“We have our wives secured. If you’d like our help in finding out where your sister is, then we’ll be happy to help.” I cover smoothly, making a point not to look at the Tatsumoto envoy.
It was just a short a while ago my brothers and I, along with my cousins, all had a very eventful dinner party with none other than Prosperity Shipmoore and her new Dom, Tsuyoshi Tatsumoto. The way she handled herself was a beautiful thing to see. Still not quite where Tsuyoshi needed her. I don’t see his interest waning anytime soon. I doubt he’ll ever release her.
In a word, he was smitten and I doubt very seriously he’s willing to give her up — he seemed dedicated to the challenge she presented. That night showed him in complete control of his muse but she remained unbroken. She was well taken cared of — pampered even.
Takeda’s don’t abuse women and my brother would have never given her to a man known to such behavior.
Still, she could be our very own Helen of Troy, the catalyst for one of the bloodiest wars between syndicates in our lifetime.
“You had to know her work would have brought her under the notice of some very powerful men. You failed to protect your sister, now you deem it appropriate to come and threaten us.” Takashi is seconds away from pulling his Katana from the way the muscle in his jaw ticks, if the coldness of his words is anyindication. I communicate calm to him with the steadiness of my gaze.
Porter cants his head in our direction. “Indeed.” His response is noncommittal. Rising from the table with their eyes trained on all the men present, they bow, pivot, then leave us in silence in their wake.
“You deserve death for this.” Kairi flicks lint musing before sliding a glance to the two Kobe men who visibly swallow.
“Bringing outsiders —”
“They offered four of their shipping fleet for cargo to us to be shared among everyone present if we found their sister.” Ren Kobe interjects with a bow of apology for cutting Kairi off.
“Hai, we have a vast network. Between the lot of us we can find her and if she’s not here, we have still made an ally.” Botan, the younger man adds.
They want so badly to be seen as important to the men assembled unaware they have ran afoul of the most powerful ones at the table.
The group at large is unaware of the significance of Prosper Shipmoore’s disappearance and they will never know. However, Kairi, my brother and I are all very aware they will never get their sister back as long as Tsuyoshi Tatsumoto wants her. From the last I saw them together he was no where near tired of her. He’s no less obsessed with her than I am with Ev or Takashi with Bridget.
Just as I would bury anyone who dare try to take what’s mine, I have no doubt the head of Tatsumoto Yakuza would be no different.
“Ah, well, good intentions and all of that.” The cold calculation Ryogi the kaicho of Sumoyosi-kai of is not lost on me. The preeminent yakuza syndicate aside from Tatsumoto speaks with a chilling coldness to the group at large.
I almost feel sorry for the young Kobe men. I don’t expect for them to be topside long. Ryogi is know for being a cruel, OCD, Psychopath. I don’t expect him to let this go. Orphaned young and raised by this grandmother, Fusea one of the few whom leaders of any clan Ryogi is as ruthless as they come.
“If the girl can be found then this alliance can be formed. Get the word out that she should be returned posthaste and unharmed. If she’s already dead, then it’s unfortunate, but we won’t be so inhospitable as to inform her brothers of such sad tidings. Now, shall we get back to the business at hand?” His gaze reaches every man before turning to what he deems and more pressing issues.
Darkness greetsme when I enter our penthouse suite. Deciding as I was due to return to Tokyo for the next two weeks, I didn’t like having Ev away from me while I attend this series of meetings, so I brought her with me. I could tell the isolation was getting to her.
The cliff-side home is a paradise, a veritable fortress of solitude. I can tell she was slowly losing her mind there without any stimulation. A bright mind like hers needs to be challenged. Something I realized as soon as I took her the first time.
It wasn’t on my agenda. I had no intention of bringing her back into the city until she is either pregnant or sufficiently conditioned to our new normal and her place in my life.
On a lark I brought her back. Time will tell if I’ve erred.
Takashi seems to suffer from the same affliction because I could smell his wife on him in the elevator.
“Hiyo,” looking over the living room, I see the smooth lines of Ev’s form on a settee facing the view of the city. She’s waiting forme in the dark, for how long I don’t know but it reminds me of the early days when I’d first brought her here to live with me.
“I’ve always loved this view.” Looking out into the Tokyo night, her words are soft — wistful even. I don’t know if it’s the longing in her voice, but something in me softens.
“Hai.” Trying to suppress the memories of all the nights I took her in this very room — in front of the wall to wall floor to ceiling window. She’d greet me in nothing but the diamond necklace gracing her curves.
“Hungry?” she asks, like the epitome of domestication has sprung up within her. We both know it is a lie. She hates anything to do with cooking and often scoffed when Flower would insist on cooking for my brother when she had five stare chefs at her disposal. Still, my lovely wife plays her part well.
“Not really.” Mouth quirking with cynicism, I watch her shift to face me.
The meeting ruined an already trying day. Handling the tech arm of Takeda with my other two leads, Takashi and Hisashi — men with very diverging temperaments and ideas about how to proceed in their approaches to clients and work. I often find myself mediating between the two.
“You’re the balance, my brother,” Akchiro assured me when he gave us the edict to work together.
The genius level of talent and acumen was not lost and put to good use for the family business. There was nothing on the seven continents. Takeda Industries did not touch, just as there was nothing in the vast underworld of the black market that we did not influence.
