Traversing the garden, I head to the butterfly sanctuary. It’s a glass enclosure resembling a crystal orb. Madam Takeda has an affinity for butterflies that rivals her love her the lush gardens and the species of plants and flowers she propagates in her gardens. The property holds several gardens and the matriarch takes a special pride in all of them. Every suite has a matching garden attached for each family member to have moments ofreflection. Most days she takes tea in her garden, which looks out to the butterfly pavilion.
It’s so near dawn I’m certain she’ll see me if I tarry. My slippered feet make soft padding sounds as I near the orb.
Just as I reach the door. I see light bloom in her suite. Quickly, I slip inside. I press a slick hand over my chest. My heart is thudding, almost seeming to want to burst from me.
Inhaling only to expel the breath seconds later in a whoosh, I scan the small building. Butterflies doze on flowers while others flit from flower to flower in a delightful dance of pollination.
The smell of moist soil rises to meet my nose in a sweet, decadent aroma. It’s humid in here but way warmer than just beyond the doors. Hell warmer than the man whose icy rage incinerates just as hot a his passion.
Takashi is like a volcano on the verge of eruption. The most unsettling thing is how he chooses to target those explosions — overwhelming and intense sex that punish, pleasures meant to ruin me on every level from the moment he took me the first time.
More than a year ago…
“I— don’t know where Flower is.” Stammering for what seems like the thousandth time.
“I believe you.” The cruel smile breaking across his face tells me he could give a fuck.
“We do not know where Flower is or when she planned all this.” Speaking truthfully, I feel fear for the first time sinceknowing the ruthless twin brothers who seem more opposite than anything despite being mirror images of one another.
“See, that is not what my brothers think.” Violence pulses within his aura like an entity ready to burst free and devour everything in its path. The scary thing is that I’m the very thing he’s focused on. “Personally, I don’t care, but I’m sick of chasing after ungrateful women.”
It’s been weeks, and he’s come and gone several times now. The focus has moved from searching for Flower and Asa, the only Takeda heir. Now it’s on me and Evangeline’s possible involvement.
I don’t question why she left the way she did, nearly killing Akchiro. My heart only hurts at the thought of what she must have endured, what she was going through and didn’t think she could share with Ev and me, her best friends in the world aside from her sister, Willow.
“Maybe you should think of what your brother did to make my friend run from his crazy ass, or is abuse not beneath the so-called Takeda honor code?” I sneer up into the onyx, unfathomable gaze of the beautiful man standing before me, looking like he wants to throttle me. His gaze slides to the side before he turns his rage filled gaze back to me.
Looming over me, he cages me, grasping the arms of the chair I’m sitting in. “You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Akchiro loved her. He was gone for her from the moment he met her. Yet. That was never good enough for your friend. All she’s done is lie and run from my brother. Now, she’s stolen his son — my nephew.” He rises, his nose flaring as he exhales hard. Picking up the crystal highball, he swallows the last of his whisky before slamming it down on the hard surface of the table, splintering the glass into a million shards.
How his hand isn’t bleeding, I’ll never know. Maybe it’s the martial arts training he’s been doing for the three weeks I’ve been here.
To actually think the night he showed up at the apartment Ev and I share I thought he actually came to see me. I feel so fucking dumb now, remembering how my heart tripped over itself. How I rushed off the phone with Ev only for him to lure me out of my apartment, bringing me to his private estate. I’d thought that they all lived at the Toranomon Towers but he has a hideaway just outside of Tokyo.
It’s been days. I may have allowed him to bring to another location like a trusting idiot when he claimed, “Akchiro needs you. It’s about Flower and Asa.” It wasn’t a lie. After all three brothers interrogated us, Akchiro left furious after snapping, “Take care of them.”
Tummy cramping in fear, I could do nothing but watch as Riyu hauled Ev away leaving me here with his fellow psychopath twin.
My cycle started immediately after Takashi brought me here, which in some way saved me. Not that he’s shown anything other than a pulsing undercurrent of rage. For some reason, I’m drawn to him. I catch myself looking at him — the way his muscles show through the thin material he wears when he comes in the morning after his workout to check on me.
One morning, his eyes flashed when I snatched away after he gripped my chin to make me acknowledge him. “I like that, bishojo.”
Stunned trepidation rippled through me at the word beautiful. I watched as a slow, sexy smile spread across his face. Still, I resisted, but he held me immobile for a full five seconds before releasing me, making me more than aware that I’m at his malicious mercy.
Parts low in my body squeezed tight as his muscled body, cut and rippling with muscle. I heard a chuckle, then felt a firm finger tug my bottom lip from between the trap I’ve made of my teeth.
“When your blood ends, I will have you.” He mused before stepping away from me as cool as you may please. That time has long since passed, and I’d be lying if I said the anticipation is not killing me as he stands before me now.
I don’t know if my fight-or-flight response is going to kick in. I’m never one to stay around when shit is going down. You learn that from growing up in the projects. When the vibe is off, you leave.
Watching as he rips his fingers through his inky hair, making it spike up, I try to calm myself as best I can. He’s more unhinged than ever before.
I edge out of my seat and head to the door before he has one of his spells, like my gran used to say my uncle had once he came back messed up from Iraq.
“The fuck you think you’re going?” he snarls at me, not even bothering to look my way. His eyes are trained on the garden beyond. It’s nearing dusk and the solar lights illuminating the property haven’t yet come on.
I don’t know if it’s arrogance; or him banking on my fear, but he’s allowed me free rein of the garden since I arrived. He wouldn’t be the first to underestimate me. Yesterday, I hid a ‘go bag’ near the wall that edges the property by the hidden exit.
“Just back to my room if you’re done cutting up.” I manage dryly.
