I looked at Nyomi. Her finger was still bleeding. Drops fell onto the white carpet.
I could see the fear in her eyes. The worry. The terror that she was trying so hard to hide. But I also knew we had to go.
I crossed the room and pulled her into my arms one last time. She fit against me perfectly.
"I'm coming back, Tora. I swear it."
She nodded against my chest.
Hiro called from the hallway. “We can’t delay this anymore, Kenji.”
Frowning, I kissed the top of her head and then I let her go. “I love you, Tora.”
“I love you too, Kenji.”
I didn’t want to leave, yet I dragged myself to the door, stopped, and looked back at her one more time.
Goddamn it.
She was standing in the middle of the room.
Alone.
Beautiful.
Terrified.
And still dripping blood onto the white carpet.
I wanted to fix the wound, clean her finger, bandage it, and then kiss her one more time.
But now was not the time to heal.
It was only the time for war.
I turned and left.
We had the power ofherblood and the power ofourrevenge.
I just hoped that was enough.
Chapter thirty-one
The Fangs
Nyomi
I stood there in the middle of the bedroom and closed my eyes.
My hands started to shake, and I couldn't stop the image playing in my head. It showed a dark room with concrete walls.
The three of them—Kenji, Hiro, Reo—walked into the room shoulder to shoulder.
Gunfire blasted them immediately.
Hiro's body jerked backward. His knees hit the floor before the rest of him followed. Reo spun, caught two bullets in the chest, and went down with his eyes still open.
And Kenji. . .the love of my life. . .he stood the longest, yet still. . .bullets tore through him. His mouth moved. No sound came out, but I knew what he was saying. He was saying my name.
