His blades.
And he was asking me to find out which one might stab him in the back.
If I was wrong?
Someone innocent bleeds.
If I missed the traitor?
Kenji bleeds.
I forced my voice to steady. "Okay."
But my hands curled into fists at my sides, fingernails biting crescents into my palms.
This was the true test.
Not the one in the bedroom.
This one mattered.
His hand slipped away from my waist. “I’ll give you time. Reo and I will remain here. Nod at me when you are done.”
Then he stepped back and let me pass.
I drew in a breath that didn’t fully reach my lungs. Pressure curled tight in my chest.
I stepped inside as Reo and Kenji stayed in the doorway.
Fuck. This space is huge.
I thought Sako had shown me the whole house, but I had not seen this meeting room.
Wow.
The space was enormous. Cathedral ceilings stretched twenty-five feet high, adorned with crystal chandeliers that cast warm gold light across everything. The walls were covered in deep burgundy silk panels, gold-threaded dragons were woven into the fabric so intricately they seemed to move when the light shifted.
The floor was polished black marble, reflecting everything like dark water.
And the table.
Jesus.
Ebony wood, easily seating thirty people, with hand-carved legs that looked like works of art. Each chair was black leather, high-backed, custom-made and probably cost more than a car. One wall was entirely windows, floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the island. A side table held bottles of premium sake and whiskey. Pale blush orchids sat in the center of the table.
The air smelled of sandalwood, aged wood, leather, and money.
This room must have cost more than most people's houses.
This was wealth. Real, tangible, overwhelming wealth.
And power.
Because it wasn't just the room.
It was the men inside it.
Nine men who could kill without hesitation.
