was making it harder by the second.
My vision narrowed on the door.
I exhaled once—controlled—and then spoke in Japanese, loud and sharp enough to cleave through the noise.“Bring them here!”
Chapter twenty-six
The Dragon’s Heart
Kenji
The hallway shifted from chaos to tense choreography.
Reo stepped into the room first, rubbing the bridge of his nose like the whole situation had drained him dry. His collar was wrinkled. His sleeves pushed up. His expression was pure exhaustion wrapped in murder.
Then came the thunder of pink.
Kiko stormed in like she was marching to a throne that was never hers. Her blush-pink dress clung to every curve. Pearls glinted from her wrists. Her face was dark with fury and drama.
I looked at Kiko’s belly and saw not a miracle, but a fucking question mark wrapped in pearls and entitlement. I saw manipulation. I saw strings waiting to be pulled. I saw her tryingto wrap my dynasty in her silk and play mother to empires she had no right to touch.
She thought the children in her womb—if they were mine—would crown her queen?
But queens were chosen by power, not pregnancy.
I hope to God those kids are not mine. She should pray that they aren’t mine too.
Because if they were, I already knew what I would have to do.
Raise them in my image.
Teach them the blade, the art, the code.
Make them killers, thinkers, rulers.
