Chapter 1
Flee ?
Evangeline
I stare downat the messages on the special cookies Flower gave me at the Christmas party. She pretended to gift everyone their own little set of gourmet treats. Only mine held a message:Be ready. Garden. Dragon.Scrawled on the tops of three of the half-dozen she gave me.
Beneath them, a sachet of tea. My heart trips over itself. Riyu is not a fan of anything other than matcha, and only tea that a particular provider their mother uses has aged and harvested.
Fear sinks its knives into me. Worrying my lip, I try to think how I can get him to drink it. Absently, I wonder if it is the same brew she used on Akchiro. Queasiness rises in me. She nearly killed him. I hope she’s had it calibrated better this time.
Jeeze Louise. Am I really thinking about doing this? Drugging my husband and running away?
Calm falls over me with clear certainty. Damn skippy, I am. Notwithstanding last night and today. Riyu is a fucking monster.He kidnapped me, took my virginity, and forced me to marry him.
He went to meet with his brothers and cousins over some Yakuza and Takeda business that couldn’t wait. I know I don’t have that much time.
“Hiyo.” I say when the servant answers the com. “Can you have some tea sent up for us?” I don’t have to specify what kind; they all drink the same one. Hopefully, I can mix these herbs in and they will have the desired effect with no aftertaste.
To rid myself of the nerves bombarding me, I inhale and exhale several times. Breaths come out too fast. Fuck. I’m damn near hyperventilating. He’s going to know something is up.
“Whew, chile. You need to get it together,” muttering to myself, I go over to my bag. I brought some lemon balm with me. It should calm me down enough.
After taking two, I pace a little, waiting for the attendant to come with the tea.
I’m on my third pass across the room — the calm that draped over me earlier all but dissipated when there is a light knock on the door.
Sliding it open, I take the tray with a soft, “Arigato,” to the shy girl who bows prettily for me.
I set the tray down.
He shouldn’t be too long now. It’s already late, and he’s rigid with his sleep schedule — early to bed and even earlier to rise. I won’t have much time.
I’m still steeping the tea when the door slides open and my husband’s tall form enters the suite. He’s gorgeous in his all-black attire from earlier. But his black shirt is unbuttoned well past his throat and his color is high with a bronze flush rising.
Briefly, I wonder if they argued. It would be rare for the men in our family are coldly silent in their anger. Glaciers have nothing on these motherfuckers.
“Come,” he commands, his eyes eating me up. “Shower with me, wife.”
As always, my heart stutters at those words. I love it and I hate it with equal fervor. I need to get away to bring things into crystal clarity, and I cannot do that being held in Riyu’s thrall. Knowing the repercussions of my choice, I’m still firm in my decision. We will never be together again. He won’t forgive me. If for no other reason than to prove to his brothers that it is possible not to be made to give face in such a way. Leaving means the end of us and I have to be okay with that. I really need my heart to catch-up with my brain.
“Umm, I was just pouring us some tea.” I say, holding it out to him in the traditional fashion he likes.
I can all but sense him wanting to roll his eyes. His lip even curls a little meanly as he takes the brew tossing it back.
“Careful — it’s hot,” I hurry to say leaning forward.
“Fuck,” he swears skewering me with a hard stare.
For a moment my tummy twists. Hopefully he drank too fast to give much attention to the taste.
He holds his hand out instead. “I need you, Ev.”
I guess the meeting didn’t go as planned.
Placing my hand in his much bigger one I let him pull me to my feet.
“You taste so fucking good.”
