She raised her eyebrows.
"He intended them to eventually take my virginity," I continued, refusing to soften the truth. "That was their purpose in his eyes. They were chosen to serve me in every way."
Nyomi's jaw tightened, but she didn't look away.
"But my mother—" I paused, remembering her gentle hands brushing through my hair and her quiet wisdom. "My mother taught me something different. She told me that power means nothing if no one chooses to stay. That if I gave them freedom, they would serve me not because they were bound, but because they wanted to."
The helicopter's rotors had stopped now, but neither of us moved.
"So, at a young age. . .I gave them private quarters. Free time. Autonomy. Choices, not order." I brushed my thumb across Nyomi's cheekbone. "I made sure they had access to books, language tutors, music, and theater. Basically, anything my mother whispered in my ear to do for them, I did it."
"And you never. . .had sex with them?"
"I’ve never touched them and have no intention of it. If anything, I see them more as sisters."
Nyomi's shoulders relaxed, just slightly. “But. . .dotheywant you to touch them?”
"They belong to me in the way that everything in my world belongs to me.”
“Meaning?”
“They're protected. Treasured. If anyone dared harm a strand of their hair without my permission, I wouldn't just hunt that man, I would erase his bloodline."
Nyomi's eyes widened at the casual violence in my tone.
"But they're free to leave whenever they want," I added. "Free to choose lovers whenever they wish, with their consent and my approval, of course.”
“Whyyourapproval?”
“They know too much about me to fall in love with one of my enemies.”
She put her gaze back on them. “They’re in love with you.”
"I don't think so."
"I do." Her voice was certain, no hesitation.
I followed her gaze back to the three figures below. Yuki's composed mask. Mami's nervous hands. Hina's devastating smile.
Had I been blind?
Or had I just chosen not to see?
"They grew up serving you," Nyomi continued softly. "You gave them education, freedom, kindness—probably more thananyone else in their lives ever did. You protected them from your father's intentions. Gave them purpose."
She turned to look at me. "How could they not love you?"
The space between us charged with electricity, and I wasn't sure if that was good or not. This moment was damn sure new to me.
"I can see it from here," she said. "In the way Yuki stands exactly where you can see her first. In the way Mami can't stop fidgeting because you're close. In the way Hina looks like Christmas morning just because you're here."
I blinked.
She’s already remembered their names and is clocking their movements.
I cleared my throat. "Perhaps, what you see is a heightened level of undying loyalty. They've stayed with me for years. They would die for me. And I would burn the world for them." I leaned closer until my forehead nearly touched hers. "But they're not you, Tora. They never could be."
She studied my face for a long moment, and I let her see everything—the truth, the possessiveness, the stark honesty that I'd never given any woman before her.
