“I’m not telling you. And I know your tricks now, so don’t think you’ll be able to figure it out on your own.”
“Kati,” Ben said, a gentle sting in his voice. “Relax.”
“Why do you want Jacob anyway? He already gave you my jewelry box.”
Akira raised an eyebrow at that. “Your box?”
Kati had the grace to flush, but she lifted her chin. “It was Mei’s. She gave it to me. It was mine.”
The kid had potential as a worthy adversary. Her words contained a good deal of sense, pricking the part of Akira’s conscience bothered by the fact that the girl did have a valid claim to Hana’s box. So she nodded. “You can come over next week and pick something out of Mei’s jewelry collection. I was going to sell it and give the money to charity, but a piece or two won’t make much of a difference.”
Kati blinked. “Uh—”
“That won’t compensate you entirely,” Akira continued smoothly. The box was worth more to her than any single piece of Mei’s jewelry. Hell, it was worth more to her than all of Mei’s jewelry. “But it’ll be a stopgap measure until I can work something else out.”
Connor linked his hands over his flat belly. “That’s not necessary.” He shot Kati a stern look when she stirred. “None of it. We were happy to return it to you.”
Ugh, these men. Why wouldn’t they just let the women deal amongst themselves? Everything would be so much easier. “Excuse me,” she said coolly. “My business is with Kati.”
“Kati’s only seventeen.”
“I can contract with a minor.” She paused, not looking away from Connor. “But if that’s really a problem, when do you turn eighteen, child?”
“In two months.”
“There.” She gave Connor a thin smile. “In two months, she and I can deal with each other as adults.”
Connor returned her smile. The brain, Jacob had called him, and Akira didn’t doubt it. There was something calculating in his gaze that none of his siblings shared. “Hey. Darren.”
Darren. That was right. The boyfriend.
“We have some family business to take care of. You mind excusing us?”
“Darren can stay,” Kati protested.
“Nah, it’s cool, Kati,” Darren said, shooting wary looks at Connor. “I gotta go home. I’ll pick you up for ice cream later?”
Connor broke their gaze to turn narrowed eyes on the boy. “Are you asking us, or are you asking her?”
“Um. Both of you, sir.”
“They don’t have any say in whether I go out or not.” Kati glowered. “Pick me up at seven.”
“Where are you going for ice cream?” Ben asked mildly.
Darren swallowed, shifting his gaze between each brother as if he were unsure which one might attack. “Mabel’s?”
“Hmm.” Ben clucked his tongue. “Really? Are you sure about that?”
“Uh—that is…”
Kati let out a low growl, sounding so much like Jacob, Akira hurt. “Oh my God. Stop teasing him. Come on, Darren. I’ll show you out.”
“Okay.” Darren folded his hands together and inclined his head slightly. “Namaste.”
Ben gave an audible groan. Though Akira had just found herself annoyed by the brothers, she couldn’t help her smirk when Connor crossed his hands over his chest, stared at Kati’s boyfriend, and shook his head once. “No.”
Ben coughed. “See you later…Darren.”
